Dear PFLAG Supporter,

As your chapter is looking ahead to the busier months of the year, you may have started formulating ideas for events you can host (potentially taking advantage of the summer weather). Whether it’s a community potluck picnic, a social meeting spent making crafts, a volunteer day with a partner non-profit or with your city, or something else, you’ll find more resources below for creating and planning your upcoming events.

In addition to Chapter Event Planning, in this edition of Leadership Learnings you’ll also find: 

• Chapter Event Planning

• SXSW Toolkit & Information

• Special Think Tank Alert!

• ICYMI Reminders

• Regional Roundup

Chapter Event Planning

It’s never too early to start planning your events! Sometimes, figuring out what you want to do is the hardest part. We combed through the chapter network and put together a list of some of the most popular events we’ve seen chapters host. You can read through our PFLAG Chapter Social Events and find inspiration!

We know that events are a lot of work and take everyone’s support to be successful. Oftentimes chapters can feel stressed by last minute planning or having only a few people doing a lot of work. One of the best ways to help manage this is a checklist! Our Example Event Timeline for PFLAG Chapters is a comprehensive guide to running an event from start to finish. 

As you look towards your summer events, sit down with your board or event committee and run through this checklist. Are there steps in your event planning that you have forgotten? What on this list can you delegate to other board members or volunteers? Here are some of the most important topics to cover as your planning your event: 

• Location/Date/Time

• Finances and Budgeting 

• Safety/Security Needs 

• Activities and Programming 

• Advertising and Marketing 

• Permits, Insurance, and Outside Vendors

• Volunteers

• Set Up/Clean Up Needs

SXSW Toolkit and Event Info

We hope you saw this email from last week about our featured panel at SXSW EDU: Beyond Bans: Defending LGBTQ+ Stories and Literacy Freedom, TOMORROW Wednesday March 11th at 3pm ET/2pm CT/12pm PT. Watch the livestream on the SXSW YouTube channel, and promote it with this toolkit. Can’t make it for the livestream? You can watch the panel on-demand after March 11th on the SXSW YouTube channel. This panel could be great for a chapter watch party!

Special Think Tank Alert!

The next Think Tank will be Tuesday, March 17 at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT, registration is available here. March’s Think Tank is a little different than usual; we’re inviting folks from across the country, no matter their geographic location, to join us in a discussion about conflict resolution. 

Conflict occurs for all of us in our everyday lives, of course it happens within PFLAG chapters. Join us to discuss strategies, solutions, and the types of conflicts that come up within your chapter. Whether there are disagreements within your board, chapter, or community we’d love to discuss how conflict shows up in PFLAG. 

PFLAG National is exploring what conflict resolution resources may be helpful across the chapter network and are hoping to develop resources out of the wisdom we hear from this discussion.

Please bring your questions, challenges, and success stories regarding conflict resolution to learn and share!

In Case You Missed It (ICYMI)

If you still have remaining Annual Chapter Responsibilities please complete them by Sunday March 15th. Please reach out to me or Angel if you need assistance.

Regional Roundup

Many chapters have unique events that show their local character and style! One such event is PFLAG Las Cruces’s (NM) Shaving Cream Baseball. The Chapter Engagement team all guessed at what it was and we’re wondering what you think it is; if you have a guess, reply to this email and tell me what you think! I’d also love to hear about your chapter’s unique events.

Stay safe,