2023 Symposium: Strengthening Intergenerational Connections
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2023 LGBTQ Intergenerational Symposium!
2023 Symposium Supporters
Learn about our Symposium Supporters, which are local
organizations that have contributed to and support
the mission of Capitol Hill Village and our LGBT programs!
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center
The DC LGBTQ+ Community Center educates, empowers, celebrates, and connects the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.
To learn more about the DC LGBTQ+ Community Center go to www.thedccenter.org or contact adamheller@thedccenter.org. Follow them on social media@thedccenter on Instagram, @thedccenter on Facebook, and @thedccenter on Twitter.
Iona Senior Services
Founded in 1975, Iona Senior Services' mission is to support people as they experience the challenges and opportunities of aging. Iona educates, advocates for and provides community based programs and services to help people age well and live well. Iona has co-hosted Silver Circles with Whitman-Walker Health since 2020, which are peer-led support groups that provide programs, social engagement, and outreach for adults ages 60+ in Washington, DC, who identify as LGBTQ+.
To learn more about Iona go to www.iona.org. Follow them on social media @IonaSeniorServices on Facebook and @ionasenior on Twitter.
The Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs
The Mayor's Office of LGBTQ Affairs (MOLGBTQA) works under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser. The MOLGBTQA's mission is to address the important concerns of the District's lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning residents through empowering young LGBTQIA+ community leaders, removing barriers for LGBTQIA+ business owners, building a cohesive LGBTQIA+ community across all 8 wards, and providing resources for at-risk LGBTQIA+ population.
To learn more about the MOLGBTQA go to: linktree.com/DCLGBTQ. Follow them on social media @DCLGBTQ.
Rainbow Families DC
Since the 1970s, Rainbow Families DC has supported, educated and connected lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) families, parents and prospective parents by offering a wide variety of education programs, support groups, opportunities to connect and more. Rainbow Families is a small, grassroots, volunteer led non-profit organization supported by members, community sponsors, private and public grants and foundations.
To learn more about Rainbow Families DC go to: https://rainbowfamilies.org/. Follow them on Facebook at ourrainbowfamilies and Instagram at rainbow.families.
DC Department of Aging and Community Living
The mission of the DC Department of Aging and Community Living is to advocate, plan, implement,
and monitor programs in health, education, and social services which promote longevity, independence, dignity, and choice for the city’s older adults (ages 60 years or older), people living with disabilities (ages 18-59 years), and caregivers.
To learn more about the DC Department of Aging and Community Living go to https://dacl.dc.gov/ or contact (202) 724-5626. Follow them on Instagram @dacl_dc or on Facebook at DCAgingNews.
2023 Symposium Schedule & Speakers
Symposium Kickoff: September 22nd from 6:00pm to 7:30pm
Symposium: September 23rd from 11:00am to 3:30pm
Kickoff Performer: Tara Hoot
Tara Hoot started her drag journey in May of 2020 during the height of pandemic uncertainty. When faced with the decision of making yet another casserole, she opted to buy 27 wigs and launch a YouTube channel to share her unforgettable recipes. That virtual presence took a turn to in-person events in May of 2021 and she's been "Tara"-fying audiences ever since--mostly with trivia at Petworth's Slash Run and Bingo Dinners and Story Time Brunches at Crazy Aunt Helen's on Barrack's Row. This year she had the honor of presenting on a panel discussion with the Human Rights Campaign entitled 'Greater than Hate: Resilience, Resistance and Joy in the Movement' and was the first drag performer to speak at Brookings Institution along with DC drag legend, Shi-Queeta Lee.
Recent honors include: Runner-Up Best Drag Performer and Editors’ Choice for Best Story Time by the Washington City Paper, Co-Hero of the Year by Rainbow Families, accepting the 2023 Capital Pride Breaking Barriers Award along with other drag story tellers and Drag Story Hour DMV, voted one of the Top 5 Drag Queens of 2022 by the Washington Blade.
Find Tara on Instagram at @TaraHoot or go to www.tarahoot.com.
Ames Simmons, He/Him, Breakout Session Leader
Ames Simmons is an LGBTQ policy consultant based in Washington, D.C. His previous roles include policy director at National Center for Transgender Equality, policy director at Equality North Carolina, and assistant general counsel at a healthcare company assisting uninsured patients with Medicaid. Ames attended Agnes Scott College, Emory University Law School, and George Washington University’s Health Policy & Practice program. He serves on the National Advisory Council of SAGE & HRC’s Long-Term Care Equality Index and on the Trans Elders Special Interest Group of the U.S. Professional Association for Transgender Health. Ames’ work is grounded in community-based anti-racism, anti-violence, and anti-poverty efforts to achieve justice for transgender people and collective liberation.
Contact Ames at: simmons1242@gmail.com
Bryce Sulecki, He/Him, Breakout Session Leader
Bryce Sulecki is The Theatre Lab's Life Stories Manager and Program Administrator. He brings creativity, passion, and expertise to his role, helping to shape and manage programs that empower individuals to share their personal narratives through the performing arts. In addition to his work with The Theatre Lab, Bryce is also a musician who has performed his original pop music at Pride and music festivals across the United States.
Learn about The Theatre Lab: https://theatrelab.org/
Earline Budd, She/Her, Panelist
Earline Budd is a 65 year-old transgender woman constantly fighting to make a difference in the lives of transgender people and other members of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGBTQ) community. Earline works as RESTART Re-Entry Program Manager at Helping Individual People Survive, (HIPS) in Washington DC, serving transgender, lesbian, gay/bisexual and other individuals. She is one of the founding members and Executive Director of Empowering the Transgender Community ETC, a new grassroots 501c (3} non-profit organization which will provide an array of services for Transgender people in the DC area. ETC’s mission is striving to serve, empower, support and save lives daily. For more than 20 years, Earline has been a consultant to local and national organizations concerned with cultural sensitivity in working with transgender people. Earline has over 25 years of experience in working with these special populations and those struggling with substance abuse, mental health, homelessness and HIV/AIDS. Earline has two years of college and is eager to continue her education in social work.
Earline is one of the District of Columbia's first transgender women to serve as a Commissioner in the Office of Human Rights. Earline also serves as a liaison to the DC Department of Corrections on Transgender issues and is a member of the Department of Corrections Transgender Advisory Committee. Earline recently was selected to be one of the faces on an H Street Mural Portrait. She also has three honors that stand out, in March 2023 she was honored by the Mayor’s Office of LBGTQ Affairs at the Atlas Theatre for Black History Month, in May 2023 she received the Wisdom Award from the National Black Justice Coalition, and in June 2023 she will receive honors from Capitol Pride. Earline describes her everyday hobby as wanting to just "Help Some Body."
Contact Earline at: earline_budd@yahoo.com
Heidi Ellis, She/Her, Keynote Speaker
Heidi Ellis began her career in the public sector as a political appointee on the state level in New Jersey then in the Obama Administration at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), where she was also a member of the White House LGBTQ+ and African American cabinets. After working diligently to advance the policies and engagement initiatives of the USEPA and White House, she transitioned to the private sector and began a career in education policy and organizational management at EducationCounsel. She is the founder and CEO of HME Consulting & Advocacy, a DC-based company that utilizes deep experience in policy, strategy, and stakeholder engagement to build coalitions and advance policy initiatives that address issues of intersectionality within the LGBTQ+ community and racial equity.
She is a dedicated advocate who prioritizes social and racial justice. Furthermore, she believes in amplifying voices of color to ensure equitable practices and programming and works with several local and national organizations/companies, governmental agencies, etc. on these efforts. Her consulting and advocacy work includes policy support, facilitation, training, initiative development, organizational design/redesign, and youth engagement. She also serves on the board of a number of organizations, including Strength In Our Voices and DC Forensic Nurse Examiners. Ellis received her B.A. in political science from Temple University, and a post-graduate certificate in executive leadership from Stanford University.
Contact Heidi at: https://linktr.ee/HMEConsult or Heidi.ellis@hmeconsultingadvocacy.com
Madeleine Regina, She/They, Breakout Session Leader
Madeleine Regina is a multi-talented artist based in Washington D.C. She is a director, actor, producer, and acting coach, primarily associated with The Theatre Lab. Madeleine is known for co-producing "Feminist Fairytales," an audio drama that reimagines classic fairy tales from a feminist perspective. Currently, she can be seen performing as Kat in "How the Light Gets In" at 1st Stage. Besides her acting career, Madeleine serves as a Meisner Acting Coach at the Matthew Corozine Studio in New York and is a Master Teacher with ArtStream's Inclusive Theatre Companies. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her dog, Boba. Madeleine's diverse talents and dedication to promoting feminist storytelling make her a prominent figure in the Washington D.C. theater community.
Learn about The Theatre Lab: https://theatrelab.org/
Sophia Ross, They/Them, Panelist
Sophia has been with Capitol Hill Village (CHV) since 2020 and has organized the past three LGBTQ Intergenerational Symposiums for CHV. Their work with the Village has also included coordinating intergenerational, educational, and social LGBT+ programs. They have also planned CHV and DC Village wide pride month programming/outreach for 2021, 2022, and 2023. In addition to programming, Sophia also manages CHV's Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube accounts.
Sophia serves as the co-leader for the Village to Village Network Rainbow Network Workgroup and the DC Villages Committee on Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Older Adults.
Sophia has a BS in Family and Human Services from Towson University. They love cooking, crafting, and spending time outdoors!
Learn more about Sophia at: https://sophiaaross2.wixsite.com/virtualportfolio
Sophie Fisher, She/Her, Panelist
Sophie is the LGBTQ Coordinator at Seabury Resources for Aging. Seabury Resources for Aging is a nonprofit organization serving older adults in Washington, DC since 1904. As LGBTQ Coordinator, Sophie manages Out & About, a program that connects the community through educational, cultural, and social events. Sophie is also a facilitator for The DC Center for the LGBT Community’s transgender support group and an organizer of DC Trans Picnics.
Sophie holds a BA from the University of Vermont and a JD from George Washington University Law School. Sophie enjoys live music, karaoke, and going to the zoo.
Contact Sophie at: SFisher@seaburyresources.org
Veena Aruldhas, They/She, Breakout Session Leader
Veena is a community organizer for DMV Queers and DC Dyke March. Throughout the past 2 years they have volunteered in undergrad at UMD as an Event Coordinator for the oSTEM chapter, the Vice President of Pride Alliance, a facilitator for a student support group called The Femme Alignment –for women, non-binary people, and underrepresented genders across UMD. Their work whether that is through a drag show, a protest, a career panel, or even DEI implementation has been accredited in multiple queer and marginalized community-based news outlets like the Washington Blade, the Diamondback, and through social media content across UMD. This past year they have volunteered with DMV Queers to co-organize the Intergenerational More than Strangers with Capitol Hill Village as well as organize parties, speed dating events, and weekly friending events at As You Are. For DC Dyke March they we’re one of the social media team members as well as an organizer to bring 1000+ Dykes and community members together for the popular yearly march, this year placing significance on mask mandating and inclusive practices like wheelchair accessibility and ASL interpretation.
One of Veena’s passions into queerness, is visibility into South Asian queerness/transness as well as practicing inclusivity in community events. As for personal endeavors, Veena loves to cook and can hold 9 cupcakes at a time. Their favorite thing to cook is butter chicken mac and cheese!
Contact Veena at: naruldhas99@gmail.com or find them on LinkedIn at Veena Aruldhas.
Xicha Guo, Any Pronouns, Health and Wellness Session Leader
My name is Xicha (sea-cha) and I use any pronouns. I am a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I am queer, non-binary, Chinese, and of the Asian diaspora. I live by the healing elements of herbs and the gifts of Mother Earth. Generally, my clients are just getting back into movement, brand new to strength training, LGBTQIA+ and/or people of color. With my clients, I focus on building supportive, sustainable, and accessible movement and wellness routines, structures of accountability around movement, and everyday strength and stability that works for them.
Previously, I have been a track and field club coach & running club coach; I was an educator of all ages for 7 years; I was a track and field athlete for 7 years and a gymnast for 8 years.
Movement is an integral part of my being. I enjoy biking, swimming, walking, gardening, camping, and hiking. When I’m not outside, I love cooking, reading fiction & graphic novels, hosting big potlucks, organizing rad events in our living room, and snuggling with my friends and my cat, MoGu Bao.
Contact Xicha at annaxin.personaltraining@gmail.com or 402-213-3299. Find them on Instagram @PTwithXicha.