Subject: May 20 Lambda Conference to Host National Gathering
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 11 May 2000 10:51:52 -0500

Media Contact: Sharon Kersten (305) 867-0933
[email-masked]

Assistant U.S. Attorney General, White House Liaison and
Transsexual Teacher Fired from her Job Among Speakers at
Lambda Conference

May 20 event to host national gathering of Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender Organizations and Activists

Miami Beach is set to host one of the largest Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Conferences in the Southeastern
United States - Lambda Conference & Business Expo 2000, on 
Saturday, May 20, 2000. Presented by SAVE Foundation, this
is the sixth year of the daylong conference, which has attracted
an impressive list of national speakers.  

Included in the impressive lineup of presenters are keynote
speakers Robert Raben, U.S. Assistant Attorney General for
Legislative Affairs, Elizabeth Julian Potter, Director of Lesbian
and Gay Outreach for the White House Office of Public Liaison and
Dana Rivers, the transsexual teacher fired from her job in
California.

Robert Raben's office is responsible for overseeing the Attorney
General's legislative initiatives. The office responds to
Congressional inquiries, coordinates activity concerning
Congressional oversight of the Department and participates in the
Senate confirmation process for federal judges and Department
nominees, such as Assistant Attorneys General and U.S. Attorneys.
From 1993-1999, Raben served as Counsel to Congressman Barney
Frank (D-MA).

With a direct line to the President, Elizabeth Julian Potter is
responsible for eliciting input from the public regarding
policies, programs and issues, and communicating those views to
the President and his advisors. In addition to her community and
political experience she has worked on many issues of importance
to the Lesbian and Gay community. On the Campaign for Military
Service, she assisted in a national outreach strategy to support
President Clinton's effort to lift the ban on Gay Service members.
During the Clinton/Gore Inaugural of 1997 she served on the host
committee that produced the first Inaugural Gala for Lesbians that
was recognized by the Presidential Inaugural Committee.

Dana Rivers created an uproar when she arrived at her teaching
position as a woman, whereas she previously held the position as
David Warfield. An award-winning teacher with an excellent nine-
year record as an educator, Rivers' case began when the school
board voted 3-2 to begin dismissal proceedings and put her on
paid leave while she fought her case. The attempted firing of
Rivers attracted national media attention, and feature articles
about her have appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times,
Time and People. She has also appeared with Diane Sawyer on Good 
Morning America, on 20/20 and on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

As a male to female transsexual, she has witnessed first hand
discrimination that comes from ignorance about her rare medical
condition, Gender Identity Dysphoria. She possesses a unique 
vantage point from which to observe the barriers still facing
women in our society and economy. As a public educator, she
understands the need to create a safe and accepting environment
for gay youth, not only in schools and institutions, but also on
the streets and in family settings. 

Another important component of the conference will be a round
table discussion - "Where Do We Go From Here?" - featuring leaders
from throughout the nation, including representatives from 
National Center for Lesbian Rights, Human Rights Campaign, LLEGO,
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Victory Fund and Lambda Legal
Defense and Education Fund.

Specific tracks will include five to seven workshops conducted
throughout the day in each of the following categories: Political
/ Legal, Financial, Family, Relationships, Health, Religion & 
Spirituality, Diversity Within, Youth and Gay Culture & Lifestyles.

Individual workshops cover a diverse range of issues, including
The Gayby Boom, Protecting Your Assets, So You Want to Run for
Office, Black and Hispanic issues and Hate Crimes.

The Business Expo showcases local and national businesses and 
organizations with an interest in serving the needs of the GLBT
community. The exhibitors will provide information and discuss 
their issues, products or services in a one-to-one setting. 

Lambda Conference & Business Expo is presented by SAVE Foundation,
whose mission is to empower the GLBT community through education
and information. This year's sponsors include: 
Genre Magazine, TWN, CVS ProCare, Dade Human Rights Foundation,
Burstein Family Foundation, FEDCO Pharmacy, Miamigo Magazine,
Gayborhood.com, Renaissance Women, Dupont Pharmaceuticals and
G&L Internet Bank. Youth and Health Tracks are sponsored by 
United Way of Miami-Dade.  

Lambda Conference & Business Expo takes place on Saturday, May 20
from 9 AM to 7 PM at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901
Convention Center Drive. Admission is $15 per person, and
scholarships are available based on need. Daycare services will
be offered free of charge, with advance reservation required.

For further information, please call (305) 751-7283 or visit
the web site at http://www.lambdaconference.com.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
        
GLINN News Distribution Service at http://www.gaydata.com, the Gay
Media Database and GLINN.COM, the Gay/Lesbian International News
Network.