According to the ACLU, in 2023 so far there have been at least 228 bills introduced across the nation targeting LGBTQIA+ people and topics in schools & educational contexts. In Conversation is an interactive community dialogue that invites program panelists and audience members to examine the past and present landscape of LGBTQIA+ topics in education.
Panelists Alex Rosado-Torres and Taylor Masamitsu will explore a conversation from the perspective of their research and practice as educators in a variety of contexts. Attendees will hear more about how history is repeating itself with regard to issues in LGBTQIA+ education and what educators are doing about it this time around. This session will be informative and collaborative, and actively encourages participants to come curious and ready with questions for our educators and researchers!
Participant Bios
Alex Rosado-Torres (Panelist, he/they) is an educator and historian from Newark, New Jersey. Presently, they are a high school Ethnic Studies teacher and doctoral student in the History of Education & Queer Studies. In his graduate studies they explore the history of queer educational spaces by examining primary and secondary sources to better understand how non-normative educational spaces paved ways for those often marginalized in society, especially LGBTQIA+ people. As an openly Queer teacher, Alex believes now more than ever is the time for us to appropriately organize our efforts to ensure the educational landscape remains equitable for LGBTQIA+ people.
Taylor Masamitsu (Panelist, he/they) is an educator and researcher from Los Angeles, California. Their research examines the intersection of queer Asian America, politics, social discourse, and education. In 2020, Taylor co-founded Creating for Justice, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accessible education and supporting anti-racist organizations around the country. Taylor is also a PhD student in social sciences and education policy at the University of Illinois. Previously, they received an EdM from the University of Illinois, an MA in music education from Columbia University, and a BFA in vocal performance from the California Institute of the Arts.
This program is organized by Alex Rosado-Torres as part of the 2023 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute.