Creating Change 2022: Session Proposals
The 34th Creating Change Conference
New Orleans, Louisiana – January 12-16, 2022
Request for Proposed Sessions
Deadline for Submissions: September 10, 2021
Notifications begin after October 11, 2021
The National LGBTQ Task Force’s Creating Change Conference is the nation’s foremost political, leadership and skills-building conference for the LGBTQ movement. We’re building a future where everyone is free to be themselves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights. These barriers must go. Through its Creating Change Conference and other advocacy programs, the Task Force is training and mobilizing thousands of activists across the nation to deliver a world where you can be you.
Thank you for reading this critical information about the Creating Change 2022 session proposal process.
Session Proposals for Creating Change 2022
Session Format
Session formats for Creating Change 2022 are offered in consideration of several important factors. To prioritize:
- More time between sessions
- Better clean-up between sessions
- Public health protocols
The Task Force seeks proposals in the following two formats: 60-minute workshops and 60-minute caucuses. (More on session format below.)
Session Content
Sessions include movement-building, grassroots organizing, leadership development, organization-building, and educational opportunities for both new and seasoned leaders. Sessions must be grounded in the values and standards of the National LGBTQ Task Force. The Task Force seeks and prioritizes session proposals that reflect a commitment to racial, economic, gender, and disability justice. On the Request for Proposal Form, you will be asked to respond according to the following elements:
- Indicate the session is participant-centered and practice-oriented
- Choice of format
- Choice of track
Schedule and Location
All sessions and caucuses will be scheduled on Friday, January 14, Saturday, January 15, or Sunday, January 16, 2022. All sessions and caucuses will be held at the Hilton Riverside in New Orleans, LA.
Please note: All submissions must include your accurate and up-to-date contact information.
Priorities for a Successful Submission
Participation and Practice!
Each proposal will be reviewed to select sessions that best engage participants in learning and skills-building through participation and practice. Your proposal should be:
1. Participant-Centered: We want you to provide training content that engages participants in every step of the process, utilizing experiential and participatory learning techniques wherever possible. Your session should not be a dry lecture or non-participatory panel presentation.
2. “Real-World” Practice: We want to make sure that after learning a skill in your session, participants are given an opportunity to practice that skill. Real-world practice makes it much more likely that participants will use what they’ve learned when they get back home.
The Task Force discourages the submission of panel presentations unless there is an opportunity for substantive conference attendee participation in the dialogue. Proposals featuring panels with more than three panelists are given lowest priority.
Session Format
As mentioned above, on the Request for Proposals form you will be asked to choose one of these two formats for your proposed workshop.
- 60-minute Workshop. These sessions are ideal for topics that can be effectively covered in 60 minutes and do not require extra time for lengthy small group breakouts.
- 60-minute Caucus. A time for affinity groups or people working on similar projects to gather and exchange ideas, network, and build community. Caucus space can also be an opportunity to convene a group of interested participants to discuss a specific topic. Caucus space should not prioritize practical skills-building. This will be the focus of workshops.
Session Tracks
For Creating Change 2022, the Task Force requires that session proposals fall under one of the following six tracks. Selection is made on the Request for Proposals form.
- Advocacy & Democracy
Sessions in this track offer strategies, ideas, tools, and trends to engage people in civic life while working toward concrete progressive change. Sessions also focus on expanding the number of LGBTQ people who are registered to vote, increasing the number of educated voters in upcoming elections, and advancing legislative/policy reforms to strengthen and ensure the integrity of our democratic institutions.
- Community & Identity
Sessions in this track focus on the needs and experiences of all the communities and identities under the broader LGBTQ umbrella. Sessions may address the history and culture of different communities, as well as the issues facing various populations. We encourage sessions on historically underrepresented populations.
- Equity & Justice
Sessions in this track focus on dismantling oppressive systems and replacing them with opportunities and positive outcomes for all, inclusive of race, class, gender, sex, religion, and ability.
- Faith & Spirituality/Practice Spirit, Do Justice
Session in this track focus on the pro-LGBTQ spiritual and religious movement.
- Health & Healing
Sessions in this track focus on the broad range of mental and physical health issues in LGBTQ communities. We encourage sessions that highlight the roles trauma and violence play in our lives, as well as effective interventions with a focus on healing.
- Movement Building & Organizational Development
Sessions in this track focus on building individual, community, organizational, and movement strength for doing LGBTQ equity work, with a focus on best practices and inclusion. Sessions may address theories of change, intersectional analysis, cross-movement strategies, development/fundraising, human resources, fiscal management, communications & marketing, and board development.
Important Information
Deadline
Proposals received by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on Friday, September 10, 2021 are being reviewed and considered for scheduling.
No Solicitation
The Task Force will not review proposals that primarily promote or sell commercial products or promote or sell the commercial work product of an individual presenter.
Review Process
Proposals are reviewed by teams of Task Force staff and outside experts. Considerations for selection include relevance of the proposed session to the values and principles stated in this document, especially the Task Force’s 2022 tracks listed above; depth of content; presenter qualifications/experience; overall strength of the submission; and proposals that reflect the Task Force’s commitment to the representation of race, gender, class, age, and disability. The Task Force reserves the right to reject proposals.
You will be notified by email of the status of your proposal beginning after October 11, 2021.
Presenter Registration
In recognition of your contribution to Creating Change 2022, all presenters whose proposals are selected for scheduling will receive a link to register at a discounted rate. Along with all other participants, presenter registration fees help cover the cost of producing Creating Change, as well as help sustain future conferences.
In recognition of your time and effort, if your proposal is declined for scheduling, you will receive a link to register at an amount equal to the cost of Early Bird registration.
Finally, whether your proposal is accepted or declined, you are responsible for the cost of travel and lodging.
