Hello, internet! Today I come to you with a very important announcement: this weekend I am honored to have been invited to The 5th Annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening in Washington DC, hosted by The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association and sponsored by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund. It’s an important thing for grown-up journalists and famous important people will be there talking about important things in the shadows of large white important buildings.
Olivia will probably also be there
My number one feeling about this situation is that it’ll be the first time in my life I’ve gone to a business thing without a co-worker/friend EVER which means I’ll probably be spending a lot of time between then and now googling “how to talk to people.” Because there are gonna be some really amazing people there that I should talk to.
My number two feeling is that two of the events on my agenda are “business casual” and I think that means I need to buy some pants. I thought nobody expected lesbians to look nice, ever, like how Ellen wears sneakers on the television? Don’t worry I got this on lock.
My number three feeling is that there’s a thing on Saturday night that’s open to the public! So, if you live in Washington DC and want to come see me spill something on my new pants on Saturday March 1st, there’s a situation happening on the second floor of The Green Lantern at 9:30 PM.
No, BUT SERIOUSLY, I’m really really honored to have been invited to this event and really excited about it. I’m gonna be in the same room as about a billion of the wisest queerest minds currently making LGBT journalism happen. This year’s theme is “The Hunger Games.” Just kidding, it’s “Honing Our Game.” Witness:
The goal of the forum is to strengthen the capacity of LGBT members of the media and blogosphere to more deeply understand and more effectively communicate critical issues facing the LGBT community, as well as assist in increasing the presence and diversity of LGBT bloggers in the national blogging community.
I’m super thrilled for Friday night, when Andrea Mitchell will be delivering a speech to us about “Climbing Your Way To The Top As A Female Journalist.” There are heaps of other influential humans I’m excited to see and hear, like bisexual activist Robin Ochs, The Bilerco Project’s Bil Browning, Transgriot‘s Monica Roberts, Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality, ElixHER‘s Kimberly McLeod, Feministing’s Joss Truitt and activist Reina Gossett. There will be journalists from all the major players, like Buzzfeeed, Think Progress, The Advocate, The Huffington Post, AfterEllen and Slate.
I will return to you having built my journalism skills, learned about LGBT-centric topics beyond marriage equality and “expanded audiences through on-site media training with broadcast experts.” Plus, it’s all being sponsored by The Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund which is just quite simply awesome.
Oh and I should tell you this:
Attendees will report, blog, livestream, tweet, etc., all through the event. NLGJA members not attending are invited to follow the social media action, to join the conversation and learn as well. Follow #LGBTMedia14 to be part of the conversation.
I wish I still lived in DC just so I could come to the Green Lantern thing! It sounds so cool. I’m the most awkward human ever though, so I probably would not have talked to anyone anyway. Looking forward to hearing about the things you learn!
Awesome!
I feel your pain about networking, so much. I actually have a book called “Networking for people who hate networking”. But I haven’t tried any of the tricks in it, because I hate networking so much that I’m steadfastly avoiding any opportunity to do it.
Last time I went to a conference, I spent most of my free time taking pictures of birds. I’m sure that helped my career somehow.
So much gay mingling (gingling?!)! Here’s a fav networking tip that works for introverts or people who hate networking: When you don’t have anything to say, just admit to everyone that networking is hella awkward and people will laugh in agreement and conversations will start. Because it is. And nobody likes it. Also, instead of asking “what do you do, ask “what projects are you excited about working on?”
Thank you for this tip!
Go get ’em!
this looks so rad! good luck Riese!
This Saturday night? Green Lantern? Riese and other straddlers?! TOTES THERE.
YAY!
Only if I can come and communicate with you entirely with texted gifs, Riese!
FAIL. Well, I can apparently only communicate with you through broken link gifs!
awwwww
i would do that if i knew how my phone worked
welcome to the general area where our weather has no idea what it is doing. i wish i could make it down there, but i don’t know if i can (& idk when the metro & MARC trains stop running), but know if i was there i would just be like “and when Ellen Page came out she was so excited she didn’t put the article in a specific category”
(no i wouldn’t; lbr i would awkwardly shuffle around & want to say hi but i would just awkward shuffle)
They are going to love you. How could they not?
THANK YOU TORRIE
I am secretly glad I have plans I can’t cancel, because otherwise I would make myself to go out to say hi to Riese and then just be super awkward and quiet the whole time
It would be real cool to not be awkward, I think!
This sounds like a wonderful event. I’ll be there Saturday night and I look forward to meeting you and other straddlers. Will folks be wearing Autostraddle buttons or something to identify each other? Or maybe just a lot of glitter?
I live in DC. Definitely would be up for meeting people at the Green Lantern! Yes..how will we identify each other? We need special hand signals!!
We have three straddlers but we can’t find Riese!
Update: Riese was found, additional straddlers joined, and fun was had! Yay!
It was a pleasure meeting everyone yesterday. I can’t think of a better group of folks to talk with about string cheese while standing next to the men’s restroom at Green Lantern. A lovely night!