We’re excited to announce the agenda for the upcoming Forty to None Summit! It’s going to be an exciting and productive two days and we hope you’ll join us for it!
If you haven’t done so already, we invite you to register for the Summit today. And get a rundown of the scheduled events below:
THURSDAY SEPT 24
8:00 am – 9:00 am
BREAKFAST AND REGISTRATION
9:00 am – 9:10 am
WELCOME
9:10 am – 9:20 am
OPENING PERFORMANCE
9:25 am – 9:35 am
INTRODUCTION
9:40 am – 10:40 am
SETTING THE STAGE: INTERSECTIONALITY
What does intersectionality mean and why is it integral to your work? This high energy session breaks it down for you, and provides a framework for the entire summit.
10:45 am – 11:05 am
GET SCHOOLED: THE CHILD WELFARE/HIGHER ED CONNECTION
Everything you wanted to know about getting into college as a child welfare system involved youth but didn’t know you should ask…..True Fellows share the stabilizing experience of higher education in their lives, and a rep from the Department of Education lets you know about the current policies to guarantee access to higher education for child welfare and homeless youth system involved young people.
11:10 am – 11:30 am
WERQ! CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSGENDER YOUTH
How many times have you heard someone say “why don’t they just get a job?” Infuriating, right? Especially for transgender youth, who lack employment protections and are frequently discriminated against in the workplace. All youth deserve access to career opportunities that excite and sustain.
11:35 am – 11:45 am
DREAM IT, BE IT: ARTS BASED OPPORTUNITIES
For many young people, creativity is an integral part of living and involvement in arts-based activities is a stabilizing factor in their lives. Within the creative arts are many careers that can be meaningful, invigorating, and sustainable. This session will explore the role of the arts in young people’s lives, share ways to connect young people to opportunities in the fields they love, and show that loving your work doesn’t have to be a dream, but can be a reality.
11:45 am – 12:15 pm
JUST DO IT.
Take what you learned so far today and develop next steps for incorporating this knowledge into your work at home. What are your next steps? Who do you need to talk to? What do you need to make it happen? Is there anyone in this room who can help? Have you met them yet? Write it all down and let’s get it done!
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
LUNCH
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
CREATIVE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
You’ve heard us say it before – everyone has a role to play in ending LGBT youth homelessness. People in communities across the country are doing awesome work, including building innovative partnerships. We have much to learn from these communities. This session will delve into the creative work being done in rural areas to end LGBT youth homelessness and support the young people affected by it.
2:05 pm – 3:00 pm
SERVE: PERSPECTIVES ON POLICING
How can local police departments help LGBT youth experiencing homelessness? What is working well and what needs to change? Hear from a police officer, an activist, and a lawyer – then develop your own strategy for making positive change in your community’s policing.
3:05 pm – 3:50 pm
BREAK (LET’S GEEK OUT)
How can we utilize the latest technology to support LGBT youth experiencing homelessness and the service providers working with them every day? Browse the exhibits during our technology fair and see the latest technological innovations geared towards addressing LGBT youth homelessness.
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
STATE OF OUT YOUTH
Since 2013, the State of Out Youth forum has provided a holistic portrayal of the issues faced by LGBTQ youth, from their perspectives and in their voices. In partnership with Centerlink, GSA Network, Human Right Campaign Foundation, and Lambda Legal, this year’s event will be broadcast live from the Forty to None Summit.
6:00 pm: OPENING RECEPTION
FRIDAY SEPT 25
8:00 am – 9:00 am
BREAKFAST
8:30 am
LIGHTNING ROUND
We’re kicking off the morning with a fast paced, high energy overview of select programs and resources we think you should know about! Each presenter has 5 minutes to present 5 slides in lightning round fashion. You don’t want to miss it!
9:05 am – 9:10 am
DAY 2 WELCOME
9:10 am – 9:40 am
HASHTAG: ADVOCACY
On April 29, 2015, the True Colors Fund hosted the very first #40toNoneDay, a national day to raise awareness about LGBT youth homelessness. In the end, thanks to dozens of partners and hundreds of supporters, #40toNoneDay reached over 17 million people. This session will examine the impact of #40toNoneDay and explore the strategies that led to its success. As an added bonus, you’ll leave with five free tools to help you launch your own digital advocacy campaign!
9:45 am -10:15 am
POLICY UPDATE
10:15 am – 10:45 am
BOOK CLUB COFFEE BREAK
Books are an important resource for educating folks about sexual orientation, gender identity, and LGBT youth homelessness. Whether you’re looking for a book for children, a gripping nonfiction read, or a photography collection, our book fair has something for you! Visit authors and contributors during this extended coffee break.
10:50 am – 11:50 am
FOCUSING UPSTREAM: THE LGBTQ YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION INITIATIVE
The planning is complete and the implementation has begun! Hear from community leaders in Houston and Cincinnati about their progress on The LGBTQ Youth Homelessness Prevention Initiative. Led by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the initiative is focused on developing and implementing a plan for LGBTQ youth homelessness prevention and early intervention in Cincinnati and Houston.
11:55 am – 12:05 pm
THE FUTURE OF PREVENTION: RAISING ALLIES
We talk a lot about preventing LGBT youth homelessness with systems integration and best practices, hear about how one author is creatively starting prevention work at the source. By teaching adults how to raise allies and children how to be them we really are creating a world in which young people can be their true selves.
12:05 pm – 1:30 pm
DEEPER DIVE LUNCH
Deeper Dive Lunch Sessions: Want to really dive into a specific topic? Have you been waiting for the chance to ask a specific question? These small group roundtables will enable participants to discuss specific topics of interest with leaders working in various sectors across the country.
1:30 pm – 2:00 pm
SPOTLIGHT ON CHICAGO
Last year we acknowledged Chicago with our True Community award. Where are they one year later? You’re going to be impressed and inspired when you hear all they’ve accomplished towards meeting the needs of LGBT youth experiencing homelessness in the Windy City.
2:05 pm – 2:35 pm
ASSESS YOURSELF: (CREATING AN INCLUSIVE ORGANIZATION)
The True Inclusion Assessment Tool was developed by the True Colors Fund to help service providers assess their current level of LGBT inclusive and affirming care. In this session, we’ll hear from two different perspectives (a young person and an administrator) about the assessment process, the successes and challenges, and what it takes to shift an organization’s culture.
2:35 pm – 2:50 pm
BREAK
2:55 pm – 3:40 pm
PREACH! FAITH PARTNERS GIVE US THE LOW DOWN
Many potential partners in the faith community are firmly rooted in social justice and are actively welcoming to the LGBT community. They have an important role to play in addressing LGBT youth homelessness. Hear from faith partners who are actively working to address LGBT youth homelessness and learn how you can engage faith partners in your own community.
3:45 pm – 4:15 pm
RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
How can we support positive youth-adult relationships that may not necessarily align with how we traditionally define families, including chosen families, biological families, and professional connections? This session explores permanent connections that support young people’s ability to access new ideas, promote well-being, and provide a social safety net while at-risk of homelessness.
4:15 pm
CLOSING