GOV. PRITZKER AND MAYOR LIGHTFOOT LEAD DIGNITARIES
ATTENDING 2020 EQUALITY ILLINOIS GALA ON SATURDAY
CHICAGO (January 28, 2020) – Equality Illinois with presenting sponsor United Airlines will present its annual gala on Saturday, February 1, 2020, at the Hilton Chicago. More than 1,500 attendees are set to hear about the successes and ongoing challenges of building a stronger Illinois in the face of national headwinds against LGBTQ civil rights.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and more than 70 other elected officials and candidates will be introduced. Plus, VIP community members, dignitaries, and allied supporters plan to attend the Gala, which is the Midwest’s largest LGBTQ celebration of its kind. Some of the world’s most recognizable corporate and brand names are among the sponsors of the event, including presenting sponsor United Airlines.
Each year at the Gala, Equality Illinois honors champions and organizations who demonstrate remarkable vision, courage, and leadership in the effort to achieve full equality and inclusion of LGBTQ individuals. This year, the Equality Illinois Organization Award will be presented to the Rainbow Cafe of Carbondale, Illinois. The Equality Illinois Freedom Award will be presented to Chicago Reader Publisher Tracy Baim.
In
addition to Gov. Pritzker, who will offer remarks to lead off the Gala,
and Mayor Lightfoot, other dignitaries planning to attend include State
Comptroller Susana Mendoza, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, U.S. Rep. Sean
Casten, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois
legislative leaders and many other state legislators, county
commissioners, city council members, judges, and candidates.
Illinois businesses and the state’s philanthropic community
continue to provide robust support for the gala and the ongoing work of
Equality Illinois.
The Presenting Sponsor of the 2020 Equality Illinois Gala is United Airlines.
Platinum Sponsors are Breakthru Beverage Group, GCM Grosvenor and Walgreens.
Gold Sponsor is Molson Coors Beverage Company.
Silver Sponsors are Advocate Aurora Health Care, Baker &
McKenzie LLP, BMO Harris Bank, Exelon, Gilbane Building Company,
Guaranteed Rate, Hilton Chicago, Hinshaw, Kirkland & Ellis,
Marshall, Gerstein, & Borun LLP, McDermott Will & Emery LLP,
Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, Perkins Coie LLP, Revel, Seyfarth Shaw
LLP, Sidley Austin LLP, TAWANI Foundation, U.S. Bank, Verizon, Wintrust
and YWCA Metropolitan Chicago.