Jim Bennett will receive the Illinois State University (ISU) Andrew Purnell Jr. Trailblazer Award on Thursday, Feb 17, during the university’s annual Founding Celebration.
According to a press release, “This award recognizes the Illinois State University Alumni trailblazers, groundbreakers, innovators, and pioneers who have devoted their time and effort in servant leadership to courageously make a positive change. The recipient of this award demonstrates a heart of great compassion to give and to serve; to significantly improve or enrich the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.”
Bennett began his career at the Central Illinois Chapter of the Red Cross, leading initiatives to respond to disasters and service military families during Operation Desert Storm. Then, for 11 years, Bennett served as the Midwest Regional Director at Lambda Legal—the nation’s largest legal organization dedicated to securing the full civil rights of individuals in the LGBTQ community.
He was appointed Illinois Department of Human Rights director by Gov. JB Pritzker in 2019. Two years later, Pritzker appointed Bennett to chair the Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes. A member of the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame (having been inducted in 2013), Bennett has been inducted into the Steve and Sandi Adams Legacy Hall of Fame at ISU and is a recipient of the Equality Illinois’ Freedom Award.