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January 27, 2010 - Wednesday - Impact 2010: A Concert for Equality

Time :: 8:00 - 10:00 pm
Location :: Sidetrack Bar, 3349 N Halsted

Join the Impact Chicago and local, independent singer/songwriter, Stephen Leonard, are coming together to kick off the new year with Impact 2010 - A Concert for Equality. The concert aims to raise awareness along with providing a celebratory evening of live entertainment with the release of Stephen Leonard’s debut album, With a Pen — a compilation of songs that connect with some of the personal and public issues involved in the ongoing fight for equality.

The event includes an intimate live performance by Stephen Leonard and other special guest performers. Tickets are $20 at the door. The cost includes 2 drink tickets and a contribution to Join the Impact Chicago. Doors open at 7pm.

To sponsor Impact 2010 - A Concert for Equality, please contact Matthew Zaradich (matthewzaradich@gmail.com) or Stephen Leonard (stephenleonard@withapen.com).

View the full press release.

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January 26, 2010 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 9pm
Location :: Wild Pug, 4810 N. Broadway, Chicago, IL (Lawrence Red Line)

Don't forget this WEDNESDAY is the Impact 2010 benefit concert! Our weekly JTIC meeting will be held Tuesday night in the back room at Wild Pug, so we can coordinate the last loose ends with Stephen and his crew the first half of the meeting. The second half of the meeting will be reserved for normal business as usual.

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January 19, 2010 - Tuesday - MEET THE LGBT CANDIDATES

Time :: 6:00 - 8pm
Location :: Sidetrack Bar, 3349 N Halsted

No regular JTIC meeting on Tuesday -- please attend this important event if you are over 21.

The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago, Equality Illinois, and Join the Impact Chicago are partnering for an informational "Meet the LGBT Candidates" event on January 19, 2010 from 6-8pm at Sidetrack, located at 3349 North Halsted Street, Chicago. This is an historic year in Illinois politics - there are well over a dozen lgbt candidates running for public office. Come and meet the lgbt candidates in a social-networking environment. There is no cost for this event. Guests must be 21 and over, with ID, to gain entry.

This event is cosponsored by JTIC.

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January 12, 2010 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 9pm
Location :: Columbia College Underground Cafe, 600 S Michigan

Since the libraries' hours have been cut in the new year due to budget trouble, we are still seeking a new permanent meeting space. If you have any ideas for a new permanent meeting location, please contact us and suggest it. Thanks!

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January 8, 2010 - Friday - EQUALITY ILLINOIS FIRST FRIDAY

Time :: 6:00 - 8pm
Location :: Sidetrack Bar, 3349 N Halsted

The Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago is the featured organization at the Equality Illinois First Friday social-networking event. First Friday takes place from 6:00-8:00 pm on first Friday of each month (this month it's held January 8, 2010), and is held at Sidetrack, located at 3349 North Halsted Street, Chicago. There is a door donation of $10, and each guest receives two drink tickets and a ticket for our door prize raffle. Guests must be 21 and over, with ID, to gain entry. Equality Illinois’ First Friday event is the largest and most consistent networking event for the Illinois LGBT community and our friends in the Chicago metropolitan area, attracting 150-200 people monthly. Come join us!

This event is cosponsored by JTIC.

January 5, 2010 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 9pm
Location :: Columbia College Underground Cafe, 600 S Michigan

Sorry for the short notice; we had trouble finding a location as the libraries' hours have been cut in the new year due to budget trouble. If you have any ideas for a new permanent meeting location, please contact us and suggest it. Thanks!

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December 22, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 9pm
Location :: Lincoln Park Library, 1150 W Fullerton

Another open meeting to break into committees and work on upcoming events.

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December 1, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 8:45pm
Location :: Lincoln Park Library, 1150 W Fullerton

Open meeting to finalize structure and work on upcoming events.

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December 8, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 8:45pm
Location :: Lincoln Park Library, 1150 W Fullerton

Open meeting to break into committees and work on upcoming events.

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December 15, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 9pm
Location :: Columbia College Underground Cafe, 600 S Michigan

Another open meeting to break into committees and work on upcoming events.

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November 23, 2009 - Monday - Community Meeting on Hunters Situation

Time :: 7:00 - 8:45pm
Location :: Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted St

An informational conversation on the Hunters Nightclub door policy and transgender rights organized by members of the transgender community.

Moderated by Greg Harris, Illinois State Representative

This event is not being organized by JTIC.

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November 24, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 8:45pm
Location :: Lincoln Park Library, 1150 W Fullerton

Open meeting to discuss structure and vote on our calendar for the next year

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November 25, 2009 - Wednesday - Protest at Filipino Consulate

Time :: 5pm
Location :: Filipino Consulate at 30 N. Michigan

An LGBT political party in the Philippines met the requirements to get on the ballot but were denied based on "immorality".

Here's an online letter campaign you can send to the Commission on Elections. Take action!

Manila, PHILIPPINES – On November 13, 2009, the Filipino LGBT organization, Ang Ladlad, was denied its bid to join the party-list elections in May 2010, on grounds of the “Immorality Doctrine” and as a “threat to the youth.” Commissioner Nicodemus Ferrer of the Commission on Elections, or Comelec, claimed that “gays and lesbians were already well-represented in Congress,” and that there was no need for a pro-LGBT rights party on the elections list. Comelec presented no evidence of this supposed immorality or threats to the youth.

This decision was met with resistance from the LGBT community in the Philippines. “We do not think that Ang Ladlad seeks accreditation to promote immorality in the country, but to give a voice to a marginalized sector to push for further protection of their rights,” said Leila de Lima, the Chair of the Commision on Human Rights.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming people represent an oppressed minority, outcast in society and in the Philippines where there is barely a separation of church and state. The leaders of Comelec can site the Bible and the Qu’ran to curtail a right of political participation guaranteed by the Filipino Constitution, and get away with it. For the first time in years, the LGBT community is fighting back. Ang Ladlad has called for a letter writing campaign against Comelec and a protest in front of Comelec’s office on Wednesday, November 25th, to pressure them to pass their motion of reconsideration. They have also started an online campaign, asking other pro-LGBT groups around the world to join their fight against Comelec in solidarity.

The movement for LGBT rights and equality is an international struggle. An injury to one is an injury to all, and we will not stand for oppression of our brothers and sisters, no matter where they are in the world. In Chicago, a solidarity rally is being planned in front of the Filipino Consulate at 30 N. Michigan at 5 PM on Wednesday, November 25th.

This event is not being organized by JTIC.

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November 22, 2009 - Sunday - Vigil & Peace March

Time :: 4:00 - 6:00pm
Location :: Paseo Boricua (Division and California) Humboldt Park

A Candlelight vigil/march is being planned in Humboldt Park in memoriam of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, a gay young person that was violently tortured, murdered, and dumped near Caguas, Puerto Rico. We will stand/march in solidarity with other vigils taking place across the country as well as with the LGBTQ community of Puerto Rico!

At 4 PM, we will depart from the corner of Division Ave and California Ave and head west on Division Ave and will arrive at the Humboldt Park Boat House for a candle light vigil.

This event is not being organized by JTIC.

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11.04.09 - We're back in regular meeting mode.. Election day brings both good and bad news..

So from here on out we will be having regular organizing meetings every other Tuesday evening, starting yesterday. Most of the meetings will be at the Lincoln Park Library, but check back here just in case.

If you're still not on our mailing list, sign up here! This way you'll be sure to not miss out on anything important.

Also, find us here on Facebook , and follow us on Twitter !

In nationwide news - bad news from Maine. Voters voted 51%-49% to overturn the recent same-sex marriage bill passed by the state's legislatiors. But good news from the two other LGBT issues up for a vote yesterday - in Washington state votes are still coming in, but it looks like their Domestic Partnerships bill is going to pass! This bill is often refered to as the "everything but marriage" bill as it grants all of the same state rights to domestic partners that hetero-married couples have. In addition, Kalamazoo, Michigan's anti-discrimination law passed with 62% of the votes! The ordinance will add gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender individuals to an existing Kalamazoo city ordinance banning discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations.

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What's Next ::

November 5, 2009 - Thursday - Question 1 Protest (in solidarity for Maine)

Time :: 5:30 - 6:30pm
Location :: Thompson Center - 100 W Randolph St

Join us as we protest the less than savory results of Question 1 in Maine that overturned the bill recently passed to allow same-sex couples the right to marry. We will have a few speakers, there will be chanting and then we'll march down to the Federal Plaza to make it clear that we will not stand for discriminary ballot measures!

To read the full press release, please go here.

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November 8, 2009 - Sunday - Documentary 'Fish Out of Water' Shown at the Reeling Film Fesitval

Time :: 5:00pm
Location :: Music Box Theatre - 3733 N Southport Ave

We've been told that there is a LOT of footage from the Nov 15th Prop 8 protest last year, so if you were there - see the film to relive it. And if you weren't - go see the film anyway!

Chicago film production company Yellow Wing Productions announced today that its feature documentary Fish out of Water will be the Documentary Centerpiece of Reeling: The Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Festival. The film, which dissects the seven Bible verses used to condemn homosexuality and justify marriage discrimination, will screen at the Music Box Theatre (3733 North Southport Avenue) Sunday, November 8th at 5pm with a Q & A to follow. In Fine Spirits bar in Andersonville (5418 N Clark St) will host the post-party. 

Tickets to the film screening are $10 and tickets to the film screening and after-party are $20. They are available at: http://reelingfilmfestival.tix.com  

To read the full press release, click here. For more information please visit the official 'Fish Out of Water' site.

 

This event is not being organized by JTIC.

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November 17, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00 - 8:45pm
Location :: Location Pending

Come out and get involved!

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09.01.09 - Cleve Jones is Awesome!

Thanks to everyone who came out for the Cleve Jones event we had on Saturday night. With the money we raised that night added to the money we've already raised, we almost have enough for our first bus! Special thanks to Victory Gardens for hosting this event, Young Chicago Authors for providing us with some amazing poets, Haymarket Books for helping promote the event and securing the other co-sponsors, and WBEZ 91.5FM for giving us multiple advertising spots and promoting the event.

Next step? BUY YOUR TICKET TO THE NATIONAL EQUALITY MARCH HERE!

08.21.09 - Almost Approaching An Evening with Cleve Jones!

An Evening with Cleve Jones: The Struggle for LGBT Civil Rights is almost one week away. Jones will be speaking on the current state of the LGBT civil rights movement and the upcoming National Equality March on October 11 in Washington DC. There will also be performances pieces by three exciting young poets from Young Chicago Authors.

Tickets (with a suggested contribution $5) are selling fast so please get yours today from Haymarket Books.

While some tickets will be available day of everyone is strongly encouraged to by their ticket in advance. Buy your ticket on-line and pick it up at the box office on the night of the event.

Doors to Victory Garden Theater will open at 5:30pm and all seats are on a first come, first served basis. Victory Gardens is opening up their bar for the evening so come early, get your seat and get a couple of drinks!

An Evening with Cleve Jones: The Struggle for LGBT Civil Rights
Saturday, August 29th 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln, Red/Brown/Purple Line: Fullerton

• The event will include performance pieces from Young Chicago Authors on the theme of LGBT rights, including the Louder Than A Bomb: The Chicago Teen Poetry Festival winning poem, "The Pink Triangle," which can be previewed at Chicago Public Radio here
• This event is also serving as a fundraiser to provide buses from Chicago to the upcoming National Equality March to take place in Washington, DC October 10-11th. All proceeds will go to help fund buses to send people locally to the national march on Washington. The suggested contribution is $5 but on the website are several solidarity prices if you wish to contribute more.

Check out this youtube clip of Cleve calling for the national march!

Photo Credit: Jerry Pritikin, 1978

08.04.09 - Cleve Jones!
We are extremely excited to announce that Cleve Jones (Harvey Milk's closest collaborator, author, founder of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and progenitor of upcoming National Equality March) is coming to Chicago at our invitation to speak on the current state of the LGBT Struggle, and to rally the troops for the National Equality March. This event will be held on Saturday, August 29th at Victory Gardens Theater in Lincoln Park. It is being co-sponsored by Haymarket Books, Chicago Public Radio and The Young Chicago Authors. Please see our events page for details.

06.05.09 - Driving Equality
While at the Creating Change conference in Denver, I was lucky enough to meet Chris Mason, the brilliant mind behind the Phelps-a-Thons (seriously brilliant.. for every minute that the Phelps Klan protest agaisnt the LGBTQ community, they help raise money to fund the very thing they are protesting against! This may sound familiar to those of you who have been with us since we were Chicago Against Proposition 8, we promoted the Rick-a-Thon that raised money for every minute Rev Rick Warren spoke at President Obama's inauguration. In fact, Chris told me that an incredibly high number of donations came from the Chicago area!). Right now, Chris has embarked on a "100-day, 16,000-mile, 48-state trek across America to collect stories from LGBTQ people in an effort to raise awareness of the various forms of discrimination faced by our community in each state of the nation." He's filming all of this to put together a documentary called Driving Equality, and keeps a daily journal which you can read here. I highly recommend it, it's a really good read. He also tries to post video clips frequently, including a short clip of a 2 hour interview he did with Shirley Phelps (the new leader of the Klan) inside the Phelps house!

04.21.09 - Check out the newly updated media section! So far we have videos from OutWorld and photos from Nathan Fry...

04.17.09 - Please contact your senator and tell them to vote for the federal comprehensive Hate Crimes legislation that Rep. John Converys has just introduced into the House of Representative, aka The Matthew Shepard Act

04.15.09 - Stage 1 (or really stage 0.5) of the redesign is almost finished! Please check out the new Education Section, where you can find informations pertaining to current issues and legislation. Under the Civil Unions section, you will find a link to contact your representative to tell them how you want them to vote on the issue (thanks ACLU!).

We know that there are many other important issues affecting the LGBT community. We're are not ignoring these! Nor do we feel this research we have compilied is anywhere near complete. This is just what we put up on the site first, and it means nothing other than our webmaster has been ridiculously busy... apologies all around.

April 18, 2009 - Saturday - Civil Unions Canvassing

Time :: 10:00am - 2:00pm
Location :: 3318 N. Halsted Street - Equality Illinois office

For more info, click here.

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April 15, 2009 - Wednesday - Tax Day Action

Time :: 5:00pm - 12:00am (alternating shifts)
Locations :: multiple post offices, TBA

Plans for this will be finalized at the organizing meeting on April 14th. For more information, please check out the events page. This is part of a national day of action, and you can check out the details for that here.

 

April 14, 2009 - Tuesday - Organizing Meeting

Time :: 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location :: 1401 S. State Street
this is a condo building, there will be someone in the lobby to direct people where to go - 2 blocks south of the Red/ Orange/ Green line stations at Roosevelt, or 14th St stop of State Street bus

Topics ::
- Tax Day Action
- Day Of Decision - plans finalized
- updates on the Civil Union Coalition and statewide IL Day of Action to support HB 2234
- updates on the National ENDA Campaign
- vote on Pride float theme
- presentation on ACLU Action Summit (Nik/Patrick/Andrea)

April 9, 2009 - Thursday - Rally to React and Move Forward

Time :: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location :: Thompson Center - 100 W Randolph St

For more info, click here.

Flyers for this event can be found here. Please print and distribute if you can!

April 4, 2009 - Saturday - Day of Action To Support Civil Unions

Time :: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Location :: Center on Halsted - 3656 North Halsted Street

For more info, click here.

03.04.09

At our most recent board meeting we voted on a meeting schedule. Moving forward, we will have public organizing meetings on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month at 7pm. For March, they will be held on the 10th and the 24th. We are working on a new location that is more centralized (somewhere in the loop would be great, please contact us if you know of anywhere), but for now they will most likely be at different places every time.

These new public organizing meetings will be a great place to get involved. We will start by having a general discussion and then break into small groups organized by committee/ special interest. Hope to see you all there!

02.16.09

The February 14th Freedom to Marry Day Protest was a huge success!! Thanks to all who came out or sent their support. There are a couple videos/ articles covering the event posted on the links page.

Special thanks to the Marriage Equality 7, including one of our own board members - Dale Fecker, for sacrificing your night and (possibly) clean record for those of us who couldn't!

01.09.09

Hello, and welcome to Join the Impact Chicago's website. (aka JTI Chicago, JTIC, J the I CHI, etc.)

We're still under the process of getting this site up and running, but wanted to have something to show starting Jan 10, the day of the DOMA protest. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check back within the next couple weeks when the site will be super snazzy and have plenty of news and events, and a message board (among other things)!

We are the same group who brought you the Nov 15th Protest, and the site :: ChicagoAgainstProp8.com. We're trying to keep the momentum from that amazing protest/ rally/ march, and hope that you will join us.