Get Aaron to Creating Change 2020

Help raise £2500 to get  Aaron to Creating Change!

What is Creating Change?

Creating Change is the largest conference on gender and sexuality in the US, probably in the world, with some 4000+ attendees, a roster of over 300 workshops, presentations, and caucuses, and countless opportunities to gather valuable information and network with the most inspirational people in activism today.

Creating Change runs over the better part of a week, starting with an incredible Racial Justice Institute on Wednesday, three full days of varied activities, and ending with a fantastic interfaith service and unfailingly uplifting final plenary and brunch on Sunday.

What's the story?

Ten years ago I was a Junior at Southern Methodist University, where I had recently declared that along with my major (Cultural Anthropology) I would also be formally studying Human Rights and Gender Studies. My activism was still in its early development.

In January 2010 the Creating Change Conference came to Dallas, and I threw myself into the opportunities brought by being a member of the host committee. Four days in a row of non stop exposure to some of the most powerful and motivating activists in the United States. It completely changed my life.

This was one of the biggest experiences to shape my life not only as an activist, but as a person. I made connections that have stayed with me longer than most of the friendships I made at college. I learned important things about myself and the power I could exercise in the world, and the responsibilities that came with it.

I have continued to attend Creating Change nearly every year since then, following it to Baltimore, Atlanta, Houston, Denver, Chicago, Washington DC... and now, on my ten year anniversary, it is coming back to Dallas! (The conference host city changes every year, and it's pure happy coincidence that this milestone and this venue are happening together.)

So who is Aaron?

I am a 30 y/o white, disabled, immigrant, queer, transgender man living and working in the United Kingdom.

I am also a long time dedicated activist serving causes such as sexual liberation, transgender rights, and interfaith dialogue. Through the Diversity Trust  I offer professional training and consultation on compliance with the Equality Act 2010  to a wide variety of clients. I work independently and in tandem with groups like Consent Teachers Bristol, Kink  Underground, Quintasensual, Queer Spirit, and others to host workshops and demos and events that cover consensual sexual and non-sexual contact including kink/BDSM 101 with embedded safety and ethics.

I am also an interfaith activist, with experience working between Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Pagan, and Humanist groups. I am a lay preacher in the Methodist Church, a member of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids, an interfaith/secular celebrant, and volunteer as a hospital chaplain on the weekends.

What are you doing at Creating Change?

This year I am exceptionally busy! I have had three proposals accepted, and two other commitments to focus on.

I will be a member of the Spiritual Care Team throughout the week, offering on-call pastoral care and some scheduled ritual activities as well. This is part of the overall care and wellbing remit of the conference host committee.

I co-hosting the Nature Spirituality Caucus alongside my friend Eldritch, which will be a chance for LGBTQ people to talk about how their sexuality and spirituality overlap, and be an excellent opportunity for networking between leaders of various groups around the country.

I am also honoured to be working with two Two-Spirit indigenous activists to present a workshop on Ancestor work; one of my focal points is helping other people descended from Imperialist/Colonial cultures can start the much needed healing work our world needs, through both internal and external action.

Every year I work with a coalition called Kink Underground (who recently declared themselves a non-profit organisation!) to bring an exceptional BDSM demonstration-workshop to the conference, specifically geared at people who have never encountered it in real life before. It is our explicit goal to instil strong ethics and safety awareness in this community. We have been doing this presentation since our group formed in 2014, and have received huge appreciation for this much-in-demand information.

Finally, we also host a Play Party later in the weekend for people to practice the skills they have learned. This year is the first year our Party has gotten official recognition from the conference, which means it's going to be our largest ever attendance!

Okay so what are we paying for?

Usually I cover the cost of attending Creating Change entirely off my own back, saving up ahead, and paying off what I end up having to put on my credit card. (This has sometimes meant having to skip a year.)

This year due to a number of unexpected financial crises (including a longer-than-anticipated period of unemployment, and a sudden unplanned home move) my accounts are under a lot more stress than usual.

I do have excellent credit, so if necessary I can take on more debt to make this happen, but that's no one's preferred way of operating. I'm hoping that this time around my friends and community can come together to raise me up. Here is a breakdown of the expenses I'm looking at...

1. Flights: £1000
2. Other transport: £150
3. Airbnb: £200
4. Hotel: £600
5. Subsistence: £250
6. Registration: £250
7. Misc. Expenses: £100

In more detail...

1. Flying Basic Economy from Bristol to Dallas cost £917, plus I have added an extra checked bag. (Flying out of London rather than Bristol, on a weekday rather than a weekend, and at less convenient times might have reduced this cost, but the reduced stress and ability to go to work outweighed the savings.)

2. The costs here are mainly getting the bus and train between my home/hotel, and also a few taxi rides around Dallas to allow me to run key errands.

3. As I am arriving a few days early, the conference hotel is not available from the day I arrive. I have found a very affordable and friendly Airbnb in Dallas for the few days I will be spending off-site.

4. At the special conference rate, my hotel room costs $760.72 USD, which at the current exchange rate is about £590 GBP. Rounded up to £600 to account for the exchange fees.

5. £25 a day for ten days. Hopefully food won't actually cost this much, but if I'm forced to eat out/eat convenience food most of the time, this is a reasonable budget.

6. CC asks that presenters register at the Presenter rate of $325 USD, which is roughly £250 GBP.

7. When in Dallas I will need to purchase some items to facilitate my work. I don't know how much these things will cost, so I've estimated spending about £100 based on previous experiences.

Accountability

As you can probably tell, I am probably slightly under-estimating the total cost of this trip, but I am determined to cover as much of it myself as I am able.

I plan to be as transparent as possible about the expenses of this trip and where the fundraising is going. I will provide receipts for as much as possible, and spreadsheets will also be available.

In the event that I manage to raise more than is needed, all extra funds will go toward the Kink Underground finances, to enable them to continue their work at future conferences.

Deadline

Ideally funds will be raised before the conference begins on the 15th of January 2020.

---

My everlasting gratitude goes out to everyone who has supported me so far, especially the people who have given me rides and places to stay and fed me at previous conferences and similar events, keeping my costs down and my credit high so that more events and conferences are possible.

If you are unable to contribute a few pennies to this crowdfunding effort yourself then I would also be appreciative of your efforts to spread the word and share this with other people you know who are supportive of the kind of work I do.

THANK YOU!
Aaron