Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Nation's Largest LGBTQ Advocacy Conference Names 2018 Co-Chairs

The National LGBTQ Task Force has announced that Alexa Elizabeth Rodriguez, Ben de Guzman, Eliot Sutler, Rodney McKenzie, Jr., and Terrance Laney will be serving as host committee co-chairs for the 2018 Creating Change Conference. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the organizing and skills building conference is the nation's largest gathering of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ) and allied advocates. The conference is set to take place January 24-28, 2018 at the Marriott Wardman Park, 2660 Woodley Road N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008.

"We’re thrilled to have Alexa, Ben, Eliot, Rodney, and Terrance join us as host committee co-chairs for the 2018 Creating Change Conference," said Russell Roybal, Deputy Executive Director, National LGBTQ Task Force. "The annual conference would not succeed without the help of the passionate and tireless work of the host committee and volunteers. Creating Change will be celebrating 30 years of training LGBTQ advocates from across the nation and beyond. We invite LGBTQ and allied advocates in the DMV area to join the host committee and help us make the 2018 Creating Change Conference a huge success!"

Alexa Elizabeth Rodriguez is the Executive Director of Trans-Latina DMV. Born and raised in Usulután, El Salvador, she has worked with numerous health and advocacy organizations including Identity Inc., Mariposas Group, Empoderáte Youth Center, Casa de Maryland's HIV Program, La Clinica del Pueblo, Miss Maryland Latin@, Miss Translatina, the Latino GLBT History Project, and the National Trans-Latina Coalition.

Ben de Guzman has been a leading voice on issues of racial equity, immigrant rights, veteran affairs, and LGBTQ justice for more than 15 years. He's worked with organization such as the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project and the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA). A proud son of Filipino immigrants, de Guzman was born and raised in New Jersey and has called D.C. home for over 20 years.

Eliot Sutler is a civil rights and employment attorney and Black bisexual activist. Sutler founded the Bisexual Women of Color Collaborative (BiWoCC), co-led the 2016 Bisexual Institute at Creating Change, moderated the 2016 White House Bisexual Briefing, and sat on the 2016 Capitol Hill Bi Week panel. Currently, Sutler serves on the board of BiNet USA.

Rodney McKenzie, Jr. is the Director of Partnerships at Demos. With over 15 years of experience fighting for grassroots political power in marginalized communities, McKenzie previously directed the Academy for Leadership and Action at the National LGBTQ Task Force. He holds a Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary.

Terrance Laney is the Deputy Director of the D.C. Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs. Previously, he worked with Congresswoman Maxine Waters, the National Black Justice Coalition, BYP100, Rhode Islanders United for Marriage Equality, the 2012 Obama campaign, and the Gertrude Stein Democratic Club. Laney is an active member of the DC Gay Flag Football league and Unity of Washington DC Church.