The Alana Faith Chen Foundation, Born Perfect (a program of NCLR), and Out Boulder County invite you to join us on Sunday, April 24th as we honor the life of Alana Chen and commit to do all we can to end conversion therapy.
The event starts at 3 pm with a reception, followed by a panel of LGBTQ+ community members who have undergone conversion therapy who will share their stories and their efforts to put an end to conversion therapy.
This event will begin at Out Boulder County’s office (3340 Mitchell Ln, Boulder 80301)
3-3:30 PM: Reception
3:30-4:30 PM: Program & panel
5 PM: Travel to vigil outside of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center (1520 Euclid Ave, Boulder 80302)
Would you like to watch the panel virtually at 3:30 pm? You can join the event here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87484307641?pwd=cHgyVkVpNytlY2RDdjFoNm94Mmh1UT09
About Alana Chen:
At 24 years old, Alana Chen died by suicide after suffering years of conversion therapy. She was a creative and caring person who loved the outdoors. Alana was pursuing a Master’s in Counseling so she could become a therapist herself one day and help others in their healing journeys.
With your contributions, this event will support the Alana Faith Chen Foundation.
The Alana Faith Chen Foundation fights to ensure every LGBTQ+ person at risk of suicide has access to the mental health treatment and therapy they need.
Born Perfect is the leading campaign to end conversion therapy. They are made up of survivors, lawyers, and policy experts working together to protect LGBTQ+ people nationally and around the globe.
Out Boulder County works independently and in collaboration to facilitate connection, advocacy, education, research, and programs to ensure LGBTQ+ people and communities thrive in Boulder County and beyond.
Panelists:
Joyce Calvo:
Joyce Calvo is a mother who works to share her daughter Alana's story and help others suffering from conversion therapy. For more information or to donate to the Alana Faith Chen Foundation, visit AlanaFaithChen.org.
Jessica Ritter:
Jessica Ritter is the Texas Ambassador for Born Perfect and a Conversion Therapy survivor. After three years of Conversion Therapy Jessica came out to her friends and family for a second time.
Since coming out, Jessica has been forced to sever her relationship with her immediate family. However, with the help of a real therapist, she has been able to create a strongly knit chosen family made up of extended family, her girlfriend, and friends. Today, Jessica is a successful professional and surrounded by more love and acceptance than she ever thought possible.
Mathew Shurka:
Mathew Shurka is a conversion therapy survivor and Co-Founder of Born Perfect, a campaign that has become a global movement to end conversion therapy. Mathew leads the campaign alongside a team of lawyers and conversion therapy survivors committed to protecting LGBTQ+ people through legislation, litigation, media and public education.
By elevating the voices of survivors and their families, educating policymakers, and partnering with supportive therapists, and professional organizations, 19 states and more than 60 cities have passed laws to protect LGBTQ+ youth from conversion therapy since Born Perfect’s creation.
Mathew lives in New York City as a proud gay man with his partner.
Christopher Dowling:
Christopher was a peer of Alana Chen, as a devoted Catholic who wanted to be a priest, and endured a decade of conversion therapy in order to do so. He dropped out of seminary in 2014 and came out to friends and family four years later.
In 2020, Christopher came out publicly, and was promptly forced to leave his job in the church, right at the beginning of the pandemic. He now works for Q Christian Fellowship, raising money to help promote full inclusion and affirmation for LGBTQ+ people within Christianity. Today, he is happily partnered and healthier than ever, with the love and support of his family, friends, and a new faith community.