Hosted by CLGS, The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in 

Religion and Ministry at Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA
 

November 3, 4 and 5, 2011 (Thursday Night - Saturday Night)

This year’s Summit will focus on making connections and supporting each other as we work on the frontlines. We are inviting some very dynamic and informative speakers and we are also setting aside time for private discussions, personal connections and group meetings. As a result, we have added an additional day for more socializing, brain-storming and connecting. YOU will be an active part of this year’s Summit and there will also be some new voices from faith communities that are just beginning the work of promoting acceptance. This should be a time of rejuvenation, community and education. 

The 2011 Transgender Religious Leaders Summit is an ecumenical meeting of faith leaders who identify as transgender, gender-queer and inter-sexed, and their allies. It is also an opportunity to connect with leaders of all faith communities and, through sharing, to celebrate our common heritage while learning to appreciate and respect our differences.

Take time for yourself!  This year’s Summit is a retreat-style meeting of transgender faith leaders from across the United States and Canada.  

We are very excited to have Chris Paige and Louis Mitchell as our keynote speakers. Their work in the transgender community to facilitate and strengthen connections is second to none. Their keynote topic will address the issue of health and wholeness in transgender social and faith communities. They feel that pursuing self-determination is an important step towards the goal of transgender inclusion.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Louis Mitchell   

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Louis is a long- time activist and advocate for fairness, equity, respect and self-determination.  A much sought-after preacher, speaker and trainer, he focuses on the intersectionality of ethnicity, class, gender, affectional preference and spirituality.

Chris Paige

Among other involvements, Chris founded TransFaith Online, coordinates the Interfaith Working Group, is Chair of the 2011 Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, and previously served as publisher of The Other Side magazine. Chris is an OtherWise-identified organizer, educator and writer, who is particularly concerned with race, gender, and sexuality within the context of faith communities.

Our faiths may differ, but our common objectives include some of the following:

1. Acceptance and inclusion of transgender people in our faith communities.

2. Identifying and using current resources and developing new educational resources. 

3. Identifying and addressing cultural and theological obstacles and objections.

4. Strengthening existing support systems for those doing the work on the front lines.

 

Sessions to include:

• Supporting transgender faith leaders on the front lines of ministry
• Identifying faith-based vs cultural-based obstacles 
• How to use networking and online tools more efficiently in ministry
• Transcending tolerance and transforming your faith communities
• Gender fluidity - Moving past male and female
• The pitfalls and inconsistency of language - Words that hamper   communication and words that facilitate communication.
• “Sermon in a Sound-bite”  Talking to the media
•  How do we advocate for our unique needs while remaining a viable part of the  LGBT community?

Faith Leader Panels: 

• How to deal with difficult issues from a faith perspective.
• How do we change a negative discussion into a positive one?
• Living as an example for others to follow
• Who are the allies of transgender? 
• Responding to suicide
• Youth Panel:  A frank discussion on issues that face young transgender individuals in their faith community
   

2011 SUMMIT Schedule:

Thursday Evening, November 3
3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Registration: (at the PSR Chapel) 

6:00 PM
Welcome: Bernie Schlager CLGS
Introduction and Blessing: Rev. Dawn Roginski

Dinner: 5:45 - 7:15 (Catered Dinner provided this night only)
 

7:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Transgender Day of Remembrance Service (at the PSR Chapel)
Event Leader: Mark McKenzie
We open the 2011 Transgender Religious Faith Leaders Summit with a time and space for us to become fully present together, in community, to lament our martyrs-ancestors, and to claim their wisdom and unseen strength. Let's continue our journey, acknowledging in gratitude for the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us who lend us their love, support and power. Living our authenticity is our gift to the world. For such a time as this...we are called to create a safe space for Gender Creative peoples, of all ages, sizes, colors, nationalities, faith traditions, abilities, economic or educational statues and cultures to set aside time to be with each other and to care for each other. Lets begin our time together restored to our wholeness as we carry sacred gifts to our world.

 
Friday, November 4
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM Registration 

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Provided

9:00 AM - 10:25 AM
SESSION 1: MAKING SABBATH for Transgender Faith Leaders
Rev. Erin Swenson
Making Sabbath is about you and the Holy. While we come from many traditions and widely diverse backgrounds, we all know the relentless demands that are placed on us as transgender faith leaders. This time together is for inspiration, centering, perhaps dreaming a bit, and sharing our considerable wisdom about how we take care of ourselves and open our lives to possibility.

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Lessons from Kindergarten
Every day is an opportunity to begin again. Join us for today's adventure! Use what you already know to do what you already do more thoughtfully.

SPEAKER: Chris Paige: Among other involvements, Chris founded TransFaith Online, coordinates the Interfaith Working Group, is Chair of the 2011 Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference, and previously served as publisher of The Other Side magazine. Chris is an OtherWise-identified organizer, educator and writer, who is particularly concerned with race, gender, and sexuality within the context of faith communities.

SPEAKER: Louis Mitchell: Born and raised in Los Angeles, Louis is a long- time activist and advocate for fairness, equity, respect and self-determination. A much sought-after preacher, speaker and trainer, he focuses on the intersectionality of ethnicity, class, gender, affectional preference and spirituality.

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Lunch Provided

1:00 PM - 2:25 PM
SESSION 2: Aging in The Transgender Community

Moderator: Stephanie Ann Blythe
Panelists: Ruth Bramham, Claudia Kenworthy, MD, Barbara Satin

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (part 3a, 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM)
SESSION 3: 'Wholistic' Transgender Healthcare for TG Leaders
Dr. Jennifer Burnett

SESSION 3a: Depression and Responding to Suicide
Jon V Platania, PhD - Open microphone to share stories

2:30 PM - 3:55 PM
SESSION 4: Transitioning in the Tenderloin 
Issues facing Transgender Homelessness 
Moderator: Rev. Vicki Gray, Rev. Monique Ortiz / plus invited panelists 

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
SESSION 5: Transgender in the Context of Theology
Rev. Vicki Gray, Rabbi Levi Alter, Barbara Satin

Dinner (not provided)
Evening Off - Sign-ups for dinners out and events

SUMMIT: Saturday, November 5
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM REGISTRATION: 

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Breakfast Provided

9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
SESSION 6: Transgender Seminarian Forum
Shannon Kearns and Jakob Hero

9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
SESSION 7: Turning a Sermon into a Soundbite: Media Training for Activists
Rev. Roland Stringfellow

10:15 AM - 11:00 AM
SESSION 8: How to use networking tools more efficiently
Clergy Intern, Megan More, M.Div

10:15 - 11:00 AM
SESSION 9: Trans and Gender Queer Youth Panel / Understanding the Experience and Vocabularity of Young Adults
Rev. Will McGarvey

11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Transgender Community Resource Faire 

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM Lunch Provided

12:00 PM - 1:10 PM
SESSION 10: Allies of Transgender
Rev. Will McGarvey, Roland Stringfellow, Charlotte Lumpkins, Don Crisostomo

1:15 PM - 2:20 PM
SESSION 11: How to connect with and support other transgender faith leaders.
Elena Kelly, Patricia Kevena Fili, Chris Paige, Louis Mitchell

2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
SESSION 11: Gender Fluidity - Moving past male and female 
Randi Klein, Dawn Roginski, Chris Paige, Megan Rohrer


3:50 PM - 5:15 PM
SESSION 12: Lessons for Transforming the View of Transgender Persons Abroad: USAID Outreach to Faith Leaders in Developing Countries on LGBT Human Rights"
Dr. Chloe Schwenke, Dr. Jamison Green, Rev. Jake Kopmeier

Dinner (not provided)

7:15 PM - 8:30 PM
SESSION 13: Wrap Up Session: Life on the Soap Box
Rabbi Levi Alter, Chris Paige. Louis Mitchell, Erin Swenson

8:30 PM - 9:00 PM Time of Sharing, Worship and Reflection

AVAILABLE DURING THE SUMMIT:

Sign-ups for:
Massage / Manicures / Spiritual Couching and a nap and reading room 

TAKE-A-WAYS:

Conference Binder

Contact List

Copy of "Telling our Stories"

A Frontline Survival Kit "Personal Tools for Survival."

If you’re interested in being on a panel or leading a session at the 2011 Summit or if you would like more information, please contact:  Randall Klein, (925) 586-4651 or email:rklein@lightinthecloset.org
 

TRLS 2011 Resource Fair

On Saturday, November 5, between 11am – 3pm, the Transgender Religious Leadership Summit will be hosting a resource fair to provide an opportunity for the summit attendees to connect with agencies and resources that are plentiful in the Bay Area but may not in many parts of the United States and Canada. We invite local transgender agencies to attend at no cost! It is our hope that agencies will be able to send a representative to meet and discuss the services they provide to the transgender community during the resource fair. To participate in this unique opportunity to connect with leaders of the religious and spiritual transgender community, please contact Daniel Borysewicz via email danielbtoz@gmail.com. Please choose this option on the registration form and be sure to include your phone and email so we may contact you.

If you are not able to attend in person but are willing to send information about your agency to disseminate, please ship that information to the following address:

TRLS 2011 Resource Fair
c/o Daniel Borysewicz
1798 Scenic Avenue, #456, Berkeley, CA 94709-1323