Largest ever Creating Change off to an amazing start in Houston

This year’s conference is the largest ever National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change with over 4,000 people in attendance. Houston Mayor Annise Parker, an out lesbian who recently married her partner Kathy Hubbard welcomed the standing room only crowd to Houston.

Laverne Cox delivered a powerful, personal and moving opening keynote to kickoff the conference.  The crowd went wild as she took the stage and she was clearly moved by the standing ovation, commenting “Getting all this love tonight, feels like the change I need to see more of in this country.” Laverne discussed the hardships that transgender people, specifically transgender women of color face. Including violence, discrimination and barriers to accessing health care. Laverne spoke specifically about CeCe McDonald’s refusal to become a statistic, the challenges she faced in prison and her recent release from prison. And she expressed hope for the future, citing the changes that many of the people in the audience have worked hard to create. She left the audience with a message of love and community. Watch the full keynote: