Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Equality Illinois, told supporters of the statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization that the movement must respond to mounting political attacks with “strategy,” “discipline” and deeper coalition-building during a May 18 conversation in downtown Chicago.
Parker made the remarks during a discussion at Winston & Strawn, 300 N. LaSalle Drive, moderated by former Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris and former Illinois Human Rights Commission Chair Mona Noriega. The event introduced Parker—who became Equality Illinois’ CEO in November 2025—to legal, business and civic leaders from across the Chicago area.
Parker said Equality Illinois must “match the moment,” arguing the current political climate demands long-term organizing rather than panic.
“Power is not a feeling—it’s infrastructure,” Parker said, adding that building this infrastructure is an ongoing process requiring intentional coalition-building.
Meaningful coalition-building, Parker said, requires organizations to move beyond symbolic allyship and think more seriously about how power is shared across movements.
Parker repeatedly framed LGBTQ+ advocacy as inseparable from broader fights around labor rights, immigration, healthcare access and democracy.
“There isn’t an issue in Illinois that does not touch us,” Parker said, noting LGBTQ+ people exist in all sectors and communities.
Parker urged attendees to consider how privilege, access to resources and influence can be leveraged collectively during moments of political backlash.
“Coalition is not a photo op,” Parker said. “It’s action, it’s movement, it’s shared strategy, it’s shared risk, it’s shared wins.”
Parker later described Illinois as “the model state” for LGBTQ+ protections, pointing to the state’s role as both a refuge for LGBTQ+ people fleeing hostile policies elsewhere and an example of what inclusive policy-making can look like nationally.
She said Illinois must continue leading by example while resisting efforts seen in other states to target transgender youth, healthcare providers and broader bodily autonomy rights.
But Parker also warned against complacency, stressing that Illinois’ hard-fought protections are not guaranteed without sustained civic engagement and organizing—even after the Trump administration leaves office.
“We can never go back to normal again,” Parker said. “Normal is a lot of what got us here.”
Parker said Equality Illinois’ role in this moment is to ensure decades of LGBTQ+ civil rights gains are not rolled back amid growing political attacks nationwide.
She described the organization as both a safeguard for existing protections and a vehicle for strengthening civic engagement across the state. Parker repeatedly emphasized the importance of building a more “civically healthy” LGBTQ+ community equipped to challenge political misinformation and remain engaged beyond election cycles.
She also encouraged attendees to financially support Equality Illinois, arguing advocacy work “cannot run on passion alone” and requires sustained investment to continue organizing, policy work and coalition-building efforts statewide.
“We are the floor that ensures that what we gained doesn’t slip away,” Parker said.