White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) will launch a series of conferences specifically focused on (LGBT) Americans.

 White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) will launch a series of conferences around the country specifically focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.
Held in partnership with key Departments and Agencies, these White House LGBT Conferences will provide the public, including advocates, providers, and community organizations, an opportunity to hear directly from the Administration on our efforts to ensure health, dignity, and justice for LGBT Americans. These conferences will empower participants by connecting them with Federal government information, resources, and opportunities.
Our first conference, the White House LGBT Conference on Health, will be held in Philadelphia on Thursday, February 16th, and will feature remarks by Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. Please note that space is limited and registrations will only be accepted until we reach capacity.
Future conferences will be held around the country and will focus on topics including, but not limited to, Housing & Homelessness, Safe Schools & Communities, and HIV/AIDS Prevention. For more information and updates, sign up for White House LGBT Updates.
Gautam Raghavan
Office of Public Engagement
The White House
HUD Secretary Donovan Announces Equal Access to Housing Rule atCreating Change
HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan speaks at Creating Change, January 28, 2012 (Photo by Anna Min for the Task Force).
Last weekend, Secretary for Housing & Urban Development Shaun Donovan spoke before the 24th National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, and announced an important new Equal Access to Housing Rule. Secretary Donovan clearly and unequivocally sent the message that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals and couples have the right to live where they choose:
I’m here this afternoon, because our President and his Administration believe the LGBT community deserves a place at the table – and also a place to call home.
Each of us here knows that rights most folks take for granted are routinely violated against LGBT people. That’s why I’m proud to stand before you this afternoon and say HUD has been a leader in the fight—your fight and my fight—for equality.
Over the last three years, we have worked to ensure that our housing programs are open. Not to some. Not to most. But open to all.
The need for this rule is clear, particularly when it comes to housing. According to one recent report, not only are 40 percent of homeless youth LGBT, half of them report experiencing homelessness as a result of their gender identity or expression. Even more troubling, this report indicates that the majority of them report harassment, difficulty, or even sexual assault when trying to access homeless shelters.
The State of LGBT Health
Since the start of the Obama Administration, President Obama, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other members of the Obama Administration have taken important steps to promote equal treatment of LGBT Americans, provide enhanced resources for LGBT health issues, and develop better information regarding LGBT health needs. 
Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a summary update -“Better Health and Well-Being: Making Improvements for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender (LGBT) Americans” – outlining the specific actions HHS has taken through 2011 and summarizing how the Affordable Care Act is improving access to health coverage for LGBT Americans.
Also last month, HHS Regional Director (Region VIII) Marguerite Salazar held a “Conversation on LGBT Health” in Denver, Colorado in partnership with the One Colorado Education Fund. One Colorado recently completed a comprehensive study of nearly 1,300 LGBT Coloradans to discover and document the state of LGBT health and wellness in Colorado. Read more about the event here.
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What You May Have Missed  
President Barack Obama participates in an interview with YouTube and Google+ to discuss his State of the Union Address, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 30, 2012. The interview is held through a Google+ Hangout, making it the first completely virtual interview from the White House. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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