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by Elliott Kozuch •
WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC), in partnership with the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA) will be holding its nationally acclaimed Time to THRIVE Conference in Washington, D.C. this week, from April 28-30.
In its fourth year, this premier event of the HRC Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, will address safety, inclusion and well-being for LGBTQ and questioning youth, and bring together a wide range of youth-serving professionals to discuss best practices for working with and caring for LGBTQ youth and their families in schools, community centers, healthcare settings, and beyond.
“During a time when too many people -- from classrooms to government offices -- feel emboldened to bully marginalized communities, LGBTQ youth need their counselors, teachers, social workers and other professionals fighting for them,” said Vincent Pompei, Director of HRC's Youth Well-Being Project and Time to THRIVE conference chair. “A recent HRC survey shows that 70 percent of young people have witnessed or experienced bullying during and since the presidential election. More than a quarter of LGBTQ students have been personally bullied. Youth-serving professionals need to be on the front lines of ending and preventing these and other challenges faced by LGBTQ youth.”
HRC’s Time to THRIVE Conference features 72 workshops by more than 45 national and grassroots organizations dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ youth. Special guests at the conference include Executive Producer of National Geographic's Gender Revolution Katie Couric, New York Times columnist Charles Blow, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Miss America contestant Erin O’Flaherty, Out of Iraq stars Nayyef Hrebid & Btoo Allami, transgender advocates Jazz Jennings and Ruby Corado, HRC’s Youth Ambassadors and members of HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council -- including Jazz’s mother, Jeanette.
This year, 800 people hailing from 43 states and Denmark are scheduled to attend HRC’s Time to THRIVE.
This Friday, dozens of the participants will also take part in a LGBTQ Youth Policy Lobby Day on Capitol Hill, hosted by HRC, GLSEN, PFLAG, the Trevor Project and the True Colors Fund. The participants, hailing from 21 states, are scheduled to meet with officials and staff members in 98 congressional offices.
HRC’s 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 will take place April 28-30 in Washington, D.C. with Toyota and AT&T as the presenting sponsors. To register, visit www.TimeToThrive.org.
Members of the media interested in attending should contact press@hrc.org.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is education arm of America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.
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To make a general inquiry, please visit our contact page. Members of the media can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.
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