Join Us for Outsummit 2025
Learn. Share. Act.
Join the Global Movement Virtually:
November 7, 2025
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM EST
Live-Streamed from New York, N.Y.
Conference (Free)
Key Information about the Event
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Join Outright International, LGBTIQ activists, researchers, and allies from around the globe for Outsummit — our annual conference to advance the human rights and inclusion of LGBTIQ people everywhere.
Outsummit brings together people from across civil society, government, philanthropy, and business to strategize and build momentum to accelerate change for LGBTIQ people. This year, as Outright celebrates 35 years, Outsummit is focused on learning from the last 35 years of global LGBTIQ activism to address the challenges of our time. Check back soon for announcements regarding session topics, panelists, and other ways you can join the conversation.
Outright International is deeply grateful to Outsummit Host and Presenting Supporter, Deutsche Bank.
Why You Should Attend Outsummit 2025
Outsummit is all about celebrating international LGBTIQ voices, amplifying strategies for justice, advocating for LGBTIQ people’s human rights, and supporting the global queer movement. By attending, you'll join a community of passionate change-makers driving real, sustainable impact for LGBTIQ communities worldwide.
Program
Outsummit is more than just a conference; it’s a global call to action. It promises to be a powerful, insightful experience for all attendees, bringing together a global coalition committed to advancing LGBTIQ persons' human rights and justice. Don't miss your chance to be part of the movement.
Sessions
Our Rights Under Siege
This session will launch Outright International’s new research project, A Year in Attacks on Trans, Intersex, and Nonbinary People’s Human Rights, documenting the wave of restrictive laws and political initiatives introduced across the world in 2025. The project maps new legislative and policy initiatives in at least 10 countries that seek to undermine the rights of trans, intersex, and nonbinary communities and underscores how backlash against gender diversity has intensified globally.
Following the presentation of key findings, activists will offer reflections on other forms of anti-LGBTIQ, anti-gender backlash that currently prevail in different regions.
Panelists
Neela Ghoshal (Outright)
Neela Ghoshal (any pronouns) is Outright’s Senior Director of Law, Policy & Research, based in Washington D.C. Neela oversees Outright’s Global Trans Rights, Global Intersex Rights, LBQ Connect, Queer Legal Futures, and Research programs, develops organizational priorities concerning legal and policy change, and ensures Outright’s work aligns with international human rights law. She is the author of Outright’s report on LGBTQ Lives in Conflict and Crisis and frequently speaks and writes about issues including repressive legislation, gender liberation, and peace, security, and accountability for LGBTIQ people. Before joining Outright in 2021, Neela served as Associate LGBT Rights Director at Human Rights Watch, leading global initiatives on LGBTIQ rights and conducting research and advocacy on rights violations related to sexual orientation and gender identity around the world. She was also a researcher in the Africa Division at Human Rights Watch, based in Burundi and Kenya, where she covered political repression, police abuse, justice sector reform, and transitional justice. Neela previously worked with the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala, the Bronx Defenders, and the New York City public schools. Neela enjoys gardening, debating local and global politics, and raising two feminist kids. Neela holds a bachelor’s degree in social justice studies from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in international relations from Yale University.
Rikki Nathanson (Outright)
Rikki Nathanson (she/her) is the Senior Advisor of the Global Trans Program at Outright International. She is a seasoned leader with over 20 years of experience in corporate management and the nonprofit sector, specializing in finance, organizational development, and movement building. She has contributed significantly to trans and LGBTQ+ rights globally, notably through leadership roles at Outright International, Casa Ruby (DC), and founding Zimbabwe’s first trans-led organization. Her landmark legal victory against unlawful arrest in Zimbabwe advanced rights for trans people both nationally and internationally. Rikki also played an integral role in developing regional advocacy through the Southern Africa Trans Forum and remains active in global trans advocacy.
Alberto de Belaunde (Outright)
Alberto de Belaunde (he/him/él) is the Co-Director of Queer Legal Futures at Outright. He was the second openly gay congressman in the history of Peru. In 2019, he was awarded the Victory Institute Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award for his work on behalf of the LGBTQ community. In 2021, he was part of the Yale World Fellowship. He has published two books, one of them about openly LGBTI authorities in Latin America.
Alberto is a lawyer and a writer. He has a master’s degree in environmental management and postgraduate studies in public policy.
Amir Ashour (IraQueer and White & Case LLP)
Amir Ashour is the founder of IraQueer, Iraq's only national LGBT+ organization. He is currently a practicing attorney at White & Case LLP, where he focuses on private and public international law disputes. Amir holds a law degree from Harvard Law School and a Master's Degree in human rights from Columbia University. Amir has been the recipient of multiple awards, including MTV's Generation Change and GayTimes' International Trailblazer awards.
Marcela Romero (RedLacTrans)
Marcela Romero, an Argentine activist, has led the fight for transgender rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. She is the Regional Coordinator of RedLacTrans and president of ATTTA. She is the founder and director of the first Trans House in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has worked on laws to improve the quality of life for transgender people. She founded CeDoSTALC to document human rights violations. She has also coordinated international projects against transphobia and HIV/AIDS. Her intervention was crucial to Advisory Opinion 24/17 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which urges states to amend their laws to protect the rights of gender identity and expression. Marcela Romero has brought the political agenda of the transgender population to the OAS General Assembly since 2004.
André de Plessis (Outright)
André du Plessis (he/him) is Outright’s UN Program Director. André was ILGA World’s Executive Director from 2017 to 2021, before becoming an independent consultant on LGBTIQ human rights. Prior to being appointed as Executive Director, André headed-up ILGA World’s advocacy work at the UN, building a team to assist LGBTI organisations from around the world use the UN system to help bring change in-country, and worked with many others on the challenging and successful civil society campaign to create the position of UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. He is a human rights lawyer, also with experience in the Corporate, Financial Services and Litigation fields in both London and Hong Kong. Prior to ILGA World, he worked on business and human rights in conflict zones, environmental and trade justice issues, and also supported UN Special Procedures at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Born in Zambia, André is South African, Swiss and British, and grew up in the UK and India before studying law at the University of Cambridge and UCL.
He lives in New York, having moved to the US in 2023 to be with his husband. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, cycling, trail-running, reading, and cooking.
Peppermint
Peppermint rose to fame as the first out trans contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race Season 9, finishing as runner-up. She then made history as the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway in Head Over Heels.
Her recent projects include roles in Netflix's Survival of the Thickest, Hulu's Fire Island, and various TV series. She has hosted and presented at the GLAAD Media Awards and co-hosts the Black Queer Town Hall podcast.
Peppermint is also the ACLU's first Artist Ambassador for Trans Justice and she has raised funds for LGBTQ+ organizations. She has been recognized for her work with award nominations and honors, including a GLAAD Media Award nomination, a "Queeroes" award, and a spot on Out magazine's "OUT100" list.
Moving the Needle: Humanitarian Inclusion, Legal Reform, and Visibility
This session features a keynote speech from Vitaliy Zakharchuk, Head of Branch Outright in Ukraine, who will highlight the steps Outright´s team in Ukraine has taken to achieve a truly inclusive humanitarian response. Zakharchuk will discuss the impact of this work on the daily lives of LGBTIQ people, over three years into the Russian full-scale invasion. Additionally, Zakharchuk will explain the urgent need for such changes to happen at the global level of humanitarian aid. Zakharchuk’s keynote will be followed by a panel featuring other global LGBTIQ success stories from 2025, including decriminalization in Saint Lucia, the successful organization of Budapest Pride in Hungary, global advances in intersex visibility, and legal reforms that have the potential to advance trans people’s rights.
Panelists
Vitaliy Zakharchuk (Outright)
Vitaliy Zakharchuk is the Head of the Outright International Branch in Ukraine and serves as the Coordinator of the LGBTIQ+ Technical Working Group under the UN Protection Cluster in Ukraine. He brings over a decade of experience in humanitarian coordination, protection programming, and inclusive response design.
Before joining Outright International, Vitaliy worked with a wide range of international organizations, including UNFPA, UNDP, HEKS/EPER, IRC, GIZ, DAI Global and others. His expertise spans advocacy for legislative and policy reforms, global project evaluation, and the development and implementation of humanitarian and development interventions aimed at strengthening local capacities.
Throughout his career, Vitaliy has focused on enhancing the role of local NGOs and small businesses as key service providers for crisis-affected populations. His work has included training specialists in project management, grant making, strategic planning and community-based protection models, promoting a nexus-driven and intersectional approach to humanitarian action.
With more than 14 years of experience in the humanitarian and development fields, Vitaliy continues to advance inclusive coordination mechanisms that ensure LGBTIQ+ persons and other marginalized groups are meaningfully represented in humanitarian decision-making across Ukraine.
María Paula Perdomo (Outright)
María Paula (she/her) is a Program Manager for UN Engagement at Outright International. She supports Outright’s advocacy at the United Nations to place the human rights of LGBTIQ persons at the forefront of the UN's work.
Before joining Outright, María Paula worked across civil society, government, and philanthropy to advance feminist and intersectional approaches to human rights. With a background in multilateral diplomacy through her work at the Chilean Mission to the United Nations, she focused on gender and diversity issues and amplifying underrepresented voices in global policymaking. She is passionate about building consensus and bringing diverse voices to the table to advance collective action and shared advocacy goals.
She holds a Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, where she specialized in Leadership, Innovation & Design and Gender & Public Policy.
Kenita Placide (ECADE)
Kenita Placide is the Founder and Executive Director of the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality(ECADE). She has advocated around HIV and human rights inclusive of women, youth and LGBTI issues, for over 18 years and has worn many hats to bring attention and funding to the smaller islands in the eastern part of the Caribbean. A runner-up for the LGBT Intergroup’s GO Visible Award in 2012, she is the mind behind the planning and implementation of many LGBTQ Caribbean sub-regional sessions. She led the first presentation by United and Strong to Saint Lucia's Constitution Reform Commission in 2009 and to the Universal Periodic Review process at the United Nations in 2010. Instrumental in organising the first OECS regional security and human rights training for LGBT and sexual rights defenders in 2011, she made history by co-coordinating the Caribbean’s first International Dialogue on Human Rights in 2012 in Saint Lucia. Seeking to remove barriers of patriarchy in LGBT advocacy on a feminist platform. Kenita served as co-organizer of the first Caribbean Women and Sexual Diversity Conference for the past eight years. She is one of many called to honor in 2016 as a Champion of Change by the Pan Caribbean Partnership for HIV/AIDS(PANCAP). Kenita is also an alumnus of the United States State Department International Visitor leadership program and a Wilton Park Caribbean 2030 Network member.
Phali Akortsu (Intersex Persons Society of Ghana)
Fafali D. Akortsu is the Executive Director of the Intersex Persons Society of Ghana (IPSOG) and a leading human rights advocate for intersex, transgender, and gender-diverse communities. With over six years of experience as a Key Population Specialist, Fafali has contributed significantly to HIV and STI prevention, person-centered care, and the fight against stigma and discrimination. They have played an instrumental role in national and regional advocacy, including drafting memoranda to Ghana’s Parliament on anti-LGBTIQ legislation and co-developing human rights documentation presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee.
Dorottya Rédai (Labrisz Lesbian Association)
Dorottya Rédai is an LGBTQ+ activist with an academic background in gender and education studies. She has been working with Labrisz Lesbian Association over 20 years, and currently she is the Executive Director of Labrisz. She has been involved with the education programs of Labrisz as a workshop facilitator, trainer and training material designer. She has a PhD in gender studies from Central European University, Budapest. She has published widely on gender and education and more recently on anti-gender politics in Hungary. Her monograph “Exploring Sexuality in Schools. The Intersectional Reproduction of Inequality” was published in 2019 by Palgrave Macmillan. She has been the coordinator of Labrisz’s internationally renowned “A Fairytale for Everyone” book project. She received the Emma Goldman Snowball Award for her feminist academic and activist work in 2020 and various honours and awards for her work with the fairytale book, including being on TIME Magazine’s list of the “100 most influential people in the world” in 2021.
Venus Aves (Outright)
Venus Aves (she/her) is a transfeminist from the Philippines, currently based in Paris. Before joining Outright, she worked as a junior consultant for the United Nations programme at ILGA World. As an independent consultant, she has also collaborated with various LGBTI NGOs on research, training, and policy advocacy initiatives. In addition to her LGBTI work, Venus has been actively involved in youth advocacy at the UN. She is currently a member of the UN Youth Office Youth Reference Group and previously served as a youth advisor to the OHCHR’s Human Rights 75 Initiative.
Venus recently earned her master’s degree in human rights and humanitarian action, with an advanced certificate in gender studies, from Sciences Po Paris. In her free time, she is learning to cook more and goes to movie theatres in Paris like they’re her second home.
Ambassador Paula Narváez
Her Excellency Paula Narváez was elected the seventy-ninth President of the Economic and Social Council on 27 July 2023. Ambassador Paula Narváez is currently the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations in New York. Her Excellency Paula Narváez assumed her duties as Permanent Representative of Chile to the United Nations on 08 June 2022. Before this latest appointment, Ms. Narváez was the Officer-in-Charge at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) in Guatemala, from February to May 2022. She also served as Socio-Political Adviser at the UN-Women Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, from October 2021 to February 2022, and Regional Adviser for Governance and Political Participation in the same office, from 2018 to 2020. Between 2016 and 2018, Ms. Narváez was Minister Secretary General of Government, and she served as a Presidential Adviser from 2014 to 2016. From 2012 until 2014, she was a Latin America and Caribbean Section Program Specialist at UN-Women, based in New York. Following the eruption of the Chaitén Volcano in Chile in May 2008, Ms. Narváez served as the delegate of then-President Michelle Bachelet to the Chaitén Volcano Emergency, from 2008 to 2009. She has also held a number of other Government positions. Ms. Narváez earned a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from Georgetown University in the United States; a master’s degree in economics and regional management from the Universidad Austral de Chile; and a degree in psychology from the Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello, also in Chile.
Inclusive Economies: How LBQ Communities Are Working to Achieve Economic Self-Sufficiency
Join us to continue our discussion on an emerging focus in the global LGBTIQ movement – achieving inclusive economies. From educational advancement to banking services to job opportunities, LGBTIQ people are deprived of the necessities of a dignified life. Lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women face even more challenges as they navigate multiple layers of discrimination. This session will build upon our previous work on inclusive economies, focusing on LBQ perspectives. It will address new strategies emerging from civil society groups and from donors seeking to direct more resources towards improving the lives of LGBTIQ people - especially LBQ women - so that all can live, work, create, and be who they are.
Panelists
Paul Jansen (Outright)
Paul Jansen (he/him) is the Senior Director of Global Programs and Grantmaking at Outright. He joined Outright in 2017 after working as an International Consultant on organizational and strategic reviews for organizations and networks working on LGBTIQ issues, HIV and other topics. Before starting his consultancy company, he was the Program Director for Salzburg Global Seminar on education, nature and sustainability issues. He has also worked as organizational sustainability advisor in the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health in Bangkok. Prior to this, he was the country director of the Hivos office in Johannesburg. He has been working in international development since 1998 in various development organizations, like Voluntary Service Overseas, after a career in the tourism industry for the Dutch Tourism Board in Cologne, Germany and the Provincial Tourist Board in Utrecht, Netherlands.
Originally from the Netherlands, Paul holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from Utrecht University and a bachelor’s degree in marketing management for the hospitality and tourism industry from the Maastricht Hoge Hotelschool.
Wakio Mwandacha (Utopia Network Kenya)
Dee Wakio is an impassioned human rights advocate and a dedicated undergraduate student at the Technical University of Mombasa, where she is pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Human Resource Management. Dora is deeply committed to advancing LGBTIQ rights, particularly within the LBQ (lesbian, bisexual, and queer) community. She brings her advocacy to life through her work as the founding director of Utopia Network Kenya (UN-K), a collective dedicated to creating inclusive, diverse environments for women at the intersections of lesbian, bisexual, queer, and/or non-binary identities.
Utopia Network Kenya arose from a shared mission to address the profound lack of inclusivity, sense of belonging workplace environments for LBQ+ individuals in both private and public sectors. Through this initiative, she strives to champion spaces that foster visibility, solidarity, acceptance ensuring LBQ women can thrive professionally and personally.
As a queer, feminine-presenting woman working within a patriarchal framework, Dorah embraces the challenge of affirming her identity, her womanness, and her capability in every sphere she inhabits. In addition to her organizational leadership, she actively cultivates spaces for questioning, learning, unlearning, and growth within the LBQ+ movement. Her mission is to foster a radical approach to self-expression and love, envisioning a future where LBQ women are celebrated and validated in their authenticity and unique experiences.
Mino Likwasi (Koppa - The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab)
Mino Likwasi (They/Them) is an Advisor – Economic Empowerment at Koppa Lab, bringing over a decade of expertise in program management, economic inclusion, and organizational development. They are the co-founder of WAfE, an LBQ-focused NGO, and have held diverse roles with Hivos, Family Health International, Population Council Zambia, and the Global Interfaith Network.
Mino’s governance experience includes serving on the boards of The Other Foundation, which supports LGBTIQ+ rights across Southern Africa; the African Queer Youth Initiative (AQYI); and Pepeta Zambia. They have also contributed to Outright International’s LBQ Connect Sounding Board.
With an extensive track record in designing and implementing economic empowerment programs tailored to LGBTIQ+ communities, Mino continues to influence inclusive development. In addition, as CEO and Founding Consultant of Athena Consulting, they have led pioneering initiatives in mixed agriculture, real estate development, and financial services.
Naomi Fine (LesbianGlobal)
Naomi Fine is a donor activist and co-founder of LesbianGlobal, an organization dedicated to resourcing and empowering LBQ+ women—particularly in the Global South—through funding, social entrepreneurship, and leadership support. She partners with philanthropic intermediaries to establish economic empowerment funds that help LBQ+ women build sustainable livelihoods, gain independence, and challenge the intersecting barriers of patriarchy and homophobia.
Naomi also led the creation of the LesbianGlobal Data Connect Research Platform, a first-of-its-kind, AI-assisted tool that enables LBQ+ leaders to safely collect and share community data and lived experiences. This platform amplifies LBQ+ women’s voices and connects their priorities directly to funders, bridging a critical visibility and resource gap.
Drawing on her decades of experience as an attorney, entrepreneur, and corporate executive, Naomi brings business insight and a data-driven approach to her activism. Today, she channels that expertise into advancing economic empowerment as a cornerstone of human rights for LBQ+ women worldwide.
Kathy Levinson (LesbianGlobal)
Kathy Levinson is a donor activist and co-founder of LesbianGlobal, an organization dedicated to resourcing and empowering LBQ+ women-particularly in the Global South-through funding, mentoring and making others aware of the unique needs of this marginalized population. She partners with philanthropic intermediaries around the globe to establish economic empowerment funds specifically for LBQ+ women to build sustainable livelihoods, gain financial independence and challenge the intersecting barriers of patriarchy, mysogyny and homophobia.
Drawing on her years of experience in the financial services industry and as an angel investor, Kathy brings a results-driven focus to her activism. Today, she channels that experience into advancing economic empowerment as a cornerstone of human rights for LBQ+ women worldwide.
We Are Pro-Family. We Are Pro-Children
Far-right anti-gender movements claim to be protectors of children and “the family”--but exclusion and cruelty only harm families and kids, while pro-equality movements allow them to flourish. This session will highlight legal, political, and narrative attacks on LGBTIQ children’s right to education, trans and intersex kids’ right to affirming health care, and queer families’ right to exist and to be recognized. It will discuss activists' responses in harnessing solidarity to support diverse families and kids, through narrative change, law, and policy. Through this conversation, our communities will proudly reclaim the concepts of pro-family and pro-children.
This session is in two parts. The initial session will give a broad overview (30 minutes) and then break up into three groups on marriage and families, comprehensive sexuality education, and trans and intersex kids, delving deeper into advocacy strategies around these topics in group discussions that maximize audience participation.
Panelists
Lopa Banerjee (UN Women)
Lopa Banerjee is the Director of the Civil Society Division at UN-Women. She helms UN-Women’s strategic engagement with civil society and gender equality activists and advocates, to promote partnerships for gender equality. Her work focuses on strengthening intergenerational allyship with diverse stakeholders to expand civic space and influence global action for gender equality. Lopa led the development of the Generation Equality Forum, the global, multi-stakeholder partnership initiative launched to accelerate the achievement of gender equality commitments. She supports UN Women’s convening role in this initiative and beyond. A gender and rights thematic expert, Lopa’s long career in international development has focused on advocacy and partnership building in support of gender equality. Prior to joining the United Nations, she worked with the private sector in India in advertising and the media. She has lived in India, South Africa, Iran, Bangladesh and the United
States of America. Lopa’s areas of specialization include strategic advocacy and inclusive partnership engagement. She has one daughter and lives in New York City.
Alberto de Belaunde (Outright)
Alberto de Belaunde (he/him/él) is the Co-Director of Queer Legal Futures at Outright. He was the second openly gay congressman in the history of Peru. In 2019, he was awarded the Victory Institute Tammy Baldwin Breakthrough Award for his work on behalf of the LGBTQ community. In 2021, he was part of the Yale World Fellowship. He has published two books, one of them about openly LGBTI authorities in Latin America.
Alberto is a lawyer and a writer. He has a master’s degree in environmental management and postgraduate studies in public policy.
Glenroy Murray (Equality for All Foundation Jamaica)
Glenroy Murray is a social justice and human rights advocate with specific focus on LGBTQ+ rights in Jamaica. He is the Executive Director at Equality for All Foundation/J-FLAG and the Senior Associate for the Caribbean at Human Dignity Trust. He is a 2018 Chevening Scholar, a 2022 Nominee for the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence, a published academic writer & researcher and serves on multiple regional boards for LGBTQ+ rights. He has a Bachelor of Laws from UWI Mona and a Master of Laws from the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London.
Dorottya Rédai (Labrisz Lesbian Association)
Dorottya Rédai is an LGBTQ+ activist with an academic background in gender and education studies. She has been working with Labrisz Lesbian Association over 20 years, and currently she is the Executive Director of Labrisz. She has been involved with the education programs of Labrisz as a workshop facilitator, trainer and training material designer. She has a PhD in gender studies from Central European University, Budapest. She has published widely on gender and education and more recently on anti-gender politics in Hungary. Her monograph “Exploring Sexuality in Schools. The Intersectional Reproduction of Inequality” was published in 2019 by Palgrave Macmillan. She has been the coordinator of Labrisz’s internationally renowned “A Fairytale for Everyone” book project. She received the Emma Goldman Snowball Award for her feminist academic and activist work in 2020 and various honours and awards for her work with the fairytale book, including being on TIME Magazine’s list of the “100 most influential people in the world” in 2021.
Phali Akortsu (Intersex Persons Society of Ghana)
Fafali D. Akortsu is the Executive Director of the Intersex Persons Society of Ghana (IPSOG) and a leading human rights advocate for intersex, transgender, and gender-diverse communities. With over six years of experience as a Key Population Specialist, Fafali has contributed significantly to HIV and STI prevention, person-centered care, and the fight against stigma and discrimination. They have played an instrumental role in national and regional advocacy, including drafting memoranda to Ghana’s Parliament on anti-LGBTIQ legislation and co-developing human rights documentation presented to the Parliamentary Select Committee.
Sasha Buchert
Sasha Buchert is the Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project Director in the Washington D.C. office of Lambda Legal, the oldest and largest organization dedicated to advancing the civil rights of LGBTQ people and people living with HIV. During her time at Lambda Legal, Sasha has worked on numerous litigation teams challenging policies that discriminate against LGBTQ people in a wide array of issue areas, including access to health care, access to identity documents, improper rulemaking, and the ban against transgender people serving openly in the military. Sasha serves as point on much of Lambda Legal’s public policy work.
Sarita K.C. (Mitini Nepal)
Sarita K.C. is the Executive Director of Mitini Nepal, a leading organization in advancing the rights of gender and sexual minorities across Nepal. With nearly a decade of experience in activism, Sarita has been instrumental in advocating for legal gender recognition, marriage equality, and the overall protection of LGBTQ individuals. She works tirelessly to dismantle stigma, improve healthcare access, and promote adoption rights for sexual minorities. Sarita also collaborates with educational institutions and lawmakers to enhance societal understanding and supports LBQ women in storytelling and advocacy. Her enduring commitment is to build a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
Bridging the Rainbow: A Global LGBTIQ Intergenerational Dialogue
November 2025 marks 35 years since Outright International’s founding in 1990. This intergenerational panel brings together seasoned activists who have helped shape the global LGBTIQ movement and younger activists under 35 who are devising new approaches for advocacy. We will interrogate salient questions during this panel: How have our movement and work developed within the last 35 years? What strategies have older activists used in the past that can be used or adapted during these times? What are the new strategies developed by younger activists? What knowledge and collaborative gaps exist among the generations, and how can we close these gaps?
Panelists
Julie Dorf (Council for Global Equality)
Julie Dorf is a career professional in LGBTQI human rights, with unprecedented leadership experience in policy-making, direct advocacy, and philanthropy. She has been a trailblazer in the global LGBTQI rights movement, having founded Outright International (formerly International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights
Commission), serving as its Executive Director from 1990-2000, and then co-founding the Council for Global Equality in 2008, where she currently serves as Co-Chair. She advises Equality Without Borders, a table of individual donors supporting LGBTQI rights organizations internationally. Her career has been devoted to fighting for equality and justice, while simultaneously leveraging resources to build a stronger LGBTQI rights movement around the world. She is an accomplished leader with 35+ years of experience and connections
in the field.
Julie Dorf is Co-Chair of the Council for Global Equality, a coalition of 40 U.S. human rights and LGBTQI+ organizations that collectively advocate for inclusive U.S. foreign policy and development policy. Julie has spent her career trailblazing in the global LGBTQI rights movement.
Jessica Stern (The Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice)
Jessica Stern served as the Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons under President Biden. As Special Envoy, she led U.S. foreign policy efforts to protect LGBTQI+ people from violence and discrimination worldwide. She worked to free LGBTQI+ people from arbitrary detention, opposed some of the world’s most repressive laws, set the policy for the Global Equality Fund, and supported the codification of equal rights globally. She was the first human rights expert to serve in this role for the U.S. and one of just five Special Envoys for LGBTQI+ rights worldwide.
Before joining the Department of State, Stern led Outright International as Executive Director for a decade. At Outright, she released annual human rights reports, trained human rights defenders, built the world’s largest COVID LGBTQI+ grantmaking program, and quintupled its budget. Her career has also included fellowships at Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Stern has a long history of multilateral engagement. She co-founded the United Nations LGBTI Core Group and led its secretariat, provided the first LGBTQI+ rights expert testimony in a UN Security Council Arria, and campaigned for Human Rights Council resolutions leading to the establishment and continuity of the Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Stern also helped lead the LGBTI Core Group of the Organization of American States during the US tenure as chair.
Stern’s writing has been cited in the landmark cases of Karen Atala Riffo vs. Chile and Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. v. Union of India. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including from the Department of State, Women’s eNews, Crane’s New York Business, and Metropolitan Community Church.
Stern teaches the first and only LGBTQI+ rights course at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She is a co-founder and principal of the Alliance for Diplomacy and Justice, a new initiative consisting of former ambassadors, special representatives, and special envoys advocating for human rights, inclusive development, and global justice in U.S. foreign policy.
Gloria Careaga (Fundación Arcoiris)
Gloria Careaga is a feminist lesbian, originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco. Since 1978 she emigrated to Mexico City to pursue her master's studies in social psychology. In 1979 she was incorporated to the Faculty of Psychology in the National University UNAM and since then she has been a professor and researcher there. She is identified as an academic-activist; she is a co-founder of the UNAM Gender Studies Program, and of two LGBT NGO in México: Closet de Sor Juana y Fundacion Arcoiris. From 2008 to 2014 she was the ILGA Co-Secretary General and in 2018 became de Director of the HIV and Sexualities Program in the National Commission of Human Rights in México. She has been an active member of international networks in management and advocacy work in intergovernmental spaces. Her interest has focused on population, development and human rights highliting feminism, masculinities and sexuality. She has an extensive international experience and multiple publications on the topics of her interest. Gloria´s work has been awarded with the Sor Juana Award; Hermila Galindo Award and the Omecihuatl Medal in Mexico; Cenesex Award in Cuba and Felipa de Souza Award by OutRight International. And the Alma Mater from La Habana University.
Marcela Romero (RedLacTrans)
Marcela Romero, an Argentine activist, has led the fight for transgender rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. She is the Regional Coordinator of RedLacTrans and president of ATTTA. She is the founder and director of the first Trans House in Latin America and the Caribbean. She has worked on laws to improve the quality of life for transgender people. She founded CeDoSTALC to document human rights violations. She has also coordinated international projects against transphobia and HIV/AIDS. Her intervention was crucial to Advisory Opinion 24/17 of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which urges states to amend their laws to protect the rights of gender identity and expression. Marcela Romero has brought the political agenda of the transgender population to the OAS General Assembly since 2004.
Venus Aves (Outright)
Venus Aves (she/her) is a transfeminist from the Philippines, currently based in Paris. Before joining Outright, she worked as a junior consultant for the United Nations programme at ILGA World. As an independent consultant, she has also collaborated with various LGBTI NGOs on research, training, and policy advocacy initiatives. In addition to her LGBTI work, Venus has been actively involved in youth advocacy at the UN. She is currently a member of the UN Youth Office Youth Reference Group and previously served as a youth advisor to the OHCHR’s Human Rights 75 Initiative.
Venus recently earned her master’s degree in human rights and humanitarian action, with an advanced certificate in gender studies, from Sciences Po Paris. In her free time, she is learning to cook more and goes to movie theatres in Paris like they’re her second home.
Glenroy Murray (Equality for All Foundation Jamaica)
Glenroy Murray is a social justice and human rights advocate with specific focus on LGBTQ+ rights in Jamaica. He is the Executive Director at Equality for All Foundation/J-FLAG and the Senior Associate for the Caribbean at Human Dignity Trust. He is a 2018 Chevening Scholar, a 2022 Nominee for the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence, a published academic writer & researcher and serves on multiple regional boards for LGBTQ+ rights. He has a Bachelor of Laws from UWI Mona and a Master of Laws from the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London.
Li Shing (Taiwan LGBT+ Family Rights Advocacy)
Shing Li is a youth activist serving at Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy (TLFRA), the first and only organization in Taiwan dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ families. Founded in 2005, TLFRA has spent two decades building a strong support network for LGBTQ+ parents and children, advancing equality through legal advocacy, education, and professional training.
Taiwan, as Asia’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage, is often seen as fully progressive; however, LGBTQ+ families continue to face legal inequalities, barriers to reproductive access, and social stigma. TLFRA is one of the few organizations in Asia specializing in LGBTQ+ family issues, offering a unique regional perspective and centering the experiences of children and families.
At Outsummit, Shing will share Taiwan’s nuanced progress and challenges, amplify Asian voices in global discussions, and explore strategies for advocacy, family support, and equality. This participation will strengthen TLFRA’s work by connecting with international experts addressing rising anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-gender movements that increasingly target diverse families. Through these connections, TLFRA seeks to inform strategies to protect children, support parents, and advance lasting social change, while also raising awareness of Taiwan’s overlooked needs and fostering opportunities for collaboration and funding.
Court(ney) Felle (interACT)
Court(ney) Felle (they/them) is a 2024 interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth Cohort Member and a current PhD Student in Disability Studies and Writing, Rhetoric, and Literacy at the Ohio State University. They are passionate about disability theory, creative writing, fiber arts, and bad reality TV. Previously, they led a nonprofit program for young adults with rare disabilities to find policy, advocacy, and public speaking opportunities. Their previous writing can be found in SICK Magazine, Monstering Magazine, interACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, Teen Vogue, and other publications, and you can find them on Instagram via @courtneyfelle.
Supporters
Programs like Outsummit are made possible by generous support from Outright’s partners:
CARE WITH PRIDE®
Diebold Nixdorf
Legrand
Adobe Foundation
Critical Role Foundation
Dr. Martens Foundation
GDI Dynamite Garage
JPMorganChase
Levi Strauss & Co.
Mustard
Mythical
Procter & Gamble
Warner Music Group
Waterdrop
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