Early this May, the It Gets Better Project co-hosted one of the biggest gatherings of LGBTQ+ activists from around the world in Long Beach, California.
The It Gets Better Project is a member of ILGA World, a federation started in 1978 that today makes up more than 1800 member organizations from 168 countries, all campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex rights. Every two years, they take their world conference to a new city.
From May 2-6, the It Gets Better Project co-hosted the 2022 ILGA World Conference, a week-long event where some of the world’s most inspiring LGBTQ+ leaders, activists, and storytellers had the opportunity to:
- Strengthen personal and professional relationships with their peers.
- Develop a working knowledge of the global LGBTQ+ movement.
- And nurture new skills that will enable them to effectively tell the stories of their communities.
Nearly 800 attendees participated in the conference, representing over 450 organizations. This included Special Envoys from the United Nations, as well as officials from the U.S. Biden Administration, California’s State Congress, and the City of Long Beach. Major nonprofits in attendance included the Council for Global Equality (CGE), GLAAD, GLSEN, Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Human Rights Watch (HRW), OutRight Action International, the Trevor Project, True Colors United, United We Dream, and more.
As co-hosts of the 2022 ILGA World Conference, the It Gets Better Project was honored to plan and host the event’s five-night social program, filled with entertainment and performers from the local LGBTQ+ community. This program would not have been possible without our amazing sponsors. Their support allowed us to take these evening events to new heights, with fantastic programming in both English and Spanish.
Thank you to our event sponsors American Eagle, Aerie, and Humble Bundle, as well as our beverage sponsors 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Ghost, Karbach Brewing Company, and Kona Brewing Co.
As we close this chapter as ILGA World’s co-host, we extend our deepest gratitude to that organization’s team for allowing us to be part of this endeavor, and we extend our full support to Iranti and Gender Dynamix, the co-hosts of the next ILGA World Conference taking place I in the beautiful city of Cape Town. See you in South Africa!