Richard Lee Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Occupation | Activist |
Richard Lee Gray is an American activist.[1]
Born inChicago, Gray has been active in the city'ssocial justice and arts scenes.[2] He was interested inphotography since his teenage years and has used his skill to capture significant events, including a speech byMartin Luther King Jr. in his South Side neighborhood.[3]
Gray retired after twenty years as asocial worker with theIllinois Department of Children and Family Services. During his tenure, he co-founded the Kupona Network in 1984, the first African AmericanAIDS service organizations.[3][4]
In the late 1980s, Gray began a long affiliation withJohn Marshall High School onChicago's West Side, where he worked on the school's medical program "AIDS and Other Matters." He currently serves as the volunteer coordinator of Support Services for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth at the school.[3]
In 1992, Gray was inducted into theGay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in Chicago in recognition of his community work.[3][5]
Gray is also a writer and poet, currently working on a project titled "...9/11 etc.," which he describes as an Afrocentric response to9/11.[3]
Through "We Are Here!," Gray aims to bring visibility to theAfrican American LGBTQ+ community and pave a path for future generations.[3] His previous exhibits include "Just Married".[6][7]
 | This articleneeds additional or more specificcategories. Pleasehelp out byadding categories to it so that it can be listed with similar articles.(April 2023) |