7th Annual Gender & Sexual Minorities Conference
The LGBTQ Resource Center and Women's Center present:
The 7th Annual Gender & Sexual Minorities Conference
ADVOCACY IN ACTION
Friday, October 6th 2023 | 10am-4pm | McFarland Student Union Building
10 AM Keynote Speaker - KAT BLAQUE
10 AM Keynote Speaker - KAT BLAQUE
Conference Overview:
We cordially invite undergraduates, graduates, faculty, staff, activists, and independent scholars to attend the 7th Annual Gender and Sexual Minorities Conference at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, taking place Friday, October 6th, 2023
Over the past decade, we have seen gender and sexual minority advocates work towards equity, acceptance, and visibility in all areas of life. The conference taking place at Kutztown University will serve as an educational opportunity for members of the LGBT community and their allies to learn more about struggles, issues, and movements towards change, while approaching aspects of wellness from the personal, to relational, to political, to organizational. This year’s theme and focus is ADVOCACY IN ACTION.
To Attend the Conference:
The Gender & Sexual Minorities Conference is free to attend!
To present at the conference please RSVP online through our Call for Proposal link on ENGAGE.
To attend the conference please RSVP online through our GSM Attendee Registration link on ENGAGE. Attendees who do not RSVP on Engage, will be required to Register in person at our Registration Table in the lobby outside of MSU 218 on the day of the event.
SCHEDULE
| 9 AM | Registration and Coffee |
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| 10 AM | MSU 218 |
Keynote Speaker: KAT BLAQUE Kat Blaque is an animator, illustrator, and YouTuber Join us at 10 AM in MSU 218 for a moderated talk on |
| 11 AM | MSU 223 |
Advocacy in Action on Campus: A Roundtable Discussing WGS on Campus Presenter: Dr. Colleen Clemens & WGS Faculty |
| 11 AM | MSU 250 |
Safe Space Training Presenter: Maddison Stanley, KU LGBTQ+ Resource Center Grad Student |
| 12 PM | MSU 223 |
Equity in Abortion Access: Understanding, Advocating, and Supporting Presenter: Amber Brown, Planned Parenthood |
| 12 PM | MSU 250 |
It's okay, I'll fold the laundry. The phenomenological experiences of teachers who identify as women with burnout. Presenter: Kimberly Kneller, KU EdD candidate |
| 1 PM | MSU 223 |
Navigating the Rainbow Path: LGBTQ Experiences in Early Careers Presenter: Valerie Sutton, Exponential Changemakers |
| 1 PM | MSU 250 |
Speak Up Stand Out: Advocating for Yourself in a Medical Setting Presenter: Joely Solovei, KU FMLA President / Social Work Intern |
| 2 PM | MSU 223 |
I Hope You're Not an Ally Presenter: Amanda Slichter, Asst. Dir. of DEI, Marketing, SIH for RES Life |
| 2 PM | MSU 250 |
How to Make your Classroom an LGBTQ+ Safe Space Presenter: Caitlin Carone, KU Women's Center Staff Member, UG Student |
| 3 PM | MSU 223 |
LGBTQ & A Moderated Panel Discussion Moderator: Maddison Stanley, KU LGBTQ+ Resource Center Grad Student |
| 3 PM | MSU 250 |
The Queer Body in Art: an intersection of queer history and portraiture Presenter: Daniel Rumsey, KU Student |
session information
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11 AM - MSU 218 Keynote Speaker: KAT BLAQUE Kat Blaque is an Animator, Illustrator and Youtuber from Southern California who has been openly blogging about her life for the past 10+ years on Youtube. Experiencing the ups and downs of New Media, she has ultimately concluded that Social Media is a powerful force for change and awareness. She currently uses her platforms on Youtube (114k subscribers), Facebook (180k with an average weekly reach of 4,000,000 people) to speak about the topics she’s passionate about as well as spread information, and cultivate conversations that encourage education across intersections. She playfully refers to herself as “intersectionality salad” as she embodies various identities and experiences. As a woman and survivor of rape and sexual assault, she is very passionate about fostering conversations where survivors and victims alike can feel as though they have a voice. As an outspoken feminist, she’s often on the receiving end of online harassment that she’s had to learn to accept as a woman who dares to have an opinion. As a black woman, she is invested in starting conversations about white supremacy and how it’s impacted her own life as well as various others. As a Trans woman, she believes that speaking about her growth and acceptance of self is vital in a world where trans people aren’t seen as valid and their possibilities are often seen as limited. Kat’s talks are generally casual in nature and encourage audience participation. She hosts a weekly show on her channel called “True Tea” where she answers questions sent to her by her followers. She finds that people who come to her talks usually want to replicate this and she loves answering questions from the audience and equally loves starting conversation. She currently contributes to Everyday Feminism, Pride.com, the Huffington Post and has appeared on Buzzfeed, MTV News and MTV’s Decoded." |
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11 AM - MSU 223 Advocacy in Action on Campus: A Roundtable Discussing WGS on Campus This roundtable will invite members of the WGS community to speak about what advocacy in action looks like in their classrooms and on campus. We will encourage questions at the end about the WGS program and the work it does at KU. Moderated by: Dr. Colleen Clemens & WGS Faculty Dr. Colleen Clemens, (She/Her), is Professor of English and Director of WGS. This is her 13th year at KU. Panelists:
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11 AM - MSU 250 Safe Space Training The mission of the Kutztown University Safe Space Program is to provide education and resources to KU community members as a means to create a safe and nurturing environment, free of discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity, or gender identity. This workshop aims to increase one's cultural competence, and reduce unwelcoming and even unsafe environments in which LGBTQ+ people navigate in their daily lives. Presented by: Maddison Stanley, KU LGBTQ+ Resource Center Grad Student Maddison (Any), is a Graduate Assistant at the university's LGBTQ+ Resource Center as well as a first year graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program here on campus. Through their work at the Center, Maddison is able to combine their identity as a pan, nonbinary individual with their passion for education and advocacy. When not on campus, Maddison can be found enjoying the outdoors through hiking, rock climbing, and white water kayaking or playing fetch with their dog, Ty Lee. |
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12 noon - MSU 223 Equity in Abortion Access: Understanding, Advocating, and Supporting Abortion, a safe and common medical procedure, faces a growing issue of inequitable access in the United States. This proposed conference session seeks to shed light on the various facets of abortion, from the different types and their safety to the reasons why individuals seek abortion. Moreover, it delves into the challenges people encounter when trying to access abortion services and provides actionable steps to support and advocate for equitable access. Presented by: Amber Brown, Planned Parenthood Amber Brown (She/They), Brings over two decades of experience at Planned Parenthood Keystone since 2004. I have been instrumental in teaching sexuality education courses spanning from fourth grade to adulthood. My role extends beyond education to staff training as well as overseeing the staff of our five LGBQT+ youth programs and the Health Resource Center, a vital resource for teenagers in Reading. |
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12 noon - MSU 250 It's okay, I'll fold the laundry. The phenomenological experiences of teachers who identify as women with burnout. A focus group discussion during the dissertation process yielded some interesting data regarding how teachers who identify as women view their role at home, as well as in the workplace. Presented by: Kimberly Kneller, KU EdD candidate Kim Kneller (She/Her), is a candidate in the EdD program at Kutztown University. She has also been a high school science educator for 23 years. She resides in Allentown Pennsylvania with her husband, two children, and lots of plants and animals. |
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1PM - MSU 223 Navigating the Rainbow Path: LGBTQ Experiences in Early Careers In this workshop, we aim to explore practical strategies and insights to pave the way for a more equitable and supportive professional landscape for LGBTQ individuals. Also, it is imperative to identify tactics for organizational advocacy, highlighting the need for sustained efforts to achieve true equity, acceptance, and visibility. Presented by: Valerie Sutton, Exponential Changemakers With a robust background in coaching, a dedication to diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to inspiring early-career women, my focus is on early career navigation. As the Chief of Workforce Navigation & Transformation at Exponential Changemakers, Valerie (She/Her), leads a global network focused on the development of early-career women, overseeing a comprehensive platform encompassing community engagement, career development courses, and personalized coaching. During her tenure as the Director of Career Services at the Harvard Graduate School of Education her research & expertise in coaching techniques resulted in successful outcomes for 80% of students within three months of graduation, while her role as an author for LinkedIn Learning extended her reach, impacting over 200,000 LinkedIn members with insights on career theory and coaching techniques. Moreover, she is proud to have served as an advisor to the LGBTQ+ community at Harvard Graduate School of Education, Temple University, The Wharton School of Business, and the University of Maryland, highlighting her ongoing commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion in educational and professional settings. |
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1PM - MSU 250 Speak Up Stand Out: Advocating for Yourself in a Medical Setting This session will focus on how an individual can advocate for themselves to medical professionals through going over some of their rights as patients and some tips on what they can do at a doctor’s appointment. Presented by: Joely Solovei, KU FMLA President / Social Work Intern Joely Solovei (She/Her), is a senior social work major with minors in case management and psychology. I’m the president of FMLA and an intern at both the Kutztown University Women’s Center and LBGTQ+ Resource Center |
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2PM - MSU 223 I Hope You're Not an Ally Instead of calling yourself an ally, I hope your actions display your commitment. In this nationally-presented session about problematic allyship concepts and truly leveraging privilege, participants will center their learning around the following principles: (1) If you don’t start with yourself, you’ll fail (2) If it isn’t hard, you’re failing (3) The second you’ve “arrived” as an ally, you’ve failed. Presented by: Amanda Slichter, Asst. Dir. of DEI, Marketing, and SIH for KU RES Life Amanda Slichter (She/Her) is a proud, bisexual feminist currently serving as an Assistant Director of Residence at Kutztown University. In her role, Amanda has contributed to campus-wide DEI teams, leads the Residence Life Department’s Social Justice Committee, and advises the Social Justice Special Interest Housing Community. Outside of her work here at KU, Amanda engages in anti-oppression work across the country as a professional speaker and consultant. |
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2PM MSU 250 How to Make your Classroom an LGBTQ+ Safe Space This presentation will provide ideas and strategies for educators to use to make their classroom an LGBTQ+ safe space. It will cover a glossary of terms, LGBTQ+ history that should be taught, how to learn student's names and pronouns, potential activities to do in class, potential resources for teachers and students, and offer a chance for attendees to give their own suggestions. Presented by: Caitlin Carone, KU Women's Center Staff Member, UG Student Caitlin Carone (She/Her) is a senior Social Work major with a WGS minor. I'm an Undergraduate Assistant at the Women's Center, the Diversity & Equity Coordinator of It's On US, and President of the Golden Bear Dance Company. I am currently working on my Honors Program Capstone project which will be an all-encompassing 'How-to' guide for educators and administrators to make their school an LGBTQ+ safe space |
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3PM - MSU 223 LGBTQ & A Moderated Panel Discussion The LGBTQ&A panel aims to provide a glimpse into the uniqueness of LGBTQ+ identities and experiences while answering a mix of commonly asked and student provided questions. Through our discussion we hope to combat rumors, misattributions, and stereotypes within the LGBTQ+ community while humanizing the journey of finding your identity. Moderator: Maddison Stanley (Any), KU LGBTQ+ Resource Center Grad Student Panelists:
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3PM - MSU 250 The Queer Body in Art: an intersection of queer history and portraiture In conversation with art history and the artists who inspired him, Daniel Rumsey discusses his art making practice as a form of self advocacy. Art and queerness do not exist in a vacuum and the work of today is in direct response to events of our past. This ever evolving and changing state of the queer body is discussed through its representation in contemporary and historical queer art. Intersecting art history and a personal art making practice, Rumsey discusses topics of queer joy, love, and pain as seen in the work that inspires him. Rumsey presents his work as a reaction to and byproduct of events in queer history and artists who came before him. As queer people we have to seek our own role models and representation, artists like Marsden Hartley, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and Pierre et Gilles are a few of the pillars of Rumsey’s personal art history canon. Presented by: Daniel Rumsey, KU Student Daniel Rumsey (He/Him) is a Kutztown University student and multidisciplinary artist who is inspired by representations of the male body across art history. Through painting and video, Rumsey inhabits personas that explore stereotypes of masculinity held in high regard by the gay community. In conversation with works from American art history, Daniel Rumsey depicts his own body as a product of history through a queer lens. He views his art making process as a tool to connect with history and illuminate forgotten stories of queer ancestors. |