ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The North Carolina chapter of GetEqual and Blue Ridge Pride have announced their ‘State of Equality’ conference, to be held March 6. The event, free and open to the public, will feature national speakers as well as state and local organizations.
Headlining the panel is American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Christine Sun. In 2007, Sun was appointed by the ACLU to work on LGBT legal issues in the South. She is based in Nashville, Tenn.
Mississippi high schooler Constance McMillen will also speak. Last year, McMillen made headlines when she challenged her school district’s decision to bar her and her partner from attending their senior prom. The third panelist will be Dan Fotou, GetEqual’s southern regional organizer. k
Following the event, Pack’s Taven will host the panelists with an opportunity for more casual conversation for attendees.
“In light of several actions that have taken place since the elections, we felt it pertinent to bring more education about the changes that could have devastating outcomes on our community,” Blue Ridge Pride’s Amy Huntsman said in a release. “GetEqual NC was also looking to do something similar and we are fortunate to partner together to bring this event to the community. We are pleased to be able to have such esteemed panelists to discuss the state of equality for North Carolina.”
Blue Ridge Pride is Asheville’s LGBT Pride organization established in 2009. GetEqual NC, based in Asheville, was formed December 2010 and seeks to empower the community to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality.
The “State of Equality” event will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 1 Edwin Place in Asheville from 2:30 p.m.-4 p.m.
For more information, visit blueridgepride.com.