Chicago ( August 30, 2011 ) - On Sept. 10 at 1 p.m., friends and loved ones will gather to remember and celebrate the life of Christina Santiago. Santiago was killed in the Indianapolis State Fair stage collapse on August 14, and is survived by her wife, Alisha Marie Brennon, who was injured in the collapse. The celebration in memory of Christina Santiago's life will be held at the Chicago History Museum, and is open to the public.
Santiago, a self-identified 'Nuyorican' lesbian feminist, was committed to empowering queer women of color and advocating for access to healthcare in the LGBTQ community. She was a board member and programming chair for Amigas Latinas, and worked full-time as the manager of programming for the Lesbian Community Care Project ( LCCP ) at Howard Brown Health Center. Amigas Latinas, LCCP, and Howard Brown have worked closely with Brennon to plan this event.
What: Celebration of the Life of Christina Santiago
When: Sept. 10, 2011 at 1 p.m.
Where: Chicago History Museum, 1601 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL
The Chicago History Museum parking lot is located at the corner of Stockton and LaSalle. CHM is also accessible by the #22 Clark bus and by the Sedgwick Brown and Purple lines.
Event is open to the public. However, no audio or video recording will be allowed during the program.
For more information, contact Sheena Quinn at Public Communications Inc. ( pcipr.com/312-558-1770 )
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to several funds created in Santiago's honor:
The Brennon & Santiago Assistance Fund will go directly to support expenses incurred by the couple, and provides much needed immediate assistance. www.brennonsantiago.com/donations.html
Amigas Latinas has established a memorial fund for Christina to honor and celebrate Christina's fierce advocacy and activism www.amigaslatinas.org
Howard Brown and LCCP are collecting donations for two funds. The first provides assistance to Santiago's relatives. The second supports the work of the Lesbian Community Care Project. www.howardbrown.org/default.asp?id=1900
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Amigas Latinas empowers Latina lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning women by providing a safe environment, personal growth, support, education, and advocacy to impact family, friends, and the larger communities we live in.
PO Box 08090, Chicago, IL 60618
773.661.0940, www.amigaslatinas.org
Howard Brown Health Center is one of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) healthcare organizations. The agency serves more than 36,000 adults and youth each year. Its diverse health and social service delivery system focuses around the following programmatic divisions: primary medical care, behavioral health, research, HIV/STD prevention, case management, social services, youth services, older adult services, and community initiatives.
4025 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60614
773.388.1600, www.howardbrown.org
