The Chicago LGBT Citywide Coalition, a coalition made up of 30 LGBT organizations, attended a meeting of the Advisory Council on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues. At the meeting, a group of six representatives from various organizations within the coalition presented a document entitled Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Policy Priorities for Chicago, according to a press release.
The coalition formed during the 2011 mayoral race to begin vetting candidates around issues that affect the LGBT community. To that end, community forums were held throughout Chicago. From that process the issues of most importance to the LGBT community were identified: education, HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ youth homelessness, transgender rights and public safety.
“This document represents almost a years worth of work,” stated Julio Rodriguez, pesident of The Association for Latino Men of Action (ALMA). “We are asking for the council’s endorsement and partnership moving forward as it relates to ensuring the new administration is held accountable to campaign promises made by Mayor Emanuel. We are very excited to welcome the new mayor and look forward to meeting with the Administration in the coming months.”
“This document is a living document that has changed many times and will most likely change as we move forward,” said Anthony Martinez, executive director of The Civil Rights Agenda. “These priorities relate to city policy that affects every Chicagoan, items like education, public safety and youth homelessness. We are trying to ensure that there is dialogue about how the LGBT community relates to these policy areas, and that action is taken to ensure that city policies are inclusive of LGBT citizens.”
Once the presentation was over, the council stated its intention to review the document and vote on how it will proceed at its next meeting, to be held in July. The coalition will continue to hold meetings with elected officials to present the document and has requested a meeting with the mayor and his administration.