This year’s Equality Illinois Annual Gala was held at the Hilton Hotel in Chicago.

Equality Illinois是伊州同性同等权益维护最有权威的组织。该组织主办的年度自由权益奖颁发活动也是美国中西部最大的一个。

Equality Illinois is the largest civil rights organization in Illinois securing and protecting LBGT individuals.

The Equality Illinois 2014 Gala, the Freedom Award Night, with 1400 guests, is the largest formal LBGT event in the Midwest.

 

Bernard Cherkasov: “Tonight, the evening is the opportunity for us to celebrate all of the accomplishments together as a movement, for decades now, people have fought to recognize that not to get fired from their jobs, not to bully in schools, their relationships with love recognized by the state. We have accomplished so much of that, and today it is our chance to recognize the accomplishment to honor our heroes and leaders, and we recommend them to move forward.”

伊州同性同等权益组织总裁：“今晚这个活动给我们彼此带来一个良好的机会！大家都来为我们‘同性权益运动’的好成绩庆祝。几十年了，很多人都在争取他们的自由权，不再因同性倾向而被炒鱿鱼，同性学生们也不再被同学欺负，他们的感情已经被整个伊州认同。我们组织已经做了很多。今天，我们为这些领袖做出的杰出贡献感到荣耀，当然，我们都会鼓励并支持他们。”

 

美国政治人物Mark Kirk和著名导演Lana Wachowski也会聚集在此。

The US senate Mark Kirk from Illinois and the famous filmmaker Lana Wachowski will be here receiving the Freedom Award.

 

Lana Wachowski: “中国朋友们，你们好！我爱北京！我今晚在这里跟大家共同庆祝我们伊州终于通过了同性合法婚姻法案SB10！我希望中国政府也可以把心放宽，打破传统旧观念，让更多的人拥有自由权利。今晚有人会为我颁奖？自由奖项？但我不确定那个到底是什么东西，哈哈！”

Hello China, I love Beijing! I am here to celebrate with all the LGBTQ community, celebrating passing the SB10, which is basically the gay marriage act in Illinois. I hope that China continues to open up and embrace the things that are different than what they are traditionally used to. I am getting an award tonight. The Freedom Award? I am not exactly sure what it is.

获奖名人Lana的幽默感感染了当晚的观众，那么对于她的出柜事件，大家都有什么想法呢？

Lana’s humorous and interaction certainly impressed many audiences that night. So what do the guests think about her “coming out” story?

 

Fawz Mirza: “我觉得每个人的‘出柜’过程都很特别，而且就连‘出柜’这个生动的词组都让每个人变得那样的丰富有趣。因此无论是听Lana的出柜事件，还是其他人的，我都很喜欢听。我觉得跟大家分享自己出柜的事情需要很大的勇气。当然，像Lana这样一位公众人物可以做此公开并可以帮助更多人的话，我觉得那是件非常美好的事情。”

Fawz Mirza: “I think anyone coming out is such a unique process, and I think that even the phrase “coming out” is so individual to each person, and so hearing anyone’s story, weather is hers or someone else’s, every other person here that thousands of people here tonight, I love hearing those stories, and I think sharing them takes so much strength, takes so much courage, and put yourself out there as someone who wants to share the stories and to help somebody else takes a lot of courage. It is a beautiful thing.”

 

当晚的活动不仅吸引了伊州州长奎因和芝加哥市长伊曼纽，很多支持同性合法权的各大企业总裁和社会团体代表也出席参加了此次活动。

The event annually attracts an influential audience of notable political, corporate, and community leaders, including Gov. Pat Quinn and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

 

库克县巡回法院书记：“大家能够互相接纳并尊重对方是最重要的。当然，做为一个少数族群，做为一名非裔美国公民，我非常理解不平等待遇。因此，我支持所有人。”

Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, Dorothy Brown: “It’s important that we have a tolerance for each other. Of course, as a minority, as an African American, I understand the discrimination. So I support all people. ”

当晚，除了面向非裔公民的“芝加哥都市同盟”获得了自由奖项，同时，具有全美国影响力的State Farm保险公司也荣获了此奖项。

During the awards night, both of Chicago Urban League and State Farm also won the Freedom Awards.  A festive silent auction precedes the dinner.

此外，活动主办方提供了丰富的晚餐并邀请了很多形象有趣的嘉宾。

Also, there was wonderful food and interesting guests at this event.

 

Well, we just like to make a statement on how we dress. I think that we are here to celebrating and I think it is important to celebrate. So I will just say, to the Chinese community to keep working for their rights, and also freedoms and the moments to celebrate. So keep fighting fights, but also remember to enjoy what you have.

我们也是根据场合而着装嘛！我为我们今天可以站在这里庆功感到非常欣慰。中国的同志们也应该要为他们的自由权而努力奋斗。因此，一定要坚持下去，努力换回来的结果一定会让你满意的！

 

 

 

This is Meiling Jin reporting for you.

易世界传媒美翎工作室金美翎为您报道。