Events Calendar

  9:30 AM - 10:00 AM                   Opening Session

•   Welcome Keynote

  • Ted Hayes, Founding member of the HV LGBTQ Community Center

  10:15 AM - 11:15 AM                 Morning Sessions

•   Marriage Equality - A Movement, Not a Moment

  • Nora K. Yates, Field Director for The Empire State Pride Agenda.

    New York remains one of only five states that have not passed some form of legislation prohibiting marriage between people of the same sex. That can always change. Come to this presentation to hear the most up to date information on marriage equality, and learn how we can work together to ensure that all families in New York are protected.

•   Making Our History

  • Jonathan Ned Katz, historian, will discuss how his involvement in the gay movement changed his life and led to his publication, in 1976, of Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A. His later books are Gay/Lesbian Almanac (1983); The Invention of Heterosexuality (1995); and Love Stories: Sex Between Men Before Homosexuality (2001). Katz will share some of his discoveries, including the story of Lucy Ann Lobdell, "The Female Hunter of Delaware and Sullivan Counties," who sometimes dressed as a man, lived with another woman, and published an autobiography in 1855 in which she declared: "I cannot submit to see all the bondage with which woman is oppressed." Katz welcomes discussion and questions.

•   Community Response to LGBTQ Youth Needs, part I (video presentation)

  • Dr. Joyce Hunter, activist, researcher, clinician, founding member Hetrick-Martin Institute,co-founder of the Harvey Milk School.

    Dr. Hunter will present the video, Working It Out:Scenes from the Lives of Lesbian and Gay Youth, which shows through vignettes, stressful life events and issues facing lesbian and gay youth. The video is the basis for a group process intervention manual and is being used in gay-identified and gay-serving agencies in NY and other locales.

  11:30 AM - 12:30 PM                 Late Morning Sessions

•   Queer Ideas On Your Financial Future

  • James Tissot, Certified Financial Planner® is President of Prism Planners in NYC, a member of Pride Planners Association, and author of “MoneyTalk” published in InsideOut magazine.

    A discussion on the special challenges and solutions the LGBTQ community and their families face in making financial decisions and assuring their financial futures. In addition, we will examine how we can use our financial influence to further our cause for equality. A brief presentation will be followed by discussion and questions and answers.

•   Intro to Transgender Issues

  • Sean M. Endress, MA, MSW is a therapist, consultant, and educator who received his clinical training with the Gender Identity Project at the LGBT Center in NYC. He is a Transgender Scholarship and Legacy Fund Award recipient and currently serves the LGBTQ community through private practice in New Paltz.

    In this workshop, we will explore the differences between sex, gender roles, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Participants will learn basic transgender terminology and gain skills that will help them identify links between LGB and transgender communities. This workshop is designed for people with little or no previous knowledge about transgender issues who want to become stronger trans-allies.

•   Community Response to LGBTQ Youth Needs, part II (discussion)

  • Dr. Joyce Hunter, activist, researcher, clinician, founding member Hetrick-Martin Institute,co-founder of the Harvey Milk School.

    Dr. Hunter will discuss types of health care and social services models for serving vulnerable lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning populations in Hudson Valley region.

  12:30 PM - 1:45 PM                     Lunchtime Sessions

•   Intergenerational Dialogue: Why We Need to Work Together

  • Dr. Harold Kooden, clinical psychologist, author, activist, founder of the National Gay and Lesbian Health Foundation.

    This roundtable lunchtime discussion examines what different generations can learn from each other and teaches strategies for breaking through barriers of internalized and institutionalized ageism. Dr. Kooden will facilitate audience conversation with the goal of developing mutual understanding and coalition building within the group.

•   Queer Spirit: Transcending Traditional Experiences of Organized Religion

  • Reverend Kenneth L. Walsh and Guests

    How do we in the LGBTQ community express our spirituality and faith? This lunchtime roundtable will feature open discussion about confronting the pain and confusion of organized religion in order to celebrate, respect, and appreciate the full complement of life and human spirit.

  1:45 PM - 3:00 PM                     Afternoon Sessions

•   Golden Men: The Power of Gay Midlife

  • Dr. Harold Kooden

    Dr. Kooden will discuss topics in his book of the same title. He will explain how the lessons learned in coming out can enable us to deal successfully with aging, and will share how the book can be used for a self-run group of gay men dealing with aging issues.

•   Hot Monogamy for Women

  • Tina Robie, VP of Education and Training, Planned Parenthood of the Mid-Hudson Valley, Inc.

    Hot Monogamy, or “Vintage Love”, is an exciting concept based on the research of Dr. Pat Love. Audience members will learn about the chemical effects of PEA which flood the body when romantic love works its magic, and how to keep the magic working years later when the chemical effect is long gone. As a result of this workshop participants will be able to:

    Understand the physiological effects of PEA (phenelethelamine) and it’s impact on sexual excitement; Identify the characteristics of romantic love; Reclaim the elements of enduring romance.

•   Respect and Protect: Support and Advocacy for LGTBQ Youth

  • Rob Conlon, policy and program developer, co-chair for the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educational Network (GLSEN) & Sara Braun, adjunct professor Fordham University, Director for Center Lane, a program of Westchester Jewish Community Services for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and questioning youth ages 15-21.

    LGBTQ youth are vital to our community and our future. through support and advocacy we must ensure that all youth voice is not only heard, but empowered and integrated into the LGBTQ community as a whole. This workshop will discuss the creation and sustainability of LGBTQ youth support services as modeled by Center Lane which has been providing a safe space and services for LGBTQ youth for a decade, and the work of the GLSEN which advocates for policies and programming in schools that value LGBTQ students.

  3:15 PM - 4:00 PM                     Closing Session

•   Building our Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center Agenda

  • Ginny Apuzzo, President of the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center Board of Directors

    The final session of the conference will focus on the issues raised during the course of the day and the importance of reflecting them in the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center’s program and advocacy work.