"Achieving Marriage Equality in the Heartland" conference Aug. 13-14

PFLAG Northeast Iowa, Luther College PRIDE and Northeast Iowa Community College GSA are hosting a multi-state conference called "Achieving Marriage Equality in the Heartland," Aug. 13-14, 2010, at the Dahl Centennial Union on the Luther College campus in Decorah, Iowa.

Focusing on the Iowa experience, the conference will bring Midwestern PFLAG and allied organizations, faith-based groups, legislative leaders and policy makers together to explore ways to:
• preserve marriage equality in Iowa,
• expand marriage equality to neighboring states, and
• build alliances and support for achieving marriage equality throughout the Heartland.

Speakers
Harry Knox, director of the Human Rights Campaign's Religion and Faith Program, connects HRC with more than 10 million Americans monthly through a national speakers bureau, creates progressive clergy coalition networks, and offers weekly preaching resources. Knox was honored in 2009 when he was appointed by President Obama to the Advisory Council on Faith-Based & Neighborhood Initiatives.

Sharon Malheiro is president of Davis Brown Law Firm board in Des Moines and founder and board chair of One Iowa, an organization that has led the effort for marriage equality within the state. Working in cooperation with Lambda Legal, she helped lay the groundwork for Varnum v. Brien, Iowa's marriage equality lawsuit.

Patrick Murphy of Dubuque has been a representative in the Iowa Legislature since 1989 and is the current Speaker of the House. A strong supporter of the Iowa Supreme Court marriage equality decision, Rep. Murphy was instrumental in keeping opponents of the decision from trying to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Panel
Harry Knox, Director, Human Rights Campaign Religion and Faith Program • Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa • Ross Murray, interim director, Lutherans Concerned/North America • Brooke Smith, senior field and policy coordinator, PFLAG National • Dean Genth (chair, Iowa PFLAG Council of Chapters) and husband Gary Swenson, co-founders of PFLAG North Iowa chapter • Karla Braig, Dubuque City Council member • Justin Uebelhor, communications director, One Iowa • Charles Banta, Luther College PRIDE member and Matthew Shepard Scholarship recipient • Matthew Anders, coordinator, Northeast IA Community College Gay/Straight Alliance

Schedule
Friday, Aug. 13
7:00-10:00 PM - Barn dance – Enjoy the beauty of northeast Iowa's trees, bluffs, and streams with a drive in the country! Join us Friday evening when we kick off the conference with a public barn dance / PFLAG fundraiser hosted by PFLAG Northeast Iowa members Ellen and Craig Cutting. Decorah's Scandinavian-American old time dance band, Foot-Notes, will be performing. Directions to the Cutting farm will be emailed to registrants.

Saturday, Aug. 14
8:00 - Registration opens - continental breakfast provided
9:00 - Welcome and conference overview by conference hosts
9:15 - Keynote –"The Journey to Marriage Equality: Iowa's Experience" – Sharon Malheiro, Rep. Patrick Murphy
10:00 – Break
10:15 - Break-out groups by state
11:30 - Lunch seating
11:45 - Keynote –"Strategies for Overcoming the Barriers to Marriage Equality: The Factors" – Harry Knox
12:30 - Panels – Faith-based groups, youth activists, statewide LGBT groups, and legal/political activists
2:30 - Break
2:45 – Facilitated break-out groups
3:45 - Group reports
4:30 - Where do we go from here? Group discussion
5:00 – Close
Details and any updates to the schedule will be emailed to all registrants.

Registration
To register, send name, address, phone number and special dietary restrictions with conference cost of $60 by July 31 to
Jean Huffey
Conference Registrar
1730 Elon Dr.
Waterville, IA 52170
(563) 535-7680
jhuffey@acegroup.cc
Make checks payable to PFLAG NE Iowa. Continental breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon snacks included in conference registration.

Lodging
Blocks of rooms have been reserved at two local hotels. When making reservations, mention you are with the "marriage equality conference" for conference rates.

Super 8
810 Hwy 9 East, Decorah, IA 52101, (563) 382-8771, www.super8.com
$54 single, $58 double; rooms held until July 31

Bluff’s Inn
1101 Highway 9 W, Decorah, IA 52101, (877) 747-8713
www.bluffs-inn.com‎
$62 single, $71 double; rooms held until July 23

For Decorah visitor information and alternative lodging options, visit www.welcomeindecorah.com.