Lorrainne Sade Baskerville
Encyclopedia
Lorrainne Sade Baskerville is an American
social worker and activist best known for founding transgender
advocacy group transGENESIS.
, Baskerville was the eldest of seven children. In the 1970s, she became familiar with sex workers’ conditions and laws prohibiting wearing female clothing. When AIDS struck a member of her family in the mid-1980s, Baskerville began to volunteer at Howard Brown Health Center
and Horizons Community Services. She eventually became an HIV
/AIDS
case manager.
In 1994 she earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University
. Baskerville foundedtransGENESIS to address issues of gender identity
, substance abuse
, HIV/AIDS, sex work, harm reduction, and self-empowerment. Programs have included T-PASS (Trans-People Advocating Safer Sex), a weekly drop-in program for youth and young adults, called TransDiva, and a peer-led transgender support and discussion group.
In 1997, Baskerville received the first Georgia Black Award for service to the transgender community. She chaired the Youth Events Committee for the Chicago Black Pride 2000 conference. She was selected by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago
and the 13th International AIDS Conference
to lead a panel on transgender issues.
In 2001, Baskerville received a Certificate for Recognition for Professional Leadership from Judy Baar Topinka
, Illinois State Treasurer, and a Certificate of Recognition for Community Activism from Cook County (IL) State's Attorney, Richard A. Devine
. In 2002 Baskerville was appointed to the Executive Committee of the National Coalition for LGBT Health.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
social worker and activist best known for founding transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
advocacy group transGENESIS.
Life and career
Born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Baskerville was the eldest of seven children. In the 1970s, she became familiar with sex workers’ conditions and laws prohibiting wearing female clothing. When AIDS struck a member of her family in the mid-1980s, Baskerville began to volunteer at Howard Brown Health Center
Howard Brown Health Center
The Howard Brown Health Center is the Midwest’s premier lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender health care organization, leading the region in addressing the comprehensive health care needs of people in the LGBT community. In 1974, a group of medical students founded Howard Brown Health Center as...
and Horizons Community Services. She eventually became an HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
/AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
case manager.
In 1994 she earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
. Baskerville foundedtransGENESIS to address issues of gender identity
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
, substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
, HIV/AIDS, sex work, harm reduction, and self-empowerment. Programs have included T-PASS (Trans-People Advocating Safer Sex), a weekly drop-in program for youth and young adults, called TransDiva, and a peer-led transgender support and discussion group.
In 1997, Baskerville received the first Georgia Black Award for service to the transgender community. She chaired the Youth Events Committee for the Chicago Black Pride 2000 conference. She was selected by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago
AIDS Foundation of Chicago
The AIDS Foundation of Chicago is a non-profit organization based in Chicago and which is active in the field of HIV/AIDS.-Partners:The AFC was one of the founding organizations of the International Rectal Microbicide Advocates....
and the 13th International AIDS Conference
International AIDS Conference
The International AIDS Society is the custodian of the International AIDS Conference, the largest regular conference on any health or development issue. These conferences provide a forum for the interaction of science, community and leadership, and are claimed to strengthen an evidence-based...
to lead a panel on transgender issues.
In 2001, Baskerville received a Certificate for Recognition for Professional Leadership from Judy Baar Topinka
Judy Baar Topinka
Judy Baar Topinka is the Illinois State Comptroller and former Illinois State Treasurer, having served as Treasurer from 1995 to 2007, and former chairwoman of the Illinois Republican Party. She was the first woman to become state treasurer, first to be elected to three consecutive terms and the...
, Illinois State Treasurer, and a Certificate of Recognition for Community Activism from Cook County (IL) State's Attorney, Richard A. Devine
Richard A. Devine
Richard A. "Dick" Devine was the State's Attorney of Cook County, Illinois, United States from 1996 to 2008. He was elected to his third term in November 2004. Devine is a graduate of Loyola Academy, Loyola University Chicago, and the Northwestern University School of Law...
. In 2002 Baskerville was appointed to the Executive Committee of the National Coalition for LGBT Health.
External links
- Lorrainne Sade Baskerville via Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame