#AWP24 Updates & Resources

AWP is looking forward to #AWP24 in Kansas City to celebrate the local literary community in the Midwest region. While the Kansas City literary community deserves support and recognition from AWP’s national community, we are appalled at anti-abortion and transphobic legislative actions and rhetoric at the state level in Missouri.

As writers and members of the literary community, we believe that part of the goal of the conference is to foster communication and connection. We will do everything we can to ensure our members and allies remain safe at and around the Conference.

This webpage will be the hub for conference news, updates, and resources in the Kansas City community. Please check back regularly for new information.

Statements

July 26, 2022: On #AWP24 and Roe v. Wade

April 18, 2023: AWP Stands in Solidarity With the LGTBQIA+ Community

LGBTQIA+ Kansas City Government Actions

• KCMO Adopts Anti- Discrimination Ordinance (Ordinance 930612 — Adopted 5/27/1993)
• KCMO Bans Juvenile Conversion Therapy (Ordinance 190902 — Adopted 11/14/19)
• KCMO Recognizes November 20, as The Transgender Day of Remembrance (Special Action 190966 — Adopted 11/14/19)
• KCMO Establishes LGBTQ Commission (Ordinance 200907— Adopted 10/22/20)
• KCMO Declares February 7, 2021, annually as Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in KCMO (Special Action 210110 — Adopted 2/4/21)
• KCMO Flies the Progress Pride Flag atop City Hall — (June 3, 2021)
• KCMO Declares Itself Safe Haven City for Transgender People — (May 11, 2023)

A detailed list of Resources for LGBTQIA+ Individuals and Allies:

• AIDS.org (previously Immunet) — A pioneer in the global online distribution of quality HIV/AIDS information
• American Foundation for AIDS Research — Seeks to prevent HIV infection and to protect the human rights of people threatened by the HIV/AIDS epidemic
• Choral Spectrum KC — The LGBTQIA Chorus in Kansas City
• Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America at UMKC — an archive of LGBTQ history in Kansas City
• Gay Men’s Health Crisis — Offers education on the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS
• Heartland Men’s Chorus — The largest and highest profile gay organization in the Kansas City Region
• • Kansas City Anti-Violence Project (KCAVP) — Serves LGBTQIA+ victim-survivors of violence in the state of Missouri
• Kansas City Center for Inclusion — Kansas City’s LBGTQ+ Resource & Community Center
• Kansas City Community Pride Alliance — organization who organizes Kansas City’s Pride parade in June
• KC CARE Health Center Kansas City Free Health Clinic — Promotes health and wellness services including PrEP, PEP, HIV care, and free HIV testing for all in our community – whether they have private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or are uninsured.
• KCProud Employee Resource Group - The City has an LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Group called KCProud, which supports staff, educates city leaders, and partners with volunteer organizations all year long. KCProud was the City’s first recognized Employee Resource Group for city employees, formally established in July 2019
• KU Med Transgender Medicine – University of Kansas Health System has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as a leader in LGBTQIA+ healthcare equality
• LGBT-Affirming Therapist Guild – offers a community-based organization of licensed mental and medical healthcare professionals to sexual and gender minorities
• Mid-America LGBT Chamber of Commerce — Advocating, promoting, and facilitating the success of the LGBT business community and its allies
• National Conference for Community & Justice — A human relations organization dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism
• Our Spot KC — A hub for resources that support, advance and equip LGBTQIA+ individuals to ensure sustainability and improvement in and of the community
• PFLAG Kansas City — A support group for LGBTQ family and friends
• PROMO Missouri — Missouri’s statewide organization advocating LGBTQ equality through legislative action, grassroots organizing and community education
• Pride Haven — An overnight shelter for transition-aged youth, aged 18-24, facing homelessness
• SAVE, Inc. — Provides permanent, transitional and emergency housing assistance to Kansas City’s most vulnerable
• Learning For Justice — Seeks to expose hate and provide practical tools for promoting tolerance
• The Advocate — An award-winning national gay and lesbian news magazine
• The Body — An AIDS and HIV information source
• The Tenth Voice — Kansas City area’s weekly broadcast created by and for LGBTQIA+ people in the community since 1998
• TransFormations KC — Organization led by trans women of color focused on capacity building and leadership development among trans communities of color in the Midwest region
• Vivent Health KC — Free HIV and STD testing
• Missouri Abortion Fund
• Midwest Access Coalition
• Planned Parenthood Great Plains
• Pro-Choice Missouri