January 22, 2021
Please note that all transactions will take place directly between you and your restaurant of choice – ordering through Equality Illinois is not an option.
Get your 30th Anniversary Gala ticket TODAY!
January 12, 2021
| A villa in Tuscany! A trip to the Grammys! A private Sing-A-Long with a Broadway Star!
Equality Illinois 30th Anniversary Gala Silent Auction is open! Register now for our silent auction and browse all of the exciting packages. The silent auction will remain open until the end of the Gala on February 6, 2021, 8PM Central time. If you are the winning bidder, your credit card will be automatically charged and you will be contacted by Monday, February 8, 2021 with information on how to obtain your silent auction package. |
Click the button below to register for the silent auction!
Bid often and generously! Your silent auction donation supports the ongoing LBGTQ civil rights work of Equality Illinois Institute.
Good luck!
January 11, 2021
| On February 6th, Equality Illinois is hosting our 30th Anniversary Virtual Gala, presented by Molson Coors Beverage Company.
Called the “who’s who of Illinois politics” by ABC News, the Equality Illinois Annual Gala is one of the preeminent LGBTQ equality events in the country. This year’s historic virtual gala promises an evening of entertainment, fun, and nostalgia. |
To Sponsor, join the Host Committee, or purchase a ticket, click button below
January 5, 2021
| A villa in Tuscany! A trip to the Grammys! A private Sing-A-Long with a Broadway Star!
Equality Illinois 30th Anniversary Gala Silent Auction is open!
The silent auction will remain open until the end of the Gala on February 6, 2021, 8PM Central time. If you are the winning bidder, your credit card will be automatically charged and you will be contacted by Monday, February 8, 2021 with information on how to obtain your silent auction package. |
Click button to register for the silent auction!
Bid often and generously! Your silent auction donation supports the ongoing LBGTQ civil rights work of Equality Illinois Institute.
Good luck!
December 16, 2020
We are excited to announce that we will have a surprise performance by a Grammy-winning musician for the Equality Illinois 30th Anniversary Gala on February 6th
Called the “who’s who of Illinois politics” by ABC News, the Equality Illinois gala sells out one of the largest hotels in Chicago each year and has become a national draw. This historic virtual gala promises an evening of entertainment, fun, and nostalgia. To find out who the Grammy-Winning Musician is you must purchase a ticket.
To Sponsor, join the Host Committee, or purchase a ticket, click here.
December 8, 2020
We are excited to announce Molson Coors as the Presenting Sponsor for the Equality Illinois 30th Anniversary Gala.
For over a decade Molson Coors has been one of the staunchest supporters of Equality Illinois. Our work advancing LGBTQ full equality in Illinois has been made stronger with Molson Coors in our corner. Additionally, for the past seventeen consecutive years, Molson Coors has earned a perfect score on the HRC Equality Index signifying it is one of the most LGBTQ inclusive workplaces in the country. We couldn’t be prouder to have a company who has served as such a robust champion of LGBTQ equality serve as our Presenting Sponsor for this historic event.
The 30th Anniversary Gala will be held virtually on February 6, 2021. To
Sponsor, join the
Host Committee, or purchase a
ticket, click
here.
November 2, 2020
It’s an #EIHoliday! Thank you to our Holiday Campaign Committee for pledging to donate $100 or recruit three friends to give $25 each in support of our critical work to achieve full equality for all LGBTQ folks in Illinois. Click the image here to join the Committee or give what you can, and be sure to share your reason for giving this season with the hashtag #EIHoliday on your social media pages.
October 20, 2020
October is LGBTQ History Month, and a coalition of LGBTQ organizations are celebrating by making tools available to school administrators, educators, youth, and families to help implement the state’s new Inclusive Curriculum Law.
Today, the Illinois Inclusive Curriculum Advisory Council (IICAC) unveiled the new tools, which include professional development opportunities, a guidance document, and a classroom lesson plan search portal. The IICAC is composed of the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago’s Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, the Legacy Project, and Equality Illinois.
LEARN MORE HERE
October 16, 2020
To achieve full, lived equality for all LGBTQ+ people, Equality Illinois is committed to endorsing and supporting pro-equality candidates who will fight for civil rights and social justice.
Equality Illinois proudly endorses the following candidates for the General Election on November 3, 2020.
October 13, 2020
The 2020 election, the most impactful of our lifetime, is underway, and Election Day is quickly approaching. On October 19 from 10 – 11 AM, Equality Illinois will host a Zoom Town Hall to answer all of your questions about voting safely and securely and to let you know what you can do in these remaining days to get out the vote.
RSVP today HERE.
State Senator Julie Morrison, the chief senate sponsor of the new law that expanded vote by mail opportunities in 2020, and Grace Pai, Director of Organizing at Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, will share their expert insights on these critical issues. We want to make sure you are fully informed about all the different ways to vote as well as share information on how to volunteer and help people vote. There will be time for live Q&A at the end of the discussion.
You will receive the Zoom information in an email before the event.
Please RSVP as soon as possible! Only the first 100 RSVPs can join us for the Town Hall.
October 2, 2020FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2020
EQUALITY ILLINOIS APPLAUDS PRITZKER ADMINISTRATION’S SUCCESS IN DIVERSIFYING REPRESENTATION ON STATE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS
While there is more work to do regarding representation of LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC leaders, Illinois’ State Boards and Commissions are moving closer to reflecting the vibrant diversity of our state
CHICAGO – Equality Illinois applauds the Pritzker Administration’s efforts in FY20 to appoint more LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC leaders to state boards and commissions. On Thursday, the Governor’s Office released the Administration’s FY20 Boards and Commissions Act Report that details the demographic data of gubernatorial appointments to state boards and commissions, including the voluntarily disclosed LGBTQ identities of appointees.
“We thank Gov. Pritzker and his Administration for their work to ensure our state boards and commissions better reflect the diversity of the people and communities they serve,” said Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois. “While there is more work to do to ensure representation of LGBTQ, women, and BIPOC leaders in public service, the governor’s new report shows the results of the Administration’s diligence and partnership with community organizations like Equality Illinois. This report reflects the governor’s ongoing commitment to making sure Illinois is a state where all people are inspired to lend their talents to public service.”
According to the FY20 report, Governor Pritzker has nearly quadrupled the appointment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) people to state boards and commissions compared to appointments made in FY19.
Also, unlike in previous years, appointees in FY20 were able to self-report if they are trans; if they are asexual, pansexual, or queer for their sexual orientation; and if they are intersex or non-binary/genderqueer for their gender. The application page is located here.
“When LGBTQ people are visible, we are powerful. As an organization that believes strongly in LGBTQ representation in roles of civic leadership, we are excited to see more and more out LGBTQ people pursuing public service,” said Myles Brady Davis, Press Secretary and Director of Communications at Equality Illinois. “Representation at tables of power matters when it comes to passing inclusive policies and for changing hearts and minds by sharing our stories.”
The data on LGBTQ identity in the Boards and Commissions Act Report is collected because of the LGBTQ Public Service Law (Public Act 100-0234), an initiative of Equality Illinois that was sponsored by State Sen. Scott Bennett (Champaign) and Rep. Will Guzzardi (Chicago) in 2017. The measure allows individuals who apply to serve on boards and commissions under the authority of the governor to voluntarily identify as LGBTQ. Prior law requires applicants to state board or commissions to self-identify their gender, disability status, and ethnicity. All of this data must be published annually in a report to the General Assembly of the demographic data of individuals who apply for boards and commissions and for those who are appointed. The state website appointments.illinois.gov contains information about the boards and commissions and previous annual reports of the demographic data of the appointees.
Here are some key takeaways from the FY20 Boards and Commissions Act Report:
Regarding sexual orientation:
- 3.7% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as LGBQ (up from 1% in FY19).
- 4% of the applicants in FY20 identified as LGBQ (roughly the same as in FY19).
- Also, FY20 appointees who declined to state or did not respond to the inquiry about their sexual orientation dropped significantly compared to FY19 (30% in FY20 but 52% in FY19). This could mean more appointees are comfortable living authentically and publicly.
Regarding gender identity (which were new questions added in FY20):
- 1.17% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as genderqueer or non-binary.
- 1.36% of the governor’s appointees in FY 20 identified as trans.
- The result is that 0.5% of those currently serving identified as trans and 0.4% identify as genderqueer or non-binary.
More highlights from the FY20 report:
- The percent of Black, indigenous, and people of color appointees by the governor in FY20 was 37.6% (up from 32.8% in FY19).
- The percent of appointments who identified as women in FY20 was 48.3% (up from 39.4% in FY19).
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June 11, 2020
Equality Illinois’ historic Can’t Stop Our Pride broadcast on June 20!
Leaders from across Illinois are stepping up to support our community. Please meet our Can’t Stop Our Pride host committee. They are tireless champions of our work and we are so grateful to them.
Buy tickets TODAY!
June 3, 2020
Today, we want to say that our hearts and our support are with the brave protesters fighting for needed change across the state and the country. We recognize that Pride (and so many LGBTQ rights in the US) would not exist if it hadn’t been for brave queer people (specifically, Black and brown trans women) who stood up for the whole community and demanded change. We hope to honor their spirit through our Can’t Stop Our Pride event. For all those reasons, we are moving Can’t Stop Our Pride to June 20 to give space to the situation at hand and to allow us time to ensure that we are including appropriate messages and the right voices in this broadcast.
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GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!
Contributions support the advocacy work of Equality Illinois, a 501(c)(4) organization, and are not tax-deductible. |
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June 1, 2020
Pride at its core is a police protest…It is our duty to stand with our LGBTQ African-American siblings and demand better from police.”
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Hear the personal message from our CEO Brian C. Johnson
June 1, 2020
Fifty-one years ago this month, LGBTQ patrons of the Stonewall Inn rose up against police brutality. Led by people of color, and trans women of color in particular, their rage fueled a protest that lasted for days. We must never forget that, at its core, Pride is a police protest.
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As we watch the protests and riots in our country, it is our duty as LGBTQ people to honor those from historically marginalized communities who continue to push back against the police injustices they experience. It is our duty to stand with our LGBTQ African-American siblings and demand better from the police.
May 26, 2020
Join us June 13th!
Our FABULOUS host committee is excited to be a part of our historic statewide virtual pride event, Can’t Stop Our Pride: One Day, One Illinois!
Can’t stop Our Pride will include family Storytime, a interfaith service, cooking and mixology classes, intimate conversations with LGBTQ leaders in cities across the state, and a DJ afterparty!
