12TH ANNUAL LGBTQA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
"EQUALITY: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!""
RAMAPO COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY
Friday February, 8th 2013
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
11:30AM - 2:15PM: REGISTRATION AND VENDOR FAIR12:00PM: LUNCH AVAILABLE
Starting at 12:00pm lunch will be available for one hour. Come and register early so you can grab a bite and meet other conference attendees before the formal program begins.
12:30PM - 12:45PM: WELCOME AND AND PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS
Ramapo College President Dr. Peter P. Mercer, LL.M., Ph.D., J.D., will welcome conference attendees to Ramapo College. Dr. Mercer has served as president of the College since 2005 and previously served as dean of the law school and an administrative vice president at the University of Western Ontario, where he was a professor of law.
12:45PM - 2:00PM: KEYNOTE SPEAKER MARA KEISLING
Mara Keisling is the Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Mara is a transgender-identified woman, a parent, and one of the leading voices for transgender equality in the country. She has appeared on news outlets such as CNN and CSPAN, is regularly quoted in The New York Times, The Washington Post and hundreds of other national and local print and electronic media. She has served on the board of Directors of Common Roads, an LGBTQ Youth Group, and on the steering committee of the Statewide Pennsylvania Rights Coalition.
2:10PM - 3:25PM: SESSION I WORKSHOPS
3:35PM - 4:50PM: SESSION II WORKSHOPS
5:00PM - 6:15PM: SESSION III WORKSHOPS
6:15PM - 9:00PM: DINNER AND EQUALITY BALL
After a long day of conferencing, there's nothing like dancing to an awesome beat with new friends. Join us after dinner for our chic Equality Ball. Come as you are and work it OUT. "Mocktails" will be served.
7:00PM - 9:00PM: NETWORKING & CHILL OUT SPACE
If you want a water break from the Equality Ball, or dancing isn't your thing, head over to the J.Lee's lounge and chillax. You can converse with some of the day's panelists and presenters, network with other campus leaders, and meet new friends. Coffee, tea, and dessert will be served.
WORKSHOP SESSIONS SCHEDULE
SESSION I WORKSHOPS: 2:10PM - 3:25PM
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"Video for Full Equality: Including the "T" in LGBTQA Civil Rights"Political movements for LGBTQA civil rights have made great strides recently in including transgender and transsexual people, but that inclusion is threatened by lack of knowledge about trans people's lived experience, politics and legal concerns. In response, GLAAD and the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition have co-sponsored a video educational campaign called "I AM: Trans People Speak," which calls for trans people and their allies to make short videos about their lives and support for trans rights. In this workshop, you will learn about the current politics of trans civil rights and the barriers to trans inclusion. You will be trained to construct a script for your own video, which you will have an opportunity to record in the workshop, and to upload to GLAAD and/or YouTube.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Room SC136
"Special Sexuality: A Look At Sexuality Within the Disabled Population"This workshop will introduce participants to sexuality within the disabled population. It explores the misconceptions about sexuality in relation to the disabled community and sexuality in general. Participants will learn how the special needs of this population are often ignored and/or overlooked by the very people trained to assist them, i.e. teachers, parents, aides, doctors, etc.
Rebecca Vicente, New Jersey City University
Room SC137
"Straight A's: Queer Youth of Color in Our Public School System"This interactive lecture will discuss the current state of queer identities within public schools as well as the importance of providing visibility and role models within classrooms. Attendees will have the opportunity to reflect on their own educational experience and share with the group.
Joe Picini, Teach For America
Room SC138
SESSION II WORKSHOPS: 3:35PM - 4:50PM
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"When Gays GO Greek and Greeks GO Gay!"This workshop will explore the challenges the gay community faces in going Greek and the positive aspects in participating in a Greek organization if you are gay. Participants will also learn how to come out to your sorority sisters or fraternity brothers.
Stephanie Hernandez, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Naima Ricks, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Room SC136
"Love Without a Limit: Redefining Love, Sex and Relationships for Gay Men"Gay men are often forced to proscribe to the traditional hetero-normative model of intimate relationships due to a lack of gay relationship models in existence. Relationships are complex enough without all of the unique challenges that homosexuals experience and it is imperative to the survival of gay men that we are empowered and supported in developing relationships that address the needs of the individuals involved.
Michael Everett, Harm Reduction Coalition
Room SC137
"OUTLook: Transitioning From LGBTQA Student Leader to Young Professional"Are you ready to leave the campus bubble? Are you worried about how you can continue your LGBTQA passion/student activism in your professional work? Join this panel session for tips, tools, story-sharing, and advice for transitioning from student to professional while maintaining your dedication to LGBTQA issues. This panel will include young professionals in various fields including K-12 education, non-profit/community-based organizations, higher education, and social work. We encourage you to use this session as a means to network with recent and soon-to-be graduates!
Moderated by Zaneta Rago from Rutgers University - New Brunswick
Panelists include:
Chris Mosier, Marymount Manhattan College
Samantha Smith LSW, Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services
Joseph Picini, Teach for America
Veronika LaRocque, Union Settlement Association
Room SC138
SESSION III WORKSHOPS: 5:00PM - 6:15PM
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"How to be an Activist Without Burning Out" This workshop will help participants understand burn-out, its causes and effects as well as what parts of our personality actually predisposes or contributes to a person burning out faster. With the knowledge gained in this workshop participants will be able to reflect on their own experiences and make the needed changes that will positively affect their future experiences and minimize the potentially harmful effects of burnout.Rebecca Vicente, New Jersey City University
Room SC136
"Uncool Queers: Not Fitting in with the Out Crowd"For many of us, finding others in the LGBTIQ community is a kind of coming home. For many of us, it is a new reminder of our singleness. Conformity pressures in the Queer community can offer painful new opportunities to feel marginalized and alienated. This workshop will be a facilitated discussion of these pressures in the Queer world. We will explore the notion of the "right" way to be Queer. Who fits in and who does not? How do these in-group attitudes and behaviors influence individual experience and the entire question of Queer Equality? If equality begins at home, what can we do to combat negative messages in our own groups? This will be a great discussion. Be there or be square.
Dr. Maya A. Poran, Ramapo College of New Jersey
Room SC137
"Sexuality is a Spectrum: The Limitations of Rigid Identifiers in LGBTQA Communities"In this workshop labels used within the LGBTQA community will be identified and examined. Participants will discuss the importance of these identifiers, the perceptions tied with them, and the issues those understandings (or lack of) create. Forms of oppressive language used within and outside of the community will also be investigated.
