Meet Tracy Baim

Tracy is publisher and executive editor at Windy City Times, which she co-founded in 1985. In 2014, she was inducted into the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association Hall of Fame. Baim’s most recent book is Barbara Gittings: Gay Pioneer. Her other books include Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America; Obama and the Gays: A Political Marriage; and Out and Proud in Chicago. Baim was executive producer of the lesbian film Hannah Free, starring Sharon Gless, and Scrooge & Marley. She is creator of That's So Gay!, an LGBT trivia game. Baim is the founder of the Pride Action Tank. She was also co-vice chair of Gay Games VII in Chicago, and in 2013 was founder of the March on Springfield for Marriage Equality.

Q+A

What do you know for sure?
That fame and awards mean nothing, that it is about the work and friends/family, not the accolades.  

What scares you?
People who vote and act out of fear of the unknown.

What don't people know about you?
I am a vegetarian (well, more a pescatarian, but I am working on that). I also have had just 1.5 alcoholic drinks in my whole life, and have never had coffee. My friends know that me on coffee would be a dangerous thing.

Who do you admire?
MANY people. But for space limitations: Living: Michelle Obama. She has had to really take some crap, I can’t wait for her to let loose—or run for office herself. Dead: Maya Angelou. 

What is your favorite song?
“Downtown” sung by Petulia Clark and “Killing Me Softly” sung by Roberta Flack 

If you had to change careers what would you want to do?  
Racial justice or animal rights.

What do you suck at?
Making money. I am REALLY professional at losing money.

If you could fire anyone in the world, who would you fire?
Trump. Trump. Trump. And all his progeny.

Favorite word?
Amplify. And Matter. (Clearly I can’t follow directions, OR make decisions.)

Who helped get you here?
My mother. (She died 20 years ago this month.)

What is the world missing?
Empathy.

What gets you through a rough day?
Knowing that so many of my family and friends are dead and do not even have the choice to get through a tough day.

What’s your craziest idea?
That I can still run a newspaper in 2016.

Where do you go for inspiration?
Young people who have had a much different path than I, some struggling to get off the streets, and the wonderful heart they bring to their efforts.

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