Blogging from Kansas City!

Hey all, Patrick Murtagh here, newbie guest bloogger reporting from the 2012 LGBTQ Health Equity Summit.

I have always felt that going to these kinds of conferences is a lot like going to camp.  You never really know what you should pack, you travel long distances to get there, there is a pre-set agenda put before you, and you begin the process of introducing yourself to people you have never met. Some faces you recognize right away, others you have never seen. My time at the LGBTQ Health Equity Summit was no different.

What was different, however, is the fact that unlike summer camp, people here were genuinely interested in the work you are doing in your community. What is so great about this conference is that it is really the only opportunity to be in a room with LGBTQ community leaders and allies and really discuss and work through the issues that are affecting our community. Having such well-versed and passionate people in the same room creates a momentum that will get us through to the next time that we can all be together.

I only speak for myself, but coming to events like this is what re-energizes me. When I am in the doldrums of paperwork, or are starting to loose faith, funding, what have you, I can look back to summits like this and know that I am not the only one fighting for what is right. I can remember the friends I made, the bonds that were forged and the network of supporters that was built. We all have our very own cheering squad just by attending the 2012 LBGTQ Health Equity Summit, and I hope we never forget that.