Haven Herrin represents at International Lesbian & Gay Association World Conference

Haven Herrin, once the Director of Soulforce Q young adult activism for Soulforce for 4 years and now the Development Consultant for Soulforce, will be traveling to Brazil this week to attend the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) 25th World Conference.  Haven has served on the world board of ILGA as a North American representative for two years and will run again for election while in Sao Paulo next week.  Haven will also be very busy with conference activities – on the docket are the following:

• a presentation on the tension between the liberty to self-identify with increasingly diverse language and the need to unite as a collective force for social change
• a workshop on how we create “indigenous” queer languages for expressing who we are, and how we talk about ourselves in an international context where English is the dominant language
• presenting a case study Haven wrote, published by the Association of Women in Development (AWID), about how working to change fundamentalist religion with regard to LGBTQ people highlights just how much of a feminist movement the LGBTQ movement is

“I am always excited to work in an international context. I remember how humbling and educational it was to facilitate study sessions in Europe on religion, gender, and public art in years past with Soulforce.  Working with really talented, bold and humorous activists from all over the world has changed my sense of what solidarity means for those of us based in North America.  I am honored to be able to participate in the conference and maintain Soulforce’s presence among global activists and leaders.  I will be sure to share a report back from Brazil with everyone in Soulforce when I return.“

More information on the ILGA conference can be found here: http://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/mwRtYJs1tv

Haven’s study, published by AWID in the anthology Feminists on the Frontline: Case Studies of Resisting and Challenging Fundamentalisms, can be read here:

http://awid.org/eng/About-AWID/AWID-Initiatives/Resisting-and-Challenging-Religious-Fundamentalisms/CF-Case_Studies

Thank you for supporting Soulforce in building global LGBTQ solidarity. To give you a sense of the what it costs, $25 will pay for Haven’s meals for one day, $140 will cover the cost of the visa,  $300 will cover the cost of conference registration.  Click here to donate.