Crossroads Fund holds annual gala

More than 400 donors, activists, grantees and friends of Crossroads Fund—a Chicago foundation that funds grassroots groups working for racial, social and economic justice—gathered March 13 at the Chicago Cultural Center to celebrate another year’s work for social change.

Among the attendees were Mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Cook County Clark David Orr, Commissioner of the Department of Human Relations Mona Noriega and Ald. Ricardo Munoz.

Two organizations and one individual were honored for their hard work, dedication and “fearless activism inspires us to address the most critical issues facing our communities.”

The Donald F. Erickson Synapses Award went to We Charge Genocide, a collective of youth who organized a delegation to the UN in Geneva to present a report they authored on police violence in Chicago.

Southside Together Organizing for Power (STOP): Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY)—a multi-issue group leading the movement on affordable housing, access to critical health services and the decriminalization of young people—received the Lynda J. Tipton Memorial Award for Social Justice.

Lastly, the Ron Sable Award for Activism was awarded to Chicago journalist Ben Joravsky. For more than 30 years, Joravsky has dedicated his career to investigating power, money and politics in Chicago. Joravsky has become a true defender of all communities fighting for equality.

The Ron Sable Award is named for the openly gay doctor and progressive activist who was the first openly gay aldermanic candidate He helped to found the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and served on the Crossroads board for 10 years.