Date: Thu, 11 Nov 1999 16:06:03 -0800 From: "David Elliot" Subject: [NGLTF PRESS] Creating Change '99 Kicks Off! ********************************************* NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: David Elliot, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager delliot@ngltf.org http://www.ngltf.org 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC ********************************************* Creating Change '99 Kicks Off! Record number of activists, robust host committee and packed agenda all guarantee a lively and successful conference Nov. 11, 1999 - The largest annual conference of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered movement began today as a record-breaking number of activists swept into the Oakland Marriott City Center for Creating Change. This year's Creating Change, sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, runs Thursday through Sunday and will involve more than 120 workshops, plenaries and other events on nearly every topic of interest to GLBT activists and those who support GLBT equality. Plenary sessions will address the following topics: ***"Politics Is A Many-Gendered Thing," 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 11. This panel explores the evolution from "gay" politics to the new gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered movement for social justice. Featuring Riki Wilchins, executive director of GenderPAC; Sgt. Stefan Thorme of the San Francisco Police Department; and Carmen Vazquez, public policy director of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center of New York, NY. Moderated by Kerry Lobel, NGLTF executive director. "An Accesible Movement," 10:45 a.m. Friday. Accessibility means more than ramps, lifts, ASL and Braille. The GLBT movement can be more welcoming to people with different abilities. But the movement may need to take a harder look at GLBT organizations and consider whether access to community institutions, political groups and agendas, and social/cultural spaces is reality. Featuring Janet Weinberg, president, Board of Directors, Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, New York, NY; Dragosani Renteria, Queer Deaf Resource Center, San Francisco, CA; and Gene Chelberg, assistant director, Disability Services, University of Minnesota. Moderated by Chai Feldblum, NGLTF legislative consultant and professor, Georgetown University Law School. "The Church As An Agent of Social Change," 10:45 a.m. Saturday. This panel examines the spiritual bases for the support of religious allies of the GLBT movement and offers guidance in the construction of a faith-based progressive movement. Featuring Rev. Mel White of SoulForce; Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Simchat Torah, New York, NY; and Rev. Kathi Martin of the United Church of Christ, Stone Mountain, GA. Moderated by Rev. Ken South, NGLTF Senior Policy Fellow and coordinator of the National Religious Leadership Roundtable. "Our Movement's Next Century," 11 a.m. Sunday. Despite the tremendous gains made in the 20th Century, GLBT people are still far from achieving equality in law and public policy. What does the next century hold? Featuring Susan Stryker, executive director, Gay and Lesbian Historical Society of Northern California; Vera Martin, Old Lesbians Organizing for Change, Apache Junction, AZ; and Michael Scarce, author and activist, San Francisco. Moderated by Urvashi Vaid, director, Policy Institute of NGLTF, New York, NY. In addition, the conference will feature some 120 workshops and trainings on such diverse topics as religion, racism, philanthropy and social change, youth and aging issues, sexual liberation and gender identity, cyber organizing and men's health and culture. But with the GLBT community heading into a pivotal election year and the Knight Initiative on the March 2000 California ballot, more emphasis than ever before will be placed on political organizing and winning elections. "Creating Change is about building an accessible, progressive, equality-based movement for the new millennium," said NGLTF Executive Director Kerry Lobel. "During the next four days, we will have more than 120 workshops, plenaries, caucuses and other events. But just as important are the many thousands of one-on-one conversations and bonding experiences that will take place between registrants. We will walk away from Creating Change with the strength, energy, creativity and vision to move our quest for equality forward - in California and in every state in the country." This year's Creating Change is sponsored with the help of Gay.com, Pacific Bell, PlanetOut, Wells Fargo Foundation, HERO Magazine, Harvey Milk Foundation, The Advocate, BREATH/American Lung Association, Kaiser Permanente, Lesbian.com, Olivia Cruises and Resorts, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric, Chevron and Port of Oakland. American Airlines is the official carrier for Creating Change. _________________________________________________________________ The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force presents the Creating Change conference - the nation's premier conference for activists and organizers in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender movement. November 10-14 * Oakland, CA * http://www.creatingchange.org _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Communications Department. If you have a question regarding this post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message. 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