The Northalsted Business Alliance and The Legacy Project announce a collaboration aimed at fostering engagement and advancement of the Boystown neighborhood of Chicagolong considered one of the great LGBT destinations in the world.
Under the agreement, the organizations will focus joint efforts around furthering tourism to the district and cementing the neighborhood's rich history as a beacon for the LGBT community.
NBA will employ a full-time program director, Victor Salvo, to oversee all joint efforts. Salvo will remain the Legacy Project's founder and executive cirector. Under the scope of the agreement it is a goal that the two parties will help create a permanent space on Northalsted Street dedicated to tourism and cultural programming.
"This collaboration is a synergy between two like-minded organizations, both seeking to ensure that Boystown remains an equally economically and cultural vibrant neighborhood," said NBA Executive Director Christopher Barrett Politan. "Through this endeavor, we anticipate working to implement many of the goals of our strategic plan and look forward to partnering with Legacy Project to help foster a greater appreciation for the incredible contributions made by LGBT people throughout history."
NBA President Ramesh Ariyanayakam sees the arrangement as a game changer for the neighborhood: "Together, we have the opportunity to build a brilliant future for Boystown; one that expands on past accomplishments, while paving the way forward to ensure a long legacy for the neighborhood."
Ralph Kennedy, the Legacy Project board president, said he is excited about the potential of this collaboration: "I am thrilled that The Legacy Project and the Northalsted Business Alliance are now officially collaborating to recognize and celebrate the contributions that LGBT individuals have made to history and culture everywhere in this world. The board of directors of The Legacy Project are proud to move forward with the NBA to find new ways to boost tourism through discovery of the Legacy Walkthe only installation of its kind on earth. We are excited about the prospects and opportunities for our future that this collaboration represents."
"This formal collaboration with the Northalsted Business Alliance builds upon a functional relationship which began in the spring of 2010," said Salvo. " his newly expanded relationship gives both organizations an opportunity to develop joint tourism initiatives that will raise the profile and awareness of the Legacy Project's many endeavorsmost especially the Legacy Walkby driving patrons who tour the outdoor museum to the streetscape's member businessesand vice versa. We have great hope for the future as fun and innovative ways are found to tie LGBT history to the proud cultural heritage of Boystown in order to build the most exciting, multifaceted LGBTQ neighborhood in the world."