Scholar Isaias Guzman Attends Creating Change Conference

Photo: Conference & Program Manager Chris Garcia and Point Scholar Isaias Guzman at the Latino Intstitute.

Thanks to Point Foundation, this year I was able to attend my first Creating Change Conference  in Houston, Texas. Creating Change is one of the largest LGBT conferences with over 4,000 participants and over 350 workshops and training sessions. Prior to the conference, I had the opportunity to help support the planning of the Latino Institute, which is one of the daylong institutes for Creating Change. I participated in the programming committee for the Latino Institute and worked with some incredible LGBTQ Latinos to address the unique concerns of the LGBTQ Latino community. At the conference there were many opportunities to meet and network with LGBTQ folks and allies doing amazing work in their communities. At each workshop and session I attended, I discovered resources and tools, which will help me continue to strengthen my social justice activism. Plus, I made many new friends. The conference program featured so many great topics  – it was difficult to choose which workshops and sessions to attend.  The Latino Institute itself covered various issues pertinent to the LGBTQ Latino community such as immigration, trans* issues, reproductive justice, HIV, capacity building, and much more.

I also made sure to devote time tabling for Point during the conference, which gave me an opportunity to introduce the foundation and its mission to many folks who have never heard about Point. My conversations with people attending the conference really made it clear to me – and hopefully them too – the importance of Point’s support for LGBTQ students in their academic careers. The highlight of the Conference had to be the incredible speech actress Laverne Cox gave. It surely put in motion a ripple effect of inspiration reminding all the participants that there is so much more work left to be done, especially in doing more to support trans* people of color. As Laverne Cox eloquently said, “Loving trans* people is a revolutionary act.”

This post was written by Point Scholar Isaias Guzman

Isaias Guzman was born and raised in a predominantly low‐income Latino community in Southeast Los Angeles, California to Mexican immigrant parents. Isaias has helped empower hundreds of youth as they work to fight homophobia in their schools, and he has lobbied for legislation in Sacramento that would create safer schools for students. He also attended the first‐ever UN Consultation on anti‐LGBT bullying in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Isaias hopes to continue to fight for social justice as a Political Science major at UC Berkeley by learning how government can eliminate social inequalities and how he can assist marginalized communities through a career in public service.  Learn more about Isaias.