The 2015 Equality Illinois Gala is history, and what a history. The Midwest’s largest LGBT formal event celebrated love on Valentine’s Day in an evening that began with a spectacular silent auction and ended with dancing till midnight. In between guests enjoyed the awards ceremony, the annual highlights video, a presentation by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (delivered largely by his wife Amy Rule due to the mayor’s laryngitis), and a hilarious acceptance speech by the incomparable Lea DeLaria, a recipient of the Freedom Award.
Watch video highlights of the evening
Hundreds of photos from the 2015 Equality Illinois Gala
are available for purchase from Mystic Images Photography
Read about the 2015 Equality Illinois Gala in the
Sun-Times, Windy City Times, ChicagoPride.Com, and Chicago magazine
THE MIDWEST’S LARGEST LGBT GALA and FUNDRAISER
SUPPORTS THE WORK OF EQUALITY ILLINOIS
Relive the glamor, fun and excitement of the Equality Illinois 2014 gala in videos and pictures.
The Equality Illinois 2014 Gala filled the Hilton Chicago’s International Ballroom to capacity as a record crowd of 1,400 celebrants including Gov. Pat Quinn, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk and scores of other dignitaries joined Gala Chair Jennifer Pritzker in toasting the passage of marriage equality. The Equality Illinois Freedom Award was given to renowned Chicago filmmaker Lana Wachowski, The Chicago Urban League, and Sen. Kirk. Bloomington, IL-based State Farm earned the Business Leadership Award.