The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ( GLAAD ) held a fundraising event July 24 at the Blue Water Grill, 520 N. Dearborn. According to Senior Vice President J. Michael Durnil, the event was part of an effort to grow a 'leadership council' in Chicago. The council would be a group of 'dedicated volunteers who help us expand GLAAD's work through their own connections,' he said. Such councils already exist in a few other cities, including Seattle, Dallas and Atlanta. In a brief speech to the approximately 80 attendees who showed up for the event, Durnill spoke of GLAAD's work. In Chicago, this includes releasing a statement on the upcoming induction of James Dobson into the National Radio Hall of Fame and Museum. ( Dobson heads the conservative Focus on the Family. ) Durnil also emphasized what he called GLAAD's 'behind-the-scenes work' on gay marriage, saying that many of the couples involved in the California decision were trained by GLAAD. Photos and text by Yasmin Nair
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