Individual | Inducted 2025
Jerry Nunn’s career in Illinois began after he graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in performing arts and moved to Chicago in 1994. In 2003, he participated in a special project with Howard Brown Health Center for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, conducting confidential health assessments for more than 400 individuals in English and Spanish. He joined the sales team at Windy City Media Group in November 2004 and started photographing nightlife for the company’s Nightspots magazine while also covering events for Windy City Times. He is currently a senior writer and sales director for the 40-year-old company.
In 2010, Nunn took on the role of entertainment editor for GoPride.com and also became a photographer for Edge Media Network. His freelance outlets have included GayCities, Grab Magazine, Glide Magazine, Frontiers, the Chicago Reader, and Nexus Radio. He was a correspondent for WGN Radio for three years, as well as co-host for WTMX’s podcast “Non-Stop with Lisa and Jerry.”
For the past three decades, his volunteer efforts have had him teaming up with Heartland Alliance’s GroceryLand food pantry, which inspired him to produce a fundraiser for the organization on his 50th birthday. He continued to expand his work with high-risk individuals by moving into healthcare in 2020 as an outreach and prevention educator at Greater Family Health in suburban Chicago. Here he gained invaluable skills as a counselor and HIV tester, which had him eventually leading recovery groups at Haymarket Center as a health navigator and working as a regional PrEP coordinator through Medix.
In 2022, he joined the esteemed Critics Choice Association and founded the LGBTQ+ committee within the organization. As chairman of the committee, he created and programmed the inaugural Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television awards show in 2024 and the second annual ceremony in 2025. Also in 2025, he has been selling corporate sponsorships for Reeling: The 43rd Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival.
He has contributed to two published books, “Obama and the Gays: A Political Marriage” and “Mom: A Tribute to Mothers of LGBTs.” His website, NunnontheRun.com, spotlights more activities, and live interviews can be found on his Nunn on One YouTube channel.