LGBTQ Homeless Youth Leadership Conference in Washington, DC

The LGBTQ Homeless Leadership Conference will gather 30 LGBTQ homeless youth, along with 10 support staff from the shelters and programs they represent from cities across the country.  Youth will gather from: Charolette, NC; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Portland, OR; Chicago, IL; Washington, D.C., New York, NY; Houston, TX; and Minneapolis, MN.

October 8-10th - Creating a National Agenda for LGBTQ Homeless Youth
While in DC, the youth will create a national agenda for LGBTQ homeless youth and teach the agenda to organizational leaders and lobbyists.

October 11th - Taking the Agenda to Capital Hill
A rally, congregational visits and national call-in will generate support for the agenda created by the LGBTQ Homeless youth.

October 12-14 - Leadership Training and Promoting the Agenda at Home
The LGBTQ homeless youth will work with mentors and receive leadership training to enable them to advocate for LGBTQ homeless youth in their hometowns. 

Scholarships
Transportation support will be provided for 30 LGBTQ homeless youth and 10 staff from shelters and organizations that serve LGBTQ homeless individuals.  If you or youth that you are connected to are interested in attending the LGBTQ Homeless Youth Leadership Conference, please contact the Rev. Megan Rohrer (megan@welcomeministry.org).

Accommodations:
Our accommodations are designed to bring awareness to the youth who are sleeping in shelters, often in churches that have opened up space to them.  During our conference the LGBTQ homeless youth and the adults supporting them will be staying in a hostel at Luther Place.  Dedicated to serving the homeless with emergency, transitional and long term housing opportunities through innovative whole body care, we are proud to partner with Luther Place and the Steinbruck Center for Urban Studies.



Leadership Team
The Rev. Megan Rohrer - Welcome, San Francisco
The Rev. Jen Rude - Night Ministry, Chicago
Andrew Garside - LA Gay & Lesbian Center
Bianca Vazquez - Steinbruck Center for Urban Studies at Luther Place


Mentors
Kate Bornstein
Candice Gingrich
Zander Keig

Support the Conference
If you would like to support the project or provide scholarships for LGBTQ homeless youth to participate in the conference, you can donate to Welcome (all donations are tax deductible).  Please put "LGBTQ Youth" in the memo line.  Donations are accepted online or by mail: Welcome, 1751 Sacramento St., San Francisco, CA 94109.

Contact Information
For more information about the project or to get involved in anyway, please contact the Rev. Megan Rohrer (megan@welcomeministry.org).