"Kinfolk" was the theme of Center on Halsted's 2015 Human First gala, held March 28 in the Great Hall at Union Station. Mayor Rahm Emanuel was among the speakers calling attention to the Center's work and honoring community members contributing to its impact.
CEO Modesto "Tico" Valle said the Center's work fit in with the LGBT community's historical role of "caring for our own," initially with issues such as HIV/AIDS and marriage equality, but the scope of that work had to be expanded to include trans persons and LGBT youth, since economic equity was as important as equality.
"We must continue to care for our trans familynow is the time to care for our own," said Valle. "Now is the time to care for our youth."
He noted that the Center had been approved to develop youth housing and wraparound services, adding that, in conjunction with its partners, it would be working on a "comprehensive model to ensure that LGBTQ youth will have the resources they need to live their dreams."
Emanuel took the occasion to discuss homelessness, thanking the community for its work on the issue of homeless youth, and pledged to completely eliminate homelessness amongst veterans in the city: "No veteran will have to have Lower Wacker Drive as their home any longer."
He furthermore praised Chicago as a place where "we have the values that allow you to be different."
Honorees at the event included TransLife Center at Chicago House, which received the Center's Community Spirit Award, while Prudence R. Beidler, Charles R. Middleton and the Ronna Stamm and Paul Lehman family were all recipients of the Human First Awards.
Center officials estimated that 600-700 guests attended the gala.
Photos by Kat Fitzgerald