Mission
In order to create a safe community for diverse sexual and gender identities in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, Aquí Estamos aims to engage people in critical dialogue on the existence, theories, intersectionalities, and liberation of LGBTQ identities in our region.
This conference seeks to bring together queer-identifying people and allies to identify the institutional, social, and cultural currents and themes that continue to oppress queer and gender nonconforming identities in our borderland. Aquí Estamos strives to challenge those currents and themes by creating a visible and unified movement where LGBTQ people can stand in solidarity for justice.
Aquí Estamos 2015
As the first LGBTQ centered conference in the RGV, Aquí Estamos 2015 will focus on visibility, strategizing, and community.
Visibility
By bringing queer people and allies together in one space, Aquí Estamos will shine light on the presence of LGBTQ identities in the Rio Grande Valley.
Strategizing
By exploring different topics such as immigration, health care, education, and policy, Aquí Estamos will spark discussions on how these topics relate to LGBTQ people and aim to identify solutions to the existing problems within each.
Community
Aquí Estamos will work with local organizations that advocate for topics that affect the LGBTQ community of the Rio Grande Valley, such as immigration, healthcare, and education, for example. Through this, we will analyze how we can create solidarity between movements that may currently operate separately. We will strive to think critically to strengthen alliances and encourage for constant cooperation.
Aquí Estamos 