Arriving to the conference Jan. 24, WPU students were excited and quite nervous for what was in store.
While we were tired from the 4 hour car ride toWashington DC, we were bouncing out of our seats once we had reached the hotel.
I had no clue what I was getting myself into, but I knew this is where I wanted to be.
First, let me explain what this conference is all about.
“We’re building a future where everyone is free to be themselves in
every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination,
millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment,
healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights,” according to Task Force.
Activism is imperative to today’s culture, and getting the opportunity to express ourselves to others was completely life changing!
Board members of Gender and Sexuality (GSA) lobbied to congressman on Capitol Hill
about important bills that needed to be passed for the LGBTQ+ community such as, The Equality
Act, Do No Harm Act, and Women’s Rights Act.
Although, all the representatives were in recess (representatives head back to their district for two weeks), we were able to talk to their secretaries who would pass along the message to them.
I was personally touched by the attendee’s heart wrenching stories.
“This specific conference has changed my life because I used to be closeted, but once I came to my first Creating Change conference I gained courage to come out to everyone and didn’t care what anyone had to say about it,” said Stacy Travis, Pennsylvania State University student and attendee
.
Each day was filled with workshops that helped educate each person on different problems in the LGBTQ+
community.
Upon reflection of the conference, I asked WPU board member, Gloria Smith how being a
part of an event like this changed her perspective in her daily life.
“It affected my perspective on the LGBTQ+ community for the better. I’ve realized there are so many unheard stories all over
the world that need to be heard by parents, teachers, and even the higher ups like the
government. Overall, the conference was amazing and unforgettable, and I hope to attend many
more.”
The best part of the whole conference was connecting to future job prospects and meeting
amazing people with their own personal stories to tell.