San Diego hosts a star-studded educator’s conference with the second annual international educator conference focused on LGBTQIA youth, Feb. 25-27.
This year’s conference, entitled Solutions To A Crisis, seeks to empower school counselors and educators to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, queer/questioning, intersex and allied youth.
“Basically, our kids are struggling in our schools,” said Vinnie Pompei, co-chairman of the conference. He listed some shocking statistics, including 9 out of 10 LGBT students have reported being harassed, 28 percent drop out of school because lack of feeling safe, and LGBT students are four times more likely to attempt suicide. “In responding to that, we decided to create this conference.”
Presented by the Center for Excellence in School Counseling and Leadership (CESCal) and the Harvey Milk Foundation, the conference will have appearances and presentations by the who’s who in education, including the Assistant Deputy Secretary for the U.S. Department of Education, Executive Director of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), President of the American School Counseling Association, President of the California Teachers Association and Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District. Senator Christine Kehoe will welcome the attendees Friday evening and San Diego Mayor Sanders will welcome conference goers Saturday morning.
“It’s the first time to bring together national education association leaders together with LGBT rights organizations and their directors,” said Pompei, who co-chairs the event with Dr. Trish Hatch of San Diego State University. “They are coming to represent their association. This is a cause that is dear to their heart. They know we need to address this issue.”
Other featured speakers include L. Stuart Milk, Founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, Chely Wright, award winning country music singer/songwriter, and advocate Sirdeaner Walker, mother of 11-year-old Carl Walker-Hoover who committed suicide after enduring anti-gay bullying at school. A special performance of Dear Harvey, a play that recounts the achievements and vision of Harvey Milk, is planned for Friday night.
Conference workshops cover anti-gay bullying in schools, the ABCs of LGBTQIA, minority issues, finding a gay friendly college campus, suicide prevention and homelessness as well as social, mental, legal and religious issues. There will also be 20 exhibitors who are sharing research and data of working LGBT youths.
“The response was phenomenal from the first year,” Pompei said, adding he is expecting about 300 attendees this year. “A lot of attendees that came last year are coming back and bringing two or three people with them.”
While the full conference is geared towards teachers, school administrators and counselors, Pompei said the general public is invited to attend Friday night’s festivities, including the Dear Harvey performance, No On H8 photographs, a keynote address from Kevin Jennings, Assistant Deputy Secretary from the U.S. Department of Education, an awards presentation to Cyndi Lauper (via Skype) and more. Tickets for Friday only are $30.
For tickets and more information, log on to lgbtqia2011.com.
