| Cincinnati's Pride 2009 |
Saturday, June 13th and Sunday, June 14th |
| Pride Marshals: |
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| John A. Maddux: Professor, Poet, and Political Activist John Maddux earned his Doctorate of Education at the University of Cincinnati in 1988, and has taught there since 1987. He is now an associate professor of English and Rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences and has an appointment in the University Honors Scholars Program where he teachers a course on civil disobedience and political protest. Maddux has written extensively, with publications including a book of poetry, a collection of queer themed essays, numerous poems in literary journals and small magazines, and a Star Trek trivia book. John Maddux first became involved in gay/lesbian activism when he was appointed to the Stonewall Board of Directors in 1985, and served for six years. While a member of the Board of Directors, Maddux founded and wrote the training manual for community speaking and education, and was appointed Chairman of the Task Force on Discrimination. As chair of the Task Force, he won ten out of twelve cases regarding gay and lesbian discrimination brought to the Task Force’s attention. Most notable, was the resounding victory against the In Cahoots Restaurant chain that had been dismissing gay and lesbian employees without reason and based exclusively on their sexual orientation. It was the first boycott won against a major company in the United States—to that time. The Task Force also won a landmark case against the State of Ohio Prison System for discriminating against same- sex couples concerning visitation rights. After serving with Stonewall, Maddux was elected to the Greater Cincinnati Gay and Lesbian Coalition where he served as president for three terms. At the beginning of his first term, Maddux discovered and openly exposed a financial scandal that nearly led to the demise of the GCGLC. The GLBT community embraced his openness and candor, and within one year all money that had been “mismanaged” had been recouped, debts paid, and the Coalition was once again in a sound financial situation. During his tenure as President of the Coalition, Pride Week festivities grew in stature and participation when the Pride Day celebration was moved to Sawyer Point with daylong entertainment that attracted not only the gay/lesbian community, but many non-gays, as well. Maddux is best remembered for his tenure as President of the Coalition for encouraging the participation of younger voices from the community to assume leadership roles in both the Coalition and with Pride Week, for including more organizations and bars in the Pride Week celebration, and for encouraging the inclusion of lesbians into all aspects of community activism—women who had historically been ignored by male-dominated leadership. Throughout Maddux’s thirty years of activism he also delivered weekly political commentary on WAIF radio’s Alternating Currents program, helped found the Gay and Lesbian March Activists of Greater Cincinnati, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of Ohio, and was eventually appointed the director and producer of the Out Front gay/lesbian television program on Cincinnati Cable Access. Maddux was also arrested for civil disobedience at the United States Supreme Court during the March on Washington in 1987. |
| Cheryl Eagleson: Business Leader, Organizer & Advocate Cheryl is a regional business leader who has been active in the GLBT community for twenty years. She holds an M Ed. from Xavier University and a BA and BS Ed. from the University of Cincinnati. She spent a 25-year business career in the field of ERISA, working for a major life insurance company, a consulting actuarial firm and Institutional Trust division of a national bank. (ERISA is the employee retirement income security act). In August of 2003, Cheryl joined the Corporation for Findlay Market and serves as Marketing Director for the management organization. Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest continuously operated public market. She has been active in LGBT organizations and activities since the late 1980s. She served as Board Chair of QCCA (Queen City Careers Association) and subsequently led the team that converted QCCA to an IRS 501c 6 Chamber organization called Gay Chamber of Cincinnati. The Gay Chamber of Commerce forges strategic alliances with other professional and business organizations and creates networking opportunities for gay, lesbian and allied businesses. Cheryl sat on the first Board of Directors of Cincinnati Youth Group, helping shape board infrastructure. In addition, she has enjoyed being a longtime programmer and producer of Alternating Currents weekly radio program on WAIF 88.3 FM. Alternating Currents is this nation’s second longest running GLBT radio program. It is heard every Saturday from 3 to 5 pm. She has announced the annual Cincinnati Pride Parade as it travels through Northside for a number of years. She is a 2005 graduate of the FBI Citizens Academy and a proud Kentucky Colonel. She currently sits on the Executive Committee of Caracole, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides safe, affordable housing and supportive services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Agenda 360 is a regional action plan to transform Cincinnati by the year 2020 into a leading metropolitan region for talent, jobs and economic opportunity for all who call our region home. Cheryl is a member of the Equity, Inclusion and Openness committee of Agenda 360. Cheryl also works with the Cincinnati FBI office where she serves on the Multicultural Advisory Committee for the organization. In addition to LGBT and community service, she believes in charitable service. Cheryl was ordained an Elder in the Presbyterian Church at Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church in the late 1990s. Since 2003, she has participated in the weekly Panera Bread Dough Nation program, providing Panera Bread day old baked goods to the St. George Food Pantry’s local food pantry program serving 547people and 225 households in the Mt. Auburn and Corryville neighborhoods. |