Category Archives: Community
Chicago AIDS Run Walk 2016
GET THE SCOOP!
| August 13-14 | Market Days booth (details here) |
| September 9 | Want your race packet mailed? Then, this is your registration deadline. |
| September 14 | Team Supplies Order due. |
| September 22 | RSVP deadline for Team Packet Pickup – RSVP to runwalk@aidschicago.org |
| September 25 | Pre-registration Deadline |
| September 28 | Packet Pickup **RSVP REQUIRED FOR TEAM PICK UP** Email runwalk@aidschicago.org to RSVP |
| October 1 | AIDS RUN & WALK CHICAGO at Soldier Field |
Pre-Registration Fees – through 9/25/16
$30 Walker – online registration
$35 Walker – offline registration
$40 5K or 10K Runner – online registration
$45 5K or 10K Runner – offline registration
Note: An additional $7 charge will be added for those who choose to have their participant packet mailed prior to the race.
Race Day Registration Fee – 10/1/16
$60 Walkers, 5K and 10K Runners
Six Flags Private Night September 10
Out In The Park at Six Flags Great America
Returns in 2016 for Year 5!
A Private Night in the Park to Celebrate Diversity
Presented by MINI Cooper Chicago & Fireball
That Will Help Benefit TPAN’s Ride For Aids
Saturday, September 10th, 2016 from 7:30PM to 12AM
Singer, actor, director, choreographer and YouTuber TODRICK HALL performs live this for this year’s fifth annual Out In The Park Celebration of Diversity!
All night, attendees can follow the bass to the Hometown Square dance area where The DJ’s of SCARLET Bar Chicago/Honolulu, hostess Khloe and some dancers will keep the party jumping.
Out In The Park is an annual private diversity fundraising event featuring unlimited riding of ALL Six Flags Great America’s amazing THRILL rides (with much shorter than usual lines!) with a portion of all ticket sales each year help benefit various non-profits. “One of the best elements of this event is that it is closed to the general public and this year our event piggy-backs a daytime corporate buyout so our attendees will be entering an EMPTY PARK!” explains Michael Snell, co-owner of BestGayChicago.com. “The LGBTQ community, their family, friends and supporters can enjoy the park with little to short lines and without homophobic hassles from anyone. It’s like a Fall Gay Pride Celebration with even MORE amusement and entertainment!”
In an interview with ChicagoPride.com: “We are very excited that this private night for charity continues to grow every year and we have gifted over $35,000 to various groups,” said Derrick Sorles, Snell’s husband of 17 years and business partner, “We are more than thrilled that the amazing Todrick Hall has signed on to be with us this year. He is in the middle of his “Straight Outta Oz” tour and took a break to be with us and perform!”
“We are honored that some of our peers including GRAB Magazine, ChicagoPride.com and QUEST Magazine in Wisconsin also help us by donating advertising space for this event! It’s truly a community event where everyone comes together for the greater good!” says Derrick Sorles.
Advance $41 tickets can be purchased NOW at www.CelebrateDiversityChicago.com
Attendees get FREE parking for this special event! September 5th the price goes up to $46. $51 at the gate, IF AVAILABLE. This event is capped at only 5,000 tickets, to enure lines stay short for the rides. All ages event. Drinks are available for purchase to those 21+
Hotels –if you are coming to Chicago for the weekend, we have 3 hotel choices in the heart of Boystown! CITY SUITES, WILLOWS HOTEL and MAJESTIC HOTEL. All the hotels are on our website GaySixFlagsChicago.com
BestGayChicago.com
Since 2007, BestGayChicago.com has been providing the best of everything gay and gay-friendly in the greater Chicago area. Owned and operated by Best Gay Inc., their sites provide news, information, travel tips and entertainment for the LGBT community.
Navy Pier LGBT Event June 25th
“Navy Pier Pride 2016” Celebration Salutes Chicago’s LGBT Community
Chicago’s first-ever family Pride celebration outside of Lakeview
takes place at Navy Pier on Saturday, June 25
WOW!!! THIS IS BIG NEWS!
As it marks its 100th anniversary, Navy Pier will make Chicago history as it proudly hosts “Navy Pier Pride 2016,” the city’s first LGBT Pride celebration outside of the Lakeview neighborhood. This family-friendly event features entertainment and events throughout the Pier on Saturday, June 25. As part of the celebration, and for the first time in 28 years, Navy Pier is especially honored to display Chicago-centric sections of the internationally renowned The NAMES Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt. All events for “Navy Pier Pride 2016” are free and open to the public, as part of the Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration®.
As one of Chicago’s top cultural destinations, “Navy Pier Pride 2016” is one of Navy Pier’s new arts, cultural and community programming initiatives. In addition to a lively atmosphere and a pier adorned in rainbows, highlights of this special Pride day-long event will include (times are approximate):
Noon – About Face Theatre’s IT’S FOR REAL is a collection of stories that connects issues around race, class, sexuality, age, gender, self-esteem, and family. Based on the true experiences of the performers in the show.
· 1 p.m. – A kickoff parade, led by the Lakeside Pride Marching Band.
· 1:30 p.m. – Performances by the legendary MILLY’s ORCHID SHOW, featuring Brigid Murphy as “Milly” and with an entire cast of such celebrities as Yuri Lane (“The Harmonica Beatbox Man”) and introducing rising gay icon, his 8-year old daughter, Delilah Rose, along with Alexa Grae, Robert Cornelius (former member of the group, “Poi Dog Pondering”), House-O-Matic, and many others.
· 5 p.m. – “Chicago’s Biggest Wedding,” officiated by Angelica Ross (a leading figure in the movement for transgender and racial equality, and star of the hit series, “Her Story”). Make history with us and your loved one, as we hold a massive marriage ceremony on The Pier.
· 7 p.m. – For outdoor dancing, with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop, join house music superstar and Grammy Award-nominated producer, DJ RALPHI ROSARIO, in the Miller Lite Beer Garden.
· 10:15 p.m. –Guests will observe a moment of reflection to honor those lost in the tragic events in Orlando, followed by a celebration of life with a special Pride-themed fireworks spectacular.
Another historic and moving part of the day is the return of The NAMES Project’s AIDS Memorial Quilt. The much-celebrated Quilt began to take shape in 1987 with a single 3 x 6 foot panel created in San Francisco. Today, it weighs 54 tons and is composed of more than 48,000 individual panels, each one commemorating the life of someone who was lost to AIDS. In 1988, Navy Pier became one of the first venues nationally to put The Quilt on public display.
“Throughout its 100-year history, Navy Pier has led the way in demonstrating compassion and commitment, while celebrating diversity and inclusiveness. Welcoming people of all backgrounds is at the heart of Navy Pier’s core values. We are, truly, ‘the People’s Pier,’” said Marilynn Gardner, President and Chief Executive Officer for Navy Pier, Inc., the non-profit organization that operates Navy Pier. “We believe ‘Navy Pier Pride 2016’ will be an event that embraces the ideals of respect, tolerance, love, and inclusiveness.”
“Navy Pier Pride 2016” has been in the planning stages for months and is one of the initial projects as part of Navy Pier’s bold, new Arts & Discovery programming initiative. Leading the vision and direction of this 18-month Arts and Discovery strategic planning initiative is Navy Pier’s leadership team, consultants from Dickerson Global Advisors, as well as more than 100 Chicago non-profit arts and culture organizations. Navy Pier’s cultural and community programming is supported by the Polk Bros. Foundation.
Recently appointed Guest Artistic Director, Steve Abrams, brings creative leadership and vision to the first series of Arts and Discovery programs. The programs launch this summer as a pilot initiative. As a driving force in Chicago’s diverse cultural landscape for the last three decades, Abrams brings an innovative arts background to Navy Pier. His prior experience includes senior and executive leadership roles at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance at Millennium Park, and producing numerous theatrical productions.
For more details on “Navy Pier Pride 2016,” and the Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration®, please visit the Navy Pier website at www.navypier.com or the Navy Pier Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.
About Navy Pier
Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is the top-attended leisure destination in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than 9 million guests annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. In 2016, Navy Pier celebrates its 100th anniversary with a series of special events and programming, the grand opening of its new Centennial Wheel and ongoing pier-wide redevelopment efforts as part of the “Fifth Third Bank Centennial Celebration.” Navy Pier, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization, maintains and oversees Navy Pier and its redevelopment into a bolder, greener and more contemporary urban space. For more information, visit our website at www.navypier.com.
Help Chicago Homeless Start Over
From Alderman James Cappleman –
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I have worked hard to encourage the City of Chicago to adopt a housing first model to reduce the number of people living with homelessness after noticing its success in other parts of the country. This strategy works best when two components are in place: a sufficient amount of subsidized housing coupled with wrap-around services. The most difficult piece to this model is having a dedicated source of funding to make an investment for long-term cost savings. I’m working with Mayor Emanuel to have a steady stream of funds available so that we can remain focused on housing. Some of this funding will be through a 4% surcharge for a new Airbnb Ordinance and there will be some additional funding coming from the Clarendon-Montrose TIF development. Our pilot program to get 70 people living under the viaducts along Lake Shore Drive directly into housing is now underway. We have had a number of meetings with housing advocates, the folks living under the viaducts, city departments, and other community leaders to create a plan that will work. After all of these individuals without homes are in their new apartments, the Dept. of Family & Support Services (DFSS) will assess what worked well with this project and where improvements can be made. Afterwards, DFSS will select more areas throughout the city where people are living outside in encampments to implement this housing-first strategy.
How You Can HelpI’ve asked Inspiration Corporation to help me with a “New Home Starter Kit” drive. This starter kit will provide these 70 individuals going into new apartments with some of the needed supplies to start life in their new homes. To organize this process of purchasing this starter kit, my office has created a registry with Target. If you’re able to help, please click here to go to the registry and purchase needed items that will assist these individuals start their new life in an apartment. Inspiration Corporation will host a day at their Uptown headquarters where you will be invited to help put these starter kits together so that they can be distributed. A substantial number of people living on the streets have told me that they became homeless right after they were released from Cook County Jail with no employment or disability in place and no family available to help them start over again. Without these necessary supports in place, it’s no wonder why we have such a high recidivism rate in our prisons. Later this month, I will be meeting with Cook County Sheriff Dart’s Office, DFSS, and the Dept. of Public Health to discuss how a more effective transition could be made when people are released from jail. I am pleased that so much is coming together to help those in need. It’s a very complex process, but lasting solutions require thoughtful planning with everyone working together. Best,
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Hepatitis C on the Rise
Howard Brown Health Issues Statement on
Newly Released Hepatitis C Data from the CDC
This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released preliminary data showing that hepatitis C–related deaths are at an all-time high in the United States. The data finds that more Americans now die as a result of hepatitis C infection than from 60 other infectious diseases reported to the CDC – including HIV, tuberculosis, and pneumococcal disease – combined.
In response, Dr. Magda Houlberg, Chief Clinical Officer for Howard Brown Health, release the following statement:
“Howard Brown Health has been working to increase the numbers of patients screened for hepatitis C (HCV) and to use the most up-to-date treatment approaches for the people we serve. The numbers released by the CDC are very concerning, especially considering risk factors prevalent in the LGBTQ and other communities. Howard Brown uses a unique, multidisciplinary approach to HCV screening and treatment, which includes screening in primary care and sexual health walk-in settings, nurse education, case management, and pharmacy support. With aggressive screening and a robust approach to treatment, we can decrease these numbers in the future.”
In 2015, Howard Brown Health screened 5,743 unique patients for HCV, with a positivity rate of 2.5%. Also in 2015, an HCV project team was formed, meeting weekly to review patients on treatment, or in queue for, treatment. All Howard Brown physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants participate in a training for community-based medical providers in effectively treating HCV in the primary care setting.
In 2015 Howard Brown’s HCV team served 192 patients living with active HCV, and cured 44 patients.
Factors that contribute to the spread of HCV include lack of access to healthcare, stigma, lack of availability of sterile needles and syringes for hormone treatment, outdated views, lack of available sterile needles and syringes for people who inject drugs, barriers to education and screening, sexual transmission, and poor insurance coverage.
Dr. Houlberg added, “We encourage people concerned about possible HCV infection or who need guidance exploring treatment options to consult medical experts.”
Howard Brown’s Walk-in Clinic offers access to screening on a sliding-scale fee structure six-days a week. Hours and other information are posted at howardbrown.org. Patients may also consult their provider on an appointment basis. Call 773-388-1600 to schedule an appointment.
Frost Fest Craft Beers in Boystown
FROST FEST KICK OFF!
Come out this THURSDAY (FEB 18th)to Replay Beer & Bourbon-Andersonville to sample some of the amazing beers for Frost Fest on February 27th!
The Northalsted Business Alliance delivers festival fun to the waning days of winter with a weekend of special events.
Craft Beer Festival
On Saturday, February 27, craft beer takes center stage at Halsted and Waveland. Chill under a tent filled with favorites from more than 40 brewers.
DJ Marc ‘Moose’ brings the heat to the dance floor. Food trucks from Beaver Donuts,
Chubby Wiener, Ms. Tittles and Pico St. Kitchen help soak up the suds.
Purchase tickets at www.northalsted.com and choose one of two sessions (1- 4pm or 6-9 pm).
Guest can shed their coat at the check-in for $2, which benefits Howard Brown Health Center.
Soup Walk (FREE)
On Sunday February 28 from 1-5 pm the 3rd annual Soup Walk warms up winter with nine Northalsted and Lakeview East restaurants showcasing their soups at retail business.
Stroll or take a free trolley to hit all nine spots.
- NoteworthyNotes (3629 North Halsted) with soup from Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club
- Egoist (3526 North Halsted) with soup from Dive Bar.
- Boystown Collectibles (3453 North Halsted) with soup from Taverna 750
- Universal Wellness Source (3324 North Halsted) with soup from The Chicago Diner
- The Leigh Gallery (3306 North Halsted) with soup from D.S. Tequila Co.
- CRAM Fashion (3331 North Broadway) with soup from Café L’Appetito
- Unabridged Bookstore-3521 North Broadway) with soup from The Bagel
- GAP (3216 North Broadway) with soup from Escencia Urban Kitchen
- wineHOUSE (3164 North Broadway) with soup from Soupbox
About the Northalsted Business Alliance (NBA)
Formed in 1980, NBA represents more than 100 businesses along the Halsted Street corridor. The organization hosts major events throughout the year including Chicago Pride Fest, Northalsted Market Days, Frost Fest and the Halloween Parade. For information about NBA visit www.northalsted.com.
Precious Davis – Say YES to the Dress
Friday’s episode (Jan 15th, 2016, 8pm Central time) of Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta will mark a first for the show when it features a transgender bride.
In a sneak peek of the episode, Precious Davis visits Bridals by Lori to find the perfect gown for her wedding. Davis and her fiancé Myles — both of whom are activists — will share their story on the show before getting married in Chicago in front of 1000 guests from their community. (@ Rockefeller Chapel at the University of Chicago ).
“We want people to be inspired of what love can look like in its many forms,” Davis says. “We want to bring this kind of royalty because we feel we are royalty.”
Precious Davis is lauded both locally and nationally as an award winning diversity professional, social justice facilitator, and performance artist. She currently is the Assistant Director of Diversity Recruitment Initiatives at Columbia College Chicago , her alma mater from which she received a BA in Liberal Arts. Precious currently implements and oversees the Campus Wide Diversity Initiative and is the first woman of color to hold this position. see more HERE.
SNEAK PEAK of the show HERE.
Shirtless Chicago Guy Spreads Prayer
A couple weeks ago Ethan Renoe, a hot shirtless jogger crashed a TV weather forecast in Chicago. During the rainy broadcast Renoe said, “It’s a great day for a run. Too wet to wear a shirt, you know?” He added, “I love running in the rain, and I’m also single!” – the video went Viral!
Renoe, an evangelical Christian, also made sure to get in a shout out to Jesus during the impromptu interview he did with WGN.
Now, NBC Chicago reports that Renoe, who attended a Christian Bible college and says he is a virgin who is saving himself for marriage, founded a ministry that has been offering “free prayers” outside gay bars in the city’s Boystown gayborhood for the last four years! – Damn, I keep missing him!
“My primary purpose of going there is to show this community love that has been severely damaged by those who claim to be Christians. That area has been hurt by people who claim Christ’s name.” – – Is it good? or bad? how do you feel about this?
One student member remarked that he understood the backlash the group sometimes receives while in the gay community:
“Some people come at us angrily, but I can understand that because that community is their stronghold and that’s where their identity lies and they feel like we’re attacking it, but that’s before they talk to us,” said student Andy Wood. “Regardless of lifestyle decisions we have the same opportunity to share the gospel and love people.”
World of Chocolate Dec. 3rd
It’s finally the sweetest time of year is HERE!
Tickets for World of Chocolate 2015 are on sale now.
Get hotsy-totsy and party like Gatsby for an evening of chocolate galore! Inspired this year by the glitz and glamour of the 1920s, World of Chocolate is Chicago’s commemorative World AIDS Day event held at the beautiful Chicago Union Station.
Revel in chocolate delights from more than 25 of the city’s top chefs, imbibe to your heart’s content at our open bars and win fabulous prizes, including vacations to New York City, Las Vegas and more.
Kick off your holiday season with the AWESOME EVENT! Come Hungry!~
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| Since its inception, World of Chocolate has raised over $1.7 million to fund vital HIV services and programs at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Purchase your tickets today and savor the sweet satisfaction of making a difference!
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Hydrate TURN ABOUT Show for TPAN
IT’S BACK!
Don’t miss your chance to see staff LKH doing DRAG for charity!
The annual LKH TURNABOUT SHOW proceeds go to benefit TPAN via Hydrate, The Den, Replay Andersonville, and Replay Lakeview participants in BARLESQUE!
Doors at 8 pm
Show starts at 9:30 pm
$10 suggestion donation includes Hosted Bar and Hors d’Oeuvres from 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm!!
Join the Facebook page HERE
Chicago Homeless Youth
Chicagoans know fall means bitter cold is on its way. People will soon scurry to stay inside day and night. Yet, more than 20,000 young adults and students are looking for a permanent home, not just overnight shelter.
In the spirit of giving back this upcoming holiday season, the Chicago-area community will come together on Friday, Nov. 20, for an overnight sleep out to raise visibility and funds to help provide a stable living environment for youth experiencing homelessness.
The first-of-its-kind event in Chicago, the Out In the Open Sleep Out, will bring together members of the community to raise funds for 18 organizations serving youth experiencing homelessness. The event will be at Cricket Hill near Montrose Ave. and Lake Michigan.
Attendees will hear from individual teens and participate in a variety of activities. There will also be dozens of entertainers performing during the event.
“We are striving to bring new people and resources to this critical issue in Chicago,” said Tracy Baim,Windy City Times publisher and executive producer of the event. “We’ve modeled the event after similar events in other cities, and we plan to also showcase the talents of this next generation.”
The following nonprofit partners will benefit from the event: AIDS Foundation of Chicago; Care2Prevent, the University of Chicago; Center on Halsted; Chicago House; Chicago Youth Storage Initiative; Howard Brown Health Center’s Broadway Youth Center; Illinois Safe Schools Alliance; La Casa Norte; Lurie Children’s Hospital – Division of Adolescent Medicine; Neon Dorms – Heartland Human Care Services; New Moms; Puerto Rican Cultural Center – El Rescate; TaskForce Prevention and Community Services; Teen Living Programs; The 750 Club Apartment Adoption Project; The Night Ministry; Thresholds; Unity Parenting and Counseling, Inc.; and YEPP: Youth Empowerment Performance Project.
The event is hosted by the newly formed Pride Action Tank, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Edelman, Agency EA and Windy City Times newspaper, along with a wide range of other partners. Best Gay Chicago is a proud media partner of this event.
To donate or sign up for the inaugural event as well as to learn more about individual teen’s stories, please visit sleepoutchicago.org.
Chicago’s PRIDE ACTION TANK
Pride Action Tank, a new, results-driven group that addresses challenges facing individuals and groups within LGBTQ communities through a collaborative process of inquiry, advocacy and action, is launching this month as a project of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC).
Kim L. Hunt, former executive director of Affinity Community Services, will be Pride Action Tank’s executive director. Tracy Baim, founder of Pride Action Tank, will be the president of its advisory board.
The work of Pride Action Tank focuses on six overlapping issue areas: housing, health, safety, financial security, youth and aging.
Pride Action Tank will bring together and support the work of subject matter experts as well as people directly impacted by challenges facing the LGBTQ community to envision and realize practical and longer-term policy solutions. Moreover, Pride Action Tank will fuel collaborations among organizations, departments, experts, policymakers and community members in order to fill in gaps and ensure better supports for all people in LGBTQ communities.
The mission of Pride Action Tank is to “improve the health, safety and progress of individuals and groups within the LGBTQ community by inspiring, supporting and leading collaborative action that improves policy, service, access and community dynamics in the core areas of housing, health, safety, financial security, youth and aging.”
Sign up to receive updates and action alerts from Pride Action Tank!
AIDS Walk Chicago 2015 Sept. 26th
Runners, walkers will put their feet down at AIDS Run & Walk Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 26
Thousands expected to gather at annual day of remembrance, fundraising and awareness
WHAT: Chicago-area residents will gather to change the HIV epidemic at the 14th annual AIDS Run & Walk Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 26. The event will start and finish at Soldier Field in Chicago, and courses for the 5k walk and the 5k/10k runs will stretch along Lake Michigan.
WGN-TV’s Dean Richards will be the master of ceremonies for the morning’s festivities, which will include brief speeches by AFC President/CEO John Peller and two longtime HIV advocates, Evany Turk and Patricia Johnson.
The opening ceremony will also include a performance from the Broadway musical RENT by Artists Giving Back, which is producing a production of “RENT” to benefit AFC on Dec. 1. Afterward, participants will warm up before their run or walk with Fitness Formula Club trainer Joy Miles.
Panels from the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt will also be on display, and free HIV testing will be available on site.
Funds raised through AIDS Run & Walk Chicago will benefit programs and services for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and 35 other metropolitan organizations that provide life-saving services to people living with HIV and AIDS. Since it was established in 2001, AIDS Run & Walk Chicago has netted nearly $5 million to battle the epidemic.
For more information, visit aidsrunwalk.org or call 312-334-0946.
WHO: Media are invited to attend the event and speak with the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s President/CEO, John Peller, as well as additional AIDS Foundation of Chicago representatives, event volunteers and race participants.
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 26*
7:15 Registration and packet pickup open
8:00 Opening Ceremony begins
8:25 Warm-up stretch led by Joy Miles of Fitness Formula Clubs
8:45 10k run start
8:50 5k run start
9:05 Walk start
9:30 The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt display opens
10:00 Closing Ceremony begins
*Times are subject to change. Check aidsrunwalk.org for more details.
WHERE: Soldier Field (1410 Museum Campus Dr., Chicago, IL 60605)
*Media may park at Waldron Garage (600 E Waldron Dr., Chicago). Parking fees apply.
AIDS RUN WALK Chicago 2015
AIDS Run & Walk Chicago is AFC’s grassroots fundraising event where people from all walks of life help change the story of HIV in our lifetime.
As beneficiaries of the event, AFC and our CommunityDirect partners are greatly impacted – beyond just the obvious ways.
AIDS Run & Walk Chicago stands up to the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS allowing progress to continue toward ending the epidemic. Run & Walk invigorates the sector by increasing awareness for the cause, growing our passionate community and allowing new leaders to emerge.
In 2014, AIDS Run & Walk Chicago raised over $394,000 net to benefit the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.
Over and above that, we granted $240,000 to our CommunityDirect partners. These funds allow us to continue saving and improving the lives of those living with or at risk for HIV.
SIGN UP TODAY!!
Joey Kisling Fund Raiser
Most everyone in Chicago is thinking about the upcoming weekend and Market Days and how they plan to celebrate and party with friends……no one really thinks about if they will even be alive to enjoy it. They just assume, they will be.
If you knew how much time you had left in this world, what would you do? Quit your job? Travel? See all the places you ever wanted to see? Take every risk you feared before? Eat all the things? Would you make a bucket list?
I know that thinking about your fatality is not necessarily enjoyable, but imagining that you could live out the rest of your life without worry, without financial burdens, and instead with freedom and clarity certainly sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Magical, even; romantic, like something that only happens in movies.
This is a chance for YOU to make this dream a reality for someone.
Boystown’s beloved Joey Kisling, at the young age of 31,
has fallen victim to the monster that is cancer. An aggressive, rare, and terminal cancer, and he needs our help.
Joey has been a bartender and DJ in Chicago for years. He’s probably poured you a shot, danced with you, inspired you to Shazam something from one of his mixes; he’s probably made you smile.
Now it is our turn to make him smile, to help him live out the rest of his life just as he wants. Let us work together to send him to sandy beaches in far away lands, let’s send him to rooftop pools in swanky hotels in Paris and Berlin. Let’s send him to The Big Easy and then Tahiti to enjoy cocktails with tiny umbrellas at swim-up bars.
Let’s help him do it because he deserves it; let’s do it because it would be amazing if someone did the same for you.
Please consider donating any amount to this fund. No amount is too big or too small; Joey will appreciate every cent. And he will appreciate every single one of you- even more than he did before.
TUESDAY August 11th TAT TUESDAYS @ REPLAY for also host a fund raiser!
Chicago AIDS Walk Sept. 26th
“Put your foot down.” That’s the message behind this year’s AIDS Run & Walk Chicago, hosted by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) and benefiting 35 other community organizations — known as CommunityDirect partners — on Sept. 26 at Chicago’s Soldier Field.
“We want supporters to put their foot down and make a difference in this epidemic, especially among communities most impacted by HIV,” said AFC President/CEO John Peller. “At the biggest annual HIV awareness event in Chicago, we want to make it clear that new HIV infections can be a thing of the past if we put the right resources in the right places — including AFC and our 35 CommunityDirect partners.”
The 35 CommunityDirect partners that will raise funds through this year’s event will receive 90% of all money raised by their teams. Last year, the 32 CommunityDirect teams raised a combined $270,000.
The aim of the event — and the CommunityDirect program — is to support HIV/AIDS programs and services across Chicago, particularly in neighborhoods most affected by the epidemic.
“There are uncertain times ahead for many human services providers in Illinois,” said Simone Koehlinger, Senior Vice President of Programming. “AIDS Run & Walk Chicago brings funds and awareness to organizations having a significant impact on the HIV community — organizations that are making communities healthier and stronger.”
The CommunityDirect partners serving the South Side are Black Methodists for Church Renewal, COIP/UIC School of Public Health, Greater Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, Men & Women in Prison Ministries, Michael Reese Research & Education Foundation and the University of Chicago (Care2Prevent).
Those serving the North Side are Asian Human Services, Center on Halsted, Chicago House and Social Service Agency, Howard Brown Health Center and Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN).
CommunityDirect partners on the West Side include the Austin CBC Initiative, CALOR, Children’s Place Association, Erie Family Health Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, New Age Services, Project Vida, Puerto Rican Cultural Center (Vida/SIDA) and Taskforce Prevention and Community Services.
Organizations that provide citywide services are the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, AIDS Legal Council of Chicago, Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus, Chicago Recovery Alliance, Chicago Women’s AIDS Project, FCAN, Heartland Health Outreach, Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health (ICAH), The Night Ministry, Pediatric AIDS Chicago Prevention Initiative, Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and Season of Concern.
And finally, AFC is proud to partner with organizations that serve people outside of Chicago: Canticle Ministries, Open Door Clinic and Youth Outlook.
Event registration is $40 in advance for 5k walkers and $50 for 5k or 10k runners. To register as an individual or as a team, or to donate to a CommunityDirect team, visit aidsrunwalk.org or call 312-334-0946. Online registration ends Sept. 20
Put your foot down to end new HIV infections
To give both AIDS Run & Walk Chicago participants and HIV advocates a way to express their demand for better support for HIV prevention and services, AFC is leading a social media campaign from now through Sept. 26 that invites people to “put their feet down” for the cause.
Participants are invited to print a template and write the reason they “put their foot down” to change the epidemic. They can then take a photo of the template with their foot, post to their social media platforms with the hashtag #aidsrunwalkchicago and share it with their communities. More information about the campaign and a link to the template can be found at aidsrunwalk.org.
Out in the Park Six Flags Chicago
Out In The Park at Six Flags Great America
Returns in 2015 BIGGER Than EVER!
A Spectacular Night of Amusement and Entertainment
Presented by MINI Cooper Chicago & Ketel One Vodka
That Will Help Benefit Northalsted Business Alliance
Saturday, September 12th, 2015 from 7PM to 12AM
Hosted by Amanda Lepore AND Pablo Hernandez this year! Attendees for this year’s fourth annual Out In The Park Celebration are in for a night of EPIC proportions.
All night, attendees can follow the bass to the Hometown Square dance area where The DJ’s of SCARLET Bar Chicago and Hostess Trannika Rex and some adorable go go’s well keep the party jumping.
Andrew Christian supermodel and “king of selfies” Pablo Hernandez will be riding rides with guests all night and taking photos. Then at 11:00 he will debut 2 of his new songs, followed by the Queen of New York nightlife, Amanda Lepore, with the worlds most expensive body!
Out In The Park is an annual private LGBT Saturday night fundraising event featuring unlimited riding of ALL Six Flags Great America’s amazing THRILL rides with a portion of all ticket sales each year help benefit various non-profits. “One of the best elements of this event is that it is closed to the general public and this year our event piggy-backs a daytime corporate buyout so our attendees will be entering an EMPTY PARK!” explains Michael Snell, co-owner of BestGayChicago.com. “The LGBT community, their family, friends and supporters can enjoy the park with little to no lines and without homophobic hassles from anyone. It’s like a Fall Gay Pride Celebration with even MORE amusement and entertainment!”
In an interview with ChicagoPride.com: “We are very excited that this private night for charity continues to grow every year and we have gifted over $35,000 to various groups,” said Derrick Sorles, Snell’s husband of 16 years and business partner, “We are more than thrilled that Amanda Lepore is flying in from New York and the handsome Pablo Hernandez (from Los Angeles) will debut his new music at our event this year!”
Advance $40 tickets can be purchased NOW at www.GaySixFlagsChicago.com
FREE parking for this special event! In September the price goes up to $45. $50 the day of the event. All ages event. Drinks are available for purchase to those 21+
Hotels –if you are coming to Chicago for the weekend, we have 3 hotel choices in the heart of Boystown! CITY SUITES, WILLOWS HOTEL and MAJESTIC HOTEL. All the hotels are on our website GaySixFlagsChicago.com
New gay boy in town …By Sebastian Saenz
A few days after I arrived to the windy city, a friend of mine told me that Chicago has the advantages of big cities, without it actually being to big and chaotic. Also that it is beautiful and the gay scene not too complicated; and so far he has been right. I got here a month ago from Mexico City, and so far my expectations have not been let down. I actually visited this city a couple years ago for St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and I have great memories from those crazy days, but this time it’s different since I intend to stay for a few months, looking for a change in my life.
I’ve actually been privileged and visited and even lived in some of the most exciting and multicultural cities in the world: London, Paris, Berlin, Florence, Lima, Cancun, Oslo, New York, and of course, Mexico City, just to name a few. And even though I love the beach for quiet vacations every now and then, and I am capable of camping for a few weeks, I have to admit I’m a city boy. I love the people, the night life, the culture, the history, the food, the streets, the fashion… So, of course, I am having a lot of fun adapting to this city.
Of course Chicago has a lot to offer to everybody, tourists and locals. Seems a bit unnecessary to mention Millennium and Lincoln parks, the zoos, the museums, the shops, the baseball and hockey games, the theaters, the river, the breathtakingly tall buildings, and of course, the deep dish pizza and the hot dogs. However, I must confess, I come from a blessed place in terms of weather, and this June has been a roller coaster, and I’ve been told to get ready for a very cold winter if I am still here by then.
But let’s get to the point, the scene: Soho, Les Marais, The Pink Zone, Castro, WeHo… and now we have Boystown and Andersonville. Gay districts all over the world have become famous for welcoming our community, offering friendly entertainment and nightlife options that satisfy our taste of music and people. And I could not have arrived to Illinois in a better time of the year for my community, since June is Pride month, and expectations have been exceeded. The gay scene in Chicago has given me some interesting perspectives.
Obviously the locals are gorgeous, and the variety is immense: twinks, bears, daddies, redheads, Middle Eastern, Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, athletic, jocks, preppy, trashy, trendy, and the list goes on. But this has gone beyond: an unintentional social experiment. In some ways Chicago hardly differs from other cities in the Western hemisphere. We all wear Calvin Klein and Banana Republic, we all smell of Abercrombie and Paco Rabanne, we all dance to RiRi and Madge, we all drink beer and Cosmos, and we all use Grindr. However, some differences have appeared too. Chicagoans do not dress up as much to go out dancing, they are more into Hip Hop (not my favorite style), and are a bit more aggressive when it comes to… let’s say getting numbers (not that I’m complaining, but maybe I’m more used to Mexico’s more timid approach).
Even though in Mexico we celebrate Pride every last Saturday of June, I had no idea Chicago made a month out of it. Parties, festivals and special events throughout the whole month have been vast and fun. Pride Month was everything I could have asked for, with maybe some extra harnesses. I loved that the parade was not only for fun, but that actual activist groups (such as police men, politicians, NGOs, judges and families) were present, raising civic participation. All the festivities were organized, clean and amusing. And of course, we all had to celebrate the now national possibility to walk down the aisle.
Chicago has been welcoming, and a great experience so far. I really hope to find ways to stay longer. It is, without a doubt, a city that offers everything, no matter your background. I definitely made the correct decision coming here, and most people that have visited this city might agree with me. So, for those who have not come, put it at the top of the To Do pile.
Kit Kat Lounge Benefit June 16
Tuesday, June 16 6-8 p.m. $20 donation
3700 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, Illinois 60613
773.525.1111
KitKatChicago.com
Ty Herndon at Chicago Pride Parade
Country singer Ty Herndon hopes that the support he received after coming out last year is indicative of a progressive Nashville, one that’s becoming more tolerant toward the LGBT community than in years past.
“One of the biggest fears I had in coming out and being authentic was that I wouldn’t get to continue doing what I do for a living, and that’s country music,” he told The Huffington Post in an interview. “How great is it that I have the opportunity, for the first time in my life, to sing about truth? That makes me a very happy man.”
Herndon, 53, sees his latest project as a prime opportunity for him to pay that happiness forward. On June 12, he’ll take the stage at the first Concert For Love and Acceptance at Nashville’s City Winery, which he is co-hosting with Meghan McCain, the daughter of former Republican presidential hopeful John McCain and an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights.
PRIDEChicago, the organizers of Chicago’s annual gay pride parade, announced Monday that out country star Ty Herndon will be the Grand Marshal for the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade.
“I have struggled with being gay my entire career and life,” Herndon told ChicagoPride.com just days after that interview. “Of course, I’ve had so much support from my friends and close family that supported me, that knew I was gay. But it’s been so freeing for the fans to know; the fans in country music, especially. They have really been supportive and awesome.”
