Congressman Jared Polis (D-Colo) and National LGBT Activist Matt Foreman will be the keynote speakers at the First Biennial Statewide Conference of the Texas Stonewall Democratic Caucus (TSDC) on February 28 and March 1 in Austin.
Polis, who was elected to his first term in the U.S. House of Representatives, is the first openly gay man non-incumbent elected to Congress. Foreman is the former Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and a dynamic speaker on the subject of LGBT civil rights.
The TSDC is the officially recognized lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Caucus of the Texas Democratic Party and an affiliate organization of National Stonewall Democrats. The TSDC is comprised of ten (10) local Stonewall Democrats chapters in Austin, Collin County, Dallas, Denton County, Houston, the Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, Tarrant County and Williamson County.
According to Daniel Graney, TSDC President, LGBT Democrats come together at the Texas Democratic Convention in even-numbered years, but there is no time for training and networking opportunities because LGBT delegates are busy with convention business. "Having a conference in odd-numbered years enables LGBT Democrats and their straight allies to focus on LGBT issues by listening to motivational speakers and attending workshop training sessions and other networking opportunities", said Graney.
The Conference will be held at the Doubletree Hotel Austin - University Area, located at 1617 North IH-35 in Austin. For conference information and to register online, visit www.texasstonewalldemocrats.org.
Congressman Polis will also be the honored guest at a cocktail party fundraiser that will be held on Saturday, February 28, beginning at 8:00 pm at The Parkside, 301 E. 6th Street in Austin. For
donate or purchase tickets for this event, visit http://www.actblue.com/page/austinjaredpolis.
Other speakers at the Conference include Houston City Controller and mayoral candidate Annise Parker, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez, Dallas County District Clerk Gary Fitzsimmons, Austin City Councilwoman Randi Shade, Fort
Worth City Councilman Joel Burns, Equality Texas Executive Director Paul Scott, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie and National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jon Hoadley.
Awards will be presented to Dallas LGBT activist Jesse Garcia, the Houston Stonewall Young Democrats and Houston State Representative Senfronia Thompson.
TSDC is encouraging its conference attendees to stay over after the conference for Lobby Day, which will be held at the State Capitol on Monday, March 2nd.
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