"Leading Chicago: Women Making the Case for Equality" was the theme of Lambda Legal's Chicago Leadership Council's (CLC) conversational salon at the Douglas Dawson Gallery May 15.
About 60 people gathered to hear Chicago-based women in leadership positions speak about LGBT equality.
The Chicago Leadership Council is, according to its website, "a volunteer committee that supports the work of Lambda Legal by raising awareness and membership for Lambda Legal through inclusive community events and relationship building."
Kelly Suzanne Saulsberry, president of the board of directors of Affinity Community Services, talked about the work that Affinity Community Services does. Then Saulsberry introduced the program speakers and highlighted the featured guests: Mona Noriega, human rights commissioner for the City of Chicago; Kim Hunt, executive director of Affinity Community Services; Lark Mulligan, case manager at Howard Brown Health Services; Laura Szumowski, author, illustrator and publisher at ZMK Press; and Camilla Taylor, marriage project director for Lambda Legal.
Following Saulsberry's remarks, Rebecca Kling performed a spoken-word piece. Kling is a transgender artist, educator and instructor at the Piven Theatre Workshop.
Kling shared the story of how she went about changing her name. Kling noted that her journey was filled with twists and turns as she navigated the hearing process at the courthouse as well as the DMV. By the end of the day, Kling explained that she had documents from the state of Illinois and a new drivers license that legally recognized her identity as a woman.
Fay Clayton, a founding partner at Robinson Curley & Clayton, was the keynote speaker for the evening. A civil-rights attorney, Kling advocates for women's rights, transgender rights and varied social-justice efforts. In 1986, Clayton successfully litigated in front of the United States Supreme Court in the case National Organization for Women v. Scheidler. The court's ruling stopped anti-abortion protestors from blocking abortion clinics and threatening patients.
The emerging women's movement of the 1970s inspired Clayton to change careers again and follow her true passion into the law, she explained. Clayton was a secretary and a teacher before becoming a lawyer. One of Clayton's first cases involved a transgender woman pilot for Eastern Airlines. Clayton won the case and throughout her career she kept on taking cases that focused on the transgender community. "I have come to realize that if any oppressed group is denied its rights we probably all suffer in some regard," said Clayton. "Some years ago, most importantly for me, one of my children came out to me as transgender and I was certainly delighted that I had picked the right side of the issue."
A Q&A followed Clayton's and Kling's remarks. Then KOKUMO, a transgender singer and former scholar of the Affinity Scholars Program, performed an original song, "The Circle" (an homage to Black trans women who have died) from her debut album and a cover of the Disney song "Colors of the Wind."
"I think we had a fantastic turnout. It was really wonderful to see women leaders all in one space from different communities in Chicago who are doing great things and making the case for equality," said Elizabeth Ricks, co-chair of the CLC.
"We are incredibly honored to celebrate these women tonight. Not only are they moving Chicago forward they are making a huge difference in the lives of all LGBT people throughout Chicago and across Illinois," said Chris Mullins; co-chair of the CLC.
Chicago Gourmet to You provided hors d'oeuvres and made-to-order risotto dishes; Sidetrack provided beverages. The L Stop also provided an in-kind sponsorship for the evening.
See www.facebook.com/lambdalegalchicago for more information.