Introduction to Lori Cannon
Understand the terror of the times. To be a gay man in the mid-1980s: young, just figuring yourself out, suddenly sick with HIV, dying from a dread disease, AIDS — a death sentence that tortures you first with nausea, exhaustion, lesions, emaciation, diarrhea, confusion, blindness.
Your family flees, revolted at your orientation and what many view as God’s just punishment. Nurses are afraid to touch you. Then into your room strides Lori Cannon, a big woman with flame-red hair and long red fingernails, here to bring you dinner, cook it, then wipe up your vomit afterward. She might be the only human contact you have that day.
Early Life and Activism
“During the early dark days of HIV, when there were no resources for people — it was the Reagan years — the government was turning its back on people,” remembered retired majority leader of the Illinois House, Greg Harris. “Lori was one of the people who stepped up and provided every kind of care you could imagine, mostly love, support and kindness. Over the last 40 years, she has done that every day.”
Cannon, “Chicago’s AIDS Angel,” co-founded Open Hand/Chicago in 1988, shepherding it through a variety of incarnations, all devoted to feeding those with HIV. She was recently diagnosed with terminal pancreatic and lung cancer and died at home Sunday of heart failure at 74.
“Lori Cannon was a true ally in Illinois from her organizing days to founding Open Hand/Chicago,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. “She led the way with chutzpah and humor.”
Founding of Open Hand/Chicago and ACT UP/Chicago
Cannon helped create the Names Project, bringing the massive AIDS Memorial Quilt to Chicago in 1988, 1990 and 1994. She co-founded ACT UP/Chicago, the guerrilla protest group demanding the government not ignore AIDS simply because it was killing gay men.
“People know her over generations,” said Tracy Baim, co-founder of Windy City Times. “She really helped on a visceral basis. She was there in the trenches, the hospital rooms, taking care of people’s animals, feeding people’s souls and bellies for decades. The impact Lori had on individuals and on the movement is almost unmatched. Lori did it all.”
Tragedy at an Early Age
“At an early age I experienced tragedy,” Cannon told the Chicago Gay History project. “Prior to J.H. passing away in 1970, my big brother Jules was injured in a horrific motorcycle accident — a city bus went through a stop sign and dragged him for several blocks.”
Caring for her brothers set the tone for her life.
“It might have prepared me for something,” she said. “From what I remember of the 1960s, a lot of it was spent caregiving.”
Legacy and Impact
She was born in West Rogers Park in 1951. Her father, Lee Cannon, was involved with cartoon syndication and later became a champion of Native American rights. Her mother, Bluma, was a homemaker. She had an older brother, Jules, and a younger brother everyone called J.H., who was a “blue baby” — born with a defective heart, leading to lifelong disability.
She went to Columbia College and studied filmmaking, then drove a private bus for Winkle Transportation.
“I met Lori when I was working at Limelight in 1985,” said Richard Knight Jr., the club’s PR director. “She was feisty, funny, always the big red hair. She was known as the ‘Bus Driver to the Stars.’ She would go to McCormick Place — big Broadway shows, ‘Sweeney Todd,’ ‘Cats.’ She would go get the chorus kids, drive them to and from their hotel. Of course they always came to Limelight.”
The AIDS crisis was deepening, and Cannon’s experience with her family led her to do the same with her community. She joined AIDS hospice Chicago House in 1985, then founded OpenHand with Harris and others.
Lori Cannon holds up a sign paying tribute to Danny Sotomayor, who was instrumental in the beginnings of ACT-UP/Chicago.
The Legacy Project and Later Life
In 2010, she co-founded the Legacy Project with Victor Salvo and biographer Owen Keehnen, placing bronze plaques honoring LGBTQ contributions to culture on Lake View streets.
“Our mutual passion for all things past and the lost legacies of significant LGBTQ people became the inspiration,” said Salvo, a longtime activist. “Lori used her influence to breathe life into this dream.”
In 2011, OpenHand was renamed Vital Bridges and came under the umbrella of Heartland Alliance Health. Its most recent incarnation was informally called GroceryLand, which she kept alive while its parent organization went through financial collapse.
Lori ‘Heard it First and Heard it Best’
“She just has this knack for getting on the phone and getting people to donate stuff,” Knight said.
It wasn’t all work. Cannon was the center of an enormous wheel of relationships. Information flowed through her.
“Lori just knew everything,” Baim said. “If I ever heard a rumor, she heard it first and heard it best.”
Despite all her friends, she could be a solitary figure; she lived at home all her life with her mother and older brother.
“She sacrificed herself,” said longtime friend Sharyl Holtzman. “She took care of the whole universe. That became front and center, what mattered, what defined every single day.”
Conclusion
Lori Cannon’s legacy is one of selflessness, compassion, and dedication to the LGBTQ community. Her tireless work in the face of adversity has inspired countless individuals, and her impact will be felt for generations to come. As we remember her life and work, we are reminded of the importance of continuing her mission and fighting for the rights and dignity of all individuals.
FAQs
Q: What was Lori Cannon’s role in the LGBTQ community?
A: Lori Cannon was a tireless advocate and caregiver for the LGBTQ community, particularly during the AIDS crisis. She co-founded Open Hand/Chicago and ACT UP/Chicago, and worked to provide care and support to those affected by HIV and AIDS.
Q: What was the Legacy Project, and how did Lori Cannon contribute to it?
A: The Legacy Project was an initiative to honor LGBTQ contributions to culture by placing bronze plaques on Lake View streets. Lori Cannon co-founded the project and used her influence to bring it to life.
Q: How can we continue Lori Cannon’s legacy?
A: We can continue Lori Cannon’s legacy by advocating for the rights and dignity of all individuals, particularly those in the LGBTQ community. We can also support organizations that provide care and support to those affected by HIV and AIDS, and work to promote awareness and understanding of the issues that affect the community.
