 |
 David Melson |
| Resources |
| Affirmation Calendar
March 10-11 March 18 April 20-22 June 1-3 July 25-28 October 19-21 |
There are a lot of support and advocacy groups in the world for LGBT Mormons. New ones appear (and old ones disappear) almost every week. But the one that has always been there, year in and year out, has been Affirmation. For thirty-five years now, Affirmation has been there to help us come out of the closet, to fellowship with others of like experiences, to advocate for inclusion and acceptance, to stand against hatred, bullying, and ignorance, and to provide a forum for discussion of both secular and spiritual matters from a gay Mormon perspective.
It has been a long journey, with many twists and turns along the path as we have tried to follow that wrought iron rod to our celestial rainbow, and so it is time to gather and to celebrate our journey. Affirmation meets this fall in Seattle, Washington, for discussion, fellowship, and celebration, in an Affirmation Conference that you do not want to miss.
We are gathering some great speakers. You told us that the awards banquet was too long and too dry, and so it is gone. You said you loved the Affirmation Temple Choir from last year’s conference, and so the choir is back and again under the direction of Judy. In the spirit of celebration, we have added a new item to the weekend, a dance, the prom-you-never-had. We have included time for those who wish to give back through service projects. And there is time for sight-seeing and shopping (the chocolate tour is great), and we are working to negotiate a discounted rate for a dinner cruise.
From the waterfront to the mountains, from the Space Needle to the coffee shops, restaurants, clubs, and shops, downtown Seattle is a vibrant environment. We will be staying at the Renaissance Seattle Hotel, an easy light-rail train ride from the airport. The hotel and its management are heavily involved and committed in the LGBT movement in Washington state, the service is first rate, the hotel is beautiful, and Affirmation has negotiated some great room rates.
The conference committee is looking for your input. If you know of a great speaker that you would like to see at conference, let us know. If you have an idea for a fantastic workshop that you would like to see presented (or that you would like to present), please let us know. You can reach the conference committee at davidmelson at affirmation.org.
The conference dates are October 19, 20, and 21; start planning now. The conference registration site will be live in mid-March (watch www.affirmation.org), including on-line hotel reservations.
Everyone on the conference committee is looking forward to seeing you in Seattle for “Celebrate the Journey,” the 2012 Affirmation Conference.
David Melson
Conference Director
Affirmation: Gay and Lesbian Mormons