Leading LGBTQ Psychotherapist to Keynote 2018 Pride Gala & Awards Ceremony

DES MOINES, Iowa – Capital City Pride welcomes leading expert in gender and sexuality, Jean Malpas, as the keynote speaker for the upcoming 2018 Pride Gala & Awards Ceremony on Friday, February 23, 2018. This inaugural event will honor and celebrate outstanding individuals and organizations that have made important contributions to the local Iowa LGBTQ community.

“We could not be more excited to have Jean Malpas as our keynote speaker for this important event,” said Dan Jansen, Vice President, Capital City Pride. “For our community to have the opportunity to hear his story, his background in working with LGBTQ youth, and his successes is truly an honor, and we are very proud to have Jean play such an integral role at our first Pride Gala & Awards Ceremony.”

Jean Malpas is the Founder and Director of the Gender & Family Project at the Ackerman Institute in New York. With several published articles and chapters, Jean’s work with transgender children and their families has been recognized by the 2018 Social Justice Award of the American Family Therapy Academy. Jean’s numerous media appearances include the TEDx Talk “The Gift of Gender Authenticity,” National Geographic’s “Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric,” MSNBC’s “All in with Chris Hayes,” PBS Frontline “Growing Up Trans,” and several articles in the New York Times, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian and more.

“I am particularly honored and excited to join Capital City Pride’s Pride Gala this year, said Jean Malpas, Director of the Gender & Family Project. “Expanding our notions of gender and creating safe and gender-inclusive environments for all children, students, and members of our communities is critical and couldn’t be timelier. I look forward to sharing my story and the countless pearls of wisdom that LGBTQ youth and their families have been gracious to entrust me with.”

The Pride Gala will be held at the Temple for Performing Arts on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 5:30 PM. Attendees will enjoy a cocktail hour with cash bar, three-course plated dinner, keynote speaker, raffle prizes, silent auction, and more. This year’s host is Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent, Tom Ahart.

Individual tickets and sponsorships, as well as table sponsorships are available until February 16 at www.capitalcitypride.org/pride-gala.

###

About Capital City Pride:

Since 1978, Capital City Pride has brought together the members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community their friends, allies, and supporters. The organization holds events that inspire, educate, commemorate and celebrate the diverse community and culture with and for the greater Des Moines Metro.

For more information, visit www.capitalcitypride.org