Daniel Cohn
Daniel Cohn, 26, has been active in the Human Rights Campaign of Illinois since 2000 as a steering committee member. He has chaired the Pride Float for the last three years and chaired the annual Laughing Out Loud event for the last two. Daniel has also been active in the Jewish United Fund. Daniel’s activism started in his college days at the University of Kansas when he came out as the first openly gay fraternity member that remained active in his fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi. Daniel educated fraternities and sororities on gay issues by giving presentations and question-and-answer sessions for the inter-fraternal council. Daniel’s coming out was covered by the Daily Kansan and has remained a resource for the faculty at the university when discussing GLBT issues. When Daniel was growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, he had trouble finding role models he could identify with. ‘As I grew older and still today I see myself as my own role model,’ he said. ‘As long as I am true to myself and my family and set a good example for the youth of today’s America, I am satisfied.’