Gathering UPDATES!
OLOC’s next National Gathering will be held August 20–24, 2025, at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbus, Ohio! (It is not the one by the airport.)
Mark your calendar now! Much more information will be coming in this space.
The theme is: Prevailing: Old Lesbians United for Our Future.
Request for Workshop Proposals for the OLOC Gathering
We invite all OLOC Affiliates to consider sharing your experience and expertise by offering a workshop at the 2025 OLOC Gathering.
Preference will be given to workshops related to the theme:
PREVAILING: Old Lesbians United for Our Future
Proposals will be accepted until June 1, 2025
Selections will be made on a rolling basis by July 1, 2025
Please be prepared to fill out these questions in the online form:
- Name
- Email | Address | Phone Number
- Experience/Brief Bio
- Website and/or Social Media
- Race/Ethnicity
- Birth Year
- Accessibility Needs
- Workshop Title and Description
- Maximum Number of Participants
- Schedule Preferences
Please note: All workshop presenters must register for the National Gathering.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Patty O’Donnell at pattyo@oloc.org.
The schedule is shaping up to be exciting!
So far, we have:
- Lesbians of Color Day
- Workshops and plenaries
- Keynote speaker and entertainment
- Talent Show and DJ dance
- Presentation of the 2025 Old Lesbian
Pride Award
- Premiere of the 2025 memorial slide show
- Opening and closing ceremonies
- Meeting for Gathering virgins and newbies to OLOC
- Caucus time, Chapter Coordinator meetings, and Chapter meetings
The hotel where we will be meeting, www.hilton.com/en/hotels/cmhcees-embassysuites-columbus, offers 224 guest rooms, six of which are accessible with features such as roll-in showers; free made-to-order breakfast; complimentary daily evening reception; a restaurant for dinner; indoor and outdoor pools; an accessible fitness center; and an accessible business center. You can bring pets per the hotel, but can’t attend the Gathering itself.
In 2020, Hilton published a Hilton Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, Hilton-Slavery-and-Trafficking-Statement-2020.pdf.
Key Note Speaker
We are thrilled to announce that the keynote speaker will be Washington State Supreme Court Justice G. Helen Whitener.
Justice Whitener was appointed to the Court in 2020 and subsequently elected by voters twice to retain her position. Before becoming a judge, she was a prosecutor and defense attorney for 14 years.
She was born and raised in the beautiful Caribbean island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. Educated in the British system, Justice Whitener arrived in the US at the age of 16 to attend college. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Washington State Supreme Court, the fourth immigrant-born Justice, and the first Black L/G Supreme Court Justice in the nation. Justice Whitener identifies as having a disability and speaks often on human rights and access to justice.
Justice Whitener is well recognized by the legal community for her commitment to justice and equity. She has received numerous awards for having the distinction of being many firsts in her field, a true trailblazer for Black Lesbians and women judges.
She initiated a program called Color of Justice which encourages girls to consider legal and judicial careers by bringing them together with judges and lawyers and providing them with resources to pursue their goals.
She came to our attention as a speaker at the Black Women Rise events in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2017–2018. Two of us thought she was dynamic and amazing; she talked about People of Color and gave real-life situations and how to react or handle ourselves to get the most positive assist from the judicial system. One OLOCian remembers “calling many of my friends, saying ‘Hey girl, did you know that if ‘that’ happens, we need to do ‘this’?’”
Headliner
Nedra Johnson
Nedra Johnson is a black, openly lesbian, singer/songwriter and instrumentalist. Her unique style of guitar playing is unmistakably informed by her many years as a bassist and keeps her live solo acoustic performances more on an R&B tip then what one might expect of a “girl with a guitar.” Her songs are a joyful mix of R&B, funk, rock and gospel touching on subjects such as love, spirituality, community and or politics.
Lesbian of Color Event
Facilitated By
Karen Williams
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
9am–4pm
(Lunch provided by OLOC)
Karen Williams is the Founder and CEO of the International Institute of Humor and Healing Arts aka HaHA Institute.
An All-Day Plenary
Lead by Simma Lieberman
Simma Lieberman, known as “The Inclusionist,” has dedicated over three decades to creating inclusive cultures where people thrive. Her passion lies in building “Inclusive Leaders from the Inside Out,” helping organizations unlock their full potential through diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
In October, the Steering Committee had a great meet-up in Columbus with several members of the local Chapter (just two are in the photo). They are excited about the Gathering being held in their city again (we were there in 2019) and are committed to planning and doing the work of anything we—and they—come up with!
We hope you will be able to join us!
From L, clockwise: Ali, Michiko, Patti K., gypsy,
Vanita (guest), Sally, and Pam (guest).
