LOS ANGELES — Point Foundation (Point), the nation’s largest scholarship-granting organization for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students of merit, is committed to helping young people acquire leadership skills. Thanks to the generosity of the Verizon Foundation, Point is able to bring its 84 current scholars and many of its alumni together for leadership training events in 2016.
Mario Acosta-Velez, Director of state government affairs in DC and National President of GLOBE (Verizon’s LGBT employee resource group), said: “At Verizon, we are dedicated to connecting people to what matters most to them, so we are honored to be able to provide Point Scholars the opportunity to connect in-person to learn and exchange ideas as they prepare to be the next generation of LGBTQ leaders who will bring their talents to making our communities a better place for all.”
“We consistently hear from our scholars and alumni how much they benefit from opportunities to gather in-person during our leadership programs,” said Jorge Valencia, executive director and chief executive officer of Point Foundation. “Learning together in the company of your peers is a powerful experience, and everyone at Point is incredibly appreciative of how Verizon’s support makes this possible for our LGBTQ scholars and alumni.”
Throughout the year Point holds Leadership Education and Affinities Development (LEAD) consortiums around the country. Point Scholars and Alumni join board members and mentors from related professional and academic fields for skills-building and professional development workshops. The most recent LEAD, generously sponsored by Verizon, was held January 2016 and focused on Health and Medicine, with sessions about LGBTQ health care, HIV prevention, and health care policy.
The next LEAD will be in Washington D.C., July 20 – 21, focusing on policy and law. Immediately following is Point’s National Leadership Conference (NLC), which brings together Point Scholars and many Point Alumni for three days of workshops, panel discussions and addresses by notable LGBTQ and allied elected officials, authors, business leaders, and artists. Conference topics include academic preparation, personal achievement, community service, strategic activism, and LGBTQ and civil rights history. Thanks in large part to the support of Verizon, Point will convene its 2016 NLC in Washington, D.C., July 21 – 24.
