Workshop Descriptions & Conference Schedule
Iowa's First Annual Summit of LGBT Families & Allies
Summit Details
Updated!
Workshops & Schedule
Hosted by Lambda Legal with:
Schedule
Workshops will include topics relevant to participants who want to protect marriage equality in Iowa and support LGBT families.
UPDATED INFO
Saturday, November 21st
8:30 – 9:00 am: Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00 am: Opening Plenary
10:15 - 11:45 am: Workshop Session 1 (Marriage Equality Advocacy Training)
11:45 am - 12:45 pm: Families Reunite for Lunch (Meal Provided)
1:00 - 2:10 pm: Workshop Session 2
2:20 - 3:30 pm: Workshop Session 3
3:40 - 4:50 pm: Workshop Session 4
5:00 - 5:30 pm: Celebration & Wrap-up
Note: Child care and COLAGE youth programming runs from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, with a break for lunch.
Program Descriptions
Empowering Families, Protecting Equality: Marriage Equality Advocacy Training
The voices of LGBT families must be part of the ongoing conversation about marriage equality in Iowa. Join partners One Iowa, Family Equality Council, and Lambda Legal for a campaign update and for a hands-on training in the most effective ways to use our voices to protect equality.
Families, Faith and Equality: Bringing it All Together
Many of our faith communities are open and affirming, but do they understand and talk about the importance of marriage equality to LGBT families? Attend this workshop to find ways to start a conversation in your faith community and to connect your faith, your family and marriage equality.
Marriage Equality in Iowa: State & Federal Legal Considerations
In April, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Lambda Legal’s Varnum v. Brien case that denying same-sex couples equal participation in civil marriage violates the state constitution. Though civil marriage in Iowa does much to protect our families, federal non-recognition presents many challenges and concerns for LGBT families. Join Lambda Legal’s Camilla Taylor and local legal experts for a discussion of the legal landscape and an explanation of what civil marriage does in Iowa for LGBT families.
Preparing for Life, Legally: A Life Planning Workshop
All committed same-sex couples, married or unmarried should be thinking about wills, living wills, powers of attorney, delegation of parental powers and other important legal considerations. Attend this session to learn about life planning materials and other important ways to protect you and your loved ones.
Second Parent Adoption: The Legal Process
For LGBT parents looking to start or expand a family, it’s important to be familiar with the process of second parent adoption. This workshop will clarify second parent adoption by providing a basic overview of the legal process required to secure documentation of the legal connection between a non-biological parent and child.
Where to Begin? An Overview of Family Creation & Expansion
Whether you’re a prospective parent, already a parent or an interested ally, this panel will provide a wealth of information about the different ways LGBT parents begin to raise children. Parents and experts team up for a panel discussion to share stories, facts, and answers about assisted reproduction, foster care and adoption.
Diverse Branches, One Rainbow Tree: Perspectives from LGBT Families
The experiences of LGBT families are as diverse as the experiences of all families, and each type of family has mountains of wisdom to share. Come hear diverse parents and families tell their stories, share their ups and downs, and impart the wisdom gained from life in their families.
Talking to Your Children About Being in an LGBT Family
Like all children, our children wonder where they come from. As they grow older, they will receive direct and indirect messages about their family structure at school, in children’s books, and in the media. Participants in this session will discuss some of the questions facing children about their families, and how parents can respond to these questions with age-appropriate information. Particular attention will be paid to responding to negative messages encountered in schools and in the media in relation to LGBT political efforts.
Our Children in School: Ensuring Respect for our Families
We all want children to be proud of themselves and their families. This workshop will discuss ways to make sure our students and families are respected. Also learn how to spot problems, teach your kids to respond to homophobia, and find out what laws are protecting our children from bullying.
Transracial Adoption: Let’s Talk About the Issues
Have you transracially adopted or are you thinking about transracial adoption? This workshop delves into some of the challenges of raising children from a different racial or ethnic background and the opportunities of transracial adoption.
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