2026 Charlie Palmer Award Recipients

The Charlie Palmer Community Recognition Award
Presented by The Joliet Pride Network

In 2021 the Award was created by Joliet Pride Network to recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations who embody the Network’s mission statement. The following year, 2022, the name was changed to honor Charlie Palmer who passed away. “Joliet Pride Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting inclusion, dignity and acceptance through advocacy for members of the LGBTQ+ communty. Our organization is committed to creating safe spaces and fostering diversity. “

The award was named after Charlie Palmer because Charlie lived our mission statement. Charlie worked tirelessly for the LGBTQ+ communty for decades. He worked for Regional Care and the Will County Health Department for many years providing education and case management for individuals with HIV/AIDS. Charlie also worked doing outreach and testing in the community for at risk individuals and to link those individuals with needed services. Charlie passed away in August 2021.
Joliet Pride Network is honored to present this award every year at Joliet PrideFest, not just to recognize these incredible individuals and groups, but also for Joliet Pride Network’s standing commitment to remembering and keeping alive those like Charlie Palmer who committed themselves to bettering our community.

This year’s recipients are Nancy Mullen and the Universalist Unitarian Church of Joliet. We are honored to present the Charlie Palmer Community Recognition Award this year to Nancy and UUCJ.

UUCJ
Since 1836, the Universalist Unitarian Church has been a part of the spiritual life of Joliet, providing a religious home for people that believe the best way to find truth is to keep an open mind.

UUCJ’s mission is to be an inclusive ministry encouraging the education and spiritual growth of it’s members and the greater community.

UUCJ had been at the forefront of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer inclusion for more than 40 years, they are a people of all sexual orientation and gender identity. UUCJ is a welcoming congregation.

Accepting the award for UUCJ is Dorothy Brunbaugh. Dorothy and her husband Paul were integral in establishing the Community Action Alliance Network, Without Dorothy, her husband, and other members of UUCJ the Joliet Pride Network would not exist.

Nancy Mullen
Nancy has served as the executive director of Youth Outlook for over 28 years and will be retiring at the end of this year. She has worked tirelessly and with great dedication to providing care and community to at risk LGBTQ+ youth all over Northern Illinois. Her efforts have provided exactly the type of supportive environment she was lacking while growing up.

Nancy is also an author. Her first book, Urban Tidepool, is a memoir about surviving childhood trauma and family disfunction. The books narrative focuses on human connection, everyday heroes, and finding the light within the darkness. Her second book is due out in 2027.

Nancy formed the speakers bureau Tidepool Communications – a group of presenters working to bring focus to topics pertaining to PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

Due to an accident Nancy was unable to attend; accepting the award on her behalf is JPN board member Tracy Ritter.