PHOTO COURTESY OF NATIONAL LGBTQ TASK FORCE
NEWS
Creating Change in 2022 ALOK keynotes the National LGBTQ Task Force’s New Orleans conference. By LILLIAN HOANG The National LGBTQ Task Force will host the 34th Creating Change Conference January 12–16, 2022. For over three decades, the nonprofit organization has given activists, advocates, and allies the opportunity to network and learn new skills they can use in the fight for LGBTQ rights. “As always, Creating Change will be a space where we share skills and knowledge, fill our hearts with love and joy, and deepen our commitment to freedom, justice, and equity for all LGBTQ+ people,” Creating Change Conference Director Danny Linden said in a press release. The conference will occur in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. People must register for the event ahead 12 DECEMBER 2021 | OutSmartMagazine.com
of time, provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination when they arrive and check in, and wear a mask in all shared spaces unless they are eating or drinking. The organization’s Director of Communications Cathy Renna urges Texans to attend the event. Not only is it a short drive to New Orleans, but the conference is also a phenomenal way to start the year as an activist, advocate, and member of the LGBTQ community. “It’s a conference and experience like no other,” says Renna, who has been to all but two conferences. The five-day program will kick off on Wednesday, January 12, with an opening ceremony in the morning and a keynote speech by Beverly Littlethunder, a Native American advocate.
On Thursday, January 13, attendees can interact with a variety of institutions dedicated to topics like aging in the queer community and Latinx issues. Additionally, about a dozen identity-based caucuses will appear, giving like-minded participants the chance to gather and connect. Thursday night, the event will hold a welcoming reception. The conference will host all-day workshops on the following Friday, January 14. Some workshops focus on identity by letting participants share their experiences and find community. Other workshops prioritize skills and movement-building by teaching attendees how to raise money, write grants, work with the media, organize, and more. “You wanna learn how somebody managed to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance in
