A Community Conversation: The Role of Art in Chicago’s LGBTQ Activism Movement

Emily Soto | June 24, 2024, 6:45 pm

The arts have played a major role in the history of activism and support for members of the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago.

Artists have used their work to address issues such as AIDS, violence and discrimination against their community.

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Before pride month comes to a close, “Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices” host Joanna Hernandez spoke with a few of the artists using their platforms to continue this work today.

She was joined by comedian, podcast host and live performance producer, Kenya Elan; Shomari “Sho” Daniels aka Zeetus Lapetus, a graphic artist; Caryn L Robinson aka DJ All the Way Kay; and Akealah Flotho, the creator of the Lavender Noir Project, a Chicago-based archiving project that records and preserves Black queer histories.

They discussed the importance of creating and protecting queer spaces for members of the LGBTQ+ community, the way identity plays a role in their work, how to preserve their history for future generations and more.