The Out & Equal Workplace Summit is an annual gathering of over 2,000 business leaders , LGBT employers, LGBT employees and other participants to discuss best practices, network and take part in training sessions. The Out & Equal Workplace Summit is hosted by Out & Equal

Out & Equal

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is a United States non-profit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California....

 Workplace Advocates and is held in rotating locations around the United States. The 2010 Workplace Summit will be held in Los Angeles, California at the Los Angeles Convention Center

Los Angeles Convention Center

The Los Angeles Convention Center is a convention center in the southwest portion of downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show and Anime Expo, and is best known to video games fans as host to E3...

. The Workplace Summit is considered to be "qualified training in compliance with 5 U.S.C. Chapter 41" of the United States Office of Personnel Management.

History

Out & Equal

Out & Equal

Out & Equal Workplace Advocates is a United States non-profit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California....

 Workplace Advocates founder Selisse Berry started the Workplace Summits as part a program for the United Way Bay Area. After officially becoming a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates independently managed the Workplace Summit.

2000:

2001:

2002:

2003:

2004:

2005:

2006:

2007: Washington, DC

2008: Austin, TX

2009: Orlando, FL

2010: Los Angeles, CA

2011: Dallas Fort Worth, TX

Program

Annually, the Out & Equal Workplace Summit includes workshops, plenary speakers and performances. The 2010 Workplace Summit includes speeches from performers Chely Wright

Chely Wright

Richell Rene "Chely" Wright is an American country music artist and, starting in 2010, gay rights activist. On the strength of her debut album in 1994, the Academy of Country Music named her Top New Female Vocalist in 1995. Wright's first Top 40 country hit came in 1997 with "Shut Up and Drive"...

 and Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph

Sheryl Lee Ralph is an American actress, singer, and activist.-Personal life:Raised between Mandeville, Jamaica, and Long Island, New York, Sheryl Lee Ralph was born in Waterbury, Connecticut to an African American father and a Jamaican mother. Sheryl attended Uniondale High School in Uniondale, NY...

 in addition to the Chief Commercial Officer of American Airlines

American Airlines

American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 Virasb Vahidi, "Mombian" blogger Dana Rudolph , Intuit CEO Brad Smith

Brad Smith

Brad Smith or Bradley Smith may refer to:*Brad Smith , American football player*Brad Smith , Canadian football player, son of former CFL Commissioner & player Larry Smith...

, Commissioner of the EEOC Chai Feldbaum, creator of The L Word

The L Word

The L Word is an American co-production television drama series originally shown on Showtime portraying the lives of a group of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends, family and lovers in the trendy Greater Los Angeles, California city of West Hollywood...

 Ilene Chaiken

Ilene Chaiken

Ilene Chaiken is an American television producer, director and writer. Chaiken is best known as being the co-creator, writer and executive producer of the television series The L Word...

 and former California State Senator Sheila Kuehl

Sheila Kuehl

Sheila James Kuehl is an American politician, and a former child actress. She most recently served as a Democratic member of the California State Senate, representing the 23rd district in Los Angeles County and parts of southern Ventura County...

.

The Workplace Summit hosts the Out & Equal Out & Equal Workplace Awards or The Outies

The Outies

The Outies - formally known as the Out & Equal Workplace Awards - is an annual awards gala hosted by Out & Equal Workplace Advocates. The Outies honor individuals and organizations that are leaders in advancing equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees in America’s workplaces...

.

External links

• Out & Equal — official website
• Out & Equal's newest program linking diversity friendly employers with top LGBT talent-Out & Equal's LGBTCareerlink