• What is “In My Mind” Conference?

“In My Mind” Conference is a gathering of mental health professionals, clinicians, academicians, consumers, and mental health advocates and activists,  and students (college/university and high school) to explore, raise and discuss mental health issues affecting LGBTQ peoples of color. It is intended that this conference break the taboo, chip away at the stigma, and bring discussions surrounding mental health in LGBTQ and peoples of color out from the shadows into the light of healing. The conference provides that rare opportunity for these communities to share information and available research, and to listen and learn from each other, outside of the confines of the therapist’s room.

 

• Why LGBTQ peoples of color?

LGBTQ peoples of color are more often the victims of a combination of at least two significant factors: racism (the color of their skin) and homophobia (their sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression), and find that along with being disproportionately marginalized in many areas, there aren’t many resources that are culturally competent (understand the culture and know how to apply it) to provide for their particular mental health needs. Contemporary research suggests that LGBTQ+ people of color take their lives twice that of the wider LGBTQ communities and four times that of the heterosexual community.

 

• Is this a Black Gay Conference?

The conference is led by DBGM (www.dbgm.org), an organization committed to raising awareness of depression affecting Black gay men to prevent their suicides. As part of its work, the organization recognized that others in LGBTQ+ people of color communities struggle and suffer from a variety of mental health issues that aren't being adequately covered or addressed. To continue its mission, DBGM collaborates with community members for an LGBTQ+ people of color conference, that is by and for people of color.

 

• Why is LGBTQ+ not mentioned in the conference logo?

Even though a group of young women at the 2016 Conference suggested that the "Q" for "Questioning" or "Queer" was missing, and was included in the 2017 logo, for the 2018 Conference, the organizers revised it to include the Native American Two-Spirit community and eliminated the "LGBTQ" acronym, which earlier this year added another letter "K". Given costs associated with design and printing, that the rainbow-colored feather (a Native American symbol) is used to represent any member of the LGBTQ+ communities and identities. 

 

• Why is the conference registration so expensive?

The Conference Planning Team struggled over the years to attract funding, including applying for grants and awards.  Since these applications were frequently denied, the Team turned to ask for donations to assist with costs and decided to keep registration low to allow as many people from the community to attend and participate. Compared to other conferences, In My Mind is seen as affordable. 

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• Are conference speakers paid?

This conference depends on support from members of the community. None of the Conference Speakers receive an honorarium for their participation.

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• Is this an academic conference?

The Conference attracts a wide cross-section from many different communities, and to maintain its integrity and authenticity, undertakes a rigorous abstract/proposal request, review, and selection process, to ensure that the best, relevant, and most informed are presented. This Conference seeks to achieve a balance between academia and the personal narrative. The Team recognizes that one of the tools to break the stigma, shame, and discrimination, is providing accurate information and education, and listening to sharing personal narratives.

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• Why an Abstract Training Workshop?

The Conference recognized that an imbalance exists between the number of academic and experiential narrative (personal) submissions. To achieve greater equality, the conference planning team introduced an abstract training workshop, to assist community members who feel they have something to say and want to, but may not possess the academic or clinicians' technical knowledge, and whose abstract submissions may not qualify, to be able to achieve have a chance at being considered and the possibility of being selected to present. The workshop allowed the conference to satisfy its mission: enabling that rare cross-pollination of academics and consumers in a setting that provides greater information sharing.