Zahara Monique Bassett

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted.
Find sources: "Zahara Monique Bassett" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Zahara Monique Bassett
Occupation(s)	Founder and CEO of Life Is Work

Zahara Monique Bassett is the founder and CEO of Life Is Work. Life is Work is a social service agency on the West Side of Chicago.^[1] She is also “a nationally recognized visionary activist and long-time advocate for trans human rights, social justice, health equity, and LGBT equality.”^[2]

Biography

Bassett grew up in the Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. She would travel to the North Side of Chicago for a variety of reasons. As a black, transgender woman, she felt her neighborhood lacked gender-affirming resources.^[3]^[2] The fourth of six children, she was kicked out of her house when she was 15 years old because she had already identified as trans for a few years. Sometimes homeless, she was often a sex worker for thirteen years.^[4]

Career

Her experiences finding resources in her community led her to find Life is Work in 2015 to serve black and brown clients by providing case management, advocacy and activism. In 2021, she joined the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s Learning Centre Collaborative and was appointed by Governor J. B. Pritzker to the Health and Human Services Task Force.^[2]

Recognition

Bassett was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame in 2022.^[5]

The Chicago Foundation for Women awarded her The Impact Award.^[2]

She earned the Román Buenrostro Legacy Award in 2023.^[6]

References

^ Wittich, Jake (October 5, 2022). "14 People, Organizations, Allies To Be Inducted Into Chicago LGBT Hall Of Fame: 'It's Important We're Not Erased From History'". Block Club Chicago. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Zahara Monique Bassett". Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ "How Life is Work is supporting transgender and gender non-binary communities of color". AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ Daniels, Cheyanne M. (February 22, 2022). "Carrying Black History forward". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ Padar, Kayleigh (October 13, 2022). "Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame 2022 induction ceremony honors activists, artists, community organizations". Windy City Times. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
^ "AFC's Annual Meeting: Unifying For Impact". POZ. Retrieved 29 March 2023.

External links

A rally to honor dead Black transgender women turns into chaotic scene

Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame

1990–1999

1991	Ortez Alderson Jon-Henri Damski James W. Flint Gay Chicago Renee C. Hanover Howard Brown Health Center Judith S. Johns Carol A. Johnson William B. Kelley Marie J. Kuda Chuck Renslow Adrienne J. Smith Max C. Smith Richard B. Turner
1992	Gary Chichester Ann Christophersen Thom Dombkowski Henry Gerber Richard Lee Gray Vernita Gray Peg Grey Pearl M. Hart Horizons Community Services Harley McMillen Scott McPherson Metropolitan Sports Association Dom Orejudos Mary D. Powers Daniel Sotomayor Valerie Taylor
1993	Ad Hoc Committee of Proud Black Lesbians and Gays Robert Sloane Basker E. Kitch Childs Jerrold Cohen Robert T. Ford Richard Garrin Jeff Graubart-Cervone Joel Hall Nancy Lanoue Sid L. Mohn Mountain Moving Coffeehouse Kathy Osterman Richard W. Pfeiffer Linda S. Rodgers Ron Sable Bruce C. Scott Marge Summit Joanne E. Trapani Al Wardell
1994	Robert J. Adams Tracy Baim George S. Buse James A. Bussen Lori Cannon John Chester Chicago House and Social Service Agency Samuel F. Davis Jr. Adrienne J. Goodman Earnest E. Hite Jr. Bruce Koff Ellis B. Levin Lionheart Gay Theatre Company Open Hand Chicago Gregory A. Sprague Elizabeth E. Tocci Steven F. Wakefield
1995	Caryn Berman Samson Chan T. Chris Cothran Sarah Craig Frontrunners Frontwalkers Chicago Jean V. Hardisty Nick Kelly Dawn Clark Netsch José Pena Queer Nation Chicago David B. Sindt Armando L. Smith James Monroe Smith (lawyer) Tom Tunney Yvonne Zipter
1996	Jacqueline Anderson Bailiwick Repertory's Pride Series Jack Delaney Gerber/Hart Library and Archives Arlene Halko Greg Harris Frankie Knuckles Tony Midnite Mary Morten Ifti Nasim Charlotte Newfeld Norm Sloan Tiffani St. Cloud
1997	Toni Armstrong Jr. Miguel Ayala Roger Chaffin James C. Darby Dignity Chicago Ida Greathouse John Hammell Rick Karlin Corinne J. Kawecki Larry McKeon David G. Ostrow Mary Ann Smith
1998	Carrie Barnett Thomas Chiola Laurie J. Dittman Jeannette Howard Foster Jorjet Harper Arthur L. Johnston Ira H. Jones Clifford P. Kelley Dorothy Klefstad LesBiGay Radio Renae Ogletree Dean Robert Ogren Victor A. Salvo Jr. Modesto "Tico" Valle Luule Vess
1999	Ava Allen John J. Balester David Brian Bell Randy Duncan Rick Garcia Lorraine Hansberry Derrick Allen Hicks Billie Jean King Lesbian Community Cancer Project Adrene Perom Norman L. Sandfield Gregg Shapiro Jesse White Phill Wilson

2000–2009

2000	ACT UP/Chicago Association of Latin Men for Action Lorrainne Sade Baskerville Henry Blake Fuller Chicago Chapter of GLSEN Phil A. Hannema Sarah Hoagland Nancy J. Katz Danny Kopelson Patricia S. McCombs Helen Shiller Rene A. Van Hulle Jr. Israel Wright
2001	Lora Branch Robert Castillo Chicago Gay Men's Chorus Keith Elliott Sara Feigenholtz Frank Goley and Robert Maddox Chuck Hyde Antonio David Jimenez Michael A. Leppen Ellen A. Meyers Kathryn Munzer Studs Terkel
2002	Affinity Community Services Evette Cardona C. C. Carter Jim Gates (Chicago businessman) Louis I. Lang Mattachine Midwest NAMES Project Chicago Chapter Charles Edward Nelson II Mona Noriega Christina Smith Lauren Sugerman
2003	Angel Abcede About Face Theatre AIDS Legal Council of Chicago Buddies' Restaurant and Bar Tania Callaway Armand R. Cerbone Chicago Black Lesbians and Gays R. Sue Connolly Bon Foster The Graham Family Tonda L. Hughes Patricia M. Logue John Pennycuff Laurence E. Spang Sheron Denise Webb Albert N. Williams
2004	Roger Brown Christopher Clason Charles E. Clifton Frank Galati Ralph Paul Gernhardt Suzanne Marie Kraus Lincoln Park Lagooners Mulryan and York, Attorneys at Law PFLAG/Chicago Julio Rodriguez Nan Schaffer Terri Worman
2005	Alexandra Scott Billings Megan Carney Aldo Castillo John D'Emilio Equality Illinois Merry Mary Mike McHale Jim Pickett Juan Reed Carol Ronen C. Michael Savage Catherine Sikora Lawrence E. Sloan Test Positive Aware Network
2006	Margaret C. Anderson and Jane Heap Congregation Or Chadash Jacques Cristion Richard M. Daley Marigold Bowl Jill M. Metz Charles R. Middleton Edward Negron Laird Petersen Sidetrack Star Gaze Richard M. Uyvari
2007	American Veterans for Equal Rights David Blatt and David Moore Carol Moseley Braun Robbin Burr Chicago Games, Inc. Tarrina Dikes Martin Gapshis Jeffrey E. McCour Carlos T. Mock Chilli Pepper A Real Read Karen C. Sendziak Patrick Sheahan Harold Washington Vera Washington
2008	Jane Addams Suzanne Arnold Artemis Singers Kevin G. Boyer Michal Brody Sam Coady Gregory R. Dell Katherine (Kit) Duffy Eddie Dugan Murray Edelman Wanda Lust Joe La Pat Jesus Salgueiro and Art Smith Guy Warner
2009	AIDS Foundation of Chicago Paula Basta Lou Conte Lori A. Cooper Marcia J. Lipetz Amy Maggio Joey McDonald Mike Quigley Frank M. Robinson Jane M. Hussein Saks Zaida Sanabia Patrick Sinozich Marilyn Urso

2010–2019

2010	Claudia Allen American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois Asians & Friends – Chicago Chicago History Museum Dan Di Leo Scot Free Bob Gammie International Mr. Leather E. Patrick Johnson David Ernesto Munar Achy Obejas Paul G. Oostenbrug Jose R. Rios Stan Sloan Mark E. Wojcik
2011	Paul Adams Greg Cameron Antonia Flores Grant Lynn Ford Robert Garofalo Good Shepherd Parish Metropolitan Community Church Ted Grady Marcia Hill Tony Jackson Jenner & Block LLP Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles The Night Ministry Brett Shingledecker Jon Simmons
2012	Lois L. Bates Chi-Town Squares Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus St. Sukie de la Croix Sanford E. Gaylord William W. Greaves Keith R. Green Mark Ishaug David Orr Proud to Run, Chicago Bill Pry Chuck Rodocker Heather C. Sawyer Laura S. Washington Honey West
2013	Gaylon Alcaraz James L. Alexander James L. Bennett Jorge Cestou Rocco J. Claps Rudolph Johnson Jr. Lambda Legal - Midwest Regional Office Lee A. Newell II Paté Andrew Patner POW-WOW Laura Ricketts Neil Steinberg Burr Tillstrom Brenda Webb David Zak
2014	Gerald Arpino Jennifer Brier Kelly Cassidy Terry Cosgrove Christina Kahrl Edward Mogul Lisa Marie Pickens Debra Shore Ross A. Slotten, M.D. Bennet Williams Out & Proud in Chicago Silk Road Rising Lucretia Clay-Ward Heather A. Steans Clarence N. Wood
2015	Jean Albright Fred Eychaner Emmanuel Garcia Stanley Jencyzk Lesbian and Gay Police Association Gay Officers Action League Phoenix Matthews Gail Morse Michael O'Connor Jan Schakowsky Barbara Smith Camilla B. Taylor Lauren Verdich
2016	Yvonne Welbon Martxa Vidal Norma Seledon Patrick Quinn Thomas Klein John Marshall Law School Kim L. Hunt Patrick Dennis David Lee Csicsko David Cerda Román Buenrostro Ronald E. Bogan Big Chicks Tom Bachtell Amigas Latinas Robert Allerton
2017	Keith Butler Kathy Caldwell Ketty Teanga Greer Lankton Mark Nagel Glen Pietrandoni Dulce Quintero Timothy Stewart-Winter Alicia T. Vega Lavender Woman Leather Archives and Museums People Like Us Bookstore Alphawood Foundation Ralla Klepak

2020–2029

2020	Jay Paul Deratany Denise Foy Dalila Fridi Joel Drake Johnson Stephen Kulieke Matt Stuczynski Michelle Zacarias Judy Baar Topinka Brenetta Howell Barrett National Museum of Mexican Art The Legacy Project The Windy City Times Women & Children First Bookstore Terry Lynn Gaskins Raymond Crossman Ronald J. Ehemann John Ademola Adewoye Caprice Carthans
2021	Ginni Clemmens Lisa Isadora Cruz Lana Hostetler Thomas Hunt (activist) Wayne Johnson (graphic designer) Otis Mack PrideChicago Ralphi Rosario Betty Lark Ross Urban Pride Kirk Williamson
2022	Maya Green Zahara Monique Bassett Matthew Harvat Paul Highfield Thomas (T.L.) Noble Joey Soloway Dan Wolf Windy City Performer Arts Outspoken Homocore Chicago Patty the Pin Lady Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center Season of Concern Chicago
2023	Margaret Hillis Robert Neubert Andrew Davis Joseph Loundy Jan Dee Jennifer Pritzker Terence Alan Smith (Joan Jett-Blakk) Black Alphabet Anna DeShawn avery r. young Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Gender Development Program Linda Bubon

Categories:

Hidden categories: