The Legacy Wall, a digitally interactive installation raises awareness of the roles LGBTQ+ people have played in history, is on display at Rush University Medical Center through May 20.
The exhibit, which features biographies of LGBTQ+ people who have contributed to more than 20 distinct fields, is at Rush in conjunction with the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.
The wall itself — accessible to staff and the public in the Brennan Pavilion — is 24 feet long and 8 feet tall and boasts nearly 400 square feet of biographical content. All the biographies on the wall are also linked to a digital information portal that is accessible by smartphone, allowing viewers to have full on-demand access to the information. This means that even if you are just passing through Brennan Pavilion, you can access the wall’s wealth of knowledge through a QR code.
Getting the wall to the Medical Center was a long time coming. RUSH's Affirm Center for Gender, Sexuality and Reproductive Health originally booked its stay at the hospital for the spring of 2020, before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through much rescheduling, the wall finally makes its debut on campus right in time to kick off Pride Month.
“LGBTQ stories are so often overlooked,” said Sally Lemke, administrative director of Affirm. “I’m excited that the entire Rush community, including employees, students, patients, and visitors, will get the chance to celebrate the accomplishments of our LGBTQ heroes.”
The Legacy Wall is a part of the award-winning Legacy Project, a Chicago-based cultural and educational non-profit dedicated to researching and promoting the contributions that LGBTQ people have made to world history and culture.
