January 14, 2004

UCSD To Host Regional Conference On Gay, Lesbian Issues

By Shaun Travers

Students, educators, and community members from throughout California and the nation will gather at the University of California, San Diego Feb. 20, 21 and 22 for the 15th annual Conference and General Assembly of the University of California Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex Association. The conference is supported by the California Endowment, the Associated Students of UCSD and the UCSD LGBT Resource Center.

Approximately 500 people are expected to attend the conference, which will include three days of dialogue, workshops, speakers, films, and performers.
“The conference theme, ‘Through the Looking Glass,’ reflects our need to examine diverse experiences within our cultures, faiths, and families of birth and choice,” said Shaun Travers, director of the UC San Diego Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center. “Whether we are lesbian, transgender, gay, intersex, queer, bisexual, two-spirit, same gender loving, or an ally, we have stories to share, issues to rally around, and support to offer each other,” he said.

He noted that this year UCSD marks the 5th anniversary of UCSD's LGBT Resource Center. UCSD is committed to serve the LGBT community on campus, and to partner with San Diego LGBT-serving organizations, including the LGBT Community Center in Hillcrest and Bienestar.

“We hope the San Diego community will join us for this incredible experience, sharing their experiences now and out of the past with the campus community,” said Travers.

In conjunction with the Papadopoulos family and the California Western School of Law, the conference is pleased to have secured Mitchell Katine for Friday’s opening as the Nicholas Papadopoulos Endowed Lectureship. Katine was local counsel and Lambda Legal’s Houston Cooperating Attorney for John Lawrence and Tyrone Garner in the U.S. Supreme Court case that overruled Bowers v. Hardwick and removed all anti-sodomy laws throughout America.

The registration deadline is Feb. 13. Cost is $35 for the community, $30 for any staff and faculty, $20 for any students, and $10 for those residing across the border. Registration includes breakfast and a lunch Saturday and a brunch on Sunday.

Registration forms are on the web at http://acs.ucsd.edu/~uclgbtia/ Additional information is available at (858) 822-3493 or via email at uclgbtia@ucsd.edu

Contact:
Shaun Travers or Debbi Blake
Director, Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Resource Center
University of California, San Diego
(858) 822-3493, http://acs.ucsd.edu/~uclgbtia/