Open (free) invitation to watch the Church Leaders Session at the Affirmation Conference!
Evan writes: I’m excited to be participating in/moderating this panel discussion of the 2021 Affirmation International Conference. This particular session of the conference aims to be helpful for “church leaders” - which for this purpose includes anyone serving their fellow church members in any capacity. Registration is free for everyone (sign up at conference.affirmation.org) and attendance is easy since the entire conference is virtual again this year. So I hope many people will Zoom into this session to hear the amazing personal stories my fellow panelists will share (snippets of their stories are shared below).
I also hope people who plan to join can send me a question or two in advance for the panel. Questions can be emailed to evan@gayldscrossroads.org .
SESSION DETAILS SHARED BY AFFIRMATION
On Saturday, September 11th from 11 AM to 1:10 PM MDT, Affirmation will host a powerful panel discussion for church leaders of all levels exploring effective ways to provide pastoral care, support, and inclusion for LGBTQIA+ individuals and their families. This session is geared towards church leaders and allies. This session will provide a safe and highly informative space to listen to and ask questions of a diverse and distinguished panel of queer Latter-day Saints who, along with an ally, will bring a well-rounded look into the experiences and needs of LGBTQIA+ Latter-day Saints. Panelists will be:
1. Rebecca Solen: Vice President of Affirmation. Rebecca (she/her) is a transgender woman married for over 21 years, parent, returned missionary, Army veteran, and a former candidate for the US House of Representatives.
2. Kate Mower: PhD candidate in history at UC Riverside. Kate (she/they) is a non-binary lesbian who is a researcher and prominent educator on topics in the LGBTQIA+/Latter-day Saint intersection.
3. Bobbie Lee-Corry: Bobbie (they/them) is a freelance photographer and videographer. Being queer, agender, and raised in the church in Singapore, they now advocate across many intersections for LGBTQIA+ minorities and women. Bobbie married a lesbian member of the church in 2019.
4. Carson Perez: Carson (he/him) is a gay Filipino-American and has been with his partner, Alex, for more than six years. He is a Yale divinity school graduate, a convert to the church, an active, recently endowed church member, and an Emmaus Board member.
5. Evan Smith: Evan (he/him) is the father of a gay son. He is a corporate attorney in Massachusetts and a former bishop/stake presidency counselor. As an ally, he currently works in Latter-day Saint spaces to advocate for and amplify the voices of queer Latter-day Saints.
All panelists have written about and are engaged in LGBTQIA+ advocacy, understanding, and inclusion efforts. During this session, they plan to share their personal stories/advice and answer questions. Free registration. conference.affirmation.org.