NLGJA 2026 National Convention

Our community — and our very democracy — are at a crossroads as we approach the midterm elections and two more years of the current administration. We have seen political discourse devolve and chip away at our rights in the courts and on Capitol Hill. We see faith weaponized, trust in our democracy eroding, vicious attacks on the fourth estate and misinformation floods our social platforms. And yet, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, people of color and a growing resistance encompassing all genders and generations continue to rise, organize and meet the moment. How do we face the future together? What is the role of journalists in bringing to light the power and stories of the intersectional nature of these and other struggles? How is what we are experiencing in the United States connected to global attacks on women’s rights, trans people and more? While the most obvious intersection is faith and the weaponization and politicization of religion, what can we learn from those who have taken these attacks head on – together and across differences? What can we learn from journalists who are tackling these issues and connecting the dots? What resources and sources are there for journalists to look at these issues from a broader perspective?

ABOUT THE MICHAEL TRIPLETT SERIES
The Michael Triplett Series features notable speakers on the intersection of faith, politics and the LGBTQ+ community. The program provides an opportunity to hear from prominent leaders on these issues and raise new questions about the complex relationship between support for LGBTQ+ rights and free religious expression. The series is presented in memory of Michael Triplett, a past president of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, who died in 2013 and was a strong leader of both our organization and his local Lutheran church.

What does the next phase of the HIV response really require? Leadership from journalists like us to bring critical health news to the public, especially audiences who may not realize they are at risk. Panelists will dig into why a more holistic approach to prevention is key — one that brings together stakeholders from across and beyond the HIV space from journalists to doctors to patients to rethink who should be testing, who benefits from treatment, and who the epidemic is truly affecting.