The annual Crossroads Fund Seeds of Change benefit will honor Illinois Safe Schools Alliance, Illinois Unites for Marriage Equality, the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality, and the Alphawood Foundation.
The benefit is Friday, April 4, at the Cultural Center GAR Hall, 77 E. Randolph St.
The Ron Sable Award for Activism will be presented to two groups that worked on the fight for marriage equality in Illinois in 2013. Crossroads stated, "The historic legalization of gay marriage in Illinois was the result of many years of organizing and advocacy by dozens of organizations and thousands of individuals. Illinois Unites for Marriage and the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality crafted the winning strategy, organizing on the policy and grassroots levels to help bring about this exciting victory."
The Illinois Safe Schools Alliance will also receive the Ron Sable Award. Crossroads said that the group's "organizing efforts have exponentially expanded the network of Gay/Straight Alliances across Illinois, directly supporting thousands of LGBTQ young people and their allies. Their inspiring work also helps shape policies which protect all students from bullying regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity/expression."
The Donald F. Erickson Synapses Award is being presented to The Alphawood Foundation. "[The association] took the lead in creating the Solidarity Fund, a successful effort by foundations and individuals in supporting local immigrant rights and social justice groups who were defunded by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development over their perceived endorsement of gay marriage," Crossroads stated.
In a description for the Ron Sable Award, Crossroads said, "A living representation of the progressive ideals he so adamantly promoted, the late Dr. Ron Sable was a model donor/activist. In his lifetime, Ron worked for gay and lesbian liberation, women's liberation, reproductive rights, just treatment of prisoners, and national health care. He helped develop services for individuals with HIV/AIDS at Cook County Hospital, was an active member of the Democratic Socialists of America" and he also was among the first openly gay candidates for alderman in the city of Chicago. Sable was a founder of Chicago's AIDS Foundation and served as a member of the Crossroads Fund board for 10 years.
For more information, contact Rachel Wallis at 773-227-7676 or Rachel@crossroadsfund.org . Also see www.crossroadsfund.org/seedsofchange2014 .