Produced by the HRC Foundation

Time to THRIVE was founded with the goal of building a strong network of supportive adults to ensure LGBTQ+ youth don’t simply survive, but THRIVE. Our summit is a convening to build awareness and cultural competency, learn current and emerging best practices, gather resources from leading experts and organizations in the field, and connect adult allies on the ground with regional approach.

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Registration & Information

Registration for Time to THRIVE in the Upper Midwest, set for Saturday May 18, 2024,
is now open.

If you are an NEA Member, please reach out to Anthony Brisson at the NEA at abrisson@nea.org for your registration.

Attention LGBTQ+ Youth - Time to THRIVE in the Upper Midwest is designed for educators, counselors, librarians, social workers, and youth-serving professionals. Parents and caregivers are welcome to join us for the event and LGBTQ+ youth are also welcome to attend. Any youth under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents, caregivers, and guardians, please be aware that this summit does discuss the hardships LGBTQ+ youth face including suicide, violence, and hatred.

Thank you to Queer Youth Assemble and HRC’s Youth Ambassadors for designing our Youth Track of breakouts for those youth who attend.

Time To THRIVE Agenda


8:00 AM - Registration Opens

9:00 AM - Breakfast Plenary Session
- Land Acknowledgement by Stephanie Autumn (she/her), Tribal Youth Resource Center
- Welcome by Tim O’Regan (he/him), T-Mobile
- Welcome by Princess Moss (she/her), National Education Association (NEA)

9:45 AM - Brighter than Burnout (Youth Ambassador Keynote)
- Kei (she/they), HRC Youth Ambassador

9:50 AM - Regional Realities Panel Plenary Session
National and regional experts share insights on the climate for LGBTQ+ youth, current legislative realities, and the impact of legislation on the community featuring:
- Sarah Warbelow (she/her), Human Rights Campaign
- Erin Maye Quade (she/her), MN State Senator and Gender Justice
- Angela Kade Goepferd (they/them), Gender Health Program at Children’s Minnesota Hospital
- Jordan Mix (they/them), Iowa Safe Schools
- Hildie (she/her), HRC Youth Ambassador
- Wendy Strout (she/her), Human Rights Campaign (moderator)

12:30 PM - Lunch Plenary Session

12:45 PM - The Dance of Dualities Within (Youth Ambassador Keynote)
Exploring Rhythms of Resilience, Embracing Authenticity, and Forging a Path of Advocacy and Empowerment
- Rehman (they/them), HRC Youth Ambassador

12:50 PM - Featured Keynote on Transgender Youth & Sports
- Katie Barnes (they/them), ESPN Journalist & Author
- Local transgender athletes

5:15 PM - Parents Speak: Panel of Parents of Transgender & Non-Binary Youth
- Moderated by Ellen Kahn (she/her), HRC Foundation

6:30 PM - Special Documentary Screening
A family discovers the pitfalls and joys of forging a new path after hostile politics force them to leave their home.

7:00 PM - Closing Plenary & Call to Action
- Featuring Councilwoman Andrea Jenkins (she/her)

8:00 PM - Event Ends


Explore Sample Breakouts:

Time to THRIVE in the Upper Midwest
Keynote Speaker

Katie Barnes (They/Them)

Katie Barnes (they/them/their) is an award winning journalist covering the intersection of sports and gender. As a feature writer at ESPN, Katie has profiled women’s sports superstars like Maya Moore, A’ja Wilson, and Amanda Nunes. They are a leading journalist in the coverage of legislation and policy affecting transgender and intersex athletes.


Fair Play
is their first book. It was named as a “Must-Read Book of 2023” by Time Magazine. Katie is a 3-time GLAAD award nominee and a 2022 finalist for the Dan Jenkins Medal, a prestigious award honoring outstanding sports journalism. They were named the 2017 Journalist of the Year by NLGJA — The Association of LGBTQ Journalists.

About Time To THRIVE

Time to THRIVE has evolved over recent years as we are currently in the midst of a truly tremendous and nearly unprecedented avalanche of pushback against the LGBTQ+ community. Across the country, record-numbers of anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced and sadly even passed in state legislatures, often targeting LGBTQ+ youth and specifically transgender youth. This prompted HRC to issue our first ever National State of Emergency in June 2023.

This has also prompted Time to THRIVE to adapt and shift to a regional model, allowing us to focus on the regional realities that vary wildly across the country due to this wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. We hope you’ll join us at a regional Time to THRIVE summit!

FAQ:

Past Summits


Want to see more from previous summits?
Check out our YouTube playlist with previous panels and much more!

Our Sponsors and Partners

Interested in sponsoring HRC Foundation's Time to THRIVE Summits?
Connect with us at TimetoTHRIVE@hrc.org.

Sponsored by

Presenting Partners

The Human Rights Campaign reports on news, events and resources of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation that are of interest to the general public and further our common mission to support the LGBTQ+ community.

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