SPORTS Monique Carroll on transforming CSU athletics while advancing LGBTQ+ visibility
Dr. Monique Carroll has always marched to the beat of her drum—and that has continued into her current role as athletic director of Chicago State University (CSU). Among other feats, Carroll helped secure CSU’s full membership in the Northeast Conference, launched fundraising efforts to expand…
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Yaritza Perez spreads the word about human rights in Chicago
For many Chicagoans, Yaritza Perez is the face of human rights enforcement. As project coordinator at the Chicago Commission on Human Relations, she is tasked with community outreach and education, speaking to residents about their protections under the Human Rights Ordinance and the Fair Housing Ordinance, and educating them about how to file a complaint if they…
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Black LGBTQ+ Beach Day to return as organizers deepen community ties
Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland is bringing hundreds of Black LGBTQ+ Chicagoans to 63rd Street Beach this weekend for Black LGBTQ+ Beach Day, an afternoon of music, games, HIV testing and community resources. Now in its third year, the annual gathering has grown into one of the city’s largest Black LGBTQ+-centered Pride events while reflecting Lighthouse Foundation’s…
Nation & World
IN BRIEF Idaho law blocked, Pulse anniversary, Kréyòl Pride, David Hockney dies, Lil Nas X, GALECA nods
Warning: This column mentions suicide and a mass shooting. NATIONAL A federal judge granted a request for a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of H.B. 752, a new Idaho law threatening transgender people with up to…
Theater / Dance
Chicagoans gather to learn about Black queer dance, expression
As massive crowds, former presidents and other celebrities mingled in Jackson Park for the opening of the Obama Center on June 18, a much smaller group on the North Side came together with an entirely different kind of gathering for the second edition of Welcome Home: A Celebration of Queer Street Dance. The event, which took…
Music
Lakeside Pride takes the stage at Chicago’s Orchestra Hall
About 85 members of Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band joined members of the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony the evening of June 5 for the Skylines in Sound concert. The performance took place at Orchestra Hall at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. Orchestra Hall is home to Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Assistant Artistic Director…
Film / TV / Gossip
THEATER/FILM Chicago celebrates Pride on stage and screen this month
Whether you are in the mood to laugh or cry, Chicago theaters are offering incredible entertainment options to help us celebrate Pride Month. Read below to discover some of Windy City Times’s favorite theater and film options for the month of June. Theater The complexity involved with being a 20th Century homosexual surely played a…
Books / Art
Trans
Brave Space Alliance taps Nikki Patin as new CEO
Brave Space Alliance has named Nikki Patin its new CEO after several months serving as the organization’s interim leader. The appointment follows a national search that attracted more than 100 applicants from across the country, according to Brave Space Alliance. The organization’s board unanimously selected Patin, who has served as interim CEO since former leader…
Lesbian
Queer women kick off Pride with soiree
Despite a non-stop torrential downpour on the afternoon of June 21, guests stayed dry and toasty at the Queer Women’s Pride Kick Off Celebration for 2026 at Beatnik West Town, 1604 W. Chicago Ave. The social was the latest gathering curated by Clandestina and DJ Gloria and created a warm, inviting social space for queer women…