annual conference

One of the things I love the most is serving on the NGLTF (The Task Force) national Board of Directors.

This wonderful organization is fully and wholly Trans and Gender Identity inclusive, and a prime mover in the effort for Trans Equality – in fact, along with the National Center for Transgender Equality, the Task Force leads UnitedENDA in the work of winning inclusive Federal Employment Non Discrimination legislation. (check out http://www.unitedenda.org for info).

The Task Force has many other virtues, and here is one I want to bring to your attention, coming up this week. Every year the Task Force hosts the most exciting conference in the worlds of Transgender, Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual people. The annual conference is known as the National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change. http://www.thetaskforce.org/events/creating_change .

“The 22nd National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change will be held at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel in beautiful downtown Dallas, Texas, Feb. 3 - 7, 2010. Produced by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the Creating Change Conference (as it is affectionately known) is the nation’s pre-eminent political, leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBT social justice movement.

Since 1988, Creating Change has been the opportunity for thousands of committed people to develop and hone their skills, celebrate victories, build community, and to be inspired by visionaries of our LGBT movement and allied movements for justice and equality.

The primary goal of the Creating Change Conference is to build our movement’s political power from the ground up to secure our overarching goal of full equality, social justice and dignity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in the United States.”

Here is a partial list of the Trans and Gender Identity specific Workshops, Trainings and Caucuses that will be occurring at Creating Change – I’m proud of this work and of all the folks who have developed these offerings. And I know that new caucuses and meetings will rise up from the interests of those who attend, it always happens that way!

• The National Transgender Discrimination Survey: A Talk on Preliminary Findings Research and Policy
• Transgender Inclusion at LGBT Orgs: Mastering the Basics Training Academy
• Train the Trainer: Teaching Transgender Inclusion for LGBT Orgs Training Academy
• Forget the Polite Conversation: Getting Real About FTM Transition Transgender Community & Issues
• No Retreat Transgender Community & Issues
• SOFFAs Supporting Each Other Gender Issues
• Creating Transgender-Inclusive College Policies and Practices Campus
• Talking About Sex in the Trans and Trans Allies Community Sexual Freedom
• Trailblazing for Transgender Health Health
• Trans Youth & Safe Schools: Advocacy & Policy School Issues
• transACTION -- A Transgender Curriculum for Churches and Religious Institutions Training Academy
• Getting to Know You Transgender Community & Issues
• Transitioning Beyond the Boxes Gender Issues
• The Cutting Edge in Trans Rights: Healthcare, Prisons, and ID Documents Transgender Community & Issues
• Staying Safe While TRANSitioning Transgender Community & Issues
• The Journey from Laws to Jobs For Trans People Transgender Community & Issues
• Caucus for State and/or Local Transgender Advocacy, Legal, and/or Political Organizations/Activists Transgender Community & Issues

And even if you can’t make it to the Conference, do try to visit one of our Ingersoll support groups in Seattle. Easy access, a warm and respectful welcome, and real direct help are some of the reasons we think you’ll be very happy with adding Ingersoll to your short list of Trans and Gender Identity supports in your personal process of Self Discovery.

With respect,
Marsha Botzer