Honoring legacy, leadership, and the ongoing pursuit of freedom

PRIDEChicago – the all-volunteer organization behind the iconic Chicago Pride Parade, today announces the official theme of the 2026 Chicago Pride Parade, Free to Be Proud, along with the selection of its 2026 Community Grand Marshals — leaders whose lives and work reflect the movement’s enduring commitment to freedom, visibility, justice, and community.

For more than five decades, the Chicago Pride Parade has stood as both a celebration and a declaration. In 2026, Free to Be Proud reclaims Pride’s founding purpose — affirming that the freedom to live openly, love authentically, and exist safely is neither abstract nor guaranteed. It is something that must be protected, defended, and shared.

“Free to Be Proud is declarative,” said Tim Frye, longtime parade co-coordinator and vice chair of PRIDEChicago. “It reflects both how far our community has come and the work that remains. Pride has always been about more than celebration — it’s about visibility, advocacy, and the pursuit of justice for all.”

The theme honors the legacy of those who paved the way — from the early activists to generations of LGBTQ+ Chicagoans who transformed courage into community. It also speaks directly to the present moment, when hard-won freedoms continue to face challenges and the need for solidarity is more urgent than ever.

2026 Community Grand Marshals

The 2026 Community Grand Marshals were selected for their extraordinary leadership, service, and impact — each embodying what it means to be Free to Be Proud.

Tracy Baim has been named a 2026 Community Grand Marshal for her decades of work documenting LGBTQ+ life and activism in Chicago and beyond. A journalist and historian, Baim is executive director of Press Forward Chicago and co-founder and owner of Windy City Times. Her leadership and contributions have earned multiple lifetime achievement honors, including inductions into the Chicago Headline Club, the Chicago Journalists Association, the Association for Women Journalists–Chicago Hall of Fame, and the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Baim is also a co-founder of Pride Action Tank and the Illinois LGBT Chamber of Commerce, served as co–vice chair of Gay Games VII in Chicago, and founded the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality in 2013. Baim has authored or edited 14 books preserving LGBTQ+ history.

Mona Noriega has been named a 2026 Community Grand Marshal for her decades of leadership advancing civil rights and equity. A Chicago-born Chicana lesbian and mother of two, Noriega serves on the board of Equality Illinois. Her career includes opening the Midwest office of Lambda Legal, serving as its Midwest director. Noriega was appointed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to serve as chair of the Illinois Commission on Human Rights from 2021 to 2024, and previously served as commissioner and board chair of the City of Chicago’s Commission on Human Relations under Mayors Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot. During her tenure, civil rights protections were expanded under Chicago’s anti-discrimination ordinances. She holds master’s degrees from the University of Illinois Chicago and was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2002 alongside her wife, Evette Cardona.

Evette Cardona has also been named a 2026 Community Grand Marshal for her long career in philanthropy and community leadership. A Puerto Rican lesbian and native Chicagoan, Cardona retired in May 2025 from the Polk Bros. Foundation after 27 years, most recently serving as vice president of programs.A graduate of the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, Cardona has received multiple honors for leadership and professional achievement and has taught courses in philanthropy and public policy. She is a co-founder of Women of All Colors and Cultures Together and Amigas Latinas and was a founding board member of Center on Halsted. She continues to serve on the steering committees of Chicago Latines in Philanthropy and the Illinois Immigration Funders Collaborative.

The Alliance of Illinois Judges (AIJ) has been named a 2026 Community Grand Marshal in recognition of its mission to defend and advance the independence of the judiciary, and promote and encourage respect and unbiased treatment for LGBTQ individuals as they relate to the judiciary, the legal profession, and the administration of justice. The AIJ’s current president, Judge Jill Rose Quinn, is Illinois’s first openly transgender judge and elected official. Her leadership underscores the importance of visibility and meaningful representation within our courts and communities.

A Yearlong Call to Action

Free to Be Proud is intentionally participatory, inviting individuals and organizations to reflect what freedom means to them — Free to Be Seen. Free to Be Loved. Free to Be Safe. Free to Be Proud. The theme will serve as a yearlong campaign, connecting the parade to broader advocacy, storytelling, and community engagement.

As one of the oldest and largest Pride parades in the country — welcoming nearly one million spectators and more than 15,000 participants annually — the Chicago Pride Parade remains a powerful reminder that Pride exists because freedom has always been worth fighting for.

55 Years of Pride

The 55th annual Chicago Pride Parade steps off at 11 a.m. (CST) on Sunday, June 28, 2026 in Chicago’s landmark LGBTQ+ Northalsted neighborhood. 

For updates, participation details, and opportunities to support the Chicago Pride Parade, visit pridechicago.org.