The Legacy Project Honors Slain Ugandan Activist David Kato
CHICAGO – Truth Wins Out founder and WCPT host, Wayne Besen, moderated a panel discussion on Sunday about the persecution of LGBT people in Uganda. It focused on American evangelicals exporting hate worldwide. The Legacy Project, an organization founded by Victor Salvo that educates Americans on LGBT history, sponsored the Chicago forum at the Center on Halsted.
The event featured Ugandan LGBT activist Pepe-Julian Onziema, who spoke of his friendship with murdered gay activist David Kato. Kato was memorialized by The Legacy Project with a plaque, which is among the 30 bronze memorials featured on rainbow-colored pylons in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood.
“It was truly an honor to moderate a panel with so many distinguished local and international LGBT advocates,” said Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen. “Thanks to the Legacy Project, we were able to host an important discussion on countering anti-gay activism abroad. We also recognized the heroic contributions of Ugandan LGBT leaders, such as David Kato and Pepe-Julian Onziema.”
According to The Windy City Times, who videotaped part of the event, “the two-part weekend celebration started with a welcoming meet-and-greet reception and fundraiser at the Sidetrack rooftop on July 11 and continued the next day with “Facing the Future,” a program in remembrance of Kato at Center on Halsted. The program included the video “Last Week A Man Was…;” a word from Onziema, who served as the keynote speaker; and a panel discussion that was followed by a Q&A session. All proceeds benefited the Legacy Project Education Initiative.”
Panelists at the event were: Affinity Community Services Executive Director and Legacy Project board member Kim Hunt; Director of Operations for Planting Peace, Co-Creator and resident of Equality House Davis Hammet; Andy Thayer, of the Gay Liberation Network; John Ademola, of Chicago LGBT Asylum Support Program ( CLASP ); and Jenny Ansay, of the Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors sat on the panel with Onziema.
Truth Wins Out (TWO) is a non-profit organization that works to demolish the very foundation of anti-gay prejudice. Our philosophy is simple: We attack the underpinnings of homophobia by debunking harmful lies, discrediting hateful myths, and countering anti-gay organizations. By chipping away at the underlying ignorance that fuels anti-LGBT attitudes, we can ultimately win our fight for fairness and achieve full equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people worldwide.
