Leader of Chicago LGBTQ+ community center honored by Out100

CHICAGO (WLS) -- An LGBTQ+ community center in the Hyde Park neighborhood is known for helping Chicago's transgender and gender-nonconforming community.

Its leader, Channyn Lynne Parker, is now in the national spotlight. She's being honored by OUT Magazine as one of this year's "Out100."

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It is big month for the local woman who leads an organization which helps people who are often marginalized.

Parker leads the "Brave Space Alliance" in Hyde Park. She calls it an organization for the "T" LGBQ Plus community.

"We say 'T' LGBQ Plus because we know that the LGBTQ community, trans folks experienced the most marginalization and are experiencing the most emergency and crisis," Parker said.

Brave Space Alliance also provides, food, health services, housing and clothing for transgender people and gender-nonconforming people in need.

"[At] our walk-in clothing closet... individuals are able to access gender affirming clothes," Parker said.

Parker's leadership has earned her a prestigious honor of being one of this years' OUT 100 in the national OUT Magazine.

"And it's really cool. It is humbling and it's heartening to be named among national figures like Laverne Cox, Senator Sarah McBride, Little Nas X, for God's sakes, I mean, wow," Parker said. "So again, for me, it is an honor to be recognized for the work that I have done and worked so hard for this community."

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The south suburban Park Forest native also shared her story of transitioning in the late 90s, something she said was even harder in that era, but she said she was blessed with supportive parents.

"My mother dealt with it gracefully, and knowing that it was important to her to have a healthy child to transition into a healthy adult," Parker said.

Parker knows that not all transgender people, even in 2024, don't get that type of support, which is why she's so passionate about the Brave Space Alliance.

"So we know that even though, yes, we're so proud of the strides that we've made in the past 50, 60 years, we know that there's a long way to go," Parker said.

Parker was one of several Out100 honorees nominated by the eight ABC-owned television stations across the country.

You can find the "Out100" edition of the OUT Magazine on newsstands next week. The full list can be seen here.

There will be an Out100 Special featuring all the honorees, on streaming and on television, at the end of the year.