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.)
The schedule is shaping up to be exciting! So far, we have:
- Pre-Gathering Intensives for Lesbians of Color and White Lesbians
- 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
It will be a lot of fun! And on a more serious note, 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’?’”
The hotel we will be meeting at, www.hilton.com, 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; plus furry family members are welcome (feline and canine only, maximum two per room, extra charge). In 2020, Hilton published a Hilton Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, Hilton-Slavery-and-Trafficking-Statement-2020.pdf.
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!
From L, clockwise: Ali, Michiko, Patti K., gypsy,
Vanita (guest), Sally, and Pam (guest).
