Pride and Joy Families Conference in Rochester

LGBTQ* families conference and pre-conference professional training day set for spring...

Spend a weekend in Upstate New York learning and socializing with other LGBTQ families* like yours…

The Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project, together with local and national cosponsors, will hold its fourth LGBTQ families conference this spring in Rochester, NY. The 2011 Pride and Joy Families Weekend Conference is an opportunity for adults and children in these families to experience a sense of community, relax and celebrate together, and find the support and resources they need to lead full, healthy lives.

The Conference will take place on Friday, April 8 through Sunday, April 10, 2011 at the RIT Inn and Conference Center, 5257 W. Henrietta Road, Rochester. Rochester-based cosponsors are AIDS Care, the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, Rainbow SAGE of the Genesee Valley, and Visit Rochester. National co-sponsors are COLAGE and Gay Parent Magazine.

Based on the record of success of our previous conferences held in Ithaca (2001), Binghamton (2005), and Utica (2009), more than 250 people are expected to gather in Rochester from throughout Upstate New York. Conference highlights will include a keynote address by Dr. Ilan Meyer, expert witness at California’s Proposition 8 trial, educational workshops for adults about family building, parenting, aging, gender and many other aspects of living in an LGBTQ family, childcare, COLAGE programs for older children and youth, intergenerational activities and entertainment, a resource/vendor fair, and offsite excursions to Rochester-area attractions. Conference co-sponsors are working to keep registration and meal costs reasonable for participants and have secured a Conference hotel room rate of $89/night.

According to Conference organizers, “While we plan to build on our previous successes, the 2011 Conference is somewhat of a departure from our past statewide gatherings. This time around we are looking to include not only LGBTQ-parented families and prospective parents but all families with one or more LGBTQ members. We invite and warmly welcome LGBTQ couples and single adults of all ages and stages of life (no children required!), parents of LGBTQ children, and other allied adults. We think members of diverse LGBTQ families will find many sessions of interest.”

Another change this year is the addition of a pre-conference provider training day. “Straight Talk about LGBTQ Lives: Working with LGBTQ Individuals and Families in Professional Settings” will be held on Friday, April 8th. The Training Day is targeted to professionals and students in the fields of medicine/healthcare, foster/adoption services, aging services, education/children and youth services, mental health, and other human services. Attendees will leave with greater knowledge and understanding of their LGBTQ students/clients/patients/colleagues and a concrete set of best practices to implement in their offices and educational institutions.

The Lesbian and Gay Family Building Project (www.PrideAndJoyFamilies.org) was established in 2000 with a grant from the New York State Health Department. We are dedicated to helping LGBTQ people in Upstate NY attain their goals of building and sustaining healthy families. We do this by providing support, advocacy, information, and access to community and sensitive healthcare and services.

To learn more about the Conference or Provider Training Day, including opportunities to lend your financial support, host an exhibit, suggest a Conference workshop, or volunteer, please visit www.PrideAndJoyFamilies.org or contact Claudia Stallman at lesgayfambldg@aol.com or 607.724.4308.

For more information and registration go to http://prideandjoyconference.org/

*LGBTQ families are defined as those with one or more lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer members