18th Annual Black New England Conference Schedule
Living Out Loud: The Intersectionality of Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation
A Virtual & In-Person Conference
October 5, 2024
Southern New Hampshire University
Back to the Black New England Conference Page
We want to ensure that this conference is available to all interested parties. Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we can offer attendees several complimentary tickets and student scholarships.
Please inquire at info@blackheritagetrailnh.org or call 603-570-8469 for more information.
Conference Extras
MOVIE SCREENING & DISCUSSION
Rustin
Friday, October 4 | 6:00 PM | Currier Museum of Art | FREE & Open to the Public
The film tells the story of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. Rustin encourages Martin Luther King Jr. to lead a protest in Los Angeles ahead of the 1960 Democratic National Convention. However, Baptist minister and long-time New York Congressman Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and NAACP leader Roy Wilkins are highly critical of Rustin on account of his romantic orientation, calling him a "queen."
In the 1960s, Tom Kahn is Rustin's love partner and works with him to expand civil rights.
A. Philip Randolph, who is respected at the NACCP for convincing Roosevelt to sign Executive Order 8802 (ending racial discrimination in the defense industry) in 1941 and Truman to sign Executive Order 9981 (ending racial segregation in the armed forces), is amenable to be persuaded by Rustin to organize the 1963 March in Washington DC. However, skeptics at NAACP remind Rustin of the unsuccessful 1932 veterans protest in Washington. Because of Roy Wilkins's objections to Rustin's gay mannerisms, the leaders of NAACP and Whitney Young of the Urban League assent to the "Chief" (A. Philip Randolph) serving as the director of the March on Washington in 1963; the Chief later announces that Rustin will be the deputy director of the said March.
Strom Thurmond publicly accuses Bayard Rustin of being a communist.
The March on Washington, D.C., in August 1963, was intended to increase congressional support for the passage of the civil rights bill Kennedy had proposed earlier in the year. Over 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial to call for an end to legalized racial discrimination in the US. Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the event.
Location: Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St, Manchester, NH
Moderator: Lowell (Chris) Matthews, Professor of Business Administration and Management, Southern New Hampshire University
Sponsored by the Currier Museum of Art. 
Black Lives Matter Gala
Saturday, October 5 | 6:00 PM | Cost $100
Hosted by Black Lives Matter New Hampshire
Join Black Lives Matter NH on October 5th, 2024, from 6 pm - 10 pm at the Bedford Event Center for an unforgettable night of Black performances, Black Food, Black music, and Black Art. All proceeds benefit the BLM Mutual Aid Fund! This essential fund has given back over $200,000 to the Black community for items like rent, utilities, and basic family necessities. The Mutual Aid Fund is a radical act of caring for each other while working to transform our communities. They will also have a silent art auction featuring work by local Black artists. Folks in attendance can bid throughout the night before they announce the highest bidders at the end of the event!
CONFERENCE BUS TOUR
A Small New Hampshire Town Remembers Its Black History
Sunday, October 6 | 1:00 PM | Cost $20
Tour Guides: Rebecca Courser & Lynn Clark
Rebecca Courser and Lynn Clark will lead a bus tour to explore the Black history of the Davisville section of Warner. We will see locations in Davisville where Black residents lived, worked, and attended school in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Meeting Place: Warner Town Hall | 5 East Main Street, Warner, NH
Ajunct Professor, University 2024 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, October 5, 2024
VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Registration Opens - Continental Breakfast
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM | PANEL #1
BEYOND ERASURE: BLACK QUEER TRAILBLAZERS AND THEIR LEGACIES
Although general knowledge of Black LGBTQ+ history is limited, key individuals, past and present, have profoundly contributed to shaping our world.
For this panel, presenters will examine the frequently overlooked contributions of historic Black and queer individuals who have been instrumental in shaping the nation. They will explore the legacies and histories of these people and how they influence movements such as civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and social justice. Through this discussion, panelists will illuminate how these stories have shaped, and continue to shape, the cultural and political landscape of the country.
Presenters
- Ray Diamond, (he/him) Distinguished Professor at Louisiana State University Law Center, Pauli Murray, Life and Times of Pauli Murray.
- Tanisha Johnson, (she/her) Director of Child Family Services, and Adjunct Professor, University of New Hampshire, Drawn Outside the Line: Impacts on the past, present, and future
- Matt Garza and Haus of Glitter,
Dance Company + Performance Lab + Preservation Society that works to shift the energetic center of the universe towards care, healing, justice and freedom, Providence, RI, Historical Fantasies of Black Queer Existence
Moderator
Dottie Morris, Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Keene State College, Keene, NH
10:40 AM - 12:10 PM | PANEL #2
UNBOXED: REDEFINING CREATIVE SPACES AT THE INTERSECTION OF RACE, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY
Throughout history, despite facing immense societal setbacks and a persistent lack of safe spaces, many creatives, producers, and performers courageously challenged traditional gender and sexuality norms. By defying these conventions, they left an indelible mark on American culture and carved out spaces of joy and expression in environments that had long excluded them.
This panel will delve into the evolving cultural norms surrounding gender roles and presentation, examining how the LGBTQ+ community has profoundly influenced the arts. It will also explore how this vital and often underrepresented history has significantly shaped the contours of popular culture today.
Presenters
- John Berst, (he/him) Professor, University of Miami, FL, Everybody Rejoice/ A Brand New Day – Celebrating the Legacy of Queer Black Theatre Artists Who Transform(ed) American Culture
- C. Rose Smith, (she/they) Photographer and Assistant Curator of Photography, Boston, MA, The Queer Lense: Constructing a Visual History
- Raquel Willis, (she/her) Activist, Journalist, Media Strategist, and Author, The Risk it Takes to Bloom
Moderator
Melina Hill Walker, Program Director at New Hampshire Endowment for Health, Concord, NH
12:10 PM to 1:30 PM - Luncheon and Citizen of the Year Award
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM | PANEL #3
A BURST OF LIGHT: FUTURE TRENDS AND EMERGING MOVEMENTS IN THE QUEER COMMUNITY
Audre Lorde once wrote: “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence; it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” For Lorde, self-care is about reclaiming power over one's life and body. It is an assertion of one's worth and a refusal to be consumed by the demands and pressures of an oppressive society.
Panelists will explore forward-thinking approaches to uplifting marginalized communities and envision greater inclusivity, equity, and social justice possibilities. The session will examine strategies and innovations to drive meaningful change and create a more equitable future.
Presenters:
- Journee LaFond, (they/them) Author, Podcast host, Restorative Justice Activist, Executive Director of Black Lives Matter New Hampshire “Forward Together: Examining the Intersection of Queer and Black Identities.”
- Amanda McGuire, (she/her) Clinical Mental-Health Counsellor, “Unapologetically Us: Fierce Self-Love for Queer BIPOC Bodies"
- Harold Steward, (he/they) Executive Director, New England Foundation for the Arts, Boston, MA "Voguing: Transcend Boundaries and Dismantling Oppression"
Moderator:
Bithiah Carter, CEO, Give Black Alliance, Boston, MA
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM | Keynote Conversation
A MODEL OF POSSIBILITIES: A CONVERSATION WITH TIQ MILAN AND HOST ANGEL SIMONE
Tiq Milan (he/him) is a sought-after host and strategic media consultant. He has moderated conversations about LGBT representation in media for HBO’s Newfest Film Festival, The Toronto Film Festival, LOGO, and MTV. He’s hosted authors in conversation at The Schomburg Center for Research, NYU, and Princeton. He will host an evening at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City this spring. As a media consultant, he guides organizations and companies in creating detailed media. Campaigns that engage diverse audiences in ways that are inclusive and authentic. He’s worked with HBO, NBC News, and various film and television producers on the rollout of several projects, including the documentaries HBO’s Suited and Netflix’s The Death and Life of Marsha P Johnson. Tiq also served as the Senior Media Strategist and National Spokesperson for GLAAD, using data-driven strategies to engage various media in appropriate and honest LGBTQ.
Host: Angel Simone (they/she) Speaker, Trainer & Coach, DEI Consultant
