Post submitted by Saurav Jung Thapa, former Associate Director, HRC Global   

On the second day of HRC’s second annual Global Innovative Advocacy Summit, 30 global innovators from 28 countries continued to engage actively to advance LGBTQ equality around the world. The two key panels of the day were on LBT women and on workplace and corporate engagement.

Innovations in Transgender Justice

HRC National Press Secretary Sarah McBride shared her inspiring life story with global innovators. McBride made history when she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, becoming the first transgender person to speak at a major party convention.

At a transgender justice breakfast table, HRC staff and global innovators shared stories and swapped strategies.

Innovations in LBT Advocacy

Njeri Gateru, global innovator from Kenya and an organizing committee co-chair of the Global Summit, and Ellen Kahn, Director, HRC Foundation’s Children Youth and Families Program, hosted a panel with global innovators from Lebanon, Kenya and Nigeria about their innovative work advancing LBT women’s rights.

Innovation Talks

Global innovators from Kenya, China, Russia, Algeria, Sri Lanka and Colombia gave Innovation-talks modeled on the TEDx Talks.

Global innovator H.C. of China giving an innovation talk about her courageous work advancing trans rights in China, a country where civil society organizing is severely curtailed and trans people have long been invisible.

Global innovator Kaushalya Ariyarathna of Sri Lanka presented an innovation talk on her work to economically empower LGBTQ former sex workers.

Innovations in Corporate and Workplace Equality

Global innovators from Brazil, Latvia and Nepal participate in a panel discussion on workplace and corporate engagement with HRC Foundation’s Director of Workplace Equality Program, Deena Fidas. Advocates shared how they can better engage with corporate partners and at the workplace to ensure equal rights and benefits for LGBTQ employees.

Meeting with HRC Staff and HRC President Chad Griffin

HRC staff got to meet global innovators over lunch where they mingled and shared stories with each other. This gave the global innovators a chance to get acquainted with HRC’s work which spans from high level political and policy advocacy to working with businesses, families and schools.

HRC President Chad Griffin gave an inspiring speech at dinner to global innovators and other senior leaders from HRC about the importance of standing up and fighting for our rights no matter what setbacks confront us. Global innovators from Kenya, Libya, South Africa and Sudan shared their impressions and lessons learned at the Global Summit and thanked HRC for organizing it.

Tomorrow will be the fourth and final day of the 2017 Global Summit. Read our daily blogs here and follow conversations online at #HRCGlobalSummit.

Visuals created by Kat Haugh.