The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame, the only city-sanctioned LGBT Hall of Fame in the world, has announced its slate of 2024 inductees: 19 LGBT-identified individuals, two LGBT-identified organizations, and one “Friend of the Community” (ally). 

PRIDEChicago, the all-volunteer organization behind the iconic Chicago Pride Parade for over 50 years, congratulates longtime co-coordinator Timothy Frye (pictured left) as a 2024 inductee.

For 53 years, the parade has been a beacon of hope, resilience, and pride for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, thanks to the tireless efforts of Frye, and his late husband, Richard Pfeiffer. 

“Tim’s dedication and commitment are truly commendable, and we are proud to stand alongside him,” said Steve Long, PRIDEChicago Board Chair.

Pfeiffer and PRIDEChicago were both previously inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The  2024 inductees, who represent a wide cross-section of the diverse Chicago  community, this year include Lori Lightfoot, former Mayor of Chicago; WGN  Weekend Morning News co-anchor Sean Lewis; Reverend Charles Straight, senior  pastor of the Faith United Methodist Church; John von Rhein, longtime music critic  of the Chicago Tribune; and LaTony Alvarado Rivera, executive director of the  Chicago Freedom School.  

The Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame was founded in 1991 to honor Chicago’s people and entities, nominated by the community, who have made significant contributions to the quality of life or well-being of the LGBT community and the city of Chicago. 

The first Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame ceremony took place during Pride Week 1991 at Chicago City Hall. Then-mayor Richard M. Daley hosted the ceremony and afterward, photos of the inductees were displayed in City Hall. 

The Hall of Fame maintains a website,  which allows anyone to visit the Hall of Fame at any time at chicagolgbthalloffame.org. Traditionally, the City of Chicago has displayed the Hall of Fame materials during induction periods, Pride Month, and in October for LGBT History Month.

The 2024 Class of Inductees: 

Individual Inductees:

“Mama Gloria” Allen (posthumous inductee), who pioneered a “Charm School” at  the Center on Halsted conducting life lessons on appearance, etiquette, personal  interaction, job-interview comportment, hygiene, safe sex, healthy relationships, and self-respect to predominantly young unhoused transgender people. Daniel Dever, former development director for Howard Brown Memorial Clinic and  Children’s Place Association and longtime volunteer with Equality Illinois, American  Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, Rainbow Railroad, and other organizations. Daniel is  currently a board member of the Reader Institute for Community Journalism. 

Character artist John Foos, aka Miss Foozie, noted fundraiser and entertainer since  1997 with a passion for making people feel welcome and have fun at community  events including the Northalsted Halloween Parade and the Proud Pet Parade.

Timothy K. Frye, lead coordinator of PrideChicago and longtime co-coordinator of  Chicago’s annual LGBT Pride Parade with his husband, Hall of Fame inductee  Richard Pfeiffer, until Pfeiffer’s death in 2019. Following a two-year pandemic related hiatus, Frye started the Pride Parade tradition again in 2022, continuing to  lead the annual event. 

Dr. Daniel S. Berger, founder of Northstar Medical Center (Wellness Home at NorthstarHealthcare), a pioneering researcher in the treatment of HIV through drug therapies, and a nationally noted art collector, for his lifetime of work in health/medicine, civic involvement, and leadership in the arts.

Amailia Black, advocate for trans rights and visibility and former Special Projects of  National Significance researcher, Volunteer and Community Engagement  specialist, and executive assistant to the CEO for Howard Brown Health. 

Bonsai Bermudez MSW, co-founder and executive artistic director of the Youth  Empowerment Performance Project (YEPP), a program creating a brave  environment for LGBTQI+ youth experiencing homelessness to learn new ways to  address their struggles and celebrate their strengths through personal leadership  and community involvement. 

Demetrius “Dem” Hopkins (posthumous inductee), attorney and music entrepreneur whose influential music nightclub Oz helped establish Chicago’s  1980s punk rock scene on a national level. In the 2000’s he served on the board of  the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and helped to forge a lasting relationship  between CCH and Riot Fest. 

Antonio King, the first gay/bi Black man to serve as LGBTQ Health Outreach Liaison  at the Chicago Department of Public Health and a founding member of the Chicago  Black Gay Men’s Caucus, whose dedication to the art of female impersonation and  pageantry has been a cornerstone of his advocacy work for more than 25 years. 

Sean Lewis, Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist and Chicago’s first out gay  news anchor for WGN/Channel 9. Sean has also volunteered hosting events for  community organizations including Chicago House, Equality Illinois, The Legacy  Project, Test Positive Aware Network, and Brave Space Alliance. 

Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who served from 2019 through 2023 as the  city’s first Black female and first out LGBT mayor. She is the first openly lesbian  Black woman to serve as mayor of a major American city, making Chicago the first and still only one of the United States’ three largest cities to boast an out LGBT chief  executive. 

Kenneth Martín-Ocasio, former president of the DuPage Hispanic Task Force,  former co-chair of the Latino Consortium, and longstanding board member of the  Association of Latinos Motivating Action (ALMA), for his dedication to advancing  professional, social, economic, and educational opportunities within the Latinx and  LGBTQ+ communities.

Ken Mejia-Beal, advocate and trailblazer in the Black LGBTQ community and leader in numerous political, media, advocacy, and community organizations within and outside the LGBTQ+ community. As the first Black openly gay elected chair of the DuPage County Democratic Party, Ken made history as the first out LGBT political party chair in Illinois.

Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Brave Space Alliance, the first Black-led, trans-led  LGBTQ+ center on Chicago’s South Side, recognized for her visionary approach to  human rights and social justice. Her advocacy began with achievements at the  Cook County Department of Corrections, where she was the first openly  transgender woman and advocated vigorously for those in protective custody. 

John Peller, president/CEO of AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) since 2014. His keen  understanding of how health care and policy intersect and his support  for innovative practices have established him as a national leader in the HIV field,  greatly improving quality of life and health for the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago  and beyond. 

LaTony Alvarado Rivera, executive director of the Chicago Freedom School, a 17- year-old nonprofit organization that equips young people and adult allies with the  tools to develop strategies for social change. He began his activism at 18 with the  Coalition for Sexual Orientation (Illinois Safe Schools Alliance) and served on the  education subcommittee for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s transition team. 

W. Robert Schultz III, campaign organizer for the Active Transportation Alliance,  whose mission is to advocate for walking, bicycling, and public transit to create  healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities. He has been a leader in activist efforts in Illinois ranging from the successful effort to repeal the death penalty to  marriage equality. He also served on the board of Howard Brown Health and was a  founding editor of BLACKlines magazine and a founding member of the Lakeside  Pride Music Organization. 

Reverend Charles Straight, senior pastor of the Faith United Methodist Church,  president of The People’s Lobby Education Institute, and volunteer coordinator for  Kupona Network, the first Black HIV service organization in Chicago. He has more  than 35 years of committed service in the ministry.

John von Rhein, classical music critic for the Chicago Tribune for 40 years, whose  reviews and features played a significant role in establishing Chicago as a world class cultural center. His involvement with the Rainbow Railroad, an international  organization dedicated to providing life-saving assistance to LGBTQ+ individuals  and families fleeing violence and persecution around the world, exemplifies his  steadfast commitment to protecting the most vulnerable among us. 

Organizations: 

STUD4LIFE, a non-profit organization, founded in 2012, whose mission is to give  back and mentor to underserved juvenile LGBTQ individuals. 

Womyn of All Cultures Together (WACT), founded in 1993, which has made a  significant long-term contribution of advocacy and education to Chicago’s lesbian community. 

Friend of the Community: 

Sol Flores, founding executive director of La Casa Norte, an organization dedicated  to helping thousands of young people and families escape homelessness, and  former Deputy Governor in the administration of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Her  advocacy and leadership have created safe, inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ youth and  families in Chicago. 

The annual Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark.