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Overview JOIN THE RUN!
All are welcome to participate -- simply Register on-site by 6:30am.
Saturday, July 15 (7:00am Start)
(77th and South Shore Drive in the Rainbow Beach parking lot)
Emceed by NBC5-Chicago's own Lee Ann Trotter!
The International Rainbow Memorial Run is a series of events to bring the Rainbow Flag as a symbolic “torch” from San Francisco, the “Athens” of the Gay Games, around the world in 2006 to Gay Games VII in Chicago. These events include memorial runs with the Rainbow Flag, displays of memorial Quilts historically linked to the Gay Games, and receptions and rallies focused on remembrance, AIDS and breast cancer prevention, and promotion of Gay Games VII in Chicago from 15 July to 22 July, 2006.
These pre-Gay Games events are in memory of artist Keith Haring, lesbian activist Rikki Streicher and Dr. Tom Waddell, the Founder of the Gay Games. In keeping with this theme of remembrance, names are read and memorials left on the 2006 International Rainbow Memorial Run Signature Quilt Square. The intention of this series of international events leading up to Gay Games VII is not only to promote the Games but to help unify the global LGBT community, increase its visibility and strength, raise awareness about important health issues affecting the community and to remember its pioneers. 
Highlights of this Year's Worldwide Run:
This year the Rainbow flag was used to lead the very first Pride Parade in a black township in Africa. One hundred and fifty marchers took to the streets in Guguletu, Cape Town in what was considered a triumphant, 2 weeks after a 17 year old girl was beaten and stabbed to death due to her sexuality. All other Pride marches have been in traditionally African ancestral areas. This event was covered on National television and in all major press.
The flag was also part of the AIDS memorial tribute during a Pride Black Tie dinner, after which it again lead the Cape Town Parade the following day thru the streets of Cape Town.
The Monday morning after the celebrations it was sent via airways couriers to Richard Hogan in Sydney, Australia for the next leg of it’s journey to Chicago.
The culmination of the Rainbow Flag will commence at the historic Rainbow Beach located on Saturday, July 15, 2006 at 7AM. On Saturday morning, participating runners and walkers will gather at 77th and South Shore Drive in the Rainbow Beach parking lot. The run will circle within the walk paths and culminate along the lake bike paths in a 3.0 mile run and 1.5 mile walk on the Southside of Chicago, also the host site for many Black Pride celebrations that bring thousands of vacationers to the Chicago area over the July 4th Holiday. Those wishing to continue on in celebration of the Gay Games will be able to participate in the Frontrunners/Frontwalkers traditional weekly Saturday morning fun run from the Totem Pole (at Addison and Lake Shore Drive) from 9:00am – 10:30am.
Meet Brent Nicholson Earle – Founder of the International Memorial Rainbow Run
On Pride Day 1987, during his 20-month, 9,000 mile run around the United States called the American Run for the End of AIDS, Brent Nicholson Earle, AREA's Founder and President, received a special Rainbow Flag from the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, Florida LGBT community. In 1990, Earle ran this Rainbow Flag a thousand miles from San Francisco to Vancouver, B.C. and led the athletes and cultural participants into the stadium for the Opening Ceremonies of Gay Games III. In 1994, he led a team of six in-line skaters 4,300 miles from San Francisco to New York carrying this same Rainbow Flag to Gay Games IV and Stonewall 25. Leading up to Gay Games V in Amsterdam in 1998 and Gay Games VI in Sydney, the Rainbow Flag was symbolically carried from San Francisco to the Gay Games by runners from around the world. These pre-Gay Games events have been in memory of artist Keith Haring, lesbian activist Rikki Streicher and Dr. Tom Waddell, the Founder of the Gay Games. In keeping with this theme of remembrance, reading names and leaving memorials on Signature Quilt Squares have been integral components of these events.
International Frontrunners – Our Partner in the International Rainbow Memorial Run
International Front Runners is an affiliation of GLBT running/walking clubs that have organized in many of larger cities around the world. Inspired by Patricia Nell Warren's novel The Front Runner, the first FrontRunner club began in San Francisco in 1974, and other FR clubs quickly began forming in the United States then in Canada and abroad.
If your community or organization is interested in hosting an event related to The International Rainbow Memorial Run, please contact us.
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