MBLGTACC 2017 Program Guide

mblgtacc2017 United in Solidarity

Navy Pier in Chicago, IL Feb. 17-19, 2017 mblgtacc.org

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Welcome!

Welcome to our home! A Coalition of Chicago Schools is honored and excited to be hosting the 25th anniversary of the Midwest Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Ally College Conference. We are also excited to be the first coalition of schools to host MBLGTACC since Drake University and Iowa State University did so in 1993.

This year, our theme is “United in Solidarity.” At the time of this writing (December, 2016), our country is undoubtedly witnessing a momentous point in history, with racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and queerphobia defining us and dividing us as a country. And now that these injustices are finally at the forefront of political and social discourse and more and more folks are moved to action, it is a fallacy to say that now more than ever do we need to be in solidarity. Our solidarity with each other has always been crucial and it has always been lacking. Each of us has been complicit in another’s oppression; each of us has benefited from another’s oppression. We’ve all closed our eyes to injustice at one point or another. We cannot begin to imagine a future without looking at our past. And at our present.

To be united in solidarity is to be accountable for the harm we cause others and to be dedicated to the safety and well-being of all folks within and outside of the LGBTQIAA+ community. It is to commit ourselves to challenging our privileges and complicity. It is to constantly ask ourselves what we can do for each other. It is to look across borders and see our fellow humans as comrades deserving of as much freedom and love as we are. It is to unashamedly love each other. It is to stand unwaveringly next to each other. It is to take care of each other and ourselves. It is to acknowledge that our country was founded on the genocide of a people and to know that we must support the Indigenous in any and every way we can. It is to fervently and wholeheartedly say that Black Lives Matter. It is to desire the liberation of each other as much as our own liberation. It is to know that the liberation of one cannot happen without the liberation of all.

This weekend, we hope to collectively learn and teach the ways that we can work toward each other’s liberation.

We hope this weekend is full of love and light and hope for our community, our people.

From Chicago to Orlando, Ferguson to Gaza, Standing Rock to Aleppo, we must be united.

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Our History & Our Dreams:

Building Black and Native Solidarity

By Kelly Hayes As the movement for Black Lives enters its second year, some nonBlack activists, like myself, have been moved to think critically about the intersections of struggles within the Black community and the struggles of our own peoples.

As an Indigenous activist, I am moved by the knowledge that the same structures that have long maintained both Black and Native disposability continue to crush our young people, and brutalize our communities. But despite these intersections, our efforts to build forward together have at times fallen into crisis, and the work of reconciling our differences has often been left undone.

During the last year, from Baltimore to Oakland, Indigenous activists have come out in support of Black lives. While there have been some moments of disagreement, many Native people have successfully adopted supportive roles in the Black Lives Matter movement.

While Indigenous people are killed at a higher rate by police than any other racial group in the United States - as highlighted by the recent cases of Paul Castaway and Sarah Lee Circle Bear - many Native activists see the value in investing 2

our efforts in a movement for Black liberation and survival. Both of our communities live in the shadow of genocide and historical trauma, and many of us believe that neither of our communities can be free without the liberation of the other.

Some organizers, both Black and Native, firmly believe that building forward at the intersections of our movements could lead to the development of a new praxis, one that could bring the kind of liberation that many are only now learning to imagine, but such efforts involve a number of complex stumbling blocks.

A Complicated History As the child of a father who had been removed from the Menominee Reservation prior to the American Indian Child Welfare Act, I could have easily drifted through my young life without any connection to Native culture, outside of the Mystical Indian narratives of modern film and television. Fortunately, my family serendipitously connected with a member of our tribe who was deeply connected to our culture.

Esther, who in time became a fullfledged medicine woman, taught my

sister and I tribal dances and told us stories from her time with the American Indian Movement (AIM).

Through her heartbreaking tales of resisting the forced sterilization of our women and displacement of our children, I experienced the first stirrings of my radical imagination.

In my teenage years, I read more deeply into the history of AIM, including the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee. As hundreds of Oglala Lakota and AIM supporters occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, in protest of corruption and in defense of their own lives, law enforcement responded with militarized force.

Armored personnel carriers, grenade launchers and other tools of war were brought to the boundaries of the siege. While media coverage was heavy, and public sympathy for the Indigenous activists was uncharacteristically high, activists feared that coverage of other major news stories would soon eclipse their struggle, and that law enforcement would roll through the town, inflicting violence indiscriminately.

The legacy of the land the resistors were occupying encapsulated both

their historical grievances and their fears of looming reprisal. During the original Wounded Knee massacre of 1890, government soldiers on horseback rode down men, women and children. Infants and the elderly alike fell dead in the snow as a people's collective hope was punished by the state. The massacre was an effort to stomp out the Ghost Dance movement, which was a Native cultural and spiritual movement that had spread through most of the western United States near the end of the 19th century.

The ghost dancers believed that a transformation was possible, and that a spiritual rebirth and return to the old ways would bring back the buffalo and repel the colonizers.

The US government had no regard for Native spiritualism, but no doubt recognized the danger of an oppressed people investing themselves in a belief that their salvation was possible.

So, nearly a century later, AIM held the Knee, and waited each day for the public's attention to fade, and for the standoff's violence to intensify.

Amid my readings on these events, I eventually came across a story I had never heard before, and have rarely heard discussed in the years since. Angela Davis, the Black freedom fighter and scholar who authored Are Prisons Obsolete?, actually traveled to the boundaries of the siege and attempted to join the Wounded Knee protesters.

She was turned away by law enforcement at the town's border as an "undesirable" person.

As I read of her attempt to join the resistors, I thought, Davis had to know that such a response from law enforcement was likely. She was already well known and well respected for her radical beliefs and aspirations, and was definitely viewed as a threat by the power structure. Then I thought about the threat of waning media attention, and it occurred to me: Showing up,

by itself, was a defensive act. Davis used her prominence to create a news story, and for those living in struggle within the siege, visibility was life.

While most of us cannot offer a spotlight or renowned radical voice by showing up for natural allies, Davis' appearance at the siege imparted something to me.

In moments of great significance, we have to bring what we can, and do what we can, because the same structures have always been at war with both Black and Native bodies.

Black bodies have always been abused, controlled and subject to social death in order to facilitate their commodification. Even the 13th Amendment provided a loophole in the abolition of slavery, allowing the practice to continue within the US prison system. Thus, the Black Codes and the prison industrial complex have allowed slavery to reinvent itself across the course of US history, just as displacement, forced relocation, the toxification of land, forced sterilization and the intentional maintenance of poverty have allowed the government to continue to pursue its primary goal with regard to Native bodies - our total annihilation. Social, physical and political subjugation have always been the norm for both Black and Native peoples under this government. While the mechanisms of our respective genocides have always had different aims, both have been enforced by the same structures for the sake of colonial dominance, with horrific consequences.

Throughout its development as a young empire, the United States has needed a narrative to propel its ascension. In order to create the idea of "America," a great country with inherently great people, a national identity needed to be manufactured, and "Americans" had to be created. Assimilation has always been a path to privilege

in the United States. American nationalism fashions a glorious identity for those who accept the erosion of their heritage, and embrace the shared plainness of the most elite identity our country has to offer - that of the white American.

The idea of America was a bright and shining lie, and a very appealing one, but the architects of that lie encountered a number of impediments. There were human obstructions, for example, whose annihilation had to be woven into a cultural identity that celebrated the idea that all men were created equal. Thus, a narrative of righteous conquest was written, the extermination of Indigenous peoples continued and a dehumanized Black workforce was shackled to the task of building a new empire.

Few people realize that Indian constables, who policed increasingly displaced Native populations during the early stages of US colonialism, and slave patrols, which captured Black slaves who had escaped their white masters, were this country's first police. To understand these historical origins - along with the present state of law enforcement and the mechanics of the prison industrial complex - is to understand that the role of police in the United States has done little more than refashion itself over time.

The main function of US policing remains the same: the management of people who have historically been identified as human resources, or human hindrances, by the prevailing power structure.

Law enforcement, in functionality, remains the same as it ever was.

Despite profound moments of cooperation and shared struggle between Black and Indigenous movements - which have included such moments as Indigenous people harboring and building community with escaped and former slaves - there is much to 3

reconcile about the intersections of our shared histories. Some believe, for example, that Ray Robinson, a Black civil rights activist, was killed by members of AIM in 1973, during the siege at Wounded Knee. Robinson, who reportedly joined the protesters, disappeared during the chaos of those events.

While AIM members claim that Robinson left of his own volition, some have held fast to the belief that AIM members, suspecting that Robinson was a government spy, killed him as a matter of tactical security. Regardless of which narrative is true, there is certainly a historical grounding for suspicion and disconnect between Black and Indigenous people.

In my own experience, I have found that dialogues about Native and Black relations often lack a shared historical understanding.

This is unsurprising, given that both Black and Native people are constantly at odds with the erasure of their respective histories in the United States. The work of telling our own stories, and forcing honest dialogues about the harms perpetrated against our peoples, is at times exhausting. The history of our experiences is softened, sanitized and whitewashed in classrooms and popular entertainment. But living on the front lines of our own struggles sometimes means missing the opportunity to share in the pursuit of social and political transformation.

Even in social justice circles, I have encountered few Black people who are familiar with the role that the so-called Buffalo Soldiers played in Native displacement during westward expansion. However, in Native communities, stories of the Black soldiers who fought for the North during the Civil War, being turned toward the West in the war's aftermath have not been forgotten.

The role of Black soldiers in the subjugation of Native peoples was viewed by some as a point of 4

pride. "We made the West," Tenth Cavalry Pvt. Henry McCombs, a Black Buffalo soldier, declared in 1895. "[We] defeated the hostile tribes of Indians; and made the country safe to live in." And while stories of the bravery exhibited by Black soldiers during the Civil War are well known, stories of Black soldiers participating in campaigns of violence against Native people, including the government's 1890-91 Wounded Knee campaign, are far less discussed outside of Native communities.

Similarly, one will rarely hear discussion, in Native circles, of the sad reality that some Native people owned Black slaves until the practice was ended by treaty at the close of the Civil War. While the institution was rare among Native people - with less than 3 percent of Natives owning slaves at the height of the practice - it is nonetheless a dark stain in Native history, and one that most are not eager to revisit.

With Black people in the United States attempting to build forward in the afterlife of slavery, living with the cultural re-memory of its horrors, a failure to fully speak to this entanglement of Native culture with one of this country's darkest realities has no doubt created a barrier to dialogue, and contributed to various rifts between Native and Black populations.

While many Native people question the collective blame heaped upon over 500 nations for the actions of the small fraction of the Native population that owned slaves, it is important to remember that Blackness is likewise not a monolith. Native people, like Black people, are often understood collectively. This is a reality that is also experienced by Black Americans, despite their varied origins, and any dismantling of these socially constructed ideas can only occur through dialogue.

While Native and Black people have at times fought alongside each

other, recognition of the ways in which both groups have replicated the harms of colonialism is clearly necessary if the two groups are to build forward in solidarity.

As William C. Anderson, a Black author who frequently addresses issues of race, told me recently: “It's important we work together to seek collective liberation. However, we have to do that in a way that engages both anti-Blackness and Native genocide. We have to work together in sustainable ways that are real ... we have to build with one another, not against. We should do so in a way that recognizes grievances, but still puts freedom first.�

A process of social transformation, which not only acknowledges the harms experienced on both sides, but also seeks to root out the reasons why we have at times failed one another, would no doubt be a massive undertaking. However recognizing that harmed individuals and communities in turn commit harms, often in the same rhythms - many believe that a process of healing is long overdue. And in some places, it may have already begun.

The Language of Oppression With some Black and Brown activists working to build coalitions, conflicts still manifest themselves.

At times, these conflicts are not only grounded in a failure to reconcile history, but also a failure to establish an actual language of understanding. Questions about the vocabulary of both our suffering and liberation emerge and stir discord between potential allies.

Is it acceptable for Native people to use a #NativeLivesMatter variation of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag?

Does the language of "colonization" apply to both the Black and Indigenous experience? Is language addressing the particular struggles of Native people adequately

incorporated into conversations about police violence?

Page May is a young Black organizer with We Charge Genocide in Chicago, and the cofounder of the Assata's Daughters collective. May has been confronted with the complexities of Black and Native vocabularies of oppression in movement spaces, and recently noted to Truthout that "in Chicago, and elsewhere, there's a lot of conversation in Black communities about naming our own struggles." While these conversations do afford a level of separateness, May does not believe that making historical and cultural distinctions is necessarily harmful to solidarity efforts. "I hope [these conversations] aren't read as Black people trying to distance themselves from Indigenous struggle," she explains. In actuality, May says that she worries "about Black people appropriating Indigenous struggle with words like 'decolonization' and 'genocide.'

Indigenous people deserve their own grammar of suffering as do Black people."

In contrast to Indigenous people, who have always existed in resistance to erasure under colonization, Page says, "Blackness is always positioned as alienated from a place of origin - as having no Nativeness, as though Blacks are produced through dungeons - in a state of natal alienation." In May's view, this narrative othering, which forces Blackness out of any context of its own, holds Black people in a chattel state, shuffled from exploitation to exploitation without any cultural narrative but the experience of social death.

While May speaks of a cyclical narrative that entraps Blackness, some who come from Native backgrounds feel that their struggle is wholly erased in the popular dialogue. "When I tell people the numbers, and explain that police kill us at a higher rate than they kill

anyone," a young Native woman told me recently, "they act like that can't be real. Like the statistics must be skewed in some way. I just want to yell at them: Yes, they are skewed! White supremacy skewed them by killing so many of us that you don't notice us die anymore!"

But the lack of notice, this young woman explained, is not the most disturbing thought she attaches to these exchanges. "The worst thought, what I try not to believe, is that people, both other people of color and white people, that they do understand, and don't care, because people have accepted the idea of us fading out. Like it's already happened, so we're not worth fighting for."

The young Native woman I spoke to, who asked that her name not be shared publicly, is not alone in her concern that Native struggles with police violence are not being widely recognized or discussed. As Derek Royden recently wrote: “The Black Lives Matter movement has made a significant impact in part because African Americans are a visible presence in America's large urban areas. By contrast, Native Americans are more easily ignored since they often live in more rural areas and on reservations.�

Aware of such concerns, Page May speaks to the issue of Native erasure by insisting that "we have to take time to highlight the Indigenous resistance that is a part of our struggle. There is a long history of Black and Indigenous people working together to support one another's movements."

While May feels that there is great importance in forming distinct cultural frames around our differing experiences, she notes that "the goal of giving unique names to our struggles is not exceptionalism.

It's being better prepared for understanding what actual solidarity means."

Sharing Struggle in Chicago While there have been numerous intersections in the work of Black and Indigenous activists in the last year, my clearest view of what's possible has come through such efforts in my own city.

When the Black Lives Matter movement brought young people around the country into the streets, Chicago's youth were already there, waiting to seize the moment. Young Black people working with groups like BYP 100, We Charge Genocide, and Circles and Ciphers were already pursuing community-based solutions to violence, and pushing back against the violence of the police state. But even with young people organizing well beyond their years, the tasks and opportunities that were suddenly at hand were massive. I had no expectations of being invited to play a role in a Black-led movement against anti-Black police violence, but the relationships I had already built with young Black people in our collective efforts to organize against police violence quickly landed me in an ongoing supportive role.

As a direct action trainer, I led workshops and sat in on planning sessions to help young people prepare for their marches, sit-ins and artistic protests. By showing up, and making a concerted effort not to impose myself, I was able to build trust with young leaders, who in time relied on me to help build staging grounds for their actions. As our relationships deepened, I felt a profound connection with some of the young leaders who were lifting their voices in our streets. Their skills quickly expanded and before long, instead of trying to impart knowledge, I was collaborating with them on how we could broaden community networks of tactical knowledge.

One of those efforts took the form of the Rad Ed Project. As someone who has done a fair

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amount of traveling as both a direct action trainer and a workshop participant, I know that some of the most exciting opportunities for sharing and learning protest tactics happen in action camps. These camps - where activists sharpen skills ranging from facilitation to blockades work - are often weeklong excursions that require airfare and the ability to take time away from school, work and familial responsibilities for days at a time.

The result of such constraints is that, quite predictably, these environments are predominantly white.

So, some of us set out to create a local solution in Chicago. Through Rad Ed, we sought to create a number of weekend-long sessions, as well as a series of shorter skill sharing sessions, that would allow participants - particularly youth of color - to pick up some of the skills that they might acquire at an action camp. Some great skill shares were organized to meet those goals, but something else happened as well - something that wasn't a named objective of the project.

We created a space where Black and Indigenous people could reflect on our shared struggle, and effectively built together in common cause.

The original idea behind the project was to bring in highly experienced trainers to prepare young people to be skill sharers in their communities. Toward that end, we invited Remy, a DinĂŠ, Navajo, arts trainer from the Ruckus Society, a highly respected direct action training organization, to help run our first weekend-long event.

Prior to the training, I made clear to Remy that he would be walking into a challenging room, sharing space with junior high school students, teenagers and 20-somethings who would push back if their politics and lived experiences weren't respected. While the project was fueled by the momentum of Black 6

Lives Matter, we had opened the project to all young people of color who might want to attend, and the applications we received reflected a much greater diversity than we would have expected. Black, Brown, Indigenous and mixed, our participants were the community members who wanted to show up to learn how to bring movement skills back to their communities during a time of upheaval, and it was their intentions that we needed to honor.

We only expected to have Remy with us for a single weekend, but the experiences we shared that weekend led him to return to the city, within a few short months, to help organize the project's second major workshop.

At the end of the first weekendlong training, which focused on artful protest, we carried out an action in support of the reparations ordinance for survivors of police torture in Chicago. The banners our attendees created for that action were the subject of a great deal of discussion during the course of the weekend, as we talked through Native struggle, anti-Blackness and how oppressed people could build forward together. We all learned from each other in that space, both from the lived experiences and insights of young people, and the wisdom that Remy imparted from his experiences combating genocide on multiple fronts.

He would frequently remind us of the intersections between stolen land, stolen lives and stolen liberty.

"The intersections of both our struggles are well documented outside of mainstream education," he told me, reminding me that we could not allow the stories of our peoples to be separated into disconnected narratives. "There's a history and a spirit of our cooperative resistance that this country's history books try to rob us of," he said. It was our need for each other, he reasoned, that led the power structure to paint us into our

own corners.

By the end of the weekend, we created two banners for the reparations action: One bore the refrain of the movement for reparations - "Reparations Now!" - and one bore our own demand "Transformation Now!" It was not enough, our participants reasoned, to seek to make the injured whole, because real change would require a new unity, and a total reorientation of society.

At the close of the action that we carried out that Monday, outside of City Hall, Page May, who coorganized the event, called those in attendance together in a large circle. She welcomed torture victims and Black youth into the center to join hands. She also invited members of a community whose abuse at the hands of police had recently been highlighted in the media. Then came something unexpected. Without any advance discussion, May widened the theme of the moment by welcoming all Indigenous people in attendance to join those standing in the center of the circle. She emphasized the struggles of Black people in Chicago, where Black youth are attacked, harassed and killed by police at a higher rate than any other demographic, but also paid respect to the fact that we were all standing on stolen land, and that Native people have continuously been victimized by the state on a massive scale nationwide.

In that moment, the connectivity of our struggles as victims of state violence was manifested in direct action. From Columbus' torture and enslavement of the Taino people, which launched the horrors of the Transatlantic slave trade, to the plantations and death marches our peoples were condemned to, and the internalized and replicated oppressions that have at times torn us apart, I could feel who we all were, and who we were to

each other. If only for a moment, the violence of white supremacy was met with a unified chorus of resistance, as those of us in the center locked hands, forming an inner circle that faced the larger crowd. We led the larger circle in a chant, calling out Black freedom fighter Assata Shakur's words: "We have a duty to fight for our freedom!

We have a duty to win! We must love each other, and protect each other! We have nothing to lose but our chains!"

After bringing her students to the action that night in lieu of classroom time, renowned Black activist and educator Mariame Kaba - one of my dearest mentors - wrote: “In the freezing cold, there was such powerful and healing energy all around me. I could feel the energy in my bones. I felt truly lucky to be there. I am so glad that I got to

bring my students along. Each of them expressed a similar feeling.

These are the intangible moments that are part of organizing. They are organic. Tonight was a special night. When we win the reparations ordinance, I will look back at this gathering as a seminal moment.�

Within a few months, we won the fight: Chicago became the first city in the country to attain reparations for victims of police torture. And while the fight was long and hard, I will always remember the campaign from the center of that circle, where we transcended the divideand-conquer mentality of a power structure that wants us to view ourselves as more different than alike, and the would-be pundits who benefit from reinforcing such divisions.

We stood together, and we believed that we could win - and we were

right.

Yes, it was just one moment at one action, and as builders of culture and community, we obviously have a lot of truth and history to reconcile, a lot of bickering to overcome and a lot of bridges to build. But many times, experiencing and falling in love with what's possible is what begins the journey of transformation. And while I agree with William C. Anderson's assessment that, "If we're going to help one another we have to be honest about the history and the future," I also agree with my friend Page May, who once told me, "We have to inhabit our history, but we also have to inhabit our dreams."

I dream of freedom - for us all. And I believe we can get there together.

Kelly Hayes is a direct action trainer and a cofounder of The Chicago Light Brigade and the direct action collective Lifted Voices. She is community relations associate and a contributing writer at Truthout and her photography is featured in the "Freedom and Resistance" exhibit of the DuSable Museum of African American History. Kelly's contribution to the anthology Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? stems from her work as an organizer against state violence and her ongoing analysis of movements in the United States, as featured in Truthout and the blog Transformative Spaces.

This article was reprinted with the permission of Truthout and can be found online at www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/32896-our-history-and-our-dreams-building-black-and-native-solidarity and in Who Do You Serve? Who Do You Protect? (2016, Joe MacarĂŠ, Maya Schenwar, and Alana Yu-lan Price, eds. )

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# QueerYears 1993 Iowa State and Drake Universities 1994 Earlham College (Indiana) Greetings from the 90’s...Wish You Were Here Queer 1995 Southern Illinois University at Carbondale Building Queer Success in the Midwest 1996 Beloit College (Wisconsin) Building Queer Success in the Midwest 1997 Indiana State University We’re Here! We’re Queer! We’re Fabulous!

1998 University of Illinois at Chicago Across the Fruited Plain 1999 University of Wisconsin-Madison Moving Forward, Looking Back 2000 Saint Cloud State University (Minnesota) Making Waves Into the New Millennium 2001 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Out and About: Breaking Silence, Boundaries, Labels 2002 Michigan State University Still Moving Forward 2003 The Ohio State University Loving With Pride 2004 Iowa State University Speak Up! Speak Out! 2005 Saint Cloud State University (Minnesota) Building The Bridge To Bring It All Together 2006 University of South Dakota Painting the Rainbow: Celebrating Unity Through Diversity 2007 University of Minnesota—Twin Cities Alphabet Soup: No Matter The Letter We Stand Together 2008 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Voting for Change: Liberty and Justice For All 2009 Indiana University Bloomington Living Out Loud: Examining Our Past to Enhance Our Future 2010 University of Wisconsin-Madison Get Real! Confronting Privilege, Provoking Dialogue and Building New Foundations 2011 University of Michigan—Anarbor Justice or Just Us? Achieving Liberty for All 2012 Iowa State University The Butterfly Effect: Evolution to Revolution 2013 Michigan State University Mosaic: Putting the Pieces Together 2014 University of Missouri Kansas City Jazzin’ It Up 2015 Illinois State University Narrating A New Normal 2016 Purdue University Introspection at the Crossroads 2017 DePaul, Loyola Chicago, and Northeastern Illinois Universities United in Solidarity

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MBLGTACC 2018 The University of Nebraska at Omaha MBLGTACC 2018 February 16-18, 2018 The mission of MBLGTACC 2018: All Roads Lead to Intersectionality is to educate queer and trans Midwest college and university students to empower and celebrate their identities, while enabling them to resist oppression and develop resiliency against personal and societal injustices.

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Photo: Weipert Photography for MBLGTACC

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general info smoking

Please note that, in Illinois, smoking is illegal within public buildings and within 15 feet of any entrance to a public building. All of Navy Pier is smoke-free.

restrooms

All restrooms in the conference area (Festival Hall A) have been made allgender. This is not so for the rest of Navy Pier.

accessibility Please inquire at the registration table with any accessibility requests or questions, such as ASL interpretation, personal assistants, and large-print programs.

WiFi name: MBLGTACC2017 password: 25QueerYears

emergency phone number In cases of emergency, you can reach conference planning committee members at (773) 245-3776.

social media Track our social media over the weekend for important updates and announcements!

@mblgtacc2017 And use our hashtag #25QueerYears on your social media!

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Table ofContents schedule at a glance

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schedule info

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adviser track programming

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glossary

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etiquette guidelines

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sponsors

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friday programming

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saturday programming

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sunday programming

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conference planning team

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maps

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letters from our representatives

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Schedule at a Glance

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Friday 2:00pm—5:00pm Resource Fair 5:00pm—6:00pm Opening Ceremony 6:00pm—7:00pm Keynote Address by Patrisse Cullors 7:30pm—8:30pm Adviser Social 7:00pm—9:00pm Dinner on your own 9:00pm—10:00pm Performance by J Mase III

Saturday 8:00am—9:00am Identity Forums, Workshop Session 1 9:10am—10:10am Identity Forums, Workshop Session 2 10:00am—6:00pm Vendor and Resource Fair 10:20am—11:20am Identity Forums, Workshop Session 3 11:30am—1:00pm Lunch on your own 1:00pm—2:00pm State Caucus 2:10pm—3:10pm Identity Forums, Workshop Session 4 2:10pm—7:00pm Oversight Committee Meeting 3:20pm—4:20pm Identity Forums, Workshop Session 5

Adviser Track 8:00am—9:30am Session 1 9:40am—11:10am Session 2 2:10pm—3:40pm Sesssion 3 3:50pm—5:20pm Session 4

4:30pm—5:30pm Workshop Session 6 6:00pm—7:00pm Keynote by Peter Staley 7:00pm—9:00pm Dinner on your own 7:15pm—10:00pm Art AIDS America Exhibit Viewing 9:00pm—10:00pm Drag Show

Sunday

Game Social

8:00am—9:00am Workshop Session 7 9:10am—10:10am Workshop Session 8

10:30am—11:30am Keynote Address by Jennicet Gutiérrez 11:30am—12:30pm Closing Ceremony

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more schedule info the quiet room / prayer space Throughout the entire conference, Room 320 will be reserved as a space for attendees to take a quiet breather and for silent prayer.

people of color community space Room 316 is reserved as a community space for people of color from noon on Saturday until the closing ceremonies on Sunday.

recovery meetings The recovery meetings are based off the 12-step recovery programs and are open to anyone struggling with, or recovering from, addictions of any kind, meeting at the following times: Friday 8pm—9pm Room 318/319 Saturday 1pm—2pm Room 321 Sunday 9am—10am Room 318/319

saturday night game social

Stop by the Resource & Vendor Fair in the Exhibition Hall on Friday from 2pm—5pm and on Saturday from 10am—6pm and visit our wonderful sponsors: Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital & Chicago House Alphawood Foundation & Gallery Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE) Early 2 Bed Women & Children First Bookstore Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and

Wellbeing at Northwestern University Pidgeon Pagonis The Change Project Stewie’s Got Pride Out!Wear Incarnation Ministries PFLAG Leather Archives and Museum

As an alternative to the drag show, we’ll be hosting a game social in Room 318/319.

You can use this space to come play board games or just hang out!

gc2b

Art AIDS America

Human Rights Campaign

Alphawood Gallery is giving MBLGTACC attendees an exclusive viewing of their incredible new exhibit, Art AIDS America. Check the page on the right for free shuttles to and from the exhibit.

The gallery location is also conveniently close to Boystown, Chicago’s historic gay neighborhood, accessible via the #8 bus.

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Resource & Vendor Fair

Charles Schwab Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) California Institute of Integral Studies Lifted Voices

HIV Testing The Center for Gender, Sexuality and HIV Prevention at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital will be providing rapid, free, and confidential HIV testing alongside Chicago House during all hours of the Vendor and Resource Fair. Free condoms are also available.

BEAUTY SEX LOSS COURAGE POLITICS

Open Through April 2, 2017 Tino Rodriguez, Eternal Lovers, 2010, Oil on wood, Private Collection

EXCLUSIVE GALLERY VIEWING for MBLGTACC attendees

Saturday, February 18 | 7 pm - 10 pm FREE BUSES depart from Navy Pier Entrance 1 promptly at 7:15 | 7:30 | 7:45 pm All buses return to Navy Pier at 10 pm

Art AIDS America was organized by Tacoma Art Museum in partnership with The Bronx Museum of the Arts.

In Chicago, this exhibition is made possible by the Alphawood Foundation, a Chicago-based, grant-making private foundation working for an equitable, just and humane society.

Art AIDS America features 170+ contemporary works by artists such as Judy Chicago, Karen Finley, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Keith Haring, Robert Mapplethorpe, Howardena Pindell, Andres Serrano, David Wojnarowicz, Martin Wong and many more. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this nationally-touring exhibition at its last stop in Chicago!

Also Open Sunday | 11 am - 6 pm

ArtAIDSAmericaChicago.org Alphawood Gallery | 2401 North Halsted Street | Free and open to public

#ArtAIDSChi

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adviser social

Sponsored by Charles Schwab Join other staff and faculty advisers at the conference for an informal gathering between the keynote and performance on Friday night! Tables will be reserved for us in the lobby of the W Hotel, near the restaurant and bar. Food and drink will be available for purchase.

Friday February 17, 7:30 pm—8:30 pm W Hotel Living Room (Lobby) 644 N. Lake Shore Drive

Saturday, February 18th

adviser track sessions

ROOM 315

ROOM 317

Advising Queer Brown Futures: A Dialogue

Safe Zones Book: Training Allies of LGBTQIA+ Young Adults

Suresh Mudragada & Michael Akeem Riley Join staff members that have the privilege of advising a collective of queer students of color (QPOC) at DePaul University, a Catholic, predominately White, mission-driven institution. Facilitators will lead a dialogue focusing around the beauty, hardships, and affirmations in advising QPOC and the power and importance of being in community. This workshop will be particularly useful for practitioners supporting and creating spaces for queer students of color.

Kerry John Poynter The first comprehensive resource for developing Safe Zone programs to support LGBTQIA+ youth and young adults. This session will provide an overview of the book including the constructivist learning pedagogy employed; sample fundamentals curricula; workshops that cover sexuality over the lifespan, gender & transgender, multiple identities, faith beliefs, and safe dating. Participants will engage in a round table dialogue and receive a 20% off coupon from Rowman & Littlefield publishers.

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8:00am—9:30am

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ROOM 315

ROOM 317

Countering “White by Default” Spaces as a Queer/Trans Student Group Advisor

Creating Communities of Support: LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups

Nicole M. Bravo & Alex Sylvester Students of Color often experience Queer/Trans student spaces as “white by default” and feel their racial/ethnic identities are not acknowledged or respected. This session will explore real-life scenarios of racism in student groups. Participants will develop effective ways of responding to issues including representation, microaggressions, erasure, and silencing in student organizations.

The workshop will conclude with creation of action plans to address racism in Queer/Trans organizations.

Kevin O’Brien, Brandon Hopkins, Oliver Debe Employee resource groups are employee led networks within an organization that strive to create community and act as a resource to a group that is unified by a common identity. This workshop will expose attendees to best practices and explain the importance of creating, managing, and sustaining LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Groups within higher education. Topics include: getting started, budget management, marketing, event planning, community representation, and member inclusion and retention.

ROOM 315

ROOM 317

Advising in an Age of Hate

Advancing the Work: Creating Opportunities for Student Group & LGBTQ+ Office Collaborations

Jeremy Lightner Many college students have expressed concerns about their future and how their lives will change because of the direct impact of the election. The session will focus on how we as advisers help students deal with the emotional stress of living in an age of hate, make meaning of their own experiences, and equip them to continue to make changes for the better on our campuses.

Chelsea Noble In the face of limited resources (time, finances, etc.), how do we best support our student leaders and advance the work of social justice on our campuses? This session will explore different frameworks for creating and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships between LGBTQ+ student organizations, offices, and/or advisors.

We will consider the potential of collective impact, coalition building, and collaborations.

ROOM 315

ROOM 317

Training the Trainers: Why We Still Need Safe Zone Trainings

Mentoring Through a Queer Lens: Intersecting Identities between Students and Advisors

Alex Berry & Sherrie Hildreth One of the goals of a Safe Zone training is to allow participants to educate themselves on terminology and issues related to the LGBTQ+ community in terms of the best student support we can provide in our schools. Instead of the traditional Safe Zone training format, we look at why we need to keep doing trainings, maybe even more than ever before.

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9:40am—11:10am

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2:10pm—3:45pm

Genevieve Labe & Joshua Ford We will provide best practices and challenges that both queer students and professionals face while existing in an environment that caters to white heteronormative professionalism. While we are also creating new boundaries for relationships with queer students outside the traditional professional mold. In addition, we will discuss navigating our own identity develop while supporting our students’ development. We will begin with a formal presentation and end with discussing your experiences.

adviser track sessions

Saturday, February 18th

4

3:55pm—5:30pm

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You don’t set limits on your potential.

Neither do we.

At Schwab, diversity isn’t a business practice, it’s a business strategy.

We hire people for their abilities and ambition. Then we give them the opportunity to succeed—including the reasonable accommodations they’ll need to grow, learn, and reach their full potential. We don’t just talk diversity at Schwab—we live it.

Visit schwab.com/jobsforall to learn more.

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to diversifying its workforce. It is Schwab’s policy to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex ( including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, legally protected medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, military status, citizenship status, or any other status that is protected by law. ©2016 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. NAK (0116-0240) ADP90645-00 (05/16)

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T:10.875”

B:11.375”

S:10”

This Is What A Youth-Powered Movement Looks Like URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity is driven by young leaders. We know that as young people today, we're more progressive than our parents, more educated, and far more connected.

We believe that working across the progressive landscape, means thinking, learning, and acting together. We work to build strong communities where sexual health is valued, reproductive rights are upheld, and each body is celebrated and supported to be well, happy, and thriving.

Now is the time to discover your power, claim the conversation, and build your movement.

Want to do something RIGHT NOW about the lack of inclusive sex ed in our schools?

Text 'SEX ED' to 52886!

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Glossary of Terms By no means is this glossary to be considered a comprehensive or inviolable list of words related to the LGBTQIAA+ communities. All terms used to describe identities are subject to varying interpretation by those who claim the identity, and no identity or definition should be imposed on another person. This glossary was created using the collective knowledge of the organizers and these resources: the DePaul University Safe Zone training manual, the University of California–San Francisco LGBT Resource Center, and the Comprehensive List of LGBTQ+ Term Definitions by “It’s Pronounced Metrosexual.”

Ableism The system of oppression by the discrimination and exclusion of people who have mental, emotional, and/or physical disabilities. Appears both systemically and interpersonally.

Ageism The subordination and/or discrimination of an individual or group one the basis of their age.

Appears both systemically and interpersonally.

Ally A person who does not identify as a given identity but who actively works to support those who hold the given identity and works against the oppression of the given identity group.

Aromantic Describes a person who does not experience romantic/emotional attraction or who experiences a varyingly low degree of romantic/ emotional attraction.

Asexual Describes a person who does not experience sexual attraction or who experiences a varyingly low degree of sexual attraction. There exists a spectrum of asexuality.

“Ace” is another term used to describe an asexual person.

Bigender Describes a person who feels they have both masculine and feminine sides to their personalities.

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Biphobia Hatred of/discrimination against people who are bisexual, omnisexual, or pansexual.

Bi(–sexual /–romantic) Describes a person whose primary sexual and/or romantic/ emotional orientation is toward more than one gender identity/ presentation.

experiences sexual/romantic/ emotional attraction.

Femme Used to describe an identity or presentation that leans toward what is typically defined as “femininity.” This term is not synonymous with “woman,” “girl,” or “female.”

Gender identity One’s own internal sense/ interpretation of their gender.

May or may not correspond to one’s gender expression or assigned sex.

Gender non-conforming (GNC) / non-binary Describes individuals whose gender expression is different from Gay societal expectations.

Describes a person whose sexual, Genderfluid (C)AFAB / (C)AMAB romantic, and/or emotional Describes a person who Stand for “(coercively) assigned experiences a degree of female at birth” and “(coercively) orientation is primarily toward those of the opposite gender. movement among gender assigned male at birth” Most commonly refers to men identities and/or expressions. respectively. who are attracted to men.

This term is also often used/ Genderqueer Cisgender Describes a person whose gender interpreted as an umbrella term A general term used to refer or for those within the LGBTQ describe those whose gender identity aligns (within the social identity and/or expression exist construct of gender) with the sex community. outside the gender binary. one was assigned at birth.

Gender A social construct that is used Heternormativity Discrimination to categorize people as man, The assumption that all people The prejudicial treatment of woman, or another identity. are or should be heterosexual and an individual based on their Historically has corresponded in conform to the normative gender membership in a certain group some way to the sex assigned to roles of masculine men and or category. Involves actual feminine women. behaviors towards groups such as a person at their birth. excluding or restricting members Heterosexism of one group from opportunities Gender Binary / Behavior - active or passive, or resources that are available to Binary Genders A system of categorizing people systemic or interpersonal - that another group. as either of two genders (male/ grants preferential treatment to man, female/woman) which heterosexual people, reinforces Drag are defined as corresponding to the idea that heterosexuality Exaggerated, theatrical, or performative gender presentation. biological sex and which excludes is somehow better or more the possibility of any other gender “right” than queerness, or erases Although most commonly queer identities. A form of interpreted to be those who dress identity or expression. oppression through exclusion and as and perform the opposite Gender Expression/ silencing, both systemically and gender, anyone of any gender interpersonally. can do any kind of drag. Doing Presentation How one expresses oneself, drag does not necessarily have including dress, mannerisms, and Hetero(–sexual /–romantic) anything to do with one’s sex, behaviors that are usually socially Describes a person whose gender identity, or how one categorized as “feminine” or primary sexual and/or romantic/ “masculine.” emotional orientation is toward the opposite gender.

Homophobia Hatred of/discrimination against who are not heterosexual.

Homosexual Describes a person who experiences sexual attraction to persons of the same gender.

Inclusive language The use of non-identity specific language in order to avoid imposing limitations or assumptions on groups or individuals. For example, saying “you all” as opposed to saying “you guys.”

Intersex A term used to describe a person whose natal physical sex is considered physically ambiguous. There are many genetic, hormonal, or anatomical variations that can cause this. Medical professionals and parents usually assign a sex to an intersex infant and perform surgical operations and social conditioning to conform the individual to the assigned sex. Formerly known as hermaphroditism.

Lesbian Usually used to refer to a woman whose primary sexual, romantic, and/or emotional orientation is toward people of the same gender.

LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQQIA+ An acronym representing the various identities within the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Gender Non-Binary, Trans*, Queer, Questioning, Asexual, Intersex (+ more) communities.

Masc Used to describe an identity or presentation that leans toward what is typically defined as “masculinity.” This term is not synonymous with “man,” “boy,” or “male.”

Misogyny The hatred and prejudice, often ingrained, of woman, girls, and femininity.

Pan(–sexual /–romantic) Describes a person whose sexual and/or romantic/emotional attraction is not cognizant of gender.

Polyamory The practice, desire, or acceptance of having more than one intimate sexual and/or romantic relationship at a time with the consent of everyone involved. Polyamory does not equate polygamy (the [often religious] practice of having more than one wife or husband at a time).

Queer Umbrella term for identities, presentations, and sexualities that reject or contrast normative gender and sexual conventions and expectations. The word has historically been used as a derogatory slur, and while it is still occasionally used as such, many see the word as having been reclaimed by those it was used against.

Racism A belief that human groups can be validly grouped according to their biological traits and that these identifiable groups inherit certain mental, personality, and cultural characteristics that determine their behavior. Racism is both a belief and practice as when a group has the power to enforce laws, institutions, and norms that oppress and dehumanize another group.

Racism can be active and/or passive.

Safe Space A physical place or setting in which people within the LGBTQIA+ communities and/ or those of other marginalized identities feel comfortable and in which inhabitants intentionally reject harmful social norms and expectations and act and speak inclusively.

Sex The assignment and classification of people as male or female based on physical anatomy at birth.

Sexism Discrimination on the basis of one’s sex, supported by social, political, and economic structures that advantage one sex group over another.

Trans Abbreviation for transgender, transsexual, or some other form of trans identity. Sometimes used to refer to the gender variant/gender non-conforming community as a whole. Trans can invoke notions of transcending beyond, existing between, or crossing over borders.

Transgender Often used as an umbrella term to refer to all people whose gender identity differs from their assigned gender at birth or the binary gender system. Some transgender people feel they exist not within one of the two standard gender categories but rather somewhere between, beyond, or outside of those two genders.

Transition The complex process of leaving behind one’s coercively assigned birth sex. Transition can, but does not always, include: coming out to one’s family, friends, and/or co-workers; changing one’s name and/or sex on legal documents; hormone therapy; some forms of surgery. There are as many types of transitions as there are people who choose to transition.

Transphobia Hatred of/discrimination against people who are not cisgender.

Two-Spirit A term used in Native American cultures. A two-spirited person is often defined as a person who is born one sex but ends up fulfilling the role assigned to both sexes. They are considered to be both male and female and are often revered. Historically, different tribes have specific titles for different kinds of two-spirit people. For example, the Lakota use Wintke, the Navajo use Nedleeh, and the Cheyenne use Hee-man-eh.

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Etiquette for Inclusion At MBLGTACC 2017, we have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind, including but not limited to: • stalking • offensive verbal comments • harassing or non-consensual photography or recording • bathroom policing • unwelcome physical attention • intimidation • physical assault • inappropriate physical contact

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Inclusive Language In creating and maintaining a safe space, we encourage all conference attendees to use inclusive language.

Inclusive language shows up in many different ways. For example, it is good practice to always use genderneutral language: opt for “you all” rather than “you guys” and default to gender neutral pronouns like they/ them/their or zie/hir/hirs when you don’t know someone’s pronouns. Also, avoid using ableist language. For example, words like “crazy,” “lame,” “gimp,” “retard(ed),” and “cripple” have been used to bully and oppress individuals with differing abilities for many decades.

Service Animals When you encounter someone using a service, assistance, or guide animal, you should not pet, offer food to, or interact with the animal in any way.

The safety and/or independence of the owner may depend on the animal’s ability to focus.

“I”-Statements Holding a number of identities, we each have truths that come from our lived experiences. In conversations, note when you are not speaking from your own experiences or speaking on behalf of an identity that is not yours and allow others to speak their truth.

Pronouns As it is wrong to assume any identity label of another person, it is inappropriate to assume the pronouns someone uses. So please ask! And check in - a person’s pronouns are subject to change. Likewise, please avoid projecting gender labels onto a set of pronouns. For example, avoid saying, “I use feminine pronouns,” because the given set of pronouns might not reflect femininity for everyone who uses them.

Call In, Not Call Out Being socially conscious is a journey, and it is a privilege to be educated and able to have these conversations so openly. Remember that we are all

at different stages of our individual journeys. So when someone slips up, rather than calling the person out for being wrong or offensive, take into account the person’s experiences and understandings and encourage the person to challenge their conclusion and thought process and share your understanding.

Allergies & Scent Sensitivity At this conference, we intend to create as safe a space as possible for all attendees, including those with allergies or sensitivities, Therefore, we ask that attendees use scentfree products or limit/forego the excessive use of perfumes, lotions, scented hair products, etc. while at the conference. We also ask that attendees be aware of the potential of food allergies and keep food eaten in conference spaces contained and not left lying around.

Netiquette Selfies are great! But if someone else is in your picture, be sure to obtain permission before posting the picture

on your social media. Likewise, get permission before tagging anyone in a post on your social media - you may be risking outing them.

Sexual Responsibility *trigger warning* We encourage attendees who engage in sexual activity to do so safely and consensually. We encourage the use of condoms, dental dams, water- or silicone-based lubricant, or other forms of protections.

Sexual assault is defined as performing any sexual act with or on a person who has not given, has denied, or is unable to give consent. Consent is an unambiguous, enthusiastic, and voluntary agreement to move forward with a specific sexual request or act. Consent cannot be obtained from individuals who are asleep or who have a temporary or permanent mental or physical incapacity, including as a result of drug or alcohol use. Consent is an affirmative act, not a lack of action; resistance from a person is

not required to demonstrate lack of consent. Consent is on-going and can be given and taken away at any time.

Intoxication is not an excuse for failing to ask for or obtain consent.

Impact And Intent We are all capable of offending another person, and we do so consciously and unconsciously.

Because of this, we often offend people even when we have good intentions. So it is important that, when we are told that we have said something harmful, we seek to understand our mistake and to avoid making it again rather than challenge the person who has been harmed.

Acknowledge Your Privilege Many of us hold dominant/privileged identities that inherently take up more space than others or take up space differently. In conversations, take notice when you have spoken significantly more than others and be sure to give others the opportunity to speak or to guide the conversation.

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& Thanks To Our Sponsors Century $8,000+ Charles Schwab

Exposition $5,000 - $7,999 DePaul Center for Identity, Inclusion & Social Change Anonymous Donor

Fire $3,000 - $4,999 gc2b

Alphawood

Dearborn $1,001 - $2,999 Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) Human Rights Campaign Lambda Legal

Chicago <$1,000 DePaul LGBTQ Faculty & Staff Network

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Keynote Address

Patrisse Cullors Friday, February 17th, 6:00—7:00pm in the Exhibition Hall

With an impressive resume of social activism in response to social injustices, Patrisse Cullors was inspired to action by the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Starting the Twitter hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, Cullors (with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi) prompted activism nationwide and introduced the banner under which this generation’s civil rights movement marches.

An established community leader and performance artist trained under the founder of politically expressive theater, Cullors raises awareness to issues—specifically law enforcement accountability—through a blend of activism and art. In 2011, she developed STAINED: An Intimate Portrayal of State Violence, a traveling art piece exposing the realities of her incarcerated brother’s abuse by law enforcement; her awareness efforts led her to establish Dignity and Power Now, which fights for incarcerated people, their families and communities. Also the Truth and Reinvestment Campaign Director for The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, she works to build response capacity of communities affected by state and law enforcement violence.

Cullors’ advocacy has earned her honors including the Mario Savio Young Activist Of The Year Award and recognition as a ‘New Civil Rights Leader For The 21st Century’ by the LA Times. In 2015, Cullors and her Black Lives Matter co-founders were honored with inclusion on The Root’s Top 100 List for the movement’s social and political impact. Cullors was also honored with the Berger-Marks Foundation 2015 Edna Award.

Delivering powerful perspective into the adversities inflicted by social injustice and discrimination, and her commitment to providing a voice to those who can’t be heard, Cullors educates and inspires audiences to organize and stand together to transform society into a world where the lives and contributions of all individuals are recognized equally.

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Performance

J Mase III

Friday, February 17th, 9:00—10:00pm in the Exhibition Hall

J Mase III is a Black/trans/queer poet based in Seattle by way of NYC. A blogger for the Huffington Post he is author of “If I Should Die Under the Knife, Tell My Kidney I was the Fiercest Poet Around” as well as “And Then I Got Fired: One Transqueer’s Reflections on Grief, Unemployment and Inappropriate Jokes About Death” As an educator, J Mase has worked with thousands of community members in the US, the UK and Canada on the needs of LGBTQIA youth and adults in spaces such as k-12 schools, universities, faith communities and restricted care facilities among others. He is the founder of the international performance tour Cupid Ain’t @#$%!: An Anti-Valentine’s Day Poetry Movement and founder of awQward, the first ever trans & queer people of color specific talent agency. Check him out on Facebook, twitter and of course www.awQwardtalent.com!

ured t a e f their hop in h c t a C works 5! e c i o v n Sessio 31

Keynote Address

Peter Staley Saturday, 6:00—7:00pm in the Exhibition

Peter Staley was diagnosed with AIDS-related complex in 1985 while working as a bond trader at JP Morgan on Wall Street. He joined ACT UP New York shortly after its founding in 1987, and chaired its fundraising committee for three years. In 1988, he left his Wall Street job to become a full-time AIDS activist, joining ACT UP’s Treatment & Data Committee (T&D).

In 1989, Staley led ACT UP's campaign to force Burroughs Wellcome to lower the price of AZT. He organized activists to infiltrate their North Carolina headquarters and seal themselves in a third-floor office, and led a demonstration on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, disrupting trading and resulting in a price reduction of AZT three days later.

In 1992, Staley and other members of T&D founded the Treatment Action Group (TAG), and he became its Founding Director. TAG's first action and "art project" involved covering Senator Jesse Helms' home with a giant condom. In 1993, TAG successfully lobbied for a radical restructuring of the management of the government's AIDS research effort. The NIH Revitalization Act created a powerful Office of AIDS Research (OAR) to provide coordination, strategic planning, and leadership in the NIH's AIDS research programs.

In 2000, Staley launched a web site called AIDSmeds.com, offering complete and easy-to-read treatment information for people living with HIV. Since then, AIDSmeds.com has become one of the most popular HIV-related sites on the Web, and it merged with POZ Magazine and POZ.com in 2006.

In January, 2004, Staley launched a personal ad campaign to bring much needed attention to an epidemic of crystal meth use among gay men. Using $7,000 of his own money, he placed six phone booth kiosk ads in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York that said “Huge Sale, Buy Crystal, Get HIV Free!” Two months later, New York City appropriated the first government funds anywhere in the U.S. targeting meth prevention for gay men. Other cities and states soon followed.

Also in the 2014, Staley helped form a coalition of advocates for Truvada PrEP – the once-a-day pill that prevents HIV infections – that successfully pressured Gilead Sciences to liberalize its patient assistance programs, removing barriers to access for this new tool to fight the AIDSepidemic.

Staley is a leading subject in the Oscar-nominated documentary, How To Survive A Plague, directed by David France. In recent years, he has lectured often at U.S. colleges, and during international exchange programs.

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Drag Show

the

Saturday, 9:00â&#x20AC;&#x201D;11:00pm in the Exhibition Hall

Lucy Stoole hosted by

instagram

@LucyStoole

featuring

Kelly Lauren @ k e l ly l a u r e n 2 5 9 5

The Lady Ivory @ t h e l a dy i v o r y

Ivana@ Tease i va n at e a s e

Sara@ Andrews misssaraandrews

Imp Queen @ _ imp

kid

DiDa Ritz @ d i d a s wa g

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1

Workshop Session High Heels & Hard Hats: Butch/ Femme History & Identity

“I’ll Hold You Down”: Radical Dialogue for QPOC Solidarity

Stefani Vargas Harlan & Erica Krause Room 302 From factory work, to sex work, to activism and organizing; butches and femmes have done it all. As a community we must learn from our history and we simply cannot do that without delving first into butch and femme identities. In this session we will discuss the coevolution of butch and femme, the backlash against and erasure of the identities, and the resilience of the communities in present day. TW: Femmephobia, body image, misogyny, trans misogyny

Brienne Colston & Jaime Gonzalez Room 311 This workshop aims to create a space for open and honest dialogue amongst QPOC students in order to be able to identify what intra-community support looks like for them on college campuses. Participants will discuss various aspects of QPOC solidarity, inter-community relations, and barriers to solidarity amongst us. The workshop will also provide a space for participants to draft personal action plans for strengthening QPOC solidarity on their respective campuses. TW: Racism, white supremacy, inter-community discrimination, anti-blackness, and horizontal hostility

Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby: Sex Positive Workshop

Saturday, 8:00am—9:00am

Identity Forums

Disability, Room 301

Lesbian, Room 307/308 Gay, Room 310 Ace/Aro, Room 316 Recovery, Room 318/319

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Tanner Mobley Room 303 Fetishes, kinks, and sexual positivity, Oh my!

A guided discussion on sexuality and sensuality in relation to the cultures, institutions, and structures that have influenced societal sexual values and often portray sexual activity in a negative light. Participants will learn how they can replace sex-negative messages with narratives that are inclusive to sexual diversity. This workshop will guide participants through a conversation on responsible, consensual, fun, and honest sexual activity. TW: Sexual situations and possible mention of sexual assault or violence

Intersectionality Circles Jason Hall, Kyal Lalk, & Aimee Kalczuk Room 304 This purpose of this workshop is to focus on the various aspects of identity that people may have. This workshop will provide the opportunity for people to learn about identity in relation to the LGBTQ+ community, themselves and other people, and how identity interacts with individuals and institutions. This workshop will be an open dialogue of how we react to oppression, power, and privilege. TW: Racism, bigotry, transphobia

Trans* 101 Matthew Lonski Room 313 This workshop will cover terminology, pronouns, the difference between gender, sex, sexuality, and expression, and tips on how to be an ally to people who identify as trans*. TW: Transphobia, suicide

Related Histories; Commonalities between Native and Trans Activist Movements JAC Stringer Room 314 The history of our communities has an impact on who we are today. The Native American activist movement and the Trans activist movement are full of commonalities including cultural, institutional, and medicalized violence, coercive normalization, and facing multifaceted systems of oppression. This workshop is a space to hold, discuss, and understand how historical trauma exists within and around oppressed, powerful populations and how we can continue to heal and grow. TW: Cultural, institutional, and interpersonal violence, colonization, oppression, and historical trauma

Featured Voice

Robyn Ochs “Beyond Binaries:

Identity & Sexuality” R o o m 305/306

a dv e rt i s e m e n t

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2

Workshop Session Horizontal Oppression

Kink 101: Let’s Get Visual

Ryan Walstrom & Mariann Fant Room 302 Become aware of how your own privilege, even if you are a part of the LGBT+ community, can make you unaware of the unique needs and struggles of others in the same community sometimes leading to a phenomenon called horizontal oppression.

Do this through the combination of an educational presentation and a fun interactive activity! TW: Biphobia/panphobia, transphobia, misogyny, and racism

Samuel Brinton, Greer Williams, Tesha Davis, Jessica Ratchford, Jules Seabright, Nathan Coffing Room 305/306 Zip up your boots and grab your paddle, we’re going on an adventure! This workshop establishes ground rules about safety and consent in kink. We’ll feature kink demonstrations! This will feature pre-determined participants but you’ll be able to see every knot and every swing of the flogger.

Bring your question and rumors and we’ll set the record straight. We’re here to educate potential kinksters on how to stay safe and consensual! TW: Use of the word slave, cursing, spanking, bondage, paddling, use of the word rape

Asexuality Among People with Disabilities: What’s the Reality Behind the Stereotypes?

Saturday, 9:10am—10:10am

James Williams Room 303 Although people with disabilities are represented in all sexual orientations, stereotypes still persist within society that people with disabilities are, by definition, asexual. At the same time, some people with disabilities are in fact, asexual, and sometimes aromantic. Listen to an asexual individual with a disability discuss how the realities of asexuality with a disability differ from common societal stereotypes of the disabled asexual.

TW: Ableist language used and discussed

Getting PrEPared

Identity Forums

Questioning, Room 301 Trans, Room 309/310 Faith, Room 316

Intersex, Room 318/319

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Sergio Tundo Room 304 This workshop will consist of the basics of Pre Exposure Prophylaxis and how it can be used to help prevent folks from becoming HIV positive. This workshop is aimed at anyone who is interested in learning more about PrEP for themselves, their friends, their community, and/or their clients. I will also briefly discuss the research studies that have been done which helped get PrEP FDA approved and what is coming down the pipeline for the future of prevention. TW: Sexual Content, some discussion on IDU

BlaQueers On The Run: Hate Crimes, The Carceral State, & Racial-Sexual Terror Tabias Olajuawon Wilson Room 307/308 How do BlaQueer people survive and confront the twin obstacles of state-sanctioned racial-sexual terror and intraracial power(s)? Using Poetry, Prose, BlaQueer, Black Feminist & Critical Race Studies we will posit suggestions as to how we might create a politic that protects us from state and community sanctioned racial-sexual terror without our survival being utilized by as a tool to further entrench and authenticate the carceral state. TW: Sexual assault, transphobia, queerantagonism, white supremacy

Two Spirit 101: An Overview Jay Vocu & Alice Barnett Room 311 This workshop will discuss the topic of the Native American gender identity known as “Two-Spirit.” The history of the term itself, the modern day culture revolving around the identity, as well as the general historical context of the identity among various Native cultures will be discussed and presented to attendees. TW: Transphobia, racism, assault, sexual assault, xenophobia, hate crimes

a dv e rt i s e m e n t

National HEALTH CONFERENCE

2017 NATIONAL LGBTQ HEALTH CONFERENCE April 28-30, 2017, Chicago, IL Hyatt Magnificent Mile & Center on Halsted Challenging the Queer Aesthetic; Shifting our Perspectives Katrine Sjovold Room 313 This workshop is designed to engage attendees in discussion surrounding labels and stereotypes that queer communities and society sets for itself. Through the use of critical thinking, participants will be able to share ideas and experiences on the pressure to conform to a certain “queer standard” and its effects on our community, in order to begin having conversations on how we label ourselves and conform in order to be “queer enough”

Conference Highlights •

Keynote speakers: Dr. Laura Kann and Dr. Ilan Meyer

•

Poster session with student and professional awards

•

Panels and breakout sessions

•

Professional Development Institute

Register now at community.centeronhalsted.org/sogi Travel awards and scholarships available For more information, visit isgmh.northwestern.edu/conference or email LGBTQconference@centeronhalsted.org

Contemporary Ethnographic Performance Methodologies Alej Bustillos, Jr. Room 314 This presentation will feature a model of researching and writing about contemporary theatre artists and performance scholars.

Presentation will feature the work of Dr. Joseph Mercier (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama) and Dr. Madison Alexander Moore (Yale University and King’s College London). Discussion of presenter’s intersecting identities as a trans-artist (bigender), Mexican-American person studying theatre arts and performance studies, orchestral musician, aspiring avant garde nightlife socialite, and performance producer. TW: Body dymorphism, instiutionalizaion, bipolar disorder, eating disorders

PROTECTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES SINCE 1999 215.717.3473

thefire.org

facebook.com/thefireorg

students@thefire.org

@thefireorg

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youtube.com/thefireorg

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Workshop Session GaySL: A Crash Course in LGBT ASL

Bi Our Own Voice: Bisexuality and Oral Hirstories

Hayden Kristal Room 301 This highly interactive, variable, and hilarious workshop teaches its participants LGBTQ-related American Sign Language signs while fostering a group discussion about Deaf culture, intersectionality, accessibility and more. All levels of experience with American Sign Language and the Deaf community are welcome to attend.

Alisa Swindell & Greg Storms Room 304 Oral history projects have been invaluable in developing a more complete view of queer hirstory. However, bisexual people are often erased from these projects. The presenters will go over the reasons it is important to include bi voices, what it can add to both research and representation, how to conduct oral histories, and methods for making bisexual stories and history of participation a regular part of these projects.

TW: Biphobia

A Guide to Discourse with Homophobes (or, How to Talk to A**holes)

Saturday, 10:20am—11:20am

Chop Reynolds (Austin Schopper) Room 302 As our society becomes more and more linked through both personal and online interaction, we must confront differing ideas and opinions that other people may hold.

So, how do we make these discussions productive without risking personal safety?

In this workshop, we will address different techniques for confronting and dismantling homo- and trans- phobia while maintaining an environment of safety and respect.

TW: Homophobia, transphobia, marginalization, religious sentiments, threats of violence, coarse language (profanity)

What if I’m the Only One: Navigating Trans and Queer Community in Isolated Rural Spaces Part 1 Stefani Vargas Harlan, Betsy Lehman, JAC Stringer Room 303 Small town, small school, small resources.

Let’s address the issues of being an LGBTQ student on a rural campus; from finding each other, to starting an organization from scratch, to battling small-town isolation and administrative kickback. This workshop will present educational components within a facilitated discussion on how trans and queer people experience the challenges of higher education while also thriving as students and as people.

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Rope, Whips, and Kinks, Oh My! Jake Oster, Josh Leisner, Sam Brinton Room 307/308 Who ever said being kinky was new?! Various practices in sensual and sexual pleasure have enticed cultures for thousands of years.

Now they are classified as taboo and out of the norm. Lets change that, by providing an abbreviated history of kink and BDSM, as well as walking through some of the more mainstream kinks, demonstrations included!

Bring your questions, and an open mind.

We could just interest you! TW: Sex, kink and BDSM vs. sexual and domestic abuse, impact play, headspace play

HIV/AIDS Dispelling Myths.

Restoring Hope.

Elias Jackson Room 309/310 What is HIV? How does HIV affect the queer community? Can I have safe sex with someone who is HIV- Positive? We will explore the virus that is inexplicably tied to the queer community. This course will take a 101 approach to HIV/ AIDS. We will learn safer sex technique including using condoms, PrEP and PEP. We will discuss myths surrounding HIV and how we as a community can end stigma. TW: HIV/AIDS, sex, drugs

The QPOC Experience at PWI’s

Intersex Human Rights Abuse

Sandro Murillo, Zoe Nakaki, Evette Escobar Room 311 In this roundtable discussion, members of QPOC from DePaul University in Chicago will share their experiences at a predominantly white institutions (PWI’s) as it relates to experiences of those in attendance.

Most importantly, attendees will be asked how they too can organize and advocate for QPOC students on their campus. TW: Racism, verbal assault, acts of aggression/ intimidation, sexism, and homophobia

Alex McCorry, Alexis Mickler, Avery Capaldi, Veronica Drantz Room 318v/319 Much like LGBT people, intersex people do not fit the hetero-normative gender binary.

Because of this we have been subjected to mistreatment by the medical community. A lot of intersex babies and children are subjected to irreversible genital surgeries. These often damage the function and sensation of these parts. Three intersex people tell their stories of abuse by the medical community, with a brief introduction by Dr. Veronica Drantz. TW: medical trauma, non-consensual surgeries perform on children’s and infant’s genitals

State of the Region Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Room 313 Join the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity as members of its leadership highlight some of the major issues facing queer and trans+ individuals in the Midwest. Through sharing of the leadership’s own various experiences, discussion of the current social and political climate, and engaging with attendees own perspectives, this session aims to educate, motivate, and empower.

The Intersectionality of Class and Queer Politics: Building a New Queer Left Alex Forgue Room 314 One’s economic class and one’s queer identity are not mutually exclusive. The greatest social justice leaders led social movements with the fight for economic justice. This workshop explores how one’s class identify affects their social identity, and will build on how we can use our queer and class identities to build a new queer left.

Check Your Privileges: Knowing Yourself Through Your Own Intersectionalities Sherrie Hildreth & Alex Berry Room 316 Privileges are constructed?! You will be looking at yourself as an individual and as a member of different groups, then recognize how some of your identities that make up your unique intersectionality. We will explore how constructed binaries are both useful and limiting simultaneously. Our session will end with brainstorming how we can use our privileges in spaces where we feel discriminated against or prevented from moving forward.

Student Panel Quintin Howe

R oom 305/306 Ze/Zir University of Wisconsin - La Crosse My name is Quintin Howe and I attend the University of Wisconsin La Crosse where I am a Women Gender and Sexuality Studies major graduating in May. I work for the office of residence life as a Resident Assistant and have a strong involvement with my campus pride center. I enjoy doing anything outside and the mere presence of cats.

Katrine Sjovold

They/Them University of Minnesota - Morris I’m a Biology major at U of M Morris and originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I’m currently a Peer Mentor with Morris Queer Student Initiative for Equality, our LGBTQIA2S+ group on campus. I enjoy organizing events and providing support for my fellow queer students. I own more lipstick than necessary, and I love my scobies more than people.

Ernesto Soto

He/Him University of Wisconsin - Superior My name is Ernesto Soto. This will be my second MBLGTACC conference so I am stoked! For me, I am excited to learn and meet new people from different walks of life. If you see me around come and introduce yourself to me. I am approachable and open to talk about anything.

Toni Marie Preston

They/Them Illinois State University I’m a black, queer, gender non conforming femme with a disability whose work centers intersectionality, abolitionism, and radical liberation. I’ve consulted on projects, moderated panels and presented educational programs. And in 2016, I presented at ISU’s CRCC conference. While my background is in academia, I’m invested in challenging institutions that hinder the growth of communities.

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State Caucuses Saturday, 1:00—2:00pm North Dakota Room 301

Minnesota Room 313 AJ Decker

South Dakota Room 302

Wisconsin Room 307/308 Jake Oster

Michigan Room 309/310 Sarah (Shay) Thompson & Finn Marcks

Nebraska Room 317

Iowa Room 311 Robby Specht

Kansas Room 303

Missouri Room 304

Harrison Baker & Murphy Maiden

Sterling Waldman

Illinois Room 305/306 Diana Hernandez & Patrick Pfohl

Indiana Room 318/319

Ohio Room 315

Kentucky Room 314

These sessions provide individuals within a particular state to connect and network to determine opportunities for synergizing efforts for equity and social justice specific to their area of the region. These sessions should be facilitated by representatives elected at the previous year’s conference if possible or by other designated individuals within the caucus. State Caucuses do not have to follow a strict format, but we encourage attendees to consider these options for maximizing time spent in this session:

• Sharing current issues impacting your State and what ways you can mobilize to effect change

• Discussing highs and lows of the current conference. This is an opportunity to provide feedback for continual

improvements to the MBLGTACC experience.

• Highlight recent happenings at your home institutions. What’s working? What obstacles are you facing?

What ways can your neighboring institutions support you?

Election of State Representatives: At the conclusion of your State Caucus, we ask that you designate two (2) representatives of your state to attend the Oversight Committee meeting. The process of electing representatives is left to the discretion of the State Caucus facilitators and caucus attendees.

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Oversight Committee

THE

Saturday, 2:10—7:00pm in room 318/319

meeting

T he O versight C ommittee comprises four (4) representatives from each Midwest state: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Two representatives are newly elected and two representatives are completing their term from the previous year’s conference. State representatives should be enrolled in an institution located in the state they wish to represent.

Throughout the last 10 years, this entity has evolved in scope, purpose and prevalence in ensuring the continuity of the conference. It is through this committee that the Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity was conceived.

This year’s Oversight Committee agenda will include:

• Sharing highs and lows of the current conference provided during State Caucuses

• Midwest Institute for Sexuality and Gender Diversity updates

• Reenvisioning the role of the Oversight Committee

• Selecting the MBLGTACC 2019 host institution

We encourage anyone interested in playing a vital role in the continued growth and integrity of MBLGTACC to run as a State Representative in your State Caucus!

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Workshop Session Queer Event Marketing 101 Nicholas Moore Room 302 Dynamic events are integral to bringing our LGBTQ+ community together and to creating allies – but how do we make sure people show up? Join us for a fun workshop discussing & seeing the approachable and actionable marketing methods to pack the house for your event every time.

What if I’m the Only One: Navigating Trans and Queer Community in Isolated Rural Spaces Part 2

Saturday, 2:10pm—3:10pm

Identity Forums Poly, Room 301

Middle Sexualities, 305/306

People of Color, Room 307/308 Queer, Room 309/310

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“Quiet” Queer: Campus Advocacy through Administrative Activism Mickey Capps & Lynn Eggler Room 311 This workshop will cover the basics of how to communicate with administrators on participants’ college campuses. Participants will leave with an understanding of how these conversations work, and how to continue the conversations beyond initial interactions. Through both small-group discussions and an interactive presentation, attendees will learn how to navigate the structure of their college’s administration and engage students in the work that they are doing.

JAC Stringer Room 303 For trans and queer people living in the Midwest “fly over zone,” our experience with safety and acceptance are more complex than mainstream media may suggest.

Whether we are living in a rural area or a conservative city, we are separated from resources, safer spaces, and each other. This workshop will present educational components within a facilitated discussion on how trans and queer people experience regional isolation and find resilience.TW: Isolation, cultural and institutional violence, systems of oppression, and other forms of violence

Teach Me How to Lobby (Demand Change)!

Grassroots Mental Health: A to Puddle

The Water Closet: Ungendering Bathrooms

Ric & Elliott Room 304 We don’t need to be therapists to provide support. By purposefully incorporating peer support and group therapy practices into existing student groups--or by creating a dedicated support group--we nourish connections and understandings that help stop us from slipping into the void as institutional services fail us. Our workshop hosts a discussion on the challenges and beauties of this work. We end with a small break-out peer support session. TW: Suicide and selfharm

Laura Muñoz Room 313 Lobbying is an essential skill for people who want to advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights through sustainable legislative change. In this workshop you will learn how to effectively lobby members in our various levels of government to write and pass laws that directly affect our community. This workshop will cover basic lobby practices, effective lobby strategies, do’s and don’t’s, and lobby resources.

Leslie Boker Room 314 Using the bathroom while trans is complicated by a history of gender policing and cissexist notions about who deserves to use public spaces. This workshop investigates the history of gendered bathrooms, the cultural narratives maintaining them today, and the machinations behind anti-trans bathroom bills — then turns to discussion about queer dreams of an ideal place to do your business. TW: cissexism, transphobia

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Workshop Session Building an Inclusive Industry: Queer and Trans People in Tech Katie Pantell & Qwilleran Duvall Room 301 Why don’t the people who make our technology reflect the people who use it? Is it enough for tech companies to be more diverse or do the environments need to fundamentally change in order for their employees to thrive? Have you ever worried whether your post-school work environment will be welcoming of your identity? Join us to discuss our experiences, ideas for the future of tech and how we can handle challenges when they arise. TW: Homophobia, transphobia

Marxism and Queer Liberation

Saturday, 3:20pm—4:20pm

Ashley Li Room 302 According to the philosopher György Lukács, Orthodox Marxism is not a dogma, but a method. In other words, it is not a fixed view of society, but a way in which society can both be critiqued and changed through critique. In this workshop, we will examine the related problems of gender and sexuality through a Marxist lens, and identify the progressive potentialities immanent to contemporary society. TW: homophobia, transphobia, capitalism

“It’s Just a Preference” Reynaldo Santamaria, Alexander Bejar, Ty Yamamoto, Zoe Nakaki Room 303 This workshop will engage attendees with questions about the definition of sexual racism, its facets and how it causally appears in phrases like, “It’s just a preference!” TW: Racism, verbal assault, acts of aggression/ intimidation, sexism, and homophobia

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Our Bodies, Our Futures: Constructing the Body & Science Fiction Luna Andersky Room 304 This workshop explores the elasticity of both bodies and science fiction, and how they intersect. Bodies that transgress the boundaries of gender, sex, ability, race, modification, prosthesis, reproduction, technology, documentation, etc. appear abundantly throughout the science fiction genre, and create allusions and new ways of understanding lived experiences. Bodies intersect with a multitude of identities and experiences, and as we progress toward the future, the line between organism and technology continues to blur.”

No Walls Between Us: Queer and Trans People and the Movement for Justice in Palestine Stephanie Skora Room 307/308 The movement for Justice in Palestine is currently reaching a pivotal point worldwide, and our solidarity, as queer and trans people, is required! This educational, historical, and interactive workshop will teach the basics of the history of the occupation of Palestine, why joining the movement for justice is so vital, and what role queer and trans people have played on both sides of the movement. TW: Transphobia, police brutality, colonialism, Islamophobia, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other violence

Selfcare Zine Workshop Suzanne Cuellar Room 309/310 Attendees will learn about selfcare through the art of making zines. A group discussion will take place centered around the ideas of radical self love, selfcare, and body positivity with respect to individuals intersections.

We will create zines about selfcare while participating in the selfcare act of creating, and every attendee will go home with their own, one of a kind mini zine of their own creation! TW: Trauma, unhealthy relationships, and body dysmorphia

Uncovering Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gay Scene

Sex Work & Queer Identity

Syed Ali Room 311 I will share my experiences in Pakistan with various queer identities, and also explore the underground scene that exists but is rarely talked about. TW: Transphobia

Blake Miller Room 314 The sex workers outreach project-Chicago is a grassroots harm-reduction volunteer led organization whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary goal is the decriminalization of Sex work. SWOP-Chicago uses advocacy, education, and outreach to achieve this goal. SWOP-Chicago is presenting on the intersections between sex workers and the LGBTQ+ community.

The workshop will cover what sex work is, the policies and political climates that affect sex workers, what discrimination against sex workers looks like and what organizations are doing to assist in the fight for decriminalization. TW: sexual assault, coercion, trafficking, rape, domestic violence, transphobia

Sweet Tea and Some Shade - A Presentation on Drag Elijah Farley & Sean Carpenter Room 313 Join Sascha Hottie and Freddie Uranus in a journey through the realm of drag. Topics will include history, art, and culture of drag on a national and international level. This presentation will surely chill, thrill, and fulfill audiences of all types.

Featured Voice

J Mase III R o o m 305/306

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Workshop Session Intersectionalities between Autism and LGBTQIA Awareness and Advocacy: An Overview James Williams Room 301 Unbeknownst to many people in both communities, advocates from the LGBT community and autism community often promote awareness of similar issues within society at large. In addition, individuals with autism often share many social issues in common with individuals on the LGBT spectrum. In this presentation, listen to a self-advocate from the autism community discuss common intersectionalities between the LGBT and autism communities. TW: Ableist language used and discussed

Direct Action 101

Saturday, 4:30pm—5:30pm

Kara Rodriguez Room 302 Especially given the recent presidential election, U.S. society has proven that “traditional channels” of redress are incapable of getting us closer to justice. This workshop will go over the basics of what direct action is and how to use it effectively and strategically. Operating on a transformative praxis, the Black and Brown collective Lifted Voices will share their experiences with using direct action in the struggle for liberation.

TW: Police violence, abuse, and mistreatment; transphobia, racism, anti-Blackness, colonialism, heteropatriarchy

#BlackGirlMagic: The RAINBOW Edition Yolanda Vivian Williams Room 303 In this session, the term “Black Girl Magic” (coined by CaShawn Thompson) will be introduced to some and re-introduced to others. We will define Black Girl Magic, discuss its movement and the images surrounding Black Girl Magic. We will explore the conversations taking place about Black Girl Magic in…as bell hooks would say “a white supremacist, capitalist, patriarchy system”, and the importance of Black Lesbian Images within the Black Girl Magic Movement.

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Let’s Get Asexy / No Romo Tho Emery Rankin-Utevsky Room 304 What does the A stand for? To answer a time-honored question amongst the LGBTQA+ community, this workshop presents a beginner’s guide to asexual and aromantic identity spectrums. With basic definitions, a fun BINGO chart, lists of famous asexuals, and nuanced discussion of the split attraction model’s potential and failings, there’s fun for everyone!

#50Bills50States: A Survivor Takes On Conversion Therapy Samuel Brinton Room 305/306 Conversion therapy has taken the lives, hopes, and dreams of countless LGBT people. By joining this workshop, you’ll learn the history of the torture and the way to advocate against it. The presenter will mix in stories from speaking with the Obamas to testifying in front of the United Nations - in stilettos - all in the hopes of protecting our community from conversion therapy. TW: Sexual assault, abuse, mental health, suicide, bullying, death

Beyond Bisexuality 101 Robyn Ochs Room 307/308 What does it mean to identify as bisexual (or pansexual or fluid)? What are some of the challenges to recognizing and understanding the middle sexualities — an often overlooked segment of the LGBTQ community? However you identify, come to this lively and interactive program if you could use some tools for challenging ignorance, biphobia and bi erasure.

LGBT(ea) Time: Anti-Trans and Anti-Black Violence Niria White, Xavia Publius, Emily Harsch Room 309/310 Join us to spill tea about our personal responsibilities regarding transphobic and racist violence. In this event inspired

by Transgender Day of Remembrance and #BlackLivesMatter, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discuss the intersectionality of anti-trans and racist violence and both the remembrance and erasure of certain victims in national discussions. Come to this workshop if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to listen, share, and reflect on your role in bystander intervention and alliance building. TW: Violence, racism, transphobia, homophobia, and sexism

Queering Hip-Hop Candice Sewell Room 311 Hip-Hop has always been a cis-gendered, male dominated industry. But what happens when artists like Young M.A., who is a lesbian? This session will also discuss the Love and Hip-Hop Series franchise, and the LGBTQ identified folks in them.

Does this increased visibility make us feel more comfortable? Come and share your thoughts, while we Queer Hip-Hop. TW: Gendered slurs (dyke, tranny, fag. etc.)

Finding Ourselves in the Library: Locating LGBTQ Representational Materials in Libraries Jessica L. Colbert Room 313 This workshop serves to assist students in pursuit of queer literatures, histories, and other LGBTQ-related materials. Libraries have been a hub for marginalized populations to access information. However, library materials are not always accessible due to challenges with finding them. We will cover Library of Congress subject headings that yield results suited to patron needs, and will break down why these headings exist and how to use existing headings to find queer-representational materials. TW: Slurs or outdated language that may misrepresent identities

Q*eer Hind*ism Priyanka Shanmugasundaram Room 314 We will be exploring the representation of LGBT+ persons in Hindu mythology as well as contemporary problems LBGT+ Hindu individuals face in South Asia and the west.

TW: Homophobia, transphobia, hindutva, q-slur, sexual topics

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Keynote Address

Jennicet Gutiérrez Sunday, February 19th, 10:30—11:30am in the Exhibition

An undocumented trans woman who moved to the United States

from Mexico as a teenager, Gutiérrez has fought tirelessly on behalf

of her organization FAMILA: TQLM (Trans Queer Liberation Movement)

to raise awareness for trans women in immigration detention centers. She

made national headlines in June 2015 for interrupting President Obama’s

White House address commemorating Pride Month to demand that

the administration release all undocumented LGBTQ immigrants from custody. Since then Gutiérrez has continued to organize against the criminalization, incarceration, and deportation of immigrants, and to work on behalf of all people of color within and outside of the LGBTQ community.

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Where all family and children are supported with pride.

Learn more about our work at luriechildrens.org/pride

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Workshop Session Clinical Care Considerations in the Transgender Community

Recognizing Abusers in Radical Queer Spaces

Sarah Campau Room 301 This workshop will demonstrate the crisis in the transgender community in accessing medical and mental health care, help identify barriers and suggest ways to improve contact to these services. Intended for current and future health care professionals, as well as advocates for transgender wellness.

TW: Mental health, suicide, and transphobia

Michele Mathis Room 304 This workshop will be designed to teach folx about the cycles of abuse and power including the specific sadistic intersections that originate from queer identities. This discussion will be focused on the abuse of community as a whole, not the individual, however, themes of intimate partner violence have the potential to be examined.

Please note that many of the topics discussed in this workshop will hold triggers.

TW: Physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, emotional abuse, sexual assault, rape

LGBTQ+ History

Sunday, 8:00am—9:00am

Jason Hall & Katie Chizek Room 303 History is part of any student’s curriculum, but queer history is usually left out. This workshop will focus on pivotal LGBTQ+ moments in history and how historical decisions have impacted the LGBTQ+ community. Using various historical resources, this workshop is just a brief snippet of our larger history as we look at identity during the ancient world all the way up to Stonewall and beyond. TW: Homophobia, transphobia, sexual assaut, sex in general

Being Latinx - Queer Identity in Latinidad Sassa Rivera Room 303 Hispanic? Latino/a? Spanish? Latinx?

Come learn about the new identity of Latinidad, embracing new terminology, actions, and representation in society. No that “x” is not a typo, but rather a part of a lingusitic revolution. In this workshop we will introduce the original meanings and move to decolonize and ungender the spanish language.

Learn of the intersections between the queer community and Latinidad, and be a Latinx Ally. TW: Transphobia

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Let’s Talk about Sex(ual Health): Organizing for Accessible Care on Your Campus Nigel Morton, Rue Monroe, Alex Hampton, Cheyenne Yoakum-Moore, Allie Lahey, Haley Miller Room 307/308 A full range of competent and inclusive sexual health care should be a right for college students, and is an essential component of reproductive justice. What happens if your university doesn’t provide accessible services for LGBTQ+ students? Student organizers will lead this hands-on workshop and discuss their experiences launching a campaign on campus for health care, talk about best strategies, and help you plan an example campaign on campus. TW: Medical trauma, needles, sexual assault/rape, misgendering

Queer Activism Burnout Tristan Morton Room 309/310 This interactive workshop will discuss the discourse of queerness and activism and the severity of burnout. We will discuss various topics such as; our queerness relates to activism how to identify burnout, mental health from an intersectional lens and more! Also, through this workshop participants will be able to create and bring tangible resources back to their various campuses and communities to be able to support queer people experiencing burnout.

Troupes, Trends and Bulldykes in Queer Pop Culture

Body Image, Disordered Eating & the LGBTQIA+ Community

Genevieve Labe & Joshua Ford Room 311 Have you ever been disappointed by being led on by what you thought was a queer storyline? Or disappointed by the lack of queer roles? We will navigate through the blatant to subtle nuances of queer pop culture. Discuss the most iconic queer pieces to up and coming trends and how they affect self-perception. Prepare to engage in various media formats and analyze the good and bad of queer representation. TW: Homophobia, transphobia and graphic sexual content

Katie Quinn & Heidi Lochen Room 315 Our presentation delves into the various disordered eating experiences and body expectations within the LGBTQIA+ spectrum as well as subgroups within the community like bears, twinks, femmes, dykes and much more. Exploring the different subgroups is a fascinating look at how differing preferences can be simultaneously beneficial and harmful to individuals and their views on their bodies. TW: Disordered eating, body dysmorphia, extreme body image negativity

TRANS talk: The Effects of the Prison Industrial Complex on Transgender Inmates

Dogmatism in Activism: A Philosophical Look at How Dogmatism Harms Social Justice Movements

Brendon T. Holloway Room 313 In the United States, a country that incarcerates more of its people than any other in the world, transgender people are more likely to engage in survival crimes, end up behind bars, and more likely to face abuse behind bars. This workshop will discuss the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) and the effects it has on the transgender community, as well as strategies to advocate for trans people who are incarcerated. TW: Sexual assault, transphobia, trans violence

Helen Proctor Room 317 Examining the distinction between labels and identities, compartments and communities. Looking closely at the concepts of alienation, exile, and blacklisting; if only those who have never contributed to institutionalized violence may participate in social justice movements, there would be no one to do the work. Avoidance and awareness of dogmatism enables us to create the better world we all want; a world that is less afraid, and more compassionate.

Featured Voice

Elizabeth (liz) Anh Thomson â&#x20AC;&#x153;Convergence: The Intersection of Disability, Race, Sexuality, and Genderâ&#x20AC;?

R o o m 305/306 [description: a dark-skinned Vietnamese person with a shaved head and black glasses, wears a light brown sweater with dark brown stripes.]

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Workshop Session Intersectionality in Elementary Classrooms Sandro Murillo Room 301 This workshop will provide best practices for aspiring educators to create curricula for lgbtq inclusion and social justice. Through discussion and lesson development activities, attendees will see how they can best honor students’ intersectional identities.

‘Cripping’ Queer: Disability Advocacy in Queer Spaces Auden Granger Room 302 What does it mean to make a space accessible? Why do we need to? How does incorporating disability impact our activism and the spaces we create with each other? This workshop serves as an introduction to the topics of disability, accessibility, and disability justice by talking frankly about disability and access needs as they relate to student activism. TW: Structural and institutional ableism

Sunday, 9:10am—10:10am

That’s So Metronormative!: Strategies for Supporting Queer Rural Youth Danny Ibarra & Joshua Renner Room 304 As queer students who attend a state university in rural Kansas and who are affected by regressive legislation and policies, we believe that bringing more visibility to the circumstances of rural queer youth will greatly benefit rural and urban queer people alike.

This workshop will facilitate conversations to close the gap between rural and urban research and to strategize better ways to support rural queer youth.

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It Happens To Us Too: Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence in the Queer Community Brook A. Adams Room 307/308 This workshop will discuss at length the prevalence of domestic abuse and sexual violence within the queer community and why there is a stigma that surrounds the topic. Initiating a discussion on domestic abuse and sexual violence is one step closer toward generating advocacy, safety for survivors, and an end to this social issue. TW: Domestic violence and sexual violence

Out & Proud in the Hiring Process Moderator: Clare Ford; Facilitators: Franco LaMarca, Mary Beth Wynn, Kate Hattington-Rosen, Lee Andel Dewey, Aimee Hechler, Jessica Hatton Room 309/310 How do you know if a potential employer has a culture where LGBTQ people and Allies can find success? Should I talk about my student activism/volunteering in my application/interview? What else should LGBTQ or Ally graduates know about the job hunt? Join us for a panel discussion with business and hiring professionals where you can ask questions about being out as LGBTQA in the hiring process. TW: Homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and harassment

Queering Femininity: Femme History, Identity, and Erasure Stefani Vargas Harlan Room 311 As an identity, femme is not homogenous but it is a thrilling mix of expression and experience. Femme can be a political statement, a way of life, an exploration of gender expression, or all of the above. The session will delve into the history of femme identity, how femmes are systematically erased, who can identify as femme, and how femme identity has evolved to present day. TW: Femmephobia, body image, misogyny, trans misogyny

Keeping Yourself Safe Online: Online Privacy Basics Jessica L. Colbert & Daniel Mills Room 313 Many LGBT/queer people go online to seek information and community. However, our online practices might unknowingly leave information online that can put us at risk. This workshop aims to give practical tools for protecting your privacy online.

We will be teaching you the importance of password strength, encryption, secure internet connections, and more. The content of this workshop is adapted from the Online Privacy Basic Class from the Library Freedom Project. TW: Government surveillance, outing

Trans Women in Videogames Addie Barron Room 314 The world of videogames, whatever hazy boundaries we could define it by, has been punctured in the last decade by the voices of numerous transgender women who have taken on the roles of programmers, designers, writers, and critics alike. This workshop will constitute a critical exploration of the contributions trans women have made to videogames, as well as an elaboration of what videogames might or might not do for trans liberation. TW: Transphobia, medical trauma, sex, death, racism

Sex, Sexuality, and Sport Katie McGrath & Taylor Sherritt Room 315 We will begin our workshop with a brief presentation that aims to highlight dominant ideologies surrounding sport culture and how queer representations within sport are frequently portrayed. Discussion will be centered around questions regarding personal experience with: 1. cultural representations, 2. Personal representation in sport (negative/positive/indifferent) and 3. reflecting on oppositional narratives that can/do challenge dominant ideas of sport. TW: Transphobia, homophobia, sexism

Bending Desire: Non-Binary Attraction and the Politic of Partnering JAC Stringer Room 317 In a culture where “sexy” is defined through feats of male/masculine or female/feminine perfection, how do we recognize desire for people that embody all of these qualities, or perhaps contain none of the above? In this workshop, we will discuss desire within non-binary communities including the language of gendered attraction, relationship dynamics, gender normalcy’s influences partnering, and how genderqueer and non-binary trans people continue to carve out spaces for sexual desire.

Featured Voice

Pidgeon Pagonis “Intersex Facts vs. Alternative Intersex Facts: Breaking Down the Myth of the Sex & Gender Binary” R o o m 305/306

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Conference Planning Committee Noah Barth DePaul University

Mia Dal Santo DePaul University

Katie Munro DePaul University

Ashabi Owagboriaye Northeastern Illinois University

they/them

she/her

she/her

she/her

Katy Weseman, Adviser DePaul University

Liz Bajjalieh Loyola University

Ella Evans DePaul University

Victoria Agunod DePaul University

she/her

she/her

she/her

they/them

Caitlyn LoMonte DePaul University

Meaghan Tomasiewicz Loyola University

Whitney Anderson DePaul University

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55

31

Maps

EXHIBITION, MEETING & SPECIAL EVENT SPACES 31 12 27 28 29 30

Aon Grand Ballroom Crystal Gardens Festival Hall A Festival Hall B Lakeview Terrace Rooftop Terrace

30 26 29

Shoreline Sightseeing

MUSIC & THEATERS

25

20 Chicago Skakespeare Theater 26 Miller Lite Beer Garden (seasonal)

Mystic Blue

28

8 Navy Pier IMAX® Theater (under construction) 18 The Yard at Chicago Skakespeare (under construction)

CULTURAL ATTRACTIONS & RIDES

Spirit of Chicago

21 Amazing Chicago’s Funhouse Maze 4 Bike & Roll Chicago (seasonal) 16 9 25 2 1 17

Centennial Wheel & Pier Park Chicago Children’s Museum Dreihaus Gallery of Stained Glass Polk Bros Park Polk Bros Fountain & Plaza The Wave Wall

Chicago Elite

27

24

RESTAURANTS

Tall Ship Windy

23 27 6 13

Billy Goat Tavern & Grill Brown Sugar Bakery Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. & Market Chango Loco Mexican Cantina (seasonal)

19

DMK Burger Bar & Fish Bar, Lalos, Pork Chop BBQ, Feshii & Tiny Tavern

23

22

21

Odyssey

28 27

11 5 7 14 10

Food Court Giordano’s Pizza Harry Caray’s Tavern Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Bar & Grill McDonald’s New Food Experience: Big City Chicken, Big Bowl 15 Chinese Express & Frankie’s Pizza By The Slice 26 Miller Lite Beer Garden (seasonal) 28 Tiny Tavern

20 Seadog Cruises

19 18

17 16 15

SHOPPING

13

12

Retail kiosks and shops located throughout Navy Pier

11

14 Shoreline Water Taxi Shoreline Sightseeing

10

9

TOUR & DINING BOATS Along Dock Street and Ogden Slip

8 7 5

6

4

LEGEND Taxi Stand

1

2

CTA Bus Stop Free Trolley Stop Parking Entrance Parking Paystation ATM Security/First Aid Guest Services/Info Restrooms Automatic External Defibrillator

56

Shoreline Sightseeing - Architectural - Charters - Water Taxis

VISITOR DIRECTORY

Level 2

Festival Hall

PE

SE

Overhead door

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms

Overhead door

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms

201 202

Overhead doors

Loading Dock

Overhead door

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms

Exhibition Hall A

Festival Hall

Exhibition Hall B

SE

203 204

PE

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms

PE

Overhead door

Overhead doors

Loading Dock

205

SE

Overhead door Stairs up to show office 366

Exhibition Hall A

Overhead door

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms Stairs up to show office 365

Overhead door

Overhead door

Stairs up to show office 362

Stairs up to show office 361

PE

Stairs up to Level 3 meeting rooms

201 206 202 207

Overhead door

Exhibition Hall B

PE SE

Sales Office

203

PE

Terrace C PE

204 205 Terrace A West Overhead door

Terrace B

Terrace A East Stairs up to show office 366

Stairs up to show office 365

Overhead door

Stairs up to show office 362

Stairs up to show office 361

206

PE

207

Overhead door

Sales Office

Capacities listed are maximum, exact event capacities will depend on the planned set-up of your event and will beiewed rev on a case by case basis.

PE

PE

Level 3 313

314

Terrace C

315 316

317

318

319

320

321

322

PE

Loading Dock Below

312

311

310

309

308

307

Terrace A West

Terrace B

Terrace A East

323 SE

324

328 SE

Capacities listed are maximum, exact event capacities will depend on the planned set-up of your event and will beiewed rev on a case by case basis.

325

Open to Below 306

305

304 312 302 310

303 311 301 309

308

307

313

314

315 316

317

318

319

320

PE

321

322

PE

Loading Dock Below

323

326

SE

327 PE

324 366

365

362

361

Show Office

Show Office

Show Office

Show Office

SE

325

Open to Below 306

305

304

303

302

301

329 328

PE

PE

326 327

PE

329

PE

366

365

362

361

Show Office

Show Office

Show Office

Show Office

57

58

59

60

Notes

61

Notes

62

63

64