This year, the US has passed an unprecedented number of state bills designed to attack the personhood of LGBTQIA+ youth. While most of that legislation is bound to be hammered by legal challenges, the bills represent a full-frontal attack on some of the LGBTQIA+ community’s most vulnerable members: children.

During this NationSwell Mainstage event, we’ll seek to explore the cultural effects of these bills and what we can do to affirm the dignity and rights of queer children. The event will feature opening remarks from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, the first openly gay man to be elected governor; will be moderated by Lauren Baer, a managing partner at Arena; and will feature panelists Carl Siciliano, founder of the Ali Forney Center, Sam Ames (they/them), director of advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project, and Janelle Perez, civic leader & candidate for Florida State Senate. 

Any members or allies of the LGBTQIA+ community are invited and encouraged to attend. Our hope is that participants will walk away with a greater awareness of the damaging effects of such proposals, in addition to a handful of actionable steps to take in order to safeguard the dignity of our nation’s queer youth.