Navigating Responses to Identity-Based Bully
- Cheryl Greene (she/her), HRC Welcoming Schools

Understanding and Using Data for Good: A workshop utilizing data from HRC/University of Connecticut’s 2022 LGBTQ+ Youth Survey
- Shoshana Goldberg (she/her), HRC Public Education & Research
- Charleigh Flohr (she/her), HRC Public Education & Research

Empowering LGBTQ+ Educators: Supporting, Advocating, and Uplifting in Today’s Climate
- David Fernkopf (he/him), NEA
- Anthony Pennock (he/him), NEA

Creating a Gender Inclusive Environment
- Phii Regis (they/them), HRC’s All Children - All Families Program (ACAF)

Helping Muslim Families to Support LGBTQ Children & Youth
- Caitlin Ryan (she/her), Family Acceptance Project
- Mahereen Baig (she/her), Parent & Advocate

Queer Equity Institute: Intergenerational Queer and Trans Community Organizing Towards Sustainable Trans Refuge State
- Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke (she/they), Queer Equity Institute

Queer Minds Matter (Youth Track)
- Kei (she/they), HRC Youth Ambassador

The Teachable Moment
- Dave Edwards (he/him), HRC’s Welcoming Schools

Family Acceptance Project: Helping Diverse Families to Support and Affirm LGBTQ Children & Youth
- Caitlin Ryan (she/her), Family Acceptance Project

Putting Intersectionality into Practice
- Phii Regis (they/them), HRC’s ACAF

Suicide Prevention Peer Models Doing the Work: Being the Champion LGBTQ+ Youth Need
- DeHaven Sawyer-Mays (they/them), Active Minds

Inclusive & Affirming Sex Education for LGBTQ+ Youth
- Nora Gelperin (she/her), Advocates for Youth

Loud and Queer: Testifying in Front of Adults (Youth Track)
- Ray (he/him), HRC Youth Ambassador

Effectively Engaging School Boards Through Advocacy & Elections
- Brandon Rettke (he/him), NEA

Libraries for All: Protecting the Right to Read
- Laura Gigras (she/her), American Association of School Librarians (AASL)
- Rachel Haider (she/her), AASL
- Ann Kaste (she/her), AASL

School Boards: Why They and Their Integrity Matter
- Kyrstin Schuett (she/her), School Board Integrity Project

Building Organizational Support for LGBTQ+ Inclusive Practice
- Phii Regis (they/them), HRC ACAF
- Ash Ryan (she/her), HRC ACAF

Inclusive Restrooms: Making Universal Design a Tool for Solidarity
- Clark Hoelscher (they/them), HRC Minnesota Steering Committee
- Minnesota State Representative Leigh Finke (she/they), Queer Equity Institute
- Tom Parent (he/him), Saint Paul Public Schools

Creating LGBTQ+ Inclusive Youth Mentoring Spaces
- Anne Sutkowi-Hemstreet (they/them), QUEERSPACE Collective
- Abby Neisen (they/them), QUEERSPACE Collective

Crafting the Revolution (Youth Track)
**Please note that this session is only open to participants under the age of 25.**
- Zadyn (he/him), Queer Youth Assemble

Research indicates that over half of bullying incidents in schools are identity-based, which means they are rooted in bias. Educators often do not know how or feel uncomfortable facilitating learning about bias and/or intervening when a bias incident happens. In collaboration with the Anti Defamation League, Welcoming Schools developed a youth-centered video that prioritizes and amplifies the voices of a diverse group of students across the United States. During our time together, we will watch the short 9 minute video and provide actionable strategies based upon advice from youth to educators, creating an opportunity for educators to increase both their knowledge and confidence in addressing identity-based bullying.

Facilitated by Cheryl Greene (she/her), Senior Director of Welcoming Schools, HRC

Join School Board Integrity Project founder and executive director Kyrstin Schuette for a breakout workshop that delves into the critical role of school boards and the paramount importance of their integrity in shaping the future of education- particularly for our LGBTQIA+ students. In this workshop, participants will gain a profound understanding of the key responsibilities of school boards, exploring the decision-making processes that directly impact students, teachers, and communities. This workshop will also help participants unlock the power they have as advocates to push back against the growing hostility surrounding school boards and inclusive policies, build a more equitable future through policy reform and school board elections, and incite change.

Facilitated by Kyrstin Schuette (she/her), Founding Executive Director of the School Board Integrity Project

In Fair Play, Katie traces the evolution of women’s sports as a pastime and a political arena where equality and fairness have been fought over for generations. As attitudes toward gender have shifted to embrace more fluidity in recent decades, sex continues to be viewed as a static binary that is easily determined: male or female. It is on the very idea of static sex that we have built an entire sporting apparatus. Now that foundation is being hotly debated as a result of intense culture wars.

Many transgender and intersex athletes, including a South African runner, a wrestler in Texas, a Connecticut track star, and a swimmer at the University of Pennsylvania, have captured the attention of law and policymakers who want to decide how and when they compete.

Women’s sports, since their inception, have been seen as a separate class of competition that requires protection and rules for entry. But what are those rules and who gets to make them? Fair Play looks at all sides of the issue and presents a reasoned and much-needed solution that seeks to preserve opportunities for all going forward.

Time to THRIVE in the Upper Midwest will take place on Saturday, May 18, 2024 in Minneapolis, MN and focus on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.

Our Time to THRIVE’s summits will have open registration to anyone, anywhere, who want to learn more about supporting LGBTQ+ youth. We strongly encourage registration from our target region.

The summit will feature a full day of professional development opportunities including breakout workshops facilitated by experts from HRC, Project THRIVE partners, and more. Expect to see keynote speakers, dynamic panel discussions, and other activities to strengthen our tools in service to LGBTQ+ young people. A full detailed schedule will be released in early 2024.

If you have presented in the past or are interested in presenting, particularly if you live and work in our host regions, please contact us at timetothrive@hrc.org.

We are always looking for sponsors and supporters for Time to THRIVE, particularly in our new host regions. If you or your organization are interested in becoming a sponsor, community partner, or exhibitor, please contact us at timetothrive@hrc.org.

We understand that not everyone can join us for Time to THRIVE in person. Check out these great virtual webinars and resources to learn more about supporting LGBTQ+ youth:

• All Children - All Families Field Forward Webinar Series & Archive

• Project THRIVE Webinar Series

• Virtual Resources from Welcoming Schools