INFORMATION FOR
The 15th Annual LGBTQA College Leadership Conference, which brings together college students, faculty, staff, and members of the surrounding community for educational and leadership development, will be held on Friday, October 13, 2017 at William Paterson University in Wayne. The event, runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the University Commons Ballroom on campus.
Titled “Queer Students: Activism from Hashtags to Conscious Engagement,” this year’s conference focuses on the use of social media and online communities to expand LGBTQ+ activism. Discussion will focus on ways to facilitate social and political change through social networking, tools that can be used to expand advocacy efforts, and the opportunity to learn about initiatives on various college campus in support of LGBTQ+ students.
The plenary session, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., will include panelists Emmett Lundberg, a writer and filmmaker known for his award-winning web series Brothers; Tee Franklin, a Queer, disabled, woman of color and an advocate for more diversity in the comic book industry; and Mark Travis Rivera ‘15, a William Paterson University graduate who is an activist, choreographer, dancer, speaker, and writer who shares stories about being Latino, gay, disabled, and femme. The session will be facilitated by Esmilda Abreu, assistant vice president of student affairs at Pratt Institute. Breakout sessions featuring three concurrent workshops each on a variety of topics will be held from 10 to 11 a.m., 11:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., and 3:10 to 4:10 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to participate in a poetry and spoken word open mic during lunch.
Hosted by a consortium of colleges and universities including William Paterson University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey City University, Ramapo College, and Pratt Institute, the conference is open to the public and draws students from universities, colleges, and high schools in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Admission is free for students with a valid student ID and $15 for all other registrants. Online registration will be available until Monday, October 9, 2017. Limited registration will be available at the door on the day of the conference. Information on the conference is available at https://lgbtqaleadershipco.wixsite.com/njlgbtqa.
For more information, please contact the Women’s Center of William Paterson University at 973.720.2946 or womenscenter@wpunj.edu
