ARLINGTON, Va. — Operators of the CatalystCon sexuality conference have announced the lineup of the opening and closing keynote speakers for CatalystCon East, which will take place at the Hilton Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, March 27-29.
CatalystCon East officially begins with an Opening Reception, followed by the Opening Keynote Plenary Address: Sparking Communication in Sexuality, Activism and Acceptance. The panel will include Kristin Beck, Melanie Davis, Rachel Kramer Bussel, and Francisco Ramirez, and will be moderated by Lynn Comella. The panelists will address the ongoing debates over sexuality at the local, national and global levels and discuss how they’ve created their own sparks and been catalysts for change.
“There are few things in life that get me more excited than CatalystCon,” Ramirez said. “Catalyst has taught me how to be more open-minded and alive to the spectrum of experiences and realities of others, and I always leave the conference feeling reinvigorated & inspired to keep on keeping on.”
The Closing Keynote Plenary Address will take place on March 29 and will feature Adam & Eve founder Phil Harvey. Harvey will be interviewed by Twanna Hines about his long career as an entrepreneur, First Amendment rights advocate, and philanthropist whose non-profit promotes contraception and HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
“Our closing keynote always has a focus on history and the lessons and inspiration that we can take from people who have been trailblazers in our community,” said CatalystCon founder Dee Dennis said. “I’m thrilled to have Phil Harvey share the story of his work and activism with CatalystCon East attendees.”
More information on both of the Keynote Addresses may be found here.