A team of Cal State Fullerton students, together with peers from Smith College, helped organize an international conference at the City University of New York Graduate Center in Manhattan. For the first time since its founding in 1993, the Lesbian Lives Conference was hosted in New York City.
The conference welcomed participants from all backgrounds, bringing together more than 700 academics, artists and writers from across the globe. Presented by the Journal of Lesbian Studies, Sinister Wisdom and CLAGS: The Center for LGBTQ Studies at CUNY, the conference was rooted in an ethos of inclusivity, dialogue, diversity and accessibility.
CSUF students Paris Quintero, Laura Lorenzana, Cindy Cabuguason, Megan Louie, Nico Vazquez and Paul Tablada played a central role in making this event possible. Working as part of the Journal of Lesbian Studies editorial team, they reached out to hundreds of participants worldwide, helped fundraise and build the program, managed registration and logistics, and infused the event with their energy and creativity. Ella Ben Hagai, CSUF associate professor of psychology, serves as editor-in-chief of the journal.
Attending the conference, students also learned about lesbian cultures from Brazil to Taiwan, explored lesbian pop culture heroes like Chappell Roan, and learned about lesbian horror films and activism. They connected with an inspiring international queer community in New York City.