Our Story
Shortly after Proposition 8 unfortunately passed in California on November 4th, 2008, Corrine Mina got angry. She looked around for an outlet for her anger, for something she could do, and stumbled upon JoinTheImpact.com. She discovered that there was to be a national protest in every major city in America (and then some) on November 15th, and that there was no one in Chicago volunteering to organize it. So she signed up, and recruited old friends Nik Maciejewski and Missy Lorenzen. These three instant activists scrambled to assemble a protest in roughly 6 days with the help of long-standing organization the Gay Liberation Network. Despite the odds and their lack of experience, the event was a success, drawing nearly 5,000 GLBTQs and allies to hear many impassioned speakers. They even took to the streets, taking over Michigan Avenue, one of Chicago’s busiest and best known arteries, as part of a 4 mile march.
This was and is only the beginning. The Chicago Chapter of Join the Impact was born, and currently has a board of about 15 members and hundreds of volunteers on the mailing list. We will not stop. The storm is coming…
Mission Statement
In an effort to create a positive impact in the lives of our community, our allies, and even our opposition, Join the Impact Chicago has emerged. Our movement encourages the LGBTQ community not to dwell on the negativity surrounding the mistakes of the past, but instead, to look forward at what needs to be done now to achieve one national and universal goal: full equality for ALL. We stand for reaching out to all communities. Our mission is to engage with those who oppose equal rights in a conversation about full equality and do so with respect, dignity, and an attitude of outreach and education. We believe that raising awareness about the social and political issues surrounding the LGBTQ community through protests, rallies, and other peaceful events will alter the collective consciousness of our fellow brothers and sisters and mobilize them into action. As an entity, we do not encourage divisiveness, violence, or disrespect of others. The LGBTQ community and our allies represent all races, creeds, religious beliefs, and political parties. Our short and long-term goals underline the civil inequality felt locally and at large; while our main focus is to create momentum and reform in Illinois and the Chicagoland area, we will work towards progress in conjunction with JointheImpact.com, create relationships with other Join the Impact organizers in other cities, and participate in their nationally held events in order to create solidarity for the entire movement. One cannot be free unless all are free. We must fight the struggle and injustice together to create a more understanding, accepting, and loving world.
-Join the Impact Chicago
1/6/09