On Sunday, HRC Foundation’s fifth-annual Time to THRIVE Conference in support of LGBTQ youth came to a close.

The annual event is held in partnership with the American Counseling Association and the National Education Association, with AT&T, BBVA Compass and Toyota as presenting sponsors. The HRC Foundation’s premier national event addresses safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ and questioning youth, and brings together youth-serving professionals to discuss best practices for working with and caring for LGBTQ youth and their faimilies in schools, community centers, health care settings and beyond.

After attending their final breakout workshops and training sessions, the Time to THRIVE contingent heard from Chris Mosier, the first transgender member of Team USA, during the closing plenary. Mosier spoke to the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in sports, and affired LGBTQ youth that it is possible to be themselves and compete in the sports that they love.

 

Presenting today at @humanrightscampaign #TimeToTHRIVE - talking about creating inclusive spaces in youth sport on behalf of @youcanplayteam. I’ll also be giving some closing remarks, so I hope to see you there! . #youcanplay #transathlete #hrc #lgbt #lgbtq #equality #inclusion #nike #betrue #transman #nodaysoff #nobaddays

A post shared by thechrismosier (@thechrismosier) on Feb 18, 2018 at 5:43am PST

HRC Foundation was honored to present transgender trailblazer Gavin Grimm with its final Upstander Award of the weekend for serving as a leader for LGBTQ youth everywhere and taking his fight for equality all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States. Star of TLC’s “I Am Jazz” and 2017 HRC Upstander Award recipient Jazz Jennings presented the award to Grimm.

Lastly, attendees were introduced to the 2018 class of HRC Youth Ambassadors as HRC’s Sarah McBride closed the program. 

.@HRC Foundation’s new cohort of Youth Ambassadors and @SarahEMcBride take the stage to close out our fifth annual #TimeToTHRIVE Conference! Learn more about these advocates at https://t.co/VdAUjT1leQ. pic.twitter.com/Sg2kp2oJEU

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 18, 2018

Time to THRIVE is the premier national convening of educators and youth-serving professionals to build awareness and cultural competency, learn current and emerging best practices and gather resources from leading experts and national organizations in the field. Time to THRIVE took place Feb. 16-18, 2018 at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek in Orlando, Florida.

Read our Time to THRIVE Day One and Day Two recaps.

.@TheChrisMosier has an inspiring message for #LGBTQ youth. #TimeToTHRIVE pic.twitter.com/oSgecdJFqB

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) February 18, 2018

There is something so powerful about being in a room full of LGBTQ+ people affirming our identities, experiences, & truths. #TimeToTHRIVE

— Nikos Giannopoulos (@BeaconMrG) February 18, 2018

Trailblazing athlete & Rogers Park neighbor @TheChrisMosier addressing #TimeToTHRIVE on leading the way for transgender athletes & the power of youth sports on kids’ lives

— Rep. Kelly Cassidy (@RepKellyCassidy) February 18, 2018

Spoke @HRC ‘s #TimeToTHRIVE Conference about my lived experience and had the incredible opportunity to introduce Al Smith Jr. who is the group VP and the Chief Social Innovation of @Toyota. He is an amazing person doing great work in our community and our wold. pic.twitter.com/6W3h4oYZjR

— Roddy Biggs (@RoddyBiggs) February 18, 2018

We are so proud of our Youth Council leaders who presented on a youth panel today at the Human Rights Campaign’s Time to THRIVE conference! Thank you all for sharing your inspiring stories! #TimetoTHRIVE #HRC pic.twitter.com/BMZD5V6GUD

— Zebra Coalition (@ZebraCoalition) February 18, 2018

Thank you @HRC on another fantastic #TimeToTHRIVE conference! https://t.co/vuqlZjcUb4

— Tyler Clementi Fndtn (@TylerClementi) February 18, 2018

Some of Team ACA at #Timetothrive - David Kaplan, Kent Butler, Josh Stanley, Gerard Lawson, and Rich Yep. Thanks @HRC & @VinniePompei @ellenbkhan @CounselingViews pic.twitter.com/a4xbmgPswd

— Richard Yep (@Richyep) February 18, 2018