LBTQWomen was founded three years ago after a small group of London-based activists sent out a survey that revealed a significant desire by lesbian, bi, transgender and queer women to be more involved in their communities.
On June 26, LBTQWomen, an organization committed to championing the accomplishments of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer women worldwide, held its first LBTQWomen Conference in New York City, hosted by Microsoft. The successful day long event brought together nearly 300 diverse LBTQ women and their supporters from all over the globe and across various industries to share ideas, increase visibility, and celebrate the contributions and successes of the LBTQ community, while also commemorating Stonewall50 and WorldPride.
Produced by Pippa Dale, a founding member and ambassador of LBTQWomen, the conference encompassed the theme ‘Connect, Champion, and Celebrate’ and paid tribute to a dynamic group of talented women from near and far. Conference attendees engaged in a variety of moderated panel discussions, TED-style talks, networking opportunities and concluded with a cocktail reception at the end of the day.
Alongside Pippa Dale, active LBTQW members and ambassadors, like award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, author, and diversity and inclusion expert, Jennifer Brown helped bring together the day’s diverse community of leading activists, senior executives, celebrities, and artists both on stage and behind-the-scenes. Brown participated as a speaker and was also on hand in between keynotes signing her bestselling book, Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace and The Will to Change. Her follow-up book, How To Be An Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive, will be available August 2019.
“I’m honored to have been part of the inaugural LBTQWomen Conference amongst such powerful women and individuals in the community, who use their voices and their stories for the greater good. The opportunity to connect, champion and celebrate so many amazing women was truly rewarding,” says Brown.
In addition to Brown, Urvashi Vaid, President of The Vaid Group, whose leadership in the LGBT and social justice movements spans legal, advocacy, philanthropic, and grassroots organizations, was also on hand signing copies of her book, Irresistible Revolution: Confronting Race, Class and the Assumptions of LGBT Politics.
Monica Boll, Managing Director, says "I was proud that Accenture sponsored this inaugural conference for LBTQWomen. It clearly demonstrated all women need a platform to have their voice heard. The atmosphere was electric, and for a senior corporate woman to be standing alongside so many people of difference, so much was learned and so much was shared”.
LBTQWomen was founded three years ago after a small group of London-based activists sent out a survey that revealed a significant desire by lesbian, bi, transgender and queer women to be more involved in their communities. Since then, the organization has launched the OUT Directory, a database of LBTQ professionals across the globe, a unique mentoring partnership with the group WERKIN, an Ambassadors Program, and an Inspirational Role Models Program. In March, LBTQWomen hosted a reception at the UK Parliament attended by dozens of women from the UK, U.S., as well as Portugal, Italy and France.