The American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) Chicago Chapter will hold its annual LGBTQ Veterans Day Dinner Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m.at Ann Sather Restaurant at 909 W Belmont Ave Chicago. The dinner speaker will be Vanessa Sheridan, author, performer and Director of Gender Equity and Inclusion at Center on Halsted. RSVP to Jim Darby at 773-752-0058.n or jamesdarby@aol.com. More at www.facebook.com/AVERChicagoChapter/.
On Nov. 10, a remembrance ceremony will be held at the grave of Allen Schindler, a sailor who was murdered by shipmates in 1992 for being gay. Dorothy Hadjys-Holman, the sailor’s mother, will participate. The ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at Evergreen Hill Memorial Park in, Steger, IL 773-752-0058. More information at www.facebook.com/AVERChicagoChapter/?ref=br_rs.
The Center on Halsted’s second annual Trans Military Appreciation Symposium will honor and demonstrate support transgender military personnel, transgender veterans, and families. Speakers are Master Sergeant Erika Stoltz, Army Reservist with 33 years of active service, and Dr. Jennifer Coleman, Rush University Medical Center’s Road Home Program/Center for Veterans. There will also be representation from the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital, and Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center. Free Admission. 7 p.m. at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N Halsted, Chicago. More information at www.community.centeronhalsted.org/pages /transmilitaryappreciation?erid=8957853&trid=5c1cba5c-3646-4aa5-9dad-4f97dfdb4f60.
On Nov. 17. AVER will also take part in the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band Fall Concert “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” From 1993-2011, the U.S. government kept gay, lesbian and bisexual soldiers in the closet with “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” The Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band will perform a military-themed band repertoire, with compositions by gay and lesbian composers. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at DePaul School of Music’s Holtschneider Performance Center, 2330 N Halsted St., Chicago. Veterans and members of AVER who attend with AVER may RSVP though AVER at secretary@averchicago.org for a limited number of courtesy tickets. More information and $10 tickets for general admission at lakesidepride.org/dadt.