Professional development opportunities through presentations and interactive sessions focused on individual and team growth. The programs can be customized to meet the needs of working professionals at all levels, employing adult learning principles.
The Rainbow Dialogues February 2020 Keynote
The Rainbow Dialogues is a series of community-building conversations demonstrating
how LGBTQ history and archival documents from the past are relevant today. The
Dialogues reference and contextualize LGBTQ life in Rochester against the backdrop of
local and national social justice issues.
The former Out Alliance presents the Rainbow Dialogues in partnership with the
Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division (RPL), the Friends and
Foundation of the Rochester Public Library (FFRPL), ImageOut, Rochester’s globally
recognized LGBTQ Film Festival, The College at Brockport, WXXI, and the community
volunteers. The Dialogues also receive funding from the LGBT Fund of the Rochester
Area Community Foundation, the NYS Humanities, the Friends and Foundation of the
Rochester Public Library, and financial support from individuals in the community.
2020 Keynote Theme: Intersectionality in Social and Political Change – A Historical
Perspective
Keynote Title: O.W.T.™* – Servant Leadership as Activism
*Pronounced “OUT” – One Witness’ Testimony ™
In this Presentation, Dr. Byrd shared observations (witnessing), experiences, and
actions (testimony) as a servant leader within the intersectionality of his identities as a
spiritual, gay, Black man. He discusses social action that impacted change related to
the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the Black and Brown communities and highlights the
installation of a gay church in “the Black church tradition” that has a social justice
ministry based on liberation theology.