BY BTL STAFF
TROY- The fifth annual SOGI Conference, hosted by the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Initiative of Oakland University's School of Education and Human Services, comes to the Detroit Marriott in Troy next week beginning at 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 29. The theme for this year's event is "Creating Climate Change in our Classrooms and Communities."
The SOGI Conference promotes inclusive classrooms and communities with the goal of creating more supportive and inclusive educational and work environments for LGBT individuals.
The day long event will feature expert presentations, roundtable discussions, best practices for integrating SOGI issues into school and work and ongoing networking opportunities – all focused on meeting the needs of LGBT individuals.
The 2016 SOGI Conference will feature multiple guests including Michigan Board of Education President John Austin and Sean Kosofsky, executive director of the Tyler Clementi Foundation, who will discuss LGBT bullying in his keynote address titled "Bullying, Harassment and Humiliation, Stories and Solutions."
Executive Director of Equality Michigan, Stephanie White, will serve as emcee for the event.
"Mr. Austin has close personal ties to the LGBT community and is determined to see that all students receive equitable access to their education, free from harassment or other forms of discrimination," said Timothy Larrabee, associate professor and director of the SOGI Initiative Taskforce. "Both he and the State Board of Education are committed to enhancing policies will that will help us reach our goal of 'Creating Climate Change in our Classrooms and Communities,' which is the theme of this year's conference.'"
Registration for the SOGI Education Conference is open until Jan. 28 at http://oakland.edu/SOGI/register. A $100 registration fee for the public and a $25 fee for full-time students includes two meals and access to the day's activities.
The Detroit Mariott is located at 200 W. Big Beaver Road in Troy. Follow conference developments on Twitter at @OUSOGI, #SOGICON.
