Equality Illinois Institute Announces “Fahrenheit Chicago 3: Bronzeville is Burning” – Centering Black and Latinx LGBTQ Illinoisans
End-of-summer LGBTQ weekend festival – August 23-25, 2019 to feature Charlene Carruthers, founding national director of BYP100, and Dominique Jackson, star of the hit FX series POSE.
CHICAGO – Equality Illinois Institute with presenting sponsors Howard Brown Health and The Reva and David Logan Foundation are excited to announce Fahrenheit Chicago 3, a party with a purpose for LGBTQ Illinoisans and its allies. The free event centers the experiences and rich community assets of the Black and Latinx LGBTQ community, and will take place August 23-25, 2019 in the historic Bronzeville and Hyde Park neighborhoods on Chicago’s southside.
This year festival organizers are excited to welcome Dominique Jackson, breakout star on the hit FX series, POSE, who portrays Elektra Abundance, queen of the ballroom scene, along with Black queer feminist activist Charlene Carruthers, founding national director of BYP 100, and Illinois State Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, and other LGBTQ community leaders. Music will be curated throughout the weekend by Chicago DJ favorites Roy Kinsey, Rae Chardonnay, Kidd Kenn, Superman and Darryl Garcon; along with musical performances by feature artists Mikey Everything, Kidd Kenn, and Chanelle Truvillion.
“Fahrenheit Chicago 3 brings people, power, and policy together” said Anthony Galloway, Director of Civic Engagement at Equality Illinois, the statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. “We hope all attendees at this year’s Fahrenheit Chicago festivities will leave with a deeper understanding of the many losses, sacrifices, and triumphs taken to arrive at this moment in history. The Bronzeville community has produced drag balls and performances from LGBTQ icons since the 1920s and has been at the forefront of LGBTQ equality. Nancy Kelly, Keith Barrows, Rudy Richardson are some of the names we have discovered from the early days that contributed to the richness of our community. So “Bronzeville is Burning” is an homage to them and countless others including the legendary people that are still with us today.”
Fahrenheit
Chicago will kick off at Connect+ Gallery in Hyde Park from 7-10 p.m. on
Friday, August 23, with a cocktail reception honoring community members and
allies who have helped to improve the lives of LGBTQ Illinoisans. The reception
will be hosted by Equality Illinois Institute board chair Butch Trusty and
Equality Illinois Institute board member Lynne Perryman.
From 1-5 p.m. on Saturday, August 24, at the Promontory in Hyde
Park, Fahrenheit Chicago will host Beyond the Rhetoric Flash Talks featuring
Carruthers, State Rep. Lamont J. Robinson, and other dignitaries and community
activists. A day party will follow from 5-9 p.m. with Chicago’s club promoters
B. Blyss, Rails Marketing Group, All GirlsChi, TruBeach Entertainment, and
David Dodd Events.
On Sunday, August 25, the weekend will culminate at the DuSable Museum
of African American History with a series of events from 1-8 p.m., including a
spiritual motivator brunch led by Powerhouse Church of Chicago and Senior
Pastor Keith McQueen, a mini ball and drag show curated by legends and icons
within the Midwest Ball scene led by Zoliy Miyake-Mugler, one of the founders
of Fahrenheit Chicago. This year’s event hosts will include Dominique Jackson,
Otis Mack, Trina Tru Luv, and Mz. Ruff N Stuff.
Free health screenings at Fahrenheit Chicago will be coordinated by Howard Brown Health, Planned Parenthood of Illinois, and TPAN.
Fahrenheit Chicago events are free and open to the public. However, participants can upgrade to a VIP experience for $15. This upgrade entitles a person to craft cocktails, beer, and an opportunity to enter into a special raffle. For more information about Fahrenheit Chicago, please visit https://www.equalityillinois.us/fahrenheit-chicago-2019/.
Presenting Sponsors: Howard Brown Health and The Reva and David Logan Foundation.
Platinum Sponsors: Uber, B.BLYSS!, and Illinois Department of Public Health.
Gold Sponsors: Illinois Lottery, Women Connection, OpenTV,
PrEP4Love, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Start Talking. Stop HIV.
Silver
Sponsors:
South Side Help Center and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Bronze
Sponsors: ACLU
of Illinois, Capital One, Center on Halsted, SEIU Healthcare of Illinois and
Indiana, Allstate, a Lamont J. Robinson Agency and University of Chicago’s CI3
in Sexual and Reproductive Health, and TPAN.
Annual Community Outreach Partner: MillerCoors and Breakthru Beverage.
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