User:JaxC135/LGBT culture in Chicago

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- Marie J. Kuda is a historian, archivist, writer, lecturer, and promoter of LGBTQ+ history. During her lifetime she sought to spread and preserve a positive image of the LGBTQ+ community. She did this through her writing. She organized lesbian writing conferences, and published the first lesbian annotated bibliography. She dedicated her life to preserve the LGBTQ+ history in Chicago. She presented many lectures that brought to light the contributions of LGBTQ+ people to culture and innovation. She was also a member of the Gay and Lesbian Task force. This community strived to eradicate false information from libraries, and to make accurate information more accessible. She died in 2016 at the age of 76 after a long and impactful life.

-Charlene Carruthers is an LGBT activist, community organizer, and author based in Chicago, Illinois. She gained notability through her commitment to racial and social justice issues, such as police brutality. She was involved in grassroots activism movements and organizations that have advocated for the rights of people in marginalized communities. She worked as the national director of the Black Youth Project 100. The Black Youth Project 100 is a youth-led organization that mobilizes and empowers young black activists. The book she wrote, “Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements,” shows her personal experiences on the intersectionality of race, sexuality, and gender in broader social justice movements.

- AD HOC Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays: This organization was formed in 1993 with the purpose of participating in the Bud Billiken parade. The event is hosted by the Chicago Defender Charities, and is considered the largest African-American parade in the nation. The committee was denied participation after completing the necessary steps to enter well before the deadline. The hosts said it was due to lack of manpower. However, another organization was allowed participation two days before the deadline. The only difference in the two organizations was the use of "Lesbian and gay" in there titles. The filed a complaint on the basis of sexual discrimination, and eventually were allowed to participate in the parade. Their participation promoted positive representation for the LGBTQ+ community, and the celebration of diversity in any way shape and form.