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Exploring Queer Activism: Insights from the 5th Annual Michigan Community Colleges Conference Panel Discussions

Writer's picture: Carolyn M. CraneCarolyn M. Crane


Our content writer, Carolyn Crane, attended the 5th annual Michigan Community Colleges Gender & Sexuality Conference on April 13th. Continue reading to learn more about her experience.

On April 13th, I attended the 5th annual Michigan Community Colleges Gender & Sexuality Conference. This hybrid conference, produced by Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor, was attended by about eighty people from around the state - some coming from as far away as Traverse City and Petosky. Approximately two dozen joined the conference via Zoom - one from Pittsburg, PA. 


Panel Kick-off

Kenneth Curtiss II stands to the left of the Michigan Community College Gender & Sexualty conference logo featuring the state of Michican filled in with the inclusive pride flag colors.
Kenneth Curtis II, deep in conversation with a conference attendee. Kenneth says that working with youth motivates him. He’s driven to make the world a better place for young queer people to live in.

The conference kicked off with a hybrid panel discussion on Queer Activism. Zee Walsh, Outspace + club officer, moderating. Panelists included Tory Sparks, Charlie Fuller, & Kenneth Curtis II. Sparks is a seasoned educator, facilitator, & consultant with a wealth of experience in LGBTQ+ centered education. Fuller is a Wellness Instructor & Community Builder, known for her work with Ypsilanti Pride and Ann Arbor Community for Traditional Music and Dance (AACTMAD). Curtis, a local from Ypsilanti, started the GSA at Ypsilanti Community High School & offered an afterschool portion in Bright Futures for those who couldn’t attend the in-school portion. The panelists shared their insights on movement, safe social environments, and networking.



Learning About the Past to Make a Brighter Future

Latitude Brown stands to the left of her presentation screen which reads "You Are Not Immune to Propaganda"
Latitude Brown presented an informative session on media literacy for the queer community.

Following the panel, attendees had the opportunity to choose from various breakout sessions and visit vendor booths. I attended Mackenzy Couch’s session, “The Laws That Paved The Rainbow Road,” which focused on the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), the first lesbian civil and political rights organization in the U.S. I also caught a session by Latitude Brown, a student at the University of Michigan, on media literacy for the queer community.

Her presentation was packed, and she shared valuable insights on navigating the overwhelming amount of information we encounter daily, from AI to soda, from war to COVID.


Two young attendees on the left talk to Susan Billmaier on the right. They are standing in front of Billmaier's vendor table above which hangs a banner that reads "The Zen Zone" n
Susan Billmaier (right) of Tecumseh shares queer-positive spirituality work at the Zen Zone with conference attendees.

My good friend, conference sponsor, & vendor, Susan Billmaier traveled from Tecumseh to share her queer-positive spirituality work at the Zen Zone. She also brought gifts & goodies from several queer-friendly businesses in Tecumseh. When I mentioned the DOB to her, she was already familiar with it. Susan shared that back in the 1980s, when she was an undergrad at Rutgers, she and other activists fought for LGBTQIA+ rights on college campuses. She was thrilled to hear about Mackenzy’s presentation and to share her own part in that lineage of activism. You can find more information about Susan’s role in queer history in this NY Times article.  


Sydney and Lizzie stand together posing for a photo.
Sydney and Lizzie (left to right), active members of the GSA at Monroe County Community College

Sydney and Lizzie traveled to the conference from Monroe. They both attend Monroe County Community College and are active in the GSA there. Sydney shared that they were grateful for this forum for “queer people to learn about their community.”  


“I’m infatuated by the distance people came to be here,” Lizzie added, noting that Traverse City was a four-hour drive. Both Sydney and Lizzie especially appreciated the Queer Communities and Sober Spaces break out session led by Livi Wilde, a student from EMU.


Their key takeaway from the conference, Sydney says, is that they will remember that “so many people care so much” about the queer people in their communities.


 We’ll be spending some more time with Sydney and Lizzie this summer when we talk to them about MCCC’s GSA.

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