Chicago Leaders Named as 2022 Bon Foster Celebration Co-Chairs

Lambda Legal announced the co-chairs of their 2022 Bon Foster civil rights celebration, which will return to the Old Post Office building on May 12, following a hiatus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s co-chairs  will help inspire local, corporate and grassroots support for Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest and most successful legal defense organization working to achieve full recognition for LGBTQ people and everyone living with HIV.

“Thanks to the commitment and hard work of our co-chairs, I’m proud to declare that Bon Foster is back!” said Lambda Legal Midwest Regional Director, Brian Richardson. “Our annual Bon Foster event is an opportunity to remind Chicago’s LGBTQ community that even though we weren’t able to meet in person these past two years, we continued to fight and win for equality – including landmark decisions for trans youth who want to be themselves at school, gay and lesbian seniors who deserve their social security benefits, and LGBTQ parents who want to grow their families. We are lucky these community leaders are doing their part for equality and will help Lambda Legal lead the charge forward.”

Below are the 2022 Bon Foster Co-Chairs:

Terrence Chappell & Dan Nisbet

Terrence is the Founder and Principal of Chappell Communications Group, a digital marketing agency that specializes in social media. He is a regular contributor to Chicago television discussing pertinent news and cultural topics around social media. He has been published in Teen Vogue, The Advocate, Reader, and more. Dan Nisbet, Vice President of Development at Feeding America, has provided fundraising leadership and consulting support to human services, education, healthcare, civic, cultural, and faith-based organizations throughout the United States and internationally for more than 20 years. They both currently reside on Chicago’s North Side.

Heather Steans & Leo Smith

Heather is a former Democratic member of the Illinois Senate, representing the 7th district. In 2009, Heather first introduced a marriage equality bill before the Senate and continued to advocate until her bill was signed into law in 2013 guaranteeing marriage equality for LGBTQ people statewide. Leo serves as Director of Employment & Policy at CRED, Creating Real Economic Destiny. They live in Edgewater where they raised their three children.  

The Bon Foster event raises more than $500,000 for Lambda Legal every year and is named after Robert Bonvoulier “Bon” Foster, a Chicago attorney and civil rights leader who died in 1991 from complications from AIDS. Bon left a significant gift to Lambda Legal, to open the regional office in Chicago. For more information or to purchase tickets to this year’s event, please go to www.lambdalegal.org/bonfoster.