Please join us for a Southern California Conference at the University of California, Irvine!
Our location is in close proximity to both Los Angeles, and San Diego so let’s all meet each other! Friendship, networking, support, and building community for SoCal LGBTQ Mormons, their friends, and their families. All paths and perspectives are welcome. You’re among friends here!
The cost to attend is $25 per person and includes a catered lunch. Parking is free. The last day to register for this event is September 8th.
Program to follow, as we confirm speakers and details. Due to venue limitations, we only have space for 85 attendees. Be sure to register today so you don’t miss out on what is sure to be a wonderful conference and opportunity to connect with the LGBTQ Mormon community in southern California.
There are local restaurants nearby for groups who want to head out to dinner or socialize after the conference. Corona del Mar, Newport Beach, and Crystal Cove State Beach are only a few minutes away. Come enjoy an uplifting and fun weekend!
A. Todd Jones is the father of two teenagers, and has been with his husband for 6 years. He is a full time Communications Professor. His areas of study are relationships, identity, and human sexuality. He considers himself to be a non traditional active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mike creció como el quinto de seis hijos en una activa familia Santo de los Últimos Días. Actualmente es miembro del barrio Atherton en la estaca Long Beach East de la iglesia SUD y sirve en el comité de asuntos públicos de la estaca. Su llamado no oficial es de facto especialista LGBTQ para la estaca desde que se declaró gay en una charla de la conferencia de estaca en enero de 2019. Bajo la supervisión de su presidente de estaca, ha participado en la organización de Noches de hogar y noches de aliados mensuales LGBTQ. También es uno de los nuevos coordinadores de Afirmación en Los Ángeles. Cuando no está realizando actividades de extensión, trabaja a tiempo completo como médico en radiología intervencionista en Los Alamitos, California.
Kurt Nielsen grew up in Cache Valley, Utah on a dairy farm. He was one of 5 children who learned the value of hard work from a very early age. He served a 2-year mission for the LDS church in Ireland and Scotland. He later completed an undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture and moved to California to begin his career. Within a few weeks of moving to Orange County, he met his future wife, Mary, at the Irvine Single’s Ward. They were married shortly thereafter and immediately began enlarging their family. They have 3 grown children, Samantha, Jacob (and wife Emily, along with new granddaughter Eloise), and Matthew. Kurt owns his own landscaping business. He currently serves as a youth advisor in his ward. We invite you to listen to Richard Ostler’s podcast interview of Kurt on the platform, Listen, Learn, and Love.
Sarah Bowers is an out-and-coming Mormon lesbian freshly embarking on a new faith journey. She is one of Affirmation Los Angeles chapter’s coordinators and recently joined the Pacific Region’s leadership. Currently applying for MSW programs, Sarah has a background in international studies and nonprofit management.
Candice Czubernat has been a therapist for the last 15 years and is the founder of The Christian Closet, a team of individuals engaging in online counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction with and for LGBTQ Christians. In addition to this work, Candice is the founder of Gloriously Queer, a 2-day event for LGBTQ Christians. She believes walking alongside other queer people of faith to be beautiful, deep, and holy work.
Candice identifies as a lesbian, Christian with Jewish leaning, wife to Crystal, mother to Deacon and Dylan, writer, and speaker. If she’s not working you can find her digging for dinosaur bones in her backyard with her kids.
Kristofr Clement is a bisexual transgender man raised in the LDS church. He is the creator and moderator of the Discord chat room server: Queerstake, an online community of LGBTQ+ folks with LDS experience. He is currently studying computer science and is in the process of creating “[email protected]”: a Dungeon & Dragons podcast.
Caroline Kline is Research Assistant Professor in the Religion department at Claremont Graduate University where she works to promote the study of global Mormonism. She will be the Assistant Director of the forthcoming Center for Global Mormon Studies at CGU, and she is also the director of three separate oral history collections: the Claremont Mormon Women Oral History Collection, the Claremont Global Mormon Oral History Collection, and the Claremont LGBTQ Mormon Oral History Collection. Her areas of interest revolve around the intersections of Mormonism, gender studies, and religion in the Global South. She is the co-founder of the Mormon feminist blog, El exponente.
Vinnie Jones is originally from Maine and was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Currently living in San Francisco, Vinnie is a professional dancer and choreographer specializing in contemporary ballet work at Menlowe Ballet and Trivial Motion Dance. She also co-founded the em(body) dance project, a company committed to representing diverse human experiences including women and queer people, in which she is also a choreographer and dancer.
Vinnie es la vicepresidenta regional de Affirmation Pacific Region y participa activamente en su capítulo local de Affirmation. Ella también tiene un grupo espiritual que se reúne una vez a la semana para crear una comunidad espiritual segura y diversa.
Tom Christofferson es el autor de Para que seamos uno: la perspectiva de fe y familia de un mormón gay, publicado por Deseret Book. Su carrera en gestión de inversiones globales y servicios de activos incluyó asignaciones a largo plazo en Europa y Asia. Es un miembro activo de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días en su barrio y estaca de Mesa, Arizona.
Calendario de conferencias
Gathering and Check-in
10:00 AM - 10:20 AM
Welcome and Introduction
10:20 AM - 10:30 AM
Sarah Bowers
Co-coordinadora del Capítulo de Los Ángeles
Sarah Bowers is an out-and-coming Mormon lesbian freshly embarking on a new faith journey. She is one of Affirmation Los Angeles chapter’s coordinators and recently joined the Pacific Region’s leadership. Currently applying for MSW programs, Sarah has a background in international studies and nonprofit management.
Candice Czubernat has been a therapist for the last 15 years and is the founder of The Christian Closet, a team of individuals engaging in online counseling, coaching, and spiritual direction with and for LGBTQ Christians. In addition to this work, Candice is the founder of Gloriously Queer, a 2-day event for LGBTQ Christians. She believes walking alongside other queer people of faith to be beautiful, deep, and holy work.
Candice identifies as a lesbian, Christian with Jewish leaning, wife to Crystal, mother to Deacon and Dylan, writer, and speaker. If she’s not working you can find her digging for dinosaur bones in her backyard with her kids.
Kurt Nielsen grew up in Cache Valley, Utah on a dairy farm. He was one of 5 children who learned the value of hard work from a very early age. He served a 2-year mission for the LDS church in Ireland and Scotland. He later completed an undergraduate degree in Landscape Architecture and moved to California to begin his career. Within a few weeks of moving to Orange County, he met his future wife, Mary, at the Irvine Single’s Ward. They were married shortly thereafter and immediately began enlarging their family. They have 3 grown children, Samantha, Jacob (and wife Emily, along with new granddaughter Eloise), and Matthew. Kurt owns his own landscaping business. He currently serves as a youth advisor in his ward. We invite you to listen to Richard Ostler’s podcast interview of Kurt on the platform, Listen, Learn, and Love.
Chelsea Gibbs es una archivista y programadora de películas con sede en Nueva York que siempre está interesada en las recomendaciones de películas, programas y libros LGBTQIA. Ella es muy rara.
Tom Christofferson es el autor de Para que seamos uno: la perspectiva de fe y familia de un mormón gay, publicado por Deseret Book. Su carrera en gestión de inversiones globales y servicios de activos incluyó asignaciones a largo plazo en Europa y Asia. Es un miembro activo de la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días en su barrio y estaca de Mesa, Arizona.
LGBTQ Mormon Oral History Collection at Claremont Graduate School
2:20 PM - 2:30 PM
Caroline Kline
Research Assistant Professor
Caroline Kline is Research Assistant Professor in the Religion department at Claremont Graduate University where she works to promote the study of global Mormonism. She will be the Assistant Director of the forthcoming Center for Global Mormon Studies at CGU, and she is also the director of three separate oral history collections: the Claremont Mormon Women Oral History Collection, the Claremont Global Mormon Oral History Collection, and the Claremont LGBTQ Mormon Oral History Collection. Her areas of interest revolve around the intersections of Mormonism, gender studies, and religion in the Global South. She is the co-founder of the Mormon feminist blog, El exponente.
Sarah Bowers is an out-and-coming Mormon lesbian freshly embarking on a new faith journey. She is one of Affirmation Los Angeles chapter’s coordinators and recently joined the Pacific Region’s leadership. Currently applying for MSW programs, Sarah has a background in international studies and nonprofit management.
Kristofr Clement
Queerstake Discord Moderator
Kristofr Clement is a bisexual transgender man raised in the LDS church. He is the creator and moderator of the Discord chat room server: Queerstake, an online community of LGBTQ+ folks with LDS experience. He is currently studying computer science and is in the process of creating “[email protected]”: a Dungeon & Dragons podcast.
A Todd Jones
Communications Professor
A. Todd Jones is the father of two teenagers, and has been with his husband for 6 years. He is a full time Communications Professor. His areas of study are relationships, identity, and human sexuality. He considers himself to be a non traditional active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Vinnie Jones
Affirmation Pacific Region Vice President
Vinnie Jones is originally from Maine and was raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Currently living in San Francisco, Vinnie is a professional dancer and choreographer specializing in contemporary ballet work at Menlowe Ballet and Trivial Motion Dance. She also co-founded the em(body) dance project, a company committed to representing diverse human experiences including women and queer people, in which she is also a choreographer and dancer.
Vinnie es la vicepresidenta regional de Affirmation Pacific Region y participa activamente en su capítulo local de Affirmation. Ella también tiene un grupo espiritual que se reúne una vez a la semana para crear una comunidad espiritual segura y diversa.
Michael Secrist
Co-coordinadora del Capítulo de Los Ángeles
Mike creció como el quinto de seis hijos en una activa familia Santo de los Últimos Días. Actualmente es miembro del barrio Atherton en la estaca Long Beach East de la iglesia SUD y sirve en el comité de asuntos públicos de la estaca. Su llamado no oficial es de facto especialista LGBTQ para la estaca desde que se declaró gay en una charla de la conferencia de estaca en enero de 2019. Bajo la supervisión de su presidente de estaca, ha participado en la organización de Noches de hogar y noches de aliados mensuales LGBTQ. También es uno de los nuevos coordinadores de Afirmación en Los Ángeles. Cuando no está realizando actividades de extensión, trabaja a tiempo completo como médico en radiología intervencionista en Los Alamitos, California.
Sarah Bowers is an out-and-coming Mormon lesbian freshly embarking on a new faith journey. She is one of Affirmation Los Angeles chapter’s coordinators and recently joined the Pacific Region’s leadership. Currently applying for MSW programs, Sarah has a background in international studies and nonprofit management.
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