Learn to Earn at the ASJA Conference • May 18–19, 2018
Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City

This Year’s Conference Hashtag • #ASJANY18

Sessions for my “Captivate” track at the NY Writers Conference include:

FRIDAY • MAY 18 • MEMBERS-ONLY DAY

Polish Your Brand Workshop
I will kick off my first track by discussing your blog, social media, or website during this fun, interactive session. Plan to leave with the tools you need to boost your brand’s impact. (7:30–8 am)

The Big Book Project
ASJA President Sherry Paprocki, with authors Janine Latus, Milt Toby and Pat Ryan will talk about transitioning from journalism to writing books, including how to write proposals. (8–9 am)

Keynote Speaker Aimee Ross
This nationally celebrated educator and author (PERMANENT MARKER: A MEMOIR) is set to offer inspiration and lessons from her own successful career and writing journey (9–9:45 am)

Making Money in Your Sleep Passive Income for Writers
Damon Brown, Jeanette Hurt and Andrea King Collier will discuss the myriad ways to reharvest articles or adapt your skillset to make a better living off of work already completed. (10–11 am)

Editors Who Want Your Pitches
Wayne Hoffman, Tablet Magazine; Peter Catapano, The New York Times; Carolyn Malcoun, Senior Food Editor, EatingWell; and Lina Zeldovich, JSTOR Daily will discuss pitch Dos and Don’ts. Every editor has their pet peeves and preferences. The moderator (me!) will ask them to describe what they love and don’t love about pitches. This is a high-energy session (11:15 am–12:15 pm).

Beyond the Wall: Making the Leap
From Journalism to Content Marketing
Whether it’s called brand journalism or content marketing, companies need writers for blog posts, case studies, articles, video scripts. Agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and others seek writers with skills you’ve already honed as a journalist. Veteran journalists Christine Parizo and Court Stroud are ready to share the nuts-and-bolts moves that led to their success. Learn how to make it work for you. (2:15–3:30 pm)

Social Media: What’s Working and What Isn’t
Don’t miss Sree Sreenivasan, the most popular repeat speaker in ASJA conference history. This is an entertaining and interactive session to improve self-promotion, expand your audience and reach more career goals. Sree provides an astounding amount of cutting edge information and lets you know exactly where to go online to find what you need in the fastest way possible. (3:45–5:15 pm)

 Stay tuned for more…

#ASJANY2018  May Writers Conference • Saturday, May 19 • OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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Register Now to Save!

To learn more about the Conference and How to Join
click here

This year’s New York City conference will be held at the
Sheraton Times Square Hotel
811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City.

I owe so much of my full-time freelance writing career to ASJA

Conference Schedule • Friday, May 18 • Members-Only Day

Conference Schedule • Saturday, May 19 • Open to the Public

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

CONFERENCE TRACK CHAIRS

• Aimee Ross
Aimee Ross is the author of Permanent Marker: A Memoir (KiCam Projects, March 2018). She worked as a Regional Educator in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for ten years. In addition, she is a nationally award-winning educator who has been a high school English teacher for the past twenty-five years. @AimeeRoss
• Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has edited the Modern Love column in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times since its inception in 2004. His books include “Love Illuminated,” two essay anthologies—“Modern Love” and “The Bastard on the Couch”—and the novel “After Lucy,” which was a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. Jones appears weekly on the Modern Love Podcast, which had 20 million downloads in its first year. Jones has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News, CNN and NPR. His writing can also be found in The Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and elsewhere. @DanielJones
• Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning independent journalist, author and speaker. Her book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018), grew out of her school discipline story for Mother Jones that became the magazine’s most-read piece. Katherine contributes to The Atlantic, Fortune, Washington Post and more.

TRACK CHAIRS

The conference theme is based on the three tracks:

Navigate (Beginner). Motivate (Intermediate). Captivate (Advanced).

• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager and Detailed Overseer @CarolynCrist

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. @NancyDunham

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Track Chair and Social Media Maven @DorriOlds

Stay tuned for more info about #ASJA2018! Hope to see you there!

The post What to Expect at #ASJA2018 Writers Conference • May 18–19, 2018 • New York City appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

Register Now to Save!

To learn more about the Conference and How to Join click here

This year’s New York City conference will be held at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel
811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City.
Friday, May 18 is Members-Only Day.
Saturday, May 19 is open to anyone who would like to attend.

I owe so much of my full-time freelance writing career to ASJA!

CONFERENCE TRACK CHAIRS

• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager and Detailed Overseer @CarolynCrist

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. @NancyDunham

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Track Chair and Social Media Maven @DorriOlds

The conference theme is based on the three tracks: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• Aimee Ross
Aimee Ross is the author of Permanent Marker: A Memoir (KiCam Projects, March 2018). She worked as a Regional Educator in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum for ten years. In addition, she is a nationally award-winning educator who has been a high school English teacher for the past twenty-five years. @AimeeRoss
• Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones has edited the Modern Love column in the Sunday Styles section of the New York Times since its inception in 2004. His books include “Love Illuminated,” two essay anthologies—“Modern Love” and “The Bastard on the Couch”—and the novel “After Lucy,” which was a finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. Jones appears weekly on the Modern Love Podcast, which had 20 million downloads in its first year. Jones has appeared on NBC’s Today Show, CBS This Morning, ABC News, CNN and NPR. His writing can also be found in The Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and elsewhere. @DanielJones
• Katherine Reynolds Lewis
Katherine Reynolds Lewis is an award-winning independent journalist, author and speaker. Her book, The Good News About Bad Behavior (PublicAffairs, April 2018), grew out of her school discipline story for Mother Jones that became the magazine’s most-read piece. Katherine contributes to The Atlantic, Fortune, Washington Post and more.
Stay tuned for more info about #ASJA2018! Hope to see you there!

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• Carolyn Crist
Beginning Track Manager, and Detailed Overseer

• Nancy Dunham
Mid-Career Track Manager and Volunteer Coordinator. She’s also ASJA’s new volunteer coordinator.

• Dorri Olds
Advanced Career Manager and nicknamed the “Social Media Guru” for the entire event.

SAVE THE DATE! May 18–19, 2018
ASJA’s 47th Annual Writers Conference

Note: The 2018 conference will be held at a new venue this year: Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel, 811 7th Avenue at West 53rd Street, New York City. The conference Members Day is May 18 and the Open Day is May 19.
I am excited to be taking this work on! My dad always said, “If you want something done, give it to the busiest person and they’ll get it done.” ASJA is filled with hard-working freelance writers who are accustomed to nutty deadlines and being adept at multi-tasking. I’m honored to be part of this amazing team led by ASJA president Sherry Beck Paprocki.
I am thrilled — absolutely gleeful — that my proposal for the conference theme has been chosen! It is based on the three tracks: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels.
The 2018 theme is:

Navigate, Motivate, Captivate

I will be serving as the Advanced Track chair. It is an honor to have been chosen. ASJA has helped me find success as a full-time freelance writer. I work in my home office with my beloved dog Buddy James at my feet. Thank you, ASJA! 

We Are Seeking Conference Panel Proposals • Deadline is Nov 10th

The NYC Conference’s theme for 2018 is Navigate, Motivate, Captivate. This year, we’re featuring three tracks for beginners, mid-career writers and advanced storytelling techniques.
We are currently soliciting proposals for panels and workshops that will inspire, motivate and empower journalists, nonfiction and literary nonfiction writers at all stages of their careers. Emphasis will be put on professional development as it relates to these three tracks of freelance writing, such as workshops on pitching, making new career moves, finding increased income, querying book agents, and publishing in all aspects such as books and magazines.
What We Are Looking For In a Session Proposal
We prefer workshops that focus on craft and those with a “how-to” aspect. We want single session leaders who are experts in their field and savvy in social media. We’re seeking panels that offer real service to our attendees. In particular, we’re looking for diversity in panelists — racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, marital and parental status.
If you’re interested in speaking, please complete this form.
Please note that we are unable to offer monetary compensation for travel or presenting. All participants must be available during the entire two days of the conference, May 18 and May 19, as scheduling will be at the discretion of the conference committee.
Deadline: November 10, 5:00 pm ET
 

Writers: If you are interested in joining ASJA…

Visit the Society’s website:
• About ASJA
• Who is Eligible to Join
• Member Benefits
And, if you do decide to join, please mention that you heard about ASJA from me! I’ll be much obliged.

Track Chair Bios

Carolyn Crist, a freelance journalist with stories that have appeared in AARP, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Atlanta Magazine, Anesthesiology News,  Reuters, Tales of the Cocktail, U.S. News & World Report and WIRED. She is also an adjunct journalism professor (of convergence journalism, photojournalism and travel writing) at the University of Georgia and co-owner of Pixel & Ink Studio in Athens, Georgia.
Nancy Dunham is a freelance writer whose clients include People magazine, AARP, Automotive News, USA Today, MoneyTalksNews/MSN, Woman’s World, A&E Real Crime blog and other national publications. Dunham was a newspaper reporter, magazine editor and publisher. She is also a founding board member of the Association of Healthcare Journalists and lives in Alexandria, Va.
Dorri Olds is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in book anthologies, newspapers and magazines including The New York Times, Marie Claire, Woman’s Day and The Forward. Her social media following includes over a million views on YouTube. As a full-time freelancer she divides her time between writing personal essays, pop culture articles, service pieces, movie reviews and interviewing A-List celebrities. She is currently working on a book about misogyny and rape culture.
“ASJA is so fortunate to have these prolific writers agree to work together to make this upcoming conference one of the most relevant conferences available to freelance writers and authors in the industry,” says ASJA President Sherry Beck Paprocki. “As ASJA moves to a new conference venue next spring, the tri-chairs promise to deliver important content for all writers—whether they are just starting out in the profession or they have long-time writing experience. We are looking forward to the months of planning that will create a must-attend conference next spring.”
 
Here is one of my personal ASJA Success Stories:
ASJA is so worth the cost of membership. Every year that I attend the annual conference in New York City, I make back much more money than I spent. Last year, during speed pitches, I met the lovely Woman’s Day editor, Maria Carter. We hit it off immediately. She has published three of my personal essays and is a dream to work with. Thank you, ASJA!

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Saturday, May 6 • Day 2

I will be on two panels this year at the American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) annual writers conference. The first is on Friday, May 5 at 2:45. Its topic is “Using Smartphones To Tell Stories.” My second panel will be on Saturday, May 6. It’s titled “Tackling Tough Topics.”

ALSO SEE MY FRIDAY, MAY 5 PANEL: “USING SMART PHONES TO TELL STORIES”

In this workshop, moderated by ASJA member Candy Arrington with panelists Dorri Olds, Rudri Patel and Sharon Van Epps, writers will learn methods to craft tough topics through the power of story. We will be providing practical suggestions for coping and moving forward, and writing with a level of transparency that touches hearts and inspires hope.

Though many writers feel compelled to write about a difficult life circumstance, loss, or grief, it’s important to know how to structure content, what to include and what to omit. In writing tough topics, you have the opportunity to reach those who are hurting, feel alienated and alone, and are searching for ways to heal their pain. No matter what the situation, there are common threads that reach across gender, cultural, and ethical barriers to foster hope and healing.

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“Using Smartphones To Tell Stories”

• Editing
• Uploading to outlets from the field
• What gear to get
• Best editing apps
• Voice over narrations
• Downloading the video to your desktop

ALSO SEE MY SATURDAY, MAY 6 PANEL: “TACKLING TOUGH TOPICS”

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Sat., May 21, 2016 • 2–3:30pm • Writers Panel • New York City
American Society of Journalists & Authors  (ASJA)
45 East 45th Street at Madison Avenue

Transit: 7, F or M7 bus 

The Latest Social Media Tricks: What Works, What’s a Turnoff

Our panel of editors and social media experts will teach you what works and what doesn’t. There’s never enough time in a writer’s life. It can be overwhelming without tips and tricks for efficiency. Don’t waste valuable hours. We’ll cover ways to maximize your efforts with titles, tags, topics, keywords, SEO, naming images and how Google rankings work. Editors will tell you how and what to pitch.
HERE’S HOW TO REGISTER FOR #ASJA2016
Speakers
Sacha Scoblic Zimmerman, senior editor at The Atlantic and author of the memoir UNWASTED: MY LUSH SOBRIETY. Her work has appeared in The New Republic, The Fix, The Guardian, Reader’s Digest, and The New York Times, where she penned essays for the Times blog “PROOF: Alcohol and American Life.”
Marcelle Soviero, editor-in-chief for the award-winning Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers which publishes 20-plus essays per month at competitive rates. She’s the author of AN IRIDESCENT LIFE. She has published essays in The New York Times, Salon and more. Soviero is also a writing coach who teaches how to get published.

Estelle Sobel Erasmus, an award-winning journalist, author, editing/writing coach, and former magazine editor-in-chief of five publications. She’s worked as top editor at American Woman and beauty editor at Woman’s World magazine. Her work appears in Salon, Newsweek, Redbook, Washington Post and Marie Claire and she’s a 3-time BlogHer Voice of the Year.

Russell D. Bernstein is an author who expertly utilizes social media to expand his fan base and maintain a successful website at www.bullytalks.com. His mastery of social media has increased his sales tremendously and rocketed his books to bestseller status. His social media tips will include the powers of multi-tasking and pursuing your dreams.

And me: Dorri Olds, a freelance writer, webmaster, and social media expert, who has been published in The New York Times, The Fix, The Forward, Book Anthologies and more. Check out my social media stats!
• YouTube 736K views
• Twitter 35K
• Facebook 5K
… and interviewed on Dr. Drew, NY1, and 7 On Your Side

The post Social Media Tricks: What Works, What’s a Turnoff appeared first on Award-Winning Writer and Graphic Designer.

The Latest Social Media Tricks: What Works, What’s a Turnoff

Our panel of editors and social media experts will teach you what works and what doesn’t. There’s never enough time in a writer’s life. It can be overwhelming without tips and tricks for efficiency. Don’t waste valuable hours. We’ll cover ways to maximize your efforts with titles, tags, topics, keywords, SEO, naming images and how Google rankings work. Editors will tell you how and what to pitch.
HERE’S HOW TO REGISTER FOR #ASJA2016
Here are my as-of-now confirmed speakers for my Sat, May 21, 2-3:30pm panel at the #ASJA2016 annual conference:

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The Forward

Say No to the ‘C’
Interview with author Jennifer Margulis about the risks of Caesarean sections.

A Tour of Jewish China
Interview with Israeli entrepreneur Yael Farjun who runs a travel company in China.

A Journey of Recovery From Eating Disorders
Interview with comedian-actress Stacey Prussman who does outreach at campuses to help those suffering with eating disorders.

The Fix

Directing Sarah Silverman as an Addict
Interview with Adam Salky about the comedian-turned-dramatic-actress Sarah Silverman and his movie “I Smile Back” based on the novel by Amy Koppelman.

Rape, Trauma, PTSD and Bill Cosby
A personal essay about my own experience with rape and why women are terrified to tell.

Bob Zappa on Frank, Smokes and Addiction
An interview with Frank Zappa’s younger brother about Frank’s addiction to cigarettes, which led to designing the cover and copyediting his memoir “Frankie and Bobby: Growing Up Zappa.” and becoming dear friends with Bob and his wife Diane.

Meet the Remarkable Woman Who Is Saving Afghanistan’s Heroin Addicts
Since the fall of the Taliban, the production of opium has skyrocketed. Afghanistan produces 90 percent of the world’s supply and 11 percent of the population there are addicts. Laila Haidari, a former child bride, runs two addiction treatment centers and offers hope and healing to addicts in Kabul.

More 2015 Olds News

My New York Times Essay “Defriending My Rapist” became required reading for a course on Victimology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY

ASJA

I spoke on two panels at the 2015 American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) annual writing conference. The sessions included “Secrets of Interviewing Famous People” and “Use Social Media to Land Writing Gigs and Make Money.” And I have been asked back for 2016! So excited. My panel will be on Sat., May 21, 2016 2-3:30 pm at the Roosevelt Hotel. For more info visit the website: ASJA.org.

Book Expo

Spoke for Susannah Greenberg on a UPublishU panel a BEA about writers promoting themselves on social media.

Celebrity Interviews and Photo Ops

And, of course, I interviewed a ton of celebrities, attended press events, and screened a gazillion movies during 2015. Some of the standouts were Robert de Niro, Julianne Moore, Glenn Close, Lily Tomlin, Laverne Cox, Kristen Stewart, Ben Kingsley, Sam Waterston, Lorraine Bracco, Kim Basinger, Patricia Clarkson, Alex Gibney, Edward James Olmos, Nancy Spielberg, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Peter Sarsgaard, Amy Koppelman, Tim Blake Nelson, Shia LaBeouf, Nat Wolff, Paul Sorvino, Debi Mazar.

Websites

Created a bunch of new websites. Here are my faves:

Holly Rizzuto Palker
Juliana Neiman
Cheryl Morrison’s Docuclear

DOGS, DOGS, DOGS!
And let’s not forget the fantastic doggie fundraising events I photographed this year!!

Enjoy!!

And write to me on Facebook and tell me about your high points this year.

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Author and political activist Jennifer Finney Boylan has been busy as she continues to raise awareness and spread acceptance for the transgender community.

“What is a transsexual Republican, anyway? The answer, of course, is someone who thinks a little too much about their private sector.” — Jennifer Finney Boylan

Long before Jeffrey Tambor and “Transparent” or Bruce Jenner on Diane Sawyer, there was trailblazing writer and political activist Jennifer Finney Boylan.

Boylan has been a guest on TV and radio shows, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (four times!), “Larry King Live,” “Today,” the “Barbara Walters Special” and a documentary on CBS News’ “48 Hours.” So it is no surprise that Boylan is in great demand for speaking engagements; this month alone, she has had three biggies.

Boylan is the author of 13 books including “She’s Not There: A Life in Two Genders,” a memoir that became the first bestseller written by a transgender author. She is a contributing writer for The New York Times Opinion page, and her articles have appeared in way too many top magazines to list here. Boylan’s books include three memoirs, three novels, a collection of short stories and six young adult novels. And, as if that isn’t enough, she is currently the inaugural Anna Quindlen writer-in-residence at Barnard College.

She was born James Boylan in 1958, and 30 years later, she married Deirdre “Deedie” Boylan and had two sons. In 2000, Boylan very publicly began her male-to-female transition. Her marriage has stayed strong and intact, and Boylan has played a huge role in educating the public about acceptance and support for the transgender community.

“The last year … has been remarkable in the changes that we’ve seen in the culture. We’ve seen Jeffrey Tambor in ‘Transparent’ [and] we’ve seen Laverne Cox on the cover of Time Magazine.” — Jennifer Finney Boylan

Following is a roundup of what Boylan’s been up to this month, including snippets of her never-ending inspiration.

There was an enthusiastic roar from the crowd for Boylan after she opened her keynote speech at ASJA at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York. It was a foreshadowing to the standing ovation she would receive at the end. Her speech, “Connecting Hearts: Storytelling & Social Change,” began:

“When I do events like this and speak to people, I often think back to a reading I gave at a bookstore in Martha’s Vineyard, now many years ago, when ‘She’s Not There’ first came out [2003]. As some of you know, Martha’s Vineyard is small. There are only two bookstores on the island, so I was going to give a reading at one of them … It was a beautiful day, and I spent the day riding a bike, then [I] show up at the bookstore … and there’s the owner of the bookstore with this kind of depressed, sad expression, and I said, ‘Why the long face?’ She said, ‘Wouldn’t you know, at the last second, [the other bookstore] scheduled a reading at this exact time.’ Of course, I thought, who is going to see that when they can come see me? She said, ‘It is Hillary Clinton,’ which made me think that the only people that would come to my reading would be transsexuals and Republicans. And, in some cases, transsexual Republicans, which raised the question, what is a transsexual Republican, anyway? The answer, of course, is someone who thinks a little too much about their private sector.”

The crowd went crazy.

Freelance journalist Randy Dotinga, the first openly gay ASJA president since the organization’s inception 67 years ago, told the room, “Jenny’s message is crucial for independent writers. As freelancers and authors, we often get distracted by the day-to-day grind and forget we hold tremendous power as storytellers. Our work can transform the world for the better.”

I was especially moved by Boylan’s remarks about feeling suicidal when she was younger. I can relate. Our reasons were different but, like Boylan, I, too, would like to tell my younger self, “It will get better. It will not always hurt the way it does.” At the end of the speech, with a tear in my eye, I told Boylan how much she inspires me. She gave me her warm, radiant smile, and we chatted for a while despite the long train of other people who wanted to thank her, too.

This year’s 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards were held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. These awards recognize and honor the media for its fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. The awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories from the LGBT community that build support for acceptance. While introducing “Transparent” stars Judith Light and Jeffrey Tambor, and in celebration of Mother’s Day, Boylan described her coming-out conversation with her mother.

“So, there I was, in the house I’d grown up in, coming out as transgender to my 85-year-old mother, an evangelical Christian, a Republican, a nice suburban lady who did needlepoint and drove a Lexus. She didn’t know the difference between a transgender woman and the Trans-Siberian railroad. I kind of had a feeling that my coming out as trans wasn’t going to be the high point of her week. Quite frankly, I had a strong suspicion that she wasn’t going to want to know me any more.

“When I started to cry, however, my little mother got up out of her chair and put her arms around me and said, ‘I would never turn my back on my child. I will always love you. It doesn’t matter to me if you’re gay, or lesbian, or, well, whatever you are. The important thing is this: Love will prevail.’

“And I said, ‘But Mom, won’t it be embarrassing for you when everyone finds out I’m your daughter now?’ And she said, ‘Well, quite frankly, yes. But I will adjust.’

“Later that night, as I headed for bed, she kissed me and said, ‘You need to tell your story. Because no matter what, it’s impossible to hate anyone whose story you know.’”

“My mother passed away five years ago at the age of 94, still Republican, still an evangelical Christian and forever a transgender ally.”

On Friday, I asked WTCI faculty member Anne Wennerstrand to describe the organization’s mission statement. “The WTCI is evolving as an Institute to respond to the needs of non-binary, gender-variant communities via our professional training programs, workshops and lectures for the public,” she replied.

On why Boylan was chosen as this year’s speaker Wennerstrand said, “We have an annual tradition of honoring Laurie Phillips, a beloved faculty member who died of breast cancer in 1995. As an organization dedicated to mental health, we also have an equally strong commitment to social justice and equality. Each year, we honor notable feminist thinkers and practitioners who have made significant contributions to our notions of gender. We invited Jenny this year to honor her for her advocacy, feminism and unwavering dedication to civil rights.”

Wennerbrand then shared the WTCI’s definition of feminism. “To practice feminism is to believe in basic human and civil rights and equality for all regardless of gender. Jenny, through writing and advocacy embodies the definition of social justice. Jenny expands our knowledge, but more importantly, our hearts and helps us understand how to be true allies for feminism and the trans community.”

“Through her writing and speaking, Jenny [Boylan] helps raise awareness of the extremely high suicide risk and other vulnerabilities of trans youth.” — Anne Wennerstrand, Faculty member, WTCI

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