FYI

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Creating Change in Oakland CA Nov 9-13, 2005

Request for Proposed Presentations/Workshops
Deadline for Submissions: July 15, 2005
Notification Process Begins On/About August 9, 2005


Building An Anti-Racist Movement:
A Primary Goal of the Creating Change Conference

Now in its 32nd year, The Task Force remains firmly committed to addressing the impact of racism in this country, in our movement and in our organization. A primary educational goal of Creating Change is to build an anti-racist LGBT movement that includes and reflects the perspectives, needs and priorities of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activists of all ages, races, ethnic and language origins, spiritualities and incomes.

While we know that building an anti-racist movement will take much time and many resources, we believe that we can take important steps towards the more immediate fulfillment of that commitment. To this end, The Task Force seeks programmatic proposals that will present participants with opportunities that educate, challenge, support, and help to build an anti-racist movement that is more fully representative. Not all presentations at the conference primarily address this goal, but we will give priority to presentation proposals that thoughtfully consider how racism and the failure to build a LGBT multi-racial social and economic justice movement impacts particular issues and communities and organizing projects. Activists of color are strongly encouraged to submit proposals.


Other Creating Change Priorities:
∑ Educate on issues such as the recognition and protection of our relationships and families, bias violence, domestic violence, repression of sexuality and gender identity and expression, equality of opportunity in employment, housing, public accommodation and education, the freedom to marry, and military and immigration discrimination;
∑ Give special attention to strategies, projects, and methods of organizing that link race, class, gender and age oppression with homophobia and heterosexism;
∑ Strengthen the skills of activists and organizers who work at all levels of our movement;
∑ Improve our abilities to create change in legislative bodies, media, workplaces, faith communities, community and social institutions, and on campuses and at schools;
∑ Increase our confidence to work collaboratively with allies to effect durable change;
∑ Provide opportunities to discuss and explore difficult and challenging issues and topics in a supportive environment;
∑ Give special attention to emerging issues in our movement and communities, as well as those people most affected by them;
∑ Build an anti-racist movement for social and economic justice that is vigorous in each state and territory of the US and that includes and reflects the perspectives, needs and priorities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists of all ages, races, ethnic and language origins, spiritualities, and incomes.


Presentations must fit within one of the following formats

∑ Workshops (90 minutes): Prepared presentations with stated and specific learning goals and some time dedicated to Q & A and group discussion. Workshops are political education sessions in which attendees will gain useful information, advice, and technical assistance about a specific topic. Please specify if your session is intended for participants whose work is entry level; or intermediate level; or advanced level.
∑ Caucus/Networking (60 minutes): A time for affinity groups or groups working on similar projects to gather for networking, discussion, and community building; or, an opportunity to convene a group of somewhat discordant participants to discuss a specific topic, i.e. a multi-generational group invited to discuss our movement’s commitment to persons of disparate ages.

Presenter Policies

In order to keep conference registration fees at the lowest possible rate, we ask presenters to volunteer time, expertise and services at Creating Change. In consideration of your service as a presenter, you will be able to register for the entire conference at a rate of $150. This registration rate is inclusive of all pre-conference institutes, plenary sessions, workshops, roundtables, trainings, screenings and caucuses, beginning Wednesday morning November 9 and concluding Sunday November 13, 2005. This registration rate does not include special events, dances/parties, and travel or hotel expenses. The presenter registration rate is limited to four presenters per session.

After a proposal is accepted, presenters will be mailed a presenter registration packet which includes a conference registration form. Should your proposal not be accepted, you are invited to register for the conference at the presenter rate of $150, inclusive of pre-conference institutes. If you submit a proposal, please do not register for the conference at any rate higher than $150.

Presenter Responsibilities

As a presenter, you are responsible for making your own travel arrangements. The conference hotel, the Oakland Marriott City Center, located in downtown Oakland, offers a conference rate of $119.00/night. Please be sure to mention the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change Conference when making reservations. Reservations must be made by October 7, 2005 to receive the guaranteed conference rate. You may reserve a room by calling 800/991-7249. The 2005 Host Committee will organize a community housing program to provide a limited number of no-cost housing options for conference presenters and attendees. In order to participate, submit a completed housing request to the local Host Committee, available on our web site www.creatingchange.org.

If you submit a proposal, you are the “session contact.” Session contacts are expected to serve as the communication link between the conference organizing staff and the other presenters on your session. Session contacts must provide complete contact information for each presenter and advise conference staff of any changes in the presenter line-up. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force expects that all scheduled sessions will be presented as described in your proposal and listed in the program book.

Each meeting room will be equipped with a flip chart and markers. Presenters will be asked to fill out a request form for additional AV equipment. Presenters may be asked to cover the cost of AV requests. The Task Force will not provide LCD projectors. Presenters are encouraged to provide attendees with relevant supporting materials, such as fact sheets, articles, and guides. Presenters are responsible for any copying cost incurred.

Proposal Review

All proposals will be reviewed by the Creating Change Conference director and any other Task Force staff deemed appropriate by the director. Considerations for selection include relevance of the proposed session to the conference goal of building an anti-racist movement and other priorities; depth of content; presenter qualifications/experience with the topic; overall strength of the submission; and presenter panels that reflect the conference commitment to race/gender/class/age representation. The Task Force reserves the right to reject proposals. The Task Force will not review proposals for sessions that primarily promote or sell commercial products or to promote or sell the work product of an individual presenter. The Task Force will prioritize proposed sessions that include and reflect the perspectives, needs and priorities of our multi-racial, multi-gender, and multi-aged communities and movement. The Task Force reserves the right to decline to review proposals received after the posted deadline date. You will be notified of the status of your proposal beginning on or about August 9, 2005. To have your presentation considered for inclusion in the conference, please complete the forms on the following pages. The proposal should be submitted with a 150-200 word abstract, a 50-75 word description suitable for publication, complete contact information for all presenters, brief biographical information for all presenters, not for publication, and sample handouts (if available).


























Workshop Proposal Form

Session Contact Person ______________________________________________
Title ______________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________
Day Phone _______________________ Evening Phone _______________________
Email Address ____________________________ Fax _______________________
Are you a member of The Task Force? _______________________________________
At which past Creating Change conferences have you presented and on what topics? ----------------

Demographic Information
The Task Force strives to have as broadly representative a conference as possible. By providing the following information, you greatly assist us in our assessment of our work.
Race/Ethnicity
_ African Descent _ Asian/Pacific Islander _ Caribbean _ Caribbean-African Descent _ Central American _ European Descent _ Latino/a _ Middle Eastern _ Native American/American Indian _ South American _ South Asian
_ Spanish _ Bi/Multi-Racial
Sex/Gender Identity _ Female _ Male _ Intersex _ Transgender _ Transsexual
Sexual Orientation _ Lesbian _ Gay _ Bisexual _ Two Spirit _ Heterosexual
Geography _ Urban _ Suburban _ Small Town _ Rural
Household Income _____________ Age ________

2005 Workshop/Presentation Information
Proposed Session Title ___________________________________________
Sessions will be scheduled on Friday Nov. 11 or Saturday Nov. 12.
Would you be willing to join another session on your topic? _ Yes _ No
Format requested _ Workshop _ Caucus/Networking/
For Workshop select _ Entry _ Intermediate _ Advanced

The session contact person is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the workshop and will receive information concerning the status of the proposal. The session contact person then has the responsibility for contacting other presenters. Discounted registration fees of $150 are offered to four presenters, maximum, per session. If you are presenting alone, you are the session contact.

Necessary Attachments
Attach a 150-200 word abstract stating the objectives and rationale for this session. The abstract will not be published and is used to better inform the reviewer. Please describe how your session will help realize the overarching conference goal of building a movement by, for, and about lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender people that is anti-racist, multi-racial, and seeking social and economic justice for all.

Attach a 50 to 75-word description of your workshop/presentation. The description you provide will be published in the conference program book, if your session is accepted.

Provide the names and complete contact information for each presenter in your session. Brief biographical information is useful, but will not be published since its purpose is to better inform the reviewer.

Presenter ______________________________________________
Title ______________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________
Day Phone _______________________ Evening Phone _______________________
Email Address ____________________________ Fax _______________________

Presenter ______________________________________________
Title ______________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________
Day Phone _______________________ Evening Phone _______________________
Email Address ____________________________ Fax _______________________

Presenter ______________________________________________
Title ______________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________
Day Phone _______________________ Evening Phone _______________________
Email Address ____________________________ Fax _______________________

Presenter ______________________________________________
Title ______________________________
Organization ________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________
Day Phone _______________________ Evening Phone _______________________
Email Address ____________________________ Fax _______________________

Please send the completed proposal form, a 150-200-word abstract, a 50-75-word description suitable for publication, complete contact information for all presenters, brief biographical information for all presenters, not for publication, and sample handouts (if available).

Return this material to: Sue Hyde, Conference Director
The Task Force
1151 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge MA 02138-5201
617-492-6393 voice, 617-492-0175 fax, or shyde@thetaskforce.org

Submission Deadline is July 14, 2005
Notification Process Begins On/About August 9, 2005