The biggest gay, deaf gala of the year—the annual Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf Conference—is coming back to Chicago this summer for the first time in 25 years.
It will be held June 30-July 4 at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, 301 E. North Water, and hosted by the Windy City Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf. More than 500 are expected from across the United States and abroad in celebration of "Our Vision, Our Kind of Life."
"We've been planning [ this conference ] for four years. I'm more excited then nervous, but yeah, sure, I'm a little nervous, but I'm fine. I think it's going to be a very successful conference," the conference co-chairman, Ray Rodgers ( pictured ) of Chicago, said through interpreter Lainie Williams.
"The conference will be a combination of social [ events ] , networking, education, pageants and more," he said.
"We're very, very honored to be hosting [ the conference ] . Right now we're in the spotlight for the LGBT deaf community, and that's exciting."
The conference starts two days after Chicago's annual Pride Parade, so Rodgers is certain conference attendees likely will invade Chicago prior to the conference for a full dose of Chicago gayness.
The Windy City Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf will participate in the parade, he said.
Rodgers and Vicki Kirkpatrick are the co-chairmen for the conference, which carries a 1920s Chicago theme.
The Rainbow Alliance began as a vision of Roy Parker, who wanted gays and lesbians from all over America to gather. He called a group of deaf friends together to establish an organization first known as National Rainbow Society of the Deaf ( NRSD ) which was later changed to Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf.
NRSD first held its convention in 1977 in South Florida with 80 attendees and one drag queen. In 1982, NRSD changed its name to the Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf to include Canadians, and Chicago hosted the 1983 event.
The conference became biennial in 1987.
"The LGBT deaf community, and hearing community, come together [ at the conference ] for different events and issues, meetings, parties and more," Rodgers said.
Attendees will range from 18 to 90, he said. About 95 percent are LGBT.
The conference will include 18 workshops and showcase two keynote speakers: Jennifer Ann Cook of San Francisco and Colin Allen from Australia.
The nightly festivities will include a multitude of pageants, including the International Deaf Leather Dinner & Contest.
There also will be a DeafOUT Festival, showcasing artists, filmmakers and performers.
"With a lot of young, motivated deaf people in the area, we decided to put in a bid. And we're lucky that we won. We felt like it was the right time," to again host the conference, Rodgers said.
About 20 percent of the conference attendees will be from Chicago, Rodgers said.
Rodgers, 41, is the CEO/president for Chicago-based Deaf Communication By Innovation ( DCI ) , a North Side company that is the only gay- and deaf-owned business in America created to improve communication between deaf and hearing people through advanced technology.
DCI has seven full-time employees, three of whom are gay.
DCI was the official interpreter service company for the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago, as it has about 400 free-lance sign-language interpreters it uses.
Rodgers, who is single, has lived in Chicago for nine years. He also previously has lived in California, New Mexico, Washington, Kansas and Colorado, among other places.
"It seems like everything has worked out here; I really like Chicago. I love the city; there's so much to do here," he said.
DCI is one of only six deaf interpreter referral agencies in the U.S.
"We want to show the traditional LGBT community that, yes, [ the gay deaf community ] is part of your community as well," he said.
The annual Deaf Illinois Awards 2009 was held April 18 at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, and the LGBT community was well-represented on the awards ballot and in the winner's circle. Among the highlights:
—Tom Benzinger was a candidate for Best Deaf Activist;
—Diana Thorpe was a candidate for Best Hearing Advocate;
—Windy City Rainbow Alliance of the Deaf won the award for Best Membership Organization;
—Chris Smith was a candidate for Best Local Entertainer; and
—DCI won for Best Interpreting Service.
See www.wcrad.org .
