While the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is temporarily closed for expansion, the organization’s work still continues. The Center’s LGBTQ+ Institute hosts the 2025 IGNYTE conference Oct. 9-12, a four-day experience uniting emerging youth leaders, experience advocates, and business trailblazers to reimagine equity across generations.
The conference, which coincides with the Institute’s 10-year anniversary, will offer attendees access to workshops, conversations, and keynote speakers driving impact across the South and beyond. Featured speakers include Vince Tripi, the founder of Expanding Horizons and curator of Blossom and Wilt: Queerness Under Fascism; Briona Simone Jones, Ph. D. and lead researcher for “Southern Strong: An Analysis of Displacement Amongst LGBTQIA+ College Students”; and Zayn Azoulay, the Public Policy and Research Manager at the National Youth Advocacy Corps. There will also be visual exhibits on display by Tripi, Brandon “LaSalle” Moultrie, and Camil Williams.
There will be eight workshop tracks for attendees: NAESM: Wellness is a Community Effort, Out Georgia’s “Out and In Business,” You(th) Belong Kickback, National Youth Advocacy Corps, Georgia Youth Advocacy Academy, Queerspawn Unite!, Bayard Rustin Society “Angelic Troublemakers,” and Friendzoned’s Fall into Community: Stories, Supplies, and Supper.
The event will be youth-focused, incentivizing attendees under 30 with a $50 ticket price, compared to the $100 ticket for adults over 30. The programming will prioritize mentorship, intergenerational collaboration, and youth-led transformation.
The festivities conclude with attendees invited to march with the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in the Atlanta Pride parade on Oct. 12.
To learn more about IGNYTE 2025 and register, visit lgbtqinstitute.org/ignyte-2025.
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