This past February, members of the Leonard Litz team traveled to San Francisco to attend the Creating Change Conference, hosted by The National LGBTQ Task Force. It is one of the most comprehensive gatherings of LGBTQ+ leaders and advocates across the rainbow spectrum, and provided a valuable opportunity for us to amplify our work among leaders and organizations working on effective community-building and LGBTQ advocacy,
With that in mind, we recently took part in two other noteworthy conferences. Unity Through Diversity was hosted in Albany, NY, this Fall by our very own Leonard Litz grantee, In Our Own Voices. The conference seeks to center and empower LGBTQIA+ BIPOC communities by convening a diverse group of people from across the country to discuss topics related to health, wellness, and social justice disparities among queer communities of color. In addition to learning about new, data-driven ways to support these communities, the Leonard Litz LGBTQ+ Foundation was proud to sponsor scholarship packages that helped expand access to attendees with financial restraints.
In September, Executive Director Colin Hosten traveled to the Dominican Republic to take part in the Opportunity Collaboration, a summit “focused on solutions to global poverty and injustice.” As the Foundation continues to grow into its full potential of supporting the LGBTQ+ community, the summit provided a helpful retreat on sustainable leadership and collaborative work and fundraising. As a bonus, Colin got to ride a horse for the first time—on the beach, no less!
Conferences like these are critical because they bring diverse factions of our movement together, especially at a time when renewed political and cultural attacks require us to remain strongly united in order to achieve our vision of equality. Keep an eye out for the Leonard Litz team at a conference near you in 2024, including Creating Change 2024 in New Orleans, LA. Laissez les bon temps rouler!