In 1991, Equality Illinois emerged as the Illinois Federation for Human Rights, dedicated to advocating for the civil rights of LGBTQ+ individuals statewide.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

This month marks a significant milestone for the organization as it welcomes a new leader who is making history.

Channyn Lynne Parker steps in as the first Black transgender woman to assume the role of CEO at Equality Illinois.

Before this, Parker led Brave Space Alliance and has held influential positions at both the University of Chicago and Howard Brown Health, among other notable roles.

Reflecting on her journey, Parker shares, “All my work and experiences have led me to this moment.”

Parker says the summation of all her work and experience “brought me to where I’m at.”

The guiding principle throughout her career, “that everyone wants a good life. Everyone deserves to be seen and heard and valued. Not just through words, but through action.”

Parker says she knows what it’s like to be overlooked and counted out “because of identity… So, it is my mandate and responsibility to ensure that I am a good advocate and champion for those who also need to be heard as well.”

She believes that people have more in common, than not.

“I believe that we just express our desires in different ways. So, for me, it is my goal to say ‘Look, we’ve all got to make it out of this together in one piece. And the more we can lock arms, the better off we’ll be,” she said.