Format
The Conference’s format will be Breakout Presentations (Workshops, Panel Discussions, and Stand-Alone Presentations) in at least three Session Blocks consisting of four concurrent presentations, and are organized around four tracks: Advocacy, Community, Education and Research. Presentations in each track are intended to address the conference’s overall theme, “Building Resilience Through Unity; Facing Changing Battlefields Together.” Presentations will focus on overcoming challenges and difficulties experienced by LGBTQIA+ Black and Persons of Color veterans who struggle with the mental health following their experiences in combat/conflict theaters, from their respective communities due to homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia; the trauma and the effects on one's mental health caused by one’s exposure to violence; and how LGBTQIA+ Black and persons of color veterans found hope, strength, support and community in their lives.
The Conference seeks to create a learning experience in which there is an exchange of knowledge, social resources (including mental health services, housing, and benefits), language access, workforce development, linkage to mental health care and treatment, HIV, sexual health, social networking, apparent and non-apparent disabilities, and care-giving relationships - considering dependence and independence. In their presentations, abstracts will demonstrate how and in what ways opportunities were created, if not for the presenters, but for their respective communities. Presentations along the four tracks should examine the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of LGBTQIA+ Black and Peoples of Color veterans.
The Conference features two distinct formats: a 45-minute Speaker presentation(s) to establish common starting points, and set the tone for the day and 75-minute Breakout Presentations (Workshops, Panel Discussions, Stand-Alone, and Virtual Poster Presentations). These reflect on the conference’s theme –“Building Resilience Through Unity; Facing Changing Battlefields Together,” and explore in-depth many issues impacting our communities’ mental health. These will examine the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of LGBTQIA+ Black and Peoples of Color, as well as treatments, methodologies and modalities of various states of illness, emotional /social dysfunction and disease facing these communities. These 75-minute concurrent single/stand-alone sessions, are geared for clinicians/academicians, for community members, and others combined for both groups.
In the Conference Program, an abstract submission satisfying the NY State Department of Education requirements may qualify and be eligible for Continuing Education Credits for Licensed Clinical Social Workers and Licensed Master’s in Social Work. On the Conference Program, a presentation marked CE indicates that a person attending for the duration and completing the evaluation can earn one-credit hour toward their license.
Abstract Submissions are organized around four tracks: Advocacy, Community, Education and Research.
Recognizing the devastation wreaked on our communities, the In My Mind Conference endeavors to be open and available to community members and their supporters, advocates, and activists. In this sense, the 2025 Conference will be in person .
The program is organized by a coalition of organizations and volunteers. It commences at 9:00 am, and concludes at 5:30pm.
We look forward to welcoming you, and celebrating your resilience at this year’s In My Mind Conference.