From: Heather Wright Subject: PFLAG Conference Watch #2 Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 18:02:45 -0500 Conference Watch: February 18, 2000 "PFLAG: Family Voices for Equality" April 28-30, 2000; Washington, DC "It was overwhelming to see the number of parents attending Conference in support of their gay and lesbian children. If only the rest of the world could have seen what we did...such a positive event. It is a memory that will remain with us for the rest of our lives." - PFLAGers who attended PFLAG's 1996 National Conference in Washington, DC With the countdown at 70 days until PFLAG's first National Conference in more than two years, plans continue to promise a weekend packed with unique and useful events for the entire PFLAG Family - from chapter leaders to allies; from parents to GLBT people. This edition of Conference Watch includes information on newly confirmed speakers, contests, and upcoming deadlines, as well as announcements about PFLAG events before, during and after the conference. Conference sponsors include American Airlines, IBM, Coors Brewing Company, HERO Magazine, American Express Financial Advisors, PlanetOut, Gay.com, The Advocate and the Gay Financial Network (gfn.com). 1. Speakers & Presenters - Special appearances confirmed 2. Scholarships - Deadline Extended! Applications due Feb. 22 3. Announcement - Apple Pie Recipe Contest continues 4. Housing - Community housing and alternate hotels available 5. Airfare - Fly free to the National Conference 6. Schedule & Workshops - Exciting events and workshops planned 7. Contests - You could win special prizes 8. Millennium March on Washington - PFLAG co-sponsors "Family Garden" 9. Exhibits & Ad Sales - Raise your profile 1. Speakers & Presenters - Special appearances confirmed PFLAGers everywhere are excited that actress Stockard Channing will be appearing at "PFLAG: Family Voices for Equality." Channing is an award-winning actress and will be starring in the Lifetime Television original movie, Jane's Coming Out Party, about a mother who learns her daughter is a lesbian, scheduled to air in August. Other notable personalities expected to participate in the conference include Dennis & Judy Shepard; Jimmy Creech, the Methodist minister punished by his church for performing same-sex holy unions; former Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-WI); Catholic Bishop Thomas Gumbleton; and Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA). 2. Scholarships - Deadline Extended! Applications due Feb. 22 The deadline for scholarship applications has been extended. Scholarship applications are due February 22, 2000, and awardees will be notified by February 28, 2000. PFLAG will award scholarships for conference registration to one person per region, and to others if additional funds are available. (Recipients are responsible for making all arrangements for lodging and should be aware that hotels are likely to fill up early.) To nominate someone or apply yourself, send a one-page letter answering the following questions: Are you/they an at-large PFLAG member, chapter member or a potential member? How long have you/they been a PFLAG member? Why did you/they join PFLAG? Describe how you/they work with the PFLAG chapter. How will you/they and the chapter benefit from attending the conference? Please include your name, address and telephone number. Send nominations to: PFLAG Conference Scholarship Fund 1726 M Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 Fax to: 202-467-8194; E-mail to: scholarship@pflag.org 3. Announcement - Apple Pie Recipe Contest Continues On Wednesday evening, April 26, dozens of PFLAG Families and Friends will gather to bake apple pies, which will be delivered to members of Congress during PFLAG's Lobby Day, Thursday afternoon, April 27. Last year, a PFLAG Mom in Virginia was having trouble scheduling an appointment with a conservative state legislator. So she showed up with a home-baked apple pie. He couldn't resist meeting with her. Now, her wonderful idea will be replicated nationally - with celebrity PFLAG Families pitching in to help bake. Leading up to what promises to be an unforgettable evening, PFLAG is soliciting apple pie recipes from families nationwide. Please send your family's recipe to: PFLAG Apple Pie Recipe Contest 1726 M St., NW, Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036 Fax: 202-467-8194; E-mail to: info@pflag.org Many thanks to HERO Magazine, PFLAG's Apple Pie Event Media Partner 4. Housing - Community housing and alternate hotels available PFLAG Washington, DC/Metropolitan Area is coordinating community housing for the conference. For more information about housing options with local PFLAGers, contact Joyce Goodman of PFLAG/Metro DC at 703/354-3794. "PFLAG: Family Voices for Equality" will be held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA, 800-228-9290). Rooms at the Crystal Gateway are limited, so be sure to secure your reservations there or at a nearby hotel soon. Visit www.pflag.org for more hotel information and a listing of alternate hotels. 5. Airfare - Fly free to the National Conference Any PFLAG delegation that includes 30 people flying to the conference on PFLAG's official airline, American Airlines, will receive one free American Airlines flight voucher. The delegation doesn't have to be from the same chapter, but they do all need to be traveling to the conference. All members of the delegation must use the following code when booking conference flights on American Airlines: S3940UC. Call 1-800-433-1790 to take advantage of this offer and receive a discount on your fare. Delegations are encouraged to use the free flight to send someone else to conference. To do so, submit a list of the 30-member delegation by March 10, 2000, to PFLAG's Field staff. For a listing of Field staff serving your area, call 202-467-8180, or go to http://www.pflag.org/works/staff/staffm.html. 6. Schedule & Workshops - Exciting events planned PFLAG's conference officially begins Friday, April 28, but PFLAG members and allies from all over are arriving early for exciting pre-conference events starting Wednesday, April 26. Conference events include the following: Wednesday 4/26 Apple pie baking Thursday 4/27 Lobby day Friday 4/28 Youth and Education Institute (afternoon) Plenary Session (evening) Saturday 4/29 Workshops*, Cyber Café, Exhibit Hall (all day) Awards Banquet & Dance (evening) Sunday 4/30 Faith Celebration, Special Membership Meeting (morning) Millennium March on Washington * More than 45 workshops are scheduled for Saturday, April 29. Topics include a range of support, education and advocacy oriented sessions. Scheduled workshop topics include support group facilitation, organizing families in communities of color, difficult family issues, grandparent's issues, cyberactivism, public speaking, and fighting the radical right effectively. Presenters include nationally-recognized experts, leaders of chapters with successful programs, and representatives of leading national GLBT and mainstream groups. 7. Contest - You could win special prizes At the conference, prizes will be awarded to: (1) the chapter with the highest percentage of its members in attendance: (2) the chapter with the most members in attendance; (3) the person who came the farthest to attend the conference; and (4) the largest family (in the broad sense of the word) contingent. 8. Millennium March on Washington - PFLAG co-sponsors "Family Garden" Plans continue to come together for the Millennium March on Washington. Over a million people are expected to join the March in a show of support for GLBT rights. PFLAGers will be there in full force on Sunday, April 30, adding our family voices to this national event. PFLAG, in collaboration with The Family Pride Coalition and Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere (COLAGE), will produce what promises to be the largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender family event ever held at our nation's capitol - a child-friendly Family Garden. Thousands of GLBT parents, children, aunts, uncles and grandparents will gather in the Family Garden during the MMOW Rally. Sponsored by GAY.COM, a leading provider of interactive services for the gay and lesbian community, the Family Garden will have space for picnics and play, as well as activity areas for children of all ages. The Family Garden is based on the hugely successful Children's Garden that has come to be a tradition at many Pride Festivals throughout the country. The Family Garden will provide families with safe and engaging activities. There will be toys for toddlers, crafts for children, team building for adolescents and a special teen area. Colorful clowns and characters will roam the entire Garden area, and families will be entertained with magic, science, music and puppet shows. Diaper-changing stations, family first aid, a children's "potty area" and a breast-feeding tent will also be available. The Family Garden will be contained in a special section of Washington, DC's National Mall. Families are asked to arrive by 8:30am to avoid the massive crowds created by the march portion of the event. For more information on the activities scheduled for the Family Garden or to volunteer, contact Family Pride at (619) 296-0199 or email program@familypride.org. 9. Exhibits & Ad Sales - Raise your profile Conference attendees look to exhibitors for merchandise, information, business tips, chapter resources, networking opportunities. Exhibiting at "Family Voices for Equality" is the perfect way to reach PFLAG's diverse membership during this historic time. Current exhibitors include PFLAG chapters from Columbus, Hartford and Washignton, DC, Cruise Holidays, Heart Strong, Family Diversity Projects, More Light Presbytarians, Signs of Pride and In The Family Magazine. To include your name on this list visit www.pflag.org for more information and a registration form, or contact Beth McKew at bmckew@pflag.org. Additionally, if you are interested in placing an ad in the conference program book, visit www.pflag.org or contact Heather Wright (hwright@pflag.org) for more details and an ad rate card. "As a lesbian member of PFLAG in Florida, I look forward to your conferences and the wonderful opportunities they offer." - Eager conference registrant for "PFLAG: Family Voices for Equality" To register for "PFLAG: Family Voices for Equality" call 202-467-8180 x213 for a registration form. To register online, go to: http://www.pflag.org/confreg.html. PFLAG ˇ 1726 M Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036 ˇ ph: 202-467-8180 Fax: 202-467-8194 ˇ email: info@pflag.org ˇ http://www.pflag.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To unsubscribe from PFLAG's alerts, please send email, subject line "unsubscribe" to info@pflag.org. 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