CHICAGO, IL — The Human Rights Campaign ( HRC ), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender ( LGBT ) civil rights organization, and the HRC Chicago Steering Committee, today announced the 22nd Annual Chicago Gala Dinner will be held Saturday, November 16, 2013. The dinner comes in what is a momentous year for LGBT equality and at a potentially pivotal time for LGBT rights in Illinois. For one exciting night, hundreds of HRC's strongest leaders, allies and supporters will gather to celebrate the past year's accomplishments and look forward to further achievements.
At the dinner, HRC's 2013 Equality Award recipients will be honored. The Corporate Equality Award will be presented this year to Groupon for its initiative as one of the first corporate signatories to the business support letter sent to the Illinois legislature to urge passage of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, the currently pending marriage equality bill, as well as for the Chicago-based company's continued dedication to equality.
Linda Johnson Rice, Chairman of Johnson Publishing Co., will receive this year's Ally for Equality Award. Ms. Rice has been a strong advocate for marriage equality in Illinois, lending her voice through her column in Ebony magazine and an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune in which she called for Illinois lawmakers to approve marriage equality.
Rev. Dr. B. Herbert Martin, of the Progressive Community Center and The People's Church, will be honored with this year's Community Equality Award. Rev. Dr. Martin, a pastor in Chicago for thirty-three years and a civil rights leader for more than fifty years, has been an organizing force within the Illinois African-American and religious communities in support of achieving marriage equality.
HRC President Chad Griffin will headline the dinner. Since becoming president in 2012, Chad Griffin has led HRC's efforts to support LGBT equality on the federal and state levels, including a banner year for marriage equality gains, a renewed push for employment non-discrimination legislation and support for protections in immigration reform. Griffin was also a founding board member of the American Foundation for Equal Rights and was personally responsible for recruiting the legal dream team of Theodore Olson and David Boies, who successfully argued the Prop. 8 case in the Supreme Court.
"As the Illinois House returns to consider marriage equality, the HRC Chicago Gala will remind guests of all the ways they can engage with the equality movement," said gala co-chair Marisa McCabe. "We're going to celebrate everything we've already accomplished at the national, state and community levels while looking forward to the work we have left to do."
Guests will kick off the evening with an optional VIP reception at 5 p.m., then a silent auction and general reception at 6 p.m. The dinner program will begin at 7 p.m., followed immediately by live entertainment.
The dinner will be held at The Fairmont Hotel, 200 N. Columbus Dr., Chicago, IL. Presented by OfficeMax for the third consecutive year, the Chicago Gala is HRC's largest black-tie event in the Midwest and directly supports the LGBT-rights organization's work. Tickets are available now; prices start at $225 for general admission and $350 for VIP admission. To purchase tickets, or for more information, please visit www.hrcchicago.org .
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.