Rutgers SPAA Hosts Workshop on Advancing Equity for LGBTQ+ Communities

Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA) hosted a dynamic and timely conversation on advocacy, public policy, and advancing equity for LGBTQ+ communities on April 8. The workshop brought together practitioners and scholars to examine how public institutions, including universities, have historically marginalized LGBTQ+ communities, and how we can work toward meaningful, systemic change.

Featured speakers included Dr. Diego Galego, assistant professor at Rutgers SPAA; Dr. Kareem Willis (BA'16, MPA'17, PhD'22), Rutgers SPAA's first triple alum and social impact architect; and Brielle Winslow-Majette, acting executive director at Garden State Equality. Dr. Cleopatra Charles, associate professor at Rutgers SPAA, served as the moderator.

Some of the most impactful takeaways from the discussion included:

• Advocacy is deeply personal and many leaders are driven by lived experiences and a commitment to community
• There is still a significant disconnect between policy design and the realities faced by LGBTQ+ communities
• Intersectionality is NOT optional. It must be central to how we design inclusive systems
• Meaningful change requires sustained and intentional action