A month later, I’m still seeing quotes from Laverne Cox’s keynote address at Creating Change 2014 (which I’m not at all bitter about missing out on. Really…I’m fine). She was a big name at a bigger conference. Thousands of LGBTQ leaders, organizers, and activists from across the country flocked to Texas to participate in the annual conference hosted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
But there is another conference that should also be on your radar.
“The Kinks, Locks and Twists Conference™ offers women of color and allies a unique space to explore the dynamic relationship between the health and well-being of our bodies, communities and the ecosystems in both a local and global context.”
Let me just say this: when it comes to intersectionality, women of color have this shit on lock. The history of the conference reads like your favorite black feminist manifesto and uplifts the act of speaking and doing for your own communities.
“The goal of the KLT Conference™ during the first two years was for women of color in Pittsburgh to discuss how our pursuit of elusive standards of beauty impacted our health and well-being. The politics of Black hair specifically served as the compelling access point for women of color to enter conversations about Environmental and Reproductive Justice.
KLT has expanded to explore a broad range of important environmental issues from the high rates of asthma in some of Pittsburgh’s most marginalized neighborhoods, fracking in Pennsylvania and toxic hair, makeup and personal products and their relationship to a host of reproductive cancers.”
Today is the last day to support their IndieGoGo fundraiser to help them raise $10,00o to fund travel, scholarships, and the Women’s Wellness Expo.
Sesali is a writer and living testament to the fact that you can take the girl out of Chicago, but you can’t take Chicago out of the girl.