▁the ▁gay ▁and ▁les bian ▁communities ▁within ▁the ▁city . ▁In ▁this ▁campaign , ▁Dam ski ▁worked ▁closely ▁with ▁activ ists ▁Arthur ▁John ston ▁( D am ski ' s ▁close ▁friend ▁and ▁benef actor ), ▁Rick ▁Gar cia , ▁and ▁Laur ie ▁D itt man ; ▁working ▁under ▁the ▁aus p ices ▁of ▁the ▁organization ▁Gay ▁and ▁Les bian ▁Town ▁Me eting , ▁the ▁quart et ▁became ▁widely ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" G ang ▁of ▁Four ." ▁Dam ski ▁was ▁considered ▁especially ▁influ ential ▁in ▁se cur ing ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Ord in ance ▁from ▁conserv ative ▁al der men ▁who ▁had ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁opposed ▁the ▁bill . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 0 , ▁Dam ski ▁worked ▁to ▁pass ▁Chicago ' s ▁hate ▁cr imes ▁ordin ance . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁Dam ski ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Chicago ▁Gay ▁and ▁Les bian ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁for ▁his ▁years ▁of ▁writing ▁and ▁his ▁activ ism . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Mayor ▁Richard ▁M . ▁D ale y ▁and ▁the ▁City ▁Council ▁presented ▁Dam ski ▁with ▁a ▁Pro clam ation ▁for ▁his ▁two ▁dec ades ▁of ▁service ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Chicago ▁and ▁its ▁gay , ▁les bian ▁and ▁trans gender ▁communities . ▁ ▁Dam ski ▁had ▁been ▁diagn osed ▁with ▁m align ant ▁mel an oma ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁After ▁ 7 ▁sur ger ies , ▁in ▁mid – 1 9 9 7 ▁the ▁mel an oma