See below for the details of the 2021 schedule and what the 2021 PFP conference offered LGBTQ+ adults. Though we were limited in what we could offer for our kids in a virtual space, we did plan a few fun activities.
The theme for the 2021 conference was "Lessons in Resilience for LGBTQ+ Families."
Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. Resilience is NOT showing strength and flexibility in the face of oppression.
But parenting through a pandemic for 18 months (and counting) is a difficult life event, for sure. Being resilient does not mean that people don't experience stress, emotional upheaval, and suffering. Resilience gives people the strength needed to process and overcome hardship.
Many of the 2021 conference offerings for LGBTQ+ parents addressed the various aspects of building resilience, including building connections with others, fostering wellness in ourselves both physically and mentally, sharing spiritual practices, and learning from our elders. In addition to what we have outlined below for virtual sessions live on Zoom, we also sent out multiple short, prerecorded messages with additional "Recipes for Resilience."
The theme for the 2021 conference was "Lessons in Resilience for LGBTQ+ Families."
Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity and bounce back from difficult life events. Resilience is NOT showing strength and flexibility in the face of oppression.
But parenting through a pandemic for 18 months (and counting) is a difficult life event, for sure. Being resilient does not mean that people don't experience stress, emotional upheaval, and suffering. Resilience gives people the strength needed to process and overcome hardship.
Many of the 2021 conference offerings for LGBTQ+ parents addressed the various aspects of building resilience, including building connections with others, fostering wellness in ourselves both physically and mentally, sharing spiritual practices, and learning from our elders. In addition to what we have outlined below for virtual sessions live on Zoom, we also sent out multiple short, prerecorded messages with additional "Recipes for Resilience."
schedule details and session descriptions
Thursday, Nov. 4th
6:00pm - 8:00pm*
6:00pm - 8:00pm*
6:00pm - Choosing A Sperm Donor
Come to this session to hear from LGBTQ+ parents on how they chose a sperm donor and adult kids of LGBTQ+ parents on how their parents’ donor choice has impacted them. Michelle Ottey (she/her) from Fairfax Cryobank will also be on hand to answer questions about purchasing sperm from a cryobank.
7:00pm - Achieving Pregnancy with Donor Sperm
OK, so you’ve chosen a sperm donor, now what? We’ll hear from a reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Jackie Gutmann (she/her) from RMA of Philadelphia, on the medical options for achieving pregnancy, including IUI and IVF as well as Ray Rachlin (she/they), a home birth midwife with Refuge Midwifery who will discuss more at-home and DIY options.
* These two sessions will be in the same Zoom room and run back-to-back with time to get to know other participants who are on the path to parenthood.
Come to this session to hear from LGBTQ+ parents on how they chose a sperm donor and adult kids of LGBTQ+ parents on how their parents’ donor choice has impacted them. Michelle Ottey (she/her) from Fairfax Cryobank will also be on hand to answer questions about purchasing sperm from a cryobank.
7:00pm - Achieving Pregnancy with Donor Sperm
OK, so you’ve chosen a sperm donor, now what? We’ll hear from a reproductive endocrinologist, Dr. Jackie Gutmann (she/her) from RMA of Philadelphia, on the medical options for achieving pregnancy, including IUI and IVF as well as Ray Rachlin (she/they), a home birth midwife with Refuge Midwifery who will discuss more at-home and DIY options.
* These two sessions will be in the same Zoom room and run back-to-back with time to get to know other participants who are on the path to parenthood.
8:15pm - 9:15pm
Stories of Resilience: A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Grandparents - Ever wonder what it was like for LGBTQ+ folks to start families in the 1980s or 90s? Come to this session to hear stories of resilience from LGBTQ+ grandparents and lessons they’ve learned in adapting to stressful times over their decades of parenthood. This session will be moderated by PFP Board Chair Tariem Burroughs (he/him). See the speakers page for profiles of the participating grandparents.
Stories of Resilience: A Conversation with LGBTQ+ Grandparents - Ever wonder what it was like for LGBTQ+ folks to start families in the 1980s or 90s? Come to this session to hear stories of resilience from LGBTQ+ grandparents and lessons they’ve learned in adapting to stressful times over their decades of parenthood. This session will be moderated by PFP Board Chair Tariem Burroughs (he/him). See the speakers page for profiles of the participating grandparents.
Friday, Nov. 5th
6:00pm - 8:00pm*
6:00pm - 8:00pm*
6:00pm - Becoming an LGBTQ+ Foster Parent
Thinking of becoming a foster parent? Come learn the ins and outs of the system, the requirements, and the steps to take to support children, including LGBTQ+ youth, in the child welfare system. This session will be led by Lorenzo Shedrick (he/him) from Philadelphia DHS and will include stories from current LGBTQ+ foster parents.
7:00pm - Adoption Options for the LGBTQ+ Community
This session will cover two domestic adoption options for LGBTQ+ adults - working with a private adoption agency toward an open adoption and adopting from the foster care system. We’ll hear from professionals in the field as well as LGBTQ+ adoptive parents.
* These two sessions will be in the same Zoom room and run back-to-back with time to get to know other participants who are on the path to parenthood.
Thinking of becoming a foster parent? Come learn the ins and outs of the system, the requirements, and the steps to take to support children, including LGBTQ+ youth, in the child welfare system. This session will be led by Lorenzo Shedrick (he/him) from Philadelphia DHS and will include stories from current LGBTQ+ foster parents.
7:00pm - Adoption Options for the LGBTQ+ Community
This session will cover two domestic adoption options for LGBTQ+ adults - working with a private adoption agency toward an open adoption and adopting from the foster care system. We’ll hear from professionals in the field as well as LGBTQ+ adoptive parents.
* These two sessions will be in the same Zoom room and run back-to-back with time to get to know other participants who are on the path to parenthood.
8:15pm - 9:15pm
Making Connections: Building Resilience through Community Bonds - An important piece of building and maintaining resilience is connecting with others. This hour will be a chance for LGBTQ+ parents and prospective parents to come together in small groups with others in their area (in the first half) and then either play a game in the big group or go to another set of breakouts (in the second half). It will be a time to reconnect with those you may already know and forge new bonds through interactive icebreakers and no-pressure social time.
Making Connections: Building Resilience through Community Bonds - An important piece of building and maintaining resilience is connecting with others. This hour will be a chance for LGBTQ+ parents and prospective parents to come together in small groups with others in their area (in the first half) and then either play a game in the big group or go to another set of breakouts (in the second half). It will be a time to reconnect with those you may already know and forge new bonds through interactive icebreakers and no-pressure social time.
Saturday, Nov. 6th
10:00am - 11:00am
Talking to Kids About Race and Racism, Part III
This is the last of a three-part series for LGBTQ+ parents that will require interaction and vulnerability and provide a way forward with raising anti-racist children. Part three will cover defining how we’ll parent differently moving forward. Participation in the first two parts is highly recommended, though not required. Parts one and two are free to attend and will take place on Oct. 6th and Oct. 20th. All three parts will be facilitated by Sherry Wyche (she/her). RSVP for Part I - RSVP for Part II.
Ask Your Family Formation Legal Questions!
Whether you are forming your family through ART with the use of donor sperm (known or unknown), traditional surrogacy, gestational surrogacy, intentional co-parenting or adoption, there are varied legal considerations on the path to parenthood in order to assure that intended parents are also legal parents. If you are already a parent and have legal questions about step-parent or second parent adoption, you can get your questions answered. This program will feature lots of Q&A time with PFP board member and family law attorney Rebecca Nayak (she/her) from the Jerner Law Group.
11:00am - 11:30am - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
11:30am - 12:30pm
Financial Planning for LGBTQ+ Prospective Parents
Join financial planner River Nice (they/them) from Be Intentional Financial for a look at the various costs associated with expanding your family, financial resources available like adoption grants, and how to put together a savings plan to help you achieve your family building dreams.
Resilience Through Challenging Emotions
Taking care of our mental health as LGBTQ+ parents is an important piece of building resiliency. Being resilient doesn't mean that a person won’t experience difficulty or distress, but resilience increases our capacity to tolerate, work around, or resolve stress. Stress is an expected part of the human experience, so the road to resilience is likely to involve considerable emotional distress. As we develop our ability to tap into our resilience, we can also grow through life's emotional challenges. In this session with therapists Marquita Bolden, LCSW and Robin Hornstein, PhD, we will explore finding the adaptability and flexibility that overwhelm can hamper. This experiential workshop will provide you with some tools to use when you feel like the day will never end and you're exhausted from all that you are managing for yourself and your kids.
12:30pm - 1:00pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Getting a Better Night’s Sleep for Your Family
Is your family getting enough sleep? No? You’re not alone. Join certified sleep consultant and founder of Confident Parenting Erica Desper (she/her) and learn what to do (and what to avoid!) to achieve better sleep for parents and children alike. Topics will include sleep timing, routine, environment, and common obstacles to smooth sleep.
2:00pm - 2:30pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Sharing Spiritual Practices for Resilience and Resistance
One way that individuals, families and communities survive and thrive is by cultivating spiritual practices that encourage and shore up resilience and resistance. During the pandemic, folks, families, and communities have not only innovated to find new practices but also found importance in old favorites. Come share what you’ve been doing and learn from the experiences of others. This session will be led by Lucinda Megill Legendre (she/her) from Tabernacle United, Naomi Washington-Leapheart (she/her) and others TBA.
Talking to Kids About Race and Racism, Part III
This is the last of a three-part series for LGBTQ+ parents that will require interaction and vulnerability and provide a way forward with raising anti-racist children. Part three will cover defining how we’ll parent differently moving forward. Participation in the first two parts is highly recommended, though not required. Parts one and two are free to attend and will take place on Oct. 6th and Oct. 20th. All three parts will be facilitated by Sherry Wyche (she/her). RSVP for Part I - RSVP for Part II.
Ask Your Family Formation Legal Questions!
Whether you are forming your family through ART with the use of donor sperm (known or unknown), traditional surrogacy, gestational surrogacy, intentional co-parenting or adoption, there are varied legal considerations on the path to parenthood in order to assure that intended parents are also legal parents. If you are already a parent and have legal questions about step-parent or second parent adoption, you can get your questions answered. This program will feature lots of Q&A time with PFP board member and family law attorney Rebecca Nayak (she/her) from the Jerner Law Group.
11:00am - 11:30am - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
11:30am - 12:30pm
Financial Planning for LGBTQ+ Prospective Parents
Join financial planner River Nice (they/them) from Be Intentional Financial for a look at the various costs associated with expanding your family, financial resources available like adoption grants, and how to put together a savings plan to help you achieve your family building dreams.
Resilience Through Challenging Emotions
Taking care of our mental health as LGBTQ+ parents is an important piece of building resiliency. Being resilient doesn't mean that a person won’t experience difficulty or distress, but resilience increases our capacity to tolerate, work around, or resolve stress. Stress is an expected part of the human experience, so the road to resilience is likely to involve considerable emotional distress. As we develop our ability to tap into our resilience, we can also grow through life's emotional challenges. In this session with therapists Marquita Bolden, LCSW and Robin Hornstein, PhD, we will explore finding the adaptability and flexibility that overwhelm can hamper. This experiential workshop will provide you with some tools to use when you feel like the day will never end and you're exhausted from all that you are managing for yourself and your kids.
12:30pm - 1:00pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Getting a Better Night’s Sleep for Your Family
Is your family getting enough sleep? No? You’re not alone. Join certified sleep consultant and founder of Confident Parenting Erica Desper (she/her) and learn what to do (and what to avoid!) to achieve better sleep for parents and children alike. Topics will include sleep timing, routine, environment, and common obstacles to smooth sleep.
2:00pm - 2:30pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
2:30pm - 3:30pm
Sharing Spiritual Practices for Resilience and Resistance
One way that individuals, families and communities survive and thrive is by cultivating spiritual practices that encourage and shore up resilience and resistance. During the pandemic, folks, families, and communities have not only innovated to find new practices but also found importance in old favorites. Come share what you’ve been doing and learn from the experiences of others. This session will be led by Lucinda Megill Legendre (she/her) from Tabernacle United, Naomi Washington-Leapheart (she/her) and others TBA.
Sunday, Nov. 7th
11:00am - 11:45am
Power through Practice - Join Sarah Craig (they/them) from EveryBody Movement and Wellness for 45 minutes of breath work and engaging, encouraging yoga in a virtual space for all ages. Sarah Craig prides themselves on fostering restorative and resilient yoga sequences and spaces. This class will be focused on breathing at your own pace, and engaging in movement that feels best to you at home! Lots of options and supports throughout. No prior yoga experience necessary. Props suggested: mat, blocks, bare wall, blanket(s) and tennis ball.
1:00pm - 1:45pm
Demystifying Surrogacy
This program will provide information to LGBTQ+ prospective parents who are considering using a gestational carrier. The program will discuss practical, legal and psychological considerations led by Andrea McAfee (she/her) from the Surrogacy Center of Philadelphia. We will also hear from LGBTQ+ parents who have formed their family through surrogacy.
Multi-Parent Families: Exploring New Models for LGBTQ+ Households
This workshop is for discussing and sharing knowledge around the building, maintaining and repairing of agreements and trust in multi-parent families at their foundation. We welcome you whether you are coming to share and discuss your beautiful family or considering this possibility for future parenting and family making. The conversation will be led by PFP parent and board member Gina Zorzi Cline (she/her).
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Daring to Rest™ on the Path to Parenthood
Trying to conceive or waiting to adopt are uncertain times. It’s normal to want to manage this uncertainty by planning, strategizing and doing, doing, doing. All of that can be exhausting! In this workshop we’ll explore rest as a way to care for ourselves and our relationships, practice a 25-minute guided yoga nidra meditation, and consider how rest could be a core family value. This session will be led by Marina Patrice Vare (she/they/MP) from Sweet Perfection Yoga Therapy.
Putting it Together: Helping Your Kids Build Resilience
So we’ve worked on getting more rest, taking care of our mental health, connecting with others, sharing spiritual practices, and hearing stories from our elders. Now it’s time to talk about how to build resilience in your kids. Topics we’ll touch on include role modeling resiliency, practicing overcoming small obstacles, and challenging kids to experience life outside of their comfort zones. Led by Alexander Stefanini (he/him) and Kat Steele (they/them) from Arrive Therapy.
3:00pm - 3:30pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Ask the Experts: COLAGE Teen Panel
Hear from youth and young adults from LGBTQ+-led families as they discuss their experiences having LGBTQ+ parents. This session is being organized and led by our friends at COLAGE, the only national organization expressly dedicated to supporting people with one or more LGBTQ+ caregiver.
** A few sponsors will be available during each sponsor fair time slot to talk with participants live. More information will be available on our Sponsors page.
Power through Practice - Join Sarah Craig (they/them) from EveryBody Movement and Wellness for 45 minutes of breath work and engaging, encouraging yoga in a virtual space for all ages. Sarah Craig prides themselves on fostering restorative and resilient yoga sequences and spaces. This class will be focused on breathing at your own pace, and engaging in movement that feels best to you at home! Lots of options and supports throughout. No prior yoga experience necessary. Props suggested: mat, blocks, bare wall, blanket(s) and tennis ball.
1:00pm - 1:45pm
Demystifying Surrogacy
This program will provide information to LGBTQ+ prospective parents who are considering using a gestational carrier. The program will discuss practical, legal and psychological considerations led by Andrea McAfee (she/her) from the Surrogacy Center of Philadelphia. We will also hear from LGBTQ+ parents who have formed their family through surrogacy.
Multi-Parent Families: Exploring New Models for LGBTQ+ Households
This workshop is for discussing and sharing knowledge around the building, maintaining and repairing of agreements and trust in multi-parent families at their foundation. We welcome you whether you are coming to share and discuss your beautiful family or considering this possibility for future parenting and family making. The conversation will be led by PFP parent and board member Gina Zorzi Cline (she/her).
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Daring to Rest™ on the Path to Parenthood
Trying to conceive or waiting to adopt are uncertain times. It’s normal to want to manage this uncertainty by planning, strategizing and doing, doing, doing. All of that can be exhausting! In this workshop we’ll explore rest as a way to care for ourselves and our relationships, practice a 25-minute guided yoga nidra meditation, and consider how rest could be a core family value. This session will be led by Marina Patrice Vare (she/they/MP) from Sweet Perfection Yoga Therapy.
Putting it Together: Helping Your Kids Build Resilience
So we’ve worked on getting more rest, taking care of our mental health, connecting with others, sharing spiritual practices, and hearing stories from our elders. Now it’s time to talk about how to build resilience in your kids. Topics we’ll touch on include role modeling resiliency, practicing overcoming small obstacles, and challenging kids to experience life outside of their comfort zones. Led by Alexander Stefanini (he/him) and Kat Steele (they/them) from Arrive Therapy.
3:00pm - 3:30pm - Virtual Sponsor Fair**
3:30pm - 4:30pm
Ask the Experts: COLAGE Teen Panel
Hear from youth and young adults from LGBTQ+-led families as they discuss their experiences having LGBTQ+ parents. This session is being organized and led by our friends at COLAGE, the only national organization expressly dedicated to supporting people with one or more LGBTQ+ caregiver.
** A few sponsors will be available during each sponsor fair time slot to talk with participants live. More information will be available on our Sponsors page.