Approximately 20 people gathered outside City Hall on Sunday October 11th to celebrate National Coming Out Day. Organized by the newly formed NIPN(Northwest Illinois Pride Network) the group gathered in front of city hall to share some stories of coming out and plant mini pride flags in the City Hall lawn. The rally began with MC Kay Ostberg introducing locals Nick Nunez and Sabra Baker who shared their stories of coming out. The Voice of Freeport has live videos on our Facebook page for anyone who’d like to see the shared stories.

NIPN invited all elected city and county officials to the National Coming Out Day Event. We’re happy to report that Sally Brashaw(Freeport 6th Ward Alderperson) and Casey Anthony(County Board District D) both accepted the invitations and joined in on the rally and march. Independent Candidate for Illinois 89th Representative District John Cook also stopped by to say hello to everyone before the event started. Also in attendance were several people from the Pride Group at Highland Community College.

From there the small but mighty group headed off down Stephenson Street towards downtown. Lead by locals Carl Utt and Dennis Rinkenberger who carried a sign emblazoned with “Hate Has No Home Here” as well as “Black Lives Matter” signs they chanted “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Homophobia Has Got to Go” With the chants at time filling the mostly empty downtown the echo’s filled the downtown streets and buildings. Occasionally bringing onlookers to a window or a door to see what the Sunday ruckus was all about.It was simply a colorful crowd of out and proud LGBTQIA+ community members and their allies.

The march then turned down Chicago street to the south, a quick right turn on Main Street west, and heading back towards city hall with another right on Cherry Street. The march then ended with this winded gay man speaking incoherently into the megaphone for 3 minutes before realizing it wasn’t on! Handily relocating my composure I thanked everyone for coming out, shared part of my coming out story from almost 23 years ago, and shared with people how they can donate to NIPN to help fund future events. Future events that will help us show the LGBTQIA+ community they’re loved and protected in Freeport just as they would be anywhere else.

It was a proud day in Freeport, it was a proud day for the LGBTQIA+ community, and I have PRIDE in both! You can follow NIPN on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/PrideNIPN

If you wish to make a donation(not tax deductible) to NIPN please use one of the following:

Paypal: progressivevisionil@gmail.com 480-669-3214

Venmo: progressivevisionil@gmail.com 480-669-3214 VoiceOfFreeport

Cash App: progressivevisionil@gmail.com 480-669-3214 $VoiceOfFreeport

Checks: Payable to Progressive Vision LLC and can be given to Nick Nunez, Carl Utt, Sabra Baker, Laura Watson, or Kay Ostberg. Mail to: 1806 Valleyview Dr. Freeport, IL 61032

We keep track of all of our funding and expenses to make sure we’re being good stewards of your donations! Thank you!

Carl Utt is a newly minted citizen journalist and one of the founders of The Voice of Freeport and Progressive Vision Media LLC. He’s also a gay man who’s been out to everyone in his life since 1998, unapologetically, proudly, and boldly. If he may say so himself.