The three-day World Pride Human Rights Conference kicked off on Wednesday, June 4 at the Marriott in Downtown Washington, DC, just feet from the White House. Participants were able to pick up their badges or register on the lobby level. The floor below held a Wellness Sanctuary; First Timers Room with light fruit, honey-infused water, and tables for socializing; Peace & Prayer Room, Wellness & Counseling Support Room, and more. The bottom floor hosted the panels, podcasts, artwork, and networking rooms.
Panels included: Developing Leaders for Sustainable LGBTQIA2S+ Advocacy Across Sectors, LGBTQIA2S+ Migrant Trauma and Resilience: From Displacement to Belonging, Stirred Stories: Inclusive Storytelling to Elevate Marginalized Voices, Sacred Dignity: Faith Perspectives on LGBTQIA+ Human Rights, Boomerang Advocacy II: The Workshop, and more.
At the Migrant Trauma and Resilience panel, one speaker said “I’m not just a face for fundraising, I’m the talent,” and received a roomful of applause. The speaker then said there are 1.3 million foreign born LGBTQ in the United States. Another speaker from this panel said “My life isn’t in Mexico, it’s here (in the U.S.). We are all deserving of human dignity.