J 101 Queer Time Travel
*History, Activism
Join an exhilarating roller coaster ride through the last century of living life in this country being LGBTQ. Listen to the sounds of music and words that defined life for the countless men and women whose shoulders you stand on today. Open your eyes to the staggering events that shook the world and propelled the revolution that became gay liberation. Connect the dots of the events from the depression, World War, Black Liberation, Rock and Roll, the pill, Stonewall, AIDS and Gay Marriage.
Arnold Pomerantz, Speaker, Gays and Lesbians Initiating Dialogue for Equality (GLIDE)

Click to return to top of page

J 103 Saving LGBTQ Lives: Teen Suicide Prevention
*Mental Health
Learn about the warning signs of depression and suicide and the importance of teens not keeping the secret when a friend confides suicidal ideation. A suicide survivor presenter shares personal experience with this topic. How to access appropriate help and community resources are explored.
Elaine Leader, Ph.D., Executive Director, TEENLINE
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 104 Los Angeles and the Struggle for LGBTQ Equality, Past, Present and Future
*History, Activism
Watch the premiere of the documentary, “On These Shoulders We Stand”, and hear from people interviewed in the film who grew up in Los Angeles before the Stonewall Rebellion. A discussion with Latina, African-American, LBTQ and other activists, who are featured in the documentary and are currently involved in the struggle for LGBTQ and ALL people’s equality will follow. Too often omitted from textbooks and history courses, they are both youth and people in their 70’s, talking about YOUR history and the role Los Angeles continues to play in this struggle.
Joe Delaplaine, Answer-LA
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 200 Political Activism: Winning your campaign one person at a time
*Activism
Political activism is not rocket science, it’s people science. In this session you will learn how to successfully organize and achieve ‘wins’ to garner change. Learn techniques for messaging, developing campaign strategies, building coalitions and winning your campaign―one person at a time.
Ana Grande, Campaign Director, PowerPAC

Click to return to top of page

J 201 The Chemistry of Sex, Drugs, and Rock’N’Roll!
*Substance Use, Relationships, Mental Health
Hormones rule! Finding out about the biological effects that hormones have on your brain and your emotions can help you realize that you are not crazy. Is love simply chemistry, or something more? What makes you yearn for love? What makes you want to be close to one person and not another? What makes one person domineering and another compliant? You’ve got questions. This session has answers.
Elaine Suranie, President, Reclaim Your Spirit Entertainment

Click to return to top of page

J 204 Confronting Homophobia
*Sexual Orientation, Harassment, Hate Crimes
Come discuss how to fight homophobia and transphobia. Learn about skills and resources for managing personal reactions to homophobic and transphobic incidents, and for effective and appropriate responses to them.
Jenny Betz, Project Director, ADL’s A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute

Click to return to top of page

J 205 Putting Your Best Self Forward―Interviewing for Success!
*Careers, Education, Self-Esteem
Learn how to make the best impression you can when interviewing for a job, and demonstrate confidence in your written, in-person and online communications. Explore how to make the most of being LGBTQ during the job application process. Discover resources and tools for identifying LGBTQ-friendly employers.
Greg McCandless, College Counselor Sage Hill Preparatory School
Jeffrey Hoffman, Dean of Students Art Center College Of Design
Carlos Martinez, Technical Recruiter Strategic Staffing Solutions
Judy Jbara, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and Northwestern Mutual Financial Network

Click to return to top of page

J 206 Money Matters for the Young, Fabulous, and Queer!
* Education, Legal Issues
Frada or Prada? Gucci or Fucci? What do I really want vs. really need? Is FICO just a cute name for a puppy? Is that cute banker really interested in me? Or is he just looking to make interest off me? Answer these questions and many more in Money Rules for the Young, FABULOUS and Queer!
Aaron Saenz, Instructor, Los Angeles Unified School District

Click to return to top of page

J 208 Faithbook: God is Our New Friend
* Spirituality, Religion
Who is telling the truth about the Bible and homosexuality? For centuries, religious institutions have condemned homosexuality and used the bible to support their position. But now we have thousands of gay and lesbian Christians who have come out and in so doing have a completely different story to tell. The Bible does not condemn LGBTQ people, nor does God hate us. With two long-time pastors serving gay and lesbian churches in LA and two young LGBTQ Christians we’ll create our own Faithbook network of connected stories as we discover that God is our Friend.
Rev. Dan Smith, West Hollywood Presbyterian Church
Rev. Jerrell Walls, Chris Chapel of the Valley

Click to return to top of page

J 308 How to Have A Kick Ass GSA
*Activism, GSA, Education
Learn the basics of starting, running, and expanding a Gay Straight Alliance club in a middle or high school. Learn why GSAs have the legal right to exist, how to recruit members, organize events, fundraise and become better leaders of your clubs. This workshop is led by current high school GSA leaders.
Daniel Solis, Southern California Program Coordinator, Gay Straight Alliance Network

Click to return to top of page

J 309 Negotiating Gender Difference In School and Community
*Culture, Gender Identity, Transgender
Do you (or your friends) fall somewhere between butch and femme? Do you get hassled for it? Does it ever bother you that the world isn’t a big enough place for all of us? Discuss the possibilities for a more tolerant world with a transwoman who’s a successful attorney, and the proud activist mom of a college-age transgender man.
Betsy Hanger, Family Advocate, Trans Family Youth Allies
Lisa C. Gillinger, Family Advocate

Click to return to top of page

J 101 Gender Identity and Visibility in the Age of Social Media
*Media, Gender Identity
This session will reframe the social media platforms typically used for leisure (Twitter, Facebook etc.) as a mode of democratizing representations of LGBTQ people in popular media. We will have thoughtful dialogue about transmasculine identities (miW/ftMs), and their limited visibility in print magazines, on TV and the Internet. Compelling examples of social media used to support the aforementioned group will be reviewed.
Krys Freeman, Logistics Coordinator, BUTCH Voices Conference 2009

Click to return to top of page

J 103 Create your life...We can help! Achieving your goals and dreams 101
*Careers, Education, Self-Esteem
Are you uncertain about what your future holds and about whether you can accomplish anything you put your mind to? Then this workshop is for you! It has practical strategies to help you take your dreams from idea to reality. Discover key life-skills for setting and achieving goals, and create an Action Plan. Learn to plan ahead, create a timeline, enlist support, and overcome obstacles, sabotage, and setbacks.
Daniel Dumont, Program Coordinator, LifeWorks
Milton Smith, Mentoring Coordinator, LifeWorks

Click to return to top of page

J 104 Healthy Relationships
*Relationships
Join us for a dialogue on what makes a relationship healthy. Just like baking cookies, we will go over the most important ingredients that are part of a Healthy Relationship recipe. We will discuss the importance of boundaries and the role we each play.
Pedro Garcia, Director of Youth Services, BIENESTAR

Click to return to top of page

J 200 Coming Out By Speaking Out―The Art of Public Speaking
*Self-Esteem, Mental Health
Are you sometimes tongue-tied? At a loss for words? This session is a crash course in the basics of public speaking, with a focus on the ways in which you are heard and understood. Communication is critical to success in all areas of your life: dating, school, family, and work. This fun workshop will show you simple strategies to overcome nervousness and present ideas convincingly. You’ll also learn evaluation techniques, as communication involves listening skills as well. Whether you want to be an activist, more effective in class and at work, or just chat more effectively with friends, the public speaking pros at this workshop can make an awesome difference in your future.
Jordana Tiger, West Hollywood Toastmasters
Shane Mayer, West Hollywood Toastmasters
Cesar Jass, West Hollywood Toastmasters

Click to return to top of page

J 201 Exploring Leviticus 18:22 - Responses for Modern Grrls and Bois
*Religion, Homophobia, Harassment
In the Bible, Leviticus 18:22 reads: “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” People frequently use this biblical passage as an argument against homosexuality. Is that what the Bible really says―that homosexuality is a sin? We will discuss the many ways Leviticus 18:22 has been, and can be interpreted, both historically and in modern times. How do you respond when someone uses Leviticus? Learn some practical tips and tools, and have a chance to actually practice!
Rabbi Joe Hample, The Institute for Judaism & Sexual Orientation-Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
Dr. Joel Kushner, Director, The Institute for Judaism & Sexual Orientation - Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Click to return to top of page

J 204 Advocating for Undocumented Students
*Immigration, Activism
Eight years after the DREAM Act was first introduced to give undocumented students a way to become U.S. citizens, these youth are still waiting for Congress to help them. Learn who these youth are, what they represent for our country, how to build positive bridges with them, why we should advocate for their rights and how to advocate for undocumented students in our schools, communities and to our political representatives.
Nancy Medina, Dream Team Los Angeles
Ernesto Rocha, Dream Team Los Angeles

Click to return to top of page

J 205 Sharing Who I Am!
*Relationships, Esteem
How do I tell someone I’m gay? Won’t they reject me? How do I decide who to share my feelings and secrets with and still feel safe? For many people these questions and more come up each day as they face the challenge of sharing who they are in a less than friendly world. This workshop will be highly interactive and will provide exploration, discussion, and tools to address challenging issues.
John Sovec, MA, LMFT, The Life Group LA

Click to return to top of page

J 206 “You don’t look GAY!”: Femme visibility and identity
*Gender Identity, Self-Esteem, Culture
“Are you gay? Because you don’t really look gay.” Ever had someone say that to you? Don’t worry, your femme-y feminist godmothers are here to take you on a journey to the joy of being femme! Join us to explore the fabulously complex intersections of femme identity, rituals of femininity and what is “fake”. Some questions we will be addressing are: In what ways do we add to or take away from our bodies in the name of femininity? What are the environmental and social impacts of the products we consider essential to femme? Is femme identity all about the physical or performing gender roles? How do we judge if surgery and medical interventions in the name of gender is more or less acceptable?
Kat Laukat, Performance Artist, The Miracle Whips – Queer Femme Performance Troupe
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 208 Basics and Beyond: HIV and STDs
*HIV, Health
Sexually active? If you are, or plan to be some day, and want to reduce your risk of contracting or transmitting HIV or other sexually transmitted infections, then this workshop is a must. Sexually active or not, here’s stuff you need to know to have fun and stay safe.
Kimler Cruz Gutierrez, Program Assistant, Asian Pacific Health Care Venture

Click to return to top of page

J 308 Fighting Homophobia and Transphobia in YOUR School!
*Activism, GSA, Gender Identity
Find out how to organize yourself and your supporters to combat homophobia and transphobia in your schools. Go home with all the tools you need to further campaigns such as:
• Take It Back: Fighting Homophobic/Transphobic Slurs on Campus
• Beyond the Binary: Gender Identity Activism in Schools
• Telling Our Stories: Learning About LGBTQ People in Our Schools
• The SB 71 (CA Comprehensive Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Prevention Act) campaign
This workshop is led by current high school GSA leaders.
Daniel Solis, Southern California Program Coordinator, Gay-Straight Alliance Network

Click to return to top of page

J 309 Next Step: COLLEGE
*Education
Discover important resources that will help you prepare for college, especially those that identify LGBTQ-
friendly colleges and universities. Learn about different scholarship opportunities for LGBTQ students and financial support for first generation college students, including financial aid deadlines and admission strategies. College students will share about their experiences with the college application process and how they worked the system to their best advantage.
Dr. Vincent Vigil, USC LGBT Resource Center, University of Southern California

Click to return to top of page

Sycamore Glen—(Meet at registration area)
HealthRHYTHMS
*Arts, Esteem, Mental Health
Discover a place of unconditional acceptance and well-being through the power of music. HealthRHYTHMS Group Empowerment Drumming is a research-based program for facilitating communication, reducing stress, and boosting your immune system. This program has been featured on CNN Headline News. It is so effective at bringing people together and reducing stress that it is used by both young and old in a variety of settings. It requiers no prior musical experience.
Alyssa Janney, Health Rhythms Division Manager, Health Rhythms
Sharon Horton, Health Rhythms

Click to return to top of page

J 103 World Religions and Queer Folks
*History, Transgender, Religion
Learn how various world religions treat the issues of LGBTQ folks. We will cover those traditions which bless same-sex unions and honor gender transitions and which do not. All the major world religious traditions that are present in Los Angeles areas (from Wicca, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) will be covered. Web resources and a list of positive faith communities that students may explore in their life journeys will be distributed.
Rev. Dr. Robert Shore-Goss, MCC in the Valley
Megan Moore, Transgendered Seminarian, MCC in the Valley

Click to return to top of page

J 104 Legal Rights for LGBTQ Students In California Public Schools
*Legal Issues
What are the laws that protect LGBTQ students from harassment and discrimination? Find out in this workshop what the Federal and State laws are that protect you and your rights to be safe, speak your mind, and have privacy in your school. You can’t exercise your rights unless you know them, and understand them. In this session, you’ll learn just what your rights are, and how to effectively use them.
Stephen Jimenez, Project 10 Specialist, Project 10/Los Angeles Unifies School District

Click to return to top of page

J 200 Teach Your Children Well–Video and Panel Discussion on LGBTQ
anti-violence in schools
*Activism, Hate, Education
“Teach Your Children Well” is a documentary that presents an in-depth examination of the incidents of violence perpetrated against LGBTQ youth in schools and offers preventative measures to curb such attacks. We focus on Lawrence King, a local 15 year old who identified as gay and was murdered at school by a schoolmate. A panel discussion relating to the film’s subject will follow. The panel moderator has researched issues and cases on LGBTQ youth and school violence; the panelists will include the documentary filmmakers, a psychologist who counsels LGBTQ youth and adults, an LAPD officer and an adult survivor of school violence.
James W. Gilliam, Attorney, Paul Hastings LLC
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 201 Helping You and Your Parents Cope with Coming Out and Staying Out
*Family, Gender Identity, Homophobia
Coming out to your family can be really scary. Our panelists will share a variety of personal coming-out experiences. We explain how PFLAG helped us understand that we aren’t alone, how we can help others going through the same experience, and we explore our relationships with our children. We talk about how the ‘coming out’ experience affects different cultures. You’ll learn about how PFLAG can be an extraordinary resource for your family and others close to you.
Patti Loitz, Pasadena Parents. Friends and Families of Lesbians and Gays
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 204 Speak Out Loud!
*Arts, Esteem
Your words are powerful. Use spoken word poetry as a way to express yourself. Turn your thoughts into activism. With various activities including collaborative poetry writing and verbal expression, this workshop is a must attend!
Yazmin Monet Watkins, Spoken Word Artist/ Actress/ Director, Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival
Jack Cummings, Poet/Student, Make Noise Slam Team

Click to return to top of page

J 205 The Lifeguard Workshop
*Mental Health, Self-Esteem
LGBTQ youth face many social factors and stigmas that put them at higher risk for self-destructive behaviors, even including suicide. This workshop will empower you to champion the causes of preventing suicide and empower you to go through the ‘coming out’ process you’re your self esteem powerfully intact. Through group discussion and peer dialogue, we’ll talk about why a young LGBTQ person is at a greater risk for making a suicide attempt, how to recognize when a friend is feeling suicidal, and how to respond in order to help them. And you’ll learn about allies just a phone call away that can help!
Dave Reynolds, MPH, Advocacy and Education Manager, The Trevor Project
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J206 LGBTQ Careers Panel - Personal stories and Q & A with
LGBTQ Professionals
*Careers, Education, Esteem
Are you considering a career as a Financial or Business Consultant, a Teacher, a Doctor or Nurse, a Police Officer, an Engineer, an Artist? Do you want to start and operate your own business? Come to this interactive workshop with a panel of Out LGBTQ professionals. Learn how they selected their chosen profession and the educational and training requirements to get started, understand what a typical day looks and feels like to do what they do, and understand the hurdles and triumphs associated with being an Out professional in each area.
Judy Jbara, Co-Chair, Leadership Council, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates Southern California.
Additional presenters

Click to return to top of page

J 208 Basics and Beyond: HIV and STDs
*Sex Ed, HIV/AIDS
Information on Sexually Transmitted Infections transmission, treatment and testing will be provided using visual aides, lecture, question and answer formats. We will provide demonstrations on the proper use of the male/female condom as well as the dental dam as it relates to the protection from STI/HIV transmission. Participants will be allowed to ask questions in a group setting and each will be given the opportunity to ask anonymous questions through the use of an “anonymous question box.” Participants’ questions will be answered in an open and nonjudgmental manner.
Dahlia Ferlito, Youth Clinical Outreach Coordinator, Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, REAL Youth Center
Antoinette Reyes, School Health Center Coordinator, Asian Pacific Health Care Venture

Click to return to top of page

J 308 “Know Your Rights” Training for Transgender and
Gender Nonconforming Students
*Transgender Issues, Gender Identity, Legal Issues
This is an overview of California law about the rights of transgender and gender nonconforming students to a safe school environment. Find out what rights you have as a student in areas such as names and pronouns, restroom and locker-room usage, gender presentation, and what to do when you experience discrimination at your school.
Danny Kirchoff, Equal Justice Works Fellow, Transgender Law Center

Click to return to top of page

J 309 Recognize Abuse: Keeping Your Relationship Healthy
*Relationships, Legal Issues, Self-Esteem
This is a workshop about dating abuse. We explore the different types of abuse LGBTQ youth may experience from a partner, how to stay safe online, the patterns that abusive relationships often follow, what the warning signs of abuse are, and obstacles that a youth might face when trying to leave an unhealthy relationship or seek help. Additional information and resources will be made available.
Susannah Faxon-Mills, Senior Coordinator, Youth Education, Break-the-Cycle