Conference For Change
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Theme for the Day: Straight for Equality
Session 1
2:00 pm Registration begins at OSU-Tulsa Conference Center
2:30 Straight for Equality: Straight in the Workplace
Presenters:Jody Huckaby, Executive Director, and Rabbi David Horowitz, National President for PFLAG: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Description: Interactive 2 hour session with a comprehensive look at LGBT and straight interactions acknowledging that all players have a role in making workplace acceptance a reality
Who should attend: Tulsa-area human resources professionals & executive directors / board members of nonprofit organizations
Goal: Provide concrete, straightforward instruction on how to overcome barriers and implement change in the workplace; make the case for adopting inclusive policies – and then go beyond those policies to encourage real participation from all employees to transform the culture by inviting, educating and engaging straight people to become allies in the workplace.
Session 2
5:30 Transition to Greenwood Cultural Center for dinner.
Resource tables will be set up by local organizations serving LGBTQ community
6:00 General welcome by Toby Jenkins, Executive Director, Oklahomans for Equality
6:10 Special presentation by Dennis Neill
6:20 Dinner served
6:45 Keynote: Straight for Equality: How to Be an Ally
Presenter: Rabbi David Horowitz, National President for PFLAG: Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays
Title: “Where Religion and Reality Meet/ A Personal Faith Journey”
Description: A rabbi faces the fact that his daughter is a lesbian. The reconciliation of what he thought he knew and what he learned.
7:15 Follow-Up Presentation: Friendfactor
Presenters:Brian Elliot, Founder, Friendfactor
Description: Brian Elliot will share the story of why he decided to create the Friendfactor platform and what he hopes it will accomplish. He will also provide a live demonstration of the website and visually illustrate how it ties with the Straight for Equality message.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Theme for the Day: It Gets Better
Anti-bullying and Suicide Prevention
Session 3
8:00 am Registration begins at Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ)
8:30 Safe Space training (anti-bullying)
Presenters: GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network
Description: Morning session on GLSEN research findings, challenges faced by LGBT K-12 students and GLSEN’s program solutions, highlighting the GLSEN’s Safe Space Kit and nationwide Safe Space Campaign
Who should attend: Principals and Counselors from regional public schools middle and high schools and social workers / mental health professionals from various non-profit organizations.
Goal: To encourage principals and counselors to implement the Safe Space project in their schools.
Session 4
11:30 Lunch at Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ)
Presenter:Dr. Eliza Byard, Executive Director for GLSEN
Title: Making it Better: Effective Responses to Anti-LGBT Bullying and Bias in Our Schools
Who should attend: Principals and Counselors from regional public schools middle and high schools and social workers / mental health professionals from various non-profit organizations.
Session 5
1:00 pm Registration begins at Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ)
1:15 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Panel for College Students
Presenters: GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network; Michael Merryman (Youth Services of Tulsa); Toby Jenkins (OKEQ); Rev. Nancy J. Eggen (United Campus Ministry at The University of Tulsa); Lori Franklin (OU-Tulsa); Larry Curtis, OU-Tulsa Graduate Student
Description: As the organization behind the creation of GSAs across the country, GLSEN has developed extensive expertise in utilizing the GSA model to advocate for social change in grass-roots ways. This session will work with leaders of GSA chapters from various colleges and universities in the Tulsa-area.
Who should attend: student leaders of all college / university GSA chapters in the region
Goal: To support GSA chapter leaders in developing their respective GSA chapters according to current best-practices.
Session 6
3:45 Registration begins at Youth Services Tulsa – Youth Activity Center
4:00 Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) workshop
Presenters: GLSEN: Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network; Michael Merryman (Youth Services of Tulsa)
Description: As the organization behind the creation of GSAs across the country, GLSEN has developed extensive expertise in utilizing the GSA model to advocate for social change in grass-roots ways. Also, Youth Services of Tulsa will share tips on how GSAs can reduce instances of bullying on their campus. This session will work with leaders of GSA chapters from various high schools in the Tulsa-area.
Who should attend: Student leaders of all high school GSA chapters in the area
Goal: To support GSA chapter leaders in developing their respective GSA chapters according to current best-practices.
