Building GLBTQ+ allies and communities in the NW Suburbs
Arlington Heights, IL - The Congregational United Church of Christ in Arlington Heights (CUCC-AH) will present Strengthening Ties: LGBTQ+ Allyship and Community-Building taking place at CUCC-AH (1001 W. Kirchhoff Road) on October 26, 2019 at 10:00AM. Featuring guest speakers Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison and Buffalo Grove Pride organizers Carolyn and Molly Pinta and panelists including Nova Maday (Maday v. District 211) and Reverend Jamie Frazier of the Lighthouse Church of Chicago.
Congregational United Church of Christ is proud to present its inaugural learning event, Strengthening Ties: LGBTQ+ Allyship and Community-Building. The event will run from 10AM-3PM and will feature allyship training, panel discussions, guest speakers, workshops and an opportunity to network and connect with allies and advocates in Chicago's northwest suburbs.
Over the past decade, we have seen a monumental shift in acceptance and equality for queer youth and adults, and we are encouraged by the more just world that queer people are creating for themselves. Yet we know that this march toward equality is not paying off in the same way for all queer people, and we know that acceptance is not found in all places and spaces. There is still work to be done, and we want everyone to be a part of this work with us!
Pastor Emily Snowden, CUCC-AH, will kick off the event with an ally training, to be followed by a panel discussion in allyship at the intersection of sexual identity, race and gender. Lunch speakers Commissioner Morrison and Carolyn and Molly Pinta will talk about their experiences building and strengthening community through large-scale events and policies designed to protect and uplift LGBTQ people. Participants will also be able to attend workshops entitled, "Biblical Self-Defense," "Understanding Spiritual Trauma" and "Inclusive Justice: Conversations on Queerness and Race."
All are welcome to attend - participants do not need to be a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ or a faith community. We invite all to come and learn, be inspired and connect with others in the area as committed to building LGBTQ community in the northwest suburbs.
The event is free for attendees and includes a free lunch. We ask that all participants register on Eventbrite by 5:00PM on Friday, Oct 25 at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strengthening-ties-lgbtq-allyship-and-community-building-tickets-74714098881?aff=EmailShare
Confirmed Speaker List
Pastor Emily Snowden (www.congucc.org)
Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser (http://community-ucc.org)
Rev. Jamie Frazier (https://www.lighthousechicago.org)
Pastor Rich Harvard (https://www.letsgetinclusiveuic.org)
Commissioner Kevin Morrison (https://www.cookcountyil.gov/person/kevin-b-morrison)
Carolyn and Molly Pinta (https://www.pintaprideproject.com)
Nova Maday (https://www.novamaday.com/)
Teresa Mateus (https://www.teresamateus.com)