Fox Valley

Schuyler Bailar to speak at Aurora’s Metea Valley High

By , Publisher/blogger |

AURORA — Schuyler Bailar, the first transgender male athlete to compete in the NCAA, will be speaking at Aurora’s Metea Valley High School on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 at 7 p.m.

From the Eventcombo link:
Schuyler Bailar was one of the nation’s top 20 15-year-old breaststroke swimmers. By 17, his relay team set a national age-group record. A 25-time National Championship Qualifier, a two-time All-American, he was recruited by and swam for Harvard University on one of the winningest teams in Harvard’s history. Schuyler is also the first openly transgender athlete to compete in any sport on an NCAA Division I men’s team. Schuyler’s difficult choice – to transition while potentially giving up the prospect of being an NCAA Champion – as a female swimmer – was historic and timely.

Fox Valley

Aurora celebrates Pride that almost wasn’t

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AURORA — Illinois’s second largest city celebrated its second Pride Parade on Sunday, with thousands lining downtown streets. Aurora Pride said police had put the crowd at around 8,000 people. The parade route was under a mile long through the heart of downtown Aurora with the majority of it on Downer Place. The parade was in doubt earlier this year when a new city ordinance raised the cost much more than organizers had planned for. Negotiations with the city and the community raising more than $20,000 in less than 24 hours ensured the parade would take place.

Fox Valley

Aurora declares June as Pride month

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AURORA — Aurora proclaimed June as Pride month in an announcement on Tuesday. Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin made the proclamation with members of Indivisible Aurora, organizers of the city’s Pride celebrations. The proclamation in full:
PROCLAMATION: 2019 PRIDE MONTH
JUNE 2019

WHEREAS, the City of Aurora supports the rights of every citizen to experience equality and freedom from discrimination; and

WHEREAS, all people regardless of age, gender identity, race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical challenges have the right to be treated on the basis of their intrinsic value as human beings; and

WHEREAS, the City of Aurora accepts and welcomes people of diverse backgrounds and believes a diverse population leads to a more vibrant community; and

WHEREAS, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) communities contribute to the cultural, civic and economic successes of the City of Aurora; and

WHEREAS, Indivisible Aurora has been a leading voice for equality for all and has taken the lead role in the staging of the Aurora Pride Parade. NOW, THEREFORE, I, MAYOR RICHARD C. IRVIN, Mayor of the City of Aurora, do hereby proclaim June 2019 as Pride Month in the City of Aurora and acknowledge Pride Weekend in Aurora and the Aurora Pride Parade on Sunday, June 9, 2019. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City of Aurora to be affixed this 4th of June 2019 at Aurora City Hall.

Fox Valley

Aurora Pride schedule of events

By , Publisher/blogger |

AURORA — Aurora Pride is next weekend and they have a full list of events. PROUD VISIONS: IMAGES FROM AURORA’S INAUGURAL PRIDE PARADE
JUNE 7, 6:00PM – 9:00PM
RICHARD AND GINA SANTORI PUBLIC LIBRARY
101 S. RIVER STREET, AURORA
See images from the historic 2018 Aurora Pride Parade taken by photographers Nathan Villotti and Robb Winder, and other local residents and Parade attendees. ARTBAR: DRAG QUEENS AND DRAGONS
JUNE 7, 7:00PM – JUNE 8, 12:00AM
TWO BROTHERS ROUNDHOUSE
205 N. BROADWAY, AURORA
This art show will feature portraits of some of Aurora’s diverse community of artists and LGBTQ residents. UNAPOLOGETICALLY ME: A NIGHT OF MUSIC, POETRY, AND COMEDY
JUNE 7, 8:00PM – 11:00PM
ARCANA STUDIOS
5 1/2 W. DOWNER, AURORA
Clowns, indie musicians, queer poets, and other artists will perform in a pride-themed variety show that promises to entertain. Those who attend can take a letter or poem from a wall filled with queer poetry and love letters curated by artist Annie Baldwin.

Fox Valley

Aurora Pride announces OUTspoken line up

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AURORA — Aurora Pride has announced the lineup for the OUTspoken storytelling event at this year’s festival. From Aurora Pride’s Facebook page:
Archy Jamjun is a storyteller, teacher, server, and writer. He is a two-time winner of The Moth Grand Slam and curator for OUTspoken. He lives in the South Loop with his partner Jeremy and their cat Ladyboy. Kim L. Hunt loves shoes and storytelling.

Fox Valley

Aurora Pride announces Pride speaker series

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AURORA — The Aurora Pride Festival has announced the speakers for a speakers series on Saturday, June 8. The festival announced the line up on its Facebook page. 2-4 PM – Teen Writers and Artist Project (T-WAAP) at Aurora’s famed Riverfront Playhouse. Hip Hop, poetry, spoken word, storytelling. Free admission and open to the public.

Fox Valley

Aurora Pride Parade names Grand Marshal

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AURORA — The Aurora Pride Parade has named Nancy Mullen as this year’s Grand Marhsal. Aurora Pride made the announcement on their Facebook page. Nancy Mullen is the executive director of Youth Outlook, a non-profit organization serving LGBTQ youth and working to increase visibility and understanding of LGBTQ youth issues in DuPage, Kane, Whiteside, LaSalle, DeKalb and suburban Cook Counties. Mullen just celebrated her 20th anniversary with Youth Outlook, coming to the agency when it was only 6 months old. During her tenure, Youth Outlook has grown from a volunteer run social group with a single drop-in center to a recognized social services agency with drop-in centers in six counties including Transcend, a program specific to the interests and needs of trans youth in Naperville and Palatine, a youth leadership project, a healthy relationships program, parent support groups, a peer-led HIV prevention project and a thriving community education/professional development program.

Fox Valley

Deadline for Aurora Pride Parade applications approaching

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AURORA — The deadline for groups to march in the Aurora Pride Parade is on Sunday, May 12. Businesses, church groups, non-profit organizations, youth groups, schools and community organizations are all welcome to participate. The parade is scheduled on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Kick-off is at Benton andRiver Street at 12:00 p.m. going north on Broadway Street, west on Downer Place and ending at River Street. Groups can sign up through this form.