Brown School summit sets attendance record, strengthens LGBTQ+ advocacy and community

The Rainbow Resilience: Advancing LGBTQ+ Wellness Summit made history on March 28-29, drawing nearly 120 attendees to the Brown School at Washington University. The event—which sold out two months in advance—was the largest in-person professional development event ever hosted by the school. 

The two-day summit brought together social workers, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, mental health practitioners, and advocates for hands-on training focused on strengthening support systems, countering harmful legislation, and building community power.  

Dorian Traube, professor and Neidorff Family and Centene Corporation Dean of the Brown School, highlighted the summit’s significance in her opening remarks.  

“True resilience is not just about surviving. It is about building, healing, and reclaiming joy,” Traube said. “It’s the quiet courage that emerges when we dare to live authentically in a world that often demands conformity. It’s the strength we draw from our histories, our ancestors, our stories of survival, and our commitment to creating a better world for those who follow. Real resilience is found in community, and it is nurtured in the safety we create for one another, in spaces like this, where authenticity thrives and every voice matters.” 

Gary Parker, associate dean for external affairs and director of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, which co-hosted the summit, said the strong turnout reflected the growing demand for collective action in support of LGBTQ+ communities. 

“At this uncertain point in our nation’s history, there is a huge desire for connection, coordination, and collective action,” Parker said.  “Knowledge, organization, and unity are essential to protecting and uplifting LGBTQ+ communities.” 

The summit featured a keynote address from author and political analyst Charles M. Blow, as well as a performance and panel discussion led by transgender advocate Chasity Valentino. The event marked a milestone in the Brown School’s ongoing efforts to expand professional development opportunities and reinforces its role as a national leader in lifelong learning.  

Looking ahead, the Brown School remains committed to equity and advocacy through a range of professional development opportunities, including the Summer Institute and other continuing education programs. Summit organizers thank the Joseph H. & Florence A. Roblee Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Nitrous Effect, and Marler Law Partners as well as the Clark-Fox Policy Institute, Here and Next, and the Sexuality, Health and Gender Center for sponsoring the event. 

“I’ve heard from many attendees who left feeling energized, connected, and hopeful,” Parker said. “It was a powerful and moving space for a community that truly needed it.”