UCEA & President Carol A. Mullen

present the

2nd UCEA Presidential Spring Lecture

LGBTQIA+ Solidarity:

Building Gender-Expansive, Affirming Life-Worlds as Agents of Care

May 9, 2023, 4:00-5:30PM (EDT)

This is a critical time for all of us as violence against the LGBTQIA+ community becomes enacted into law across the country. The role of educational leaders to support, protect, and advocate for LGBTQIA+ young people is more important than ever. As an organization continually evolving in our understanding of social justice and equity, the need to learn from the leadership of our LGBTQIA+ colleagues to create a safe, authentic, and more gender expansive community is clear. 

Celebrate pride! Stand in solidarity with our LBGTQIA+ colleagues, educators, and communities. Be bold, together! LGBTQIA+ people play a modeling role for others in their institutions and communities, including the UCEA community. Queer and trans communities are navigating complex issues that we have yet to fully understand in the educational leadership field. Building expansive, affirming life-worlds as agents of care requires listening to and learning from queer and trans people. Panelists will discuss timely LGBTQIA+ issues involving equity, justice, policy, and leadership. They may consider current events, laws, civil rights, organizational values, culture, change, lived experiences, and aspirations. Possible discussion points include structural reforms for addressing educational inequities seen in the bans on teaching about sexual orientation and gender identity (e.g., Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill) and the anti-trans push on gender-affirming health care for transgender youth by at least 11 states. Bills and attacks prevent talk about queer and trans people and enact policies that hurt trans people. Other areas of exploration may include LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, agendas, and campaigns; student voice and communities; applied scholarship and research-informed practices; critical policy and analysis; agents of care; and equity-oriented leadership. Ways to improve schools and higher educational institutions as well as professional organizations through such means as equity self-study is another point of interest.

We are eager for this great opportunity to take a step toward healthy climates and promising futures; sensitivity to the LGBTQ+ community; and awareness for the sake of solidarity, advocacy, care, and safety. In this learning space of connection and expansiveness no one is expected to be an “expert.” Attendees are encouraged to experience this conversation with an open mind and respect the ideas that will be shared.

The panel will be virtual. Attendees will need to pre-register.

Panelists:

Judy A. Alston, Miami University

Bryan J. Duarte, Miami University

DeMarcus Jenkins, Penn State

Melinda M. Mangin, Rutgers University

Co-facilitators:

Carol A. Mullen, Virginia Tech

James Koschoreck, Texas State University

Welcome:

Mónica Byrne-Jimenez, Michigan State University and UCEA Executive Director