Contact:
Z! Haukeness – 608-358-9993
Joanne Lee – 608-469-4384
On June 3rd, a one-day conference for transgender youth, their parents and faith leaders to work together for trans justice will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Madison to push for trans justice. The event is being led by Joanne Lee, Skylar Lee’s mom, who has become an activist following her transgender child Skylar’s suicide. The day will be dedicated to strengthening the understanding between transgender youth, their parents, and their faith leaders. It is open to all.
Joanne Lee, the event organizer, said “It is time for us all to come together to full fill the dream of all trans youth and other LGBQ youth to have the support and love they need to live with dignity, equality and freedom.” She says there is no better time than now. “For some youth it doesn’t ‘get better,’ and we parents, faith community, and supporters need to do better at supporting the youth in our lives.”
Speakers include:
Joanne Lee, Mother, Activist and national public speaker
Rev. Everett Mitchell, Reverend of Christ the Solid Rock Church
Rev. Danny Cortez, Filipino Father and public speaker with NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance)
Lisbeth Melendez Rivera, Religion and Faith’s Program Director of Latino and Catholic Initiatives at HRC
Rev Kate Fields, a queer southern pastor working as senior pastor at Underwood Memorial Baptist Church in Wauwatosa WI.
Amanda Zhang, Board member with NQAPIA
The event will consist of panel discussions, caucus break out groups for parents, youth and faith community, and workshops on topics important to transgender youth and the faith community.
Light breakfast, lunch and snack will be provided.
Registration information is here: https://goo.gl/forms/
All LGBTQ youth and adults are encouraged to attend as well as any other community member interested in the topic.
The conference will be held at First United Methodist Church at 203 Wisconsin Ave. in Madison from 9:00-4:00. Registration opens at 8:30
Here is the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.
Co-sponsors:
Joanne Lee, First United Methodist Church, Dane County Trans Health Coalition, GSA Network, Outreach, NQAPIA, Opeation Welcome Home, Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Racial Justice Tipping Point, GSAFE, Freedom Inc., Trinity United Methodist Church, Einsteins Bagels,
