Windy City Times Job Fair Set for This Month at Center on Halsted

More than 70 major corporations, small businesses, government agencies and nonprofits are expected for the third annual Windy City Times WERQ! LGBTQ job fair Friday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago. In 2016, more than 500 people attended the Job Fair.

The free event, which is open to all, includes two workshops. The first will be at 10 a.m. to discuss transgender hiring and workplace issues. The second will be at noon, on senior hiring issues. Both workshops will be on the second floor of the Center, while the Job Fair is in the third-floor gym. The Center on Halsted computer lab will be open during the job fair for those needing to work on and print out their resumes.

The Job Fair coincides with the launch of the Windy City Times #HireTrans citywide campaign to push all employers to increase their hiring and workplace inclusion efforts for the transgender community. #HireTrans is a visibility campaign that will feature more than 60 trans and gender nonconforming people who were photographed by award-winning filmmaker Andre Perez.

The Job Fair, which is free and open to the public, is hosted by Windy City Times with Center on Halsted, MB Financial Bank, US Bank, Howard Brown Health, Pride Action Tank, Chicago House, Association of Latino/as Motivating Action, Affinity Community Services, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Out & Equal Chicagoland and Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus.

Exhibitors in 2017 includes, among many others:
- Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago
- AON
- AT&T
- Blue Plate
- Christy Webber Landscapes
- CNA Insurance
- Comcast/Xfinity
- Conagra Brands
- Exelon Corp.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
- Fifth Third Bank
- Gap Inc. and Old Navy
- Groupon
- Heartland Alliance
- Hilton Worldwide
- Hyatt Hotel
- Mariano's/Kroger Co.
- MB Financial Bank
- Northern Trust
- Planned Parenthood of Illinois
- Rush University Medical Center
- United Airlines
- Uptake
- US Bank

This is the third WERQ! LGBTQ Job Fair. The first focused primarily on youth experiencing homelessness, and in 2016 there was a special emphasis on youth, trans and seniors. This year's fair is open to all LGBTQ and allies.

Booths at the job fair are $95 for businesses, $75 for nonprofits. Deadline is Sept. 15. Email Tracy Baim for details: editor@windycitymediagroup.com, or call 773-871-7610, EXT. 401. Also see www.facebook.com/LGBTQJobFair.