Presenters

Ashley hopkins-benton

Ashley Hopkins-Benton (she/her) is a senior historian and curator of social history at the New York State Museum. Her research and collections work focuses on LGBTQ+ history, women's history, immigration, and sculpture. She holds her MA in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and her BA in art education and art studio from SUNY Potsdam.

Yasmin Benoit

Yasmin Benoit is a British model, asexual activist, writer, and speaker. Described as the "unlikely face of asexuality" by Cosmopolitan Magazine, she quickly became a leading voice for the community after publicly coming out in 2017. She started the #ThisIsWhatAsexualLooksLike movement for diverse asexual visibility and representation and co-founded International Asexuality Day (April 6). Her unconventional approach to activism has been covered throughout British and international press, including Vogue, MTV, Sky News, Paper Magazine, Attitude Magazine and the BBC. This year, she launched the UK's first asexual rights initiative - the Stonewall x Yasmin Benoit Ace Project - in partnership with Stonewall. This year, she won 'Campaigner of the Year' at the Rainbow Honours Awards.

Yasmin Benoit

Christine hamlet

Christine Hamlett is a black transgender woman who has worked fearlessly to make public schools safe for all students, especially, those who are transgender and gender non-conforming. She has earned an educational doctorate in the Department of Educational Leadership at Kean University in Union, New Jersey, May 2019. Dr. Hamlett has been a classroom teacher of high school history for more than 25 years in the Newark Public School District. Dr. Hamlett received a M.A. from Montclair State University in Student Personnel Services. She worked for many years as a school counselor before assuming a Central Office post as Supervisor of Attendance. She received a State Certification in administration from Kean University. She retired from Newark Public Schools after serving the district for 42 years. Dr. Hamlett has been celebrated as a certified Trainer of Trainers by GLSEN. She facilitated and conducted many workshops throughout New Jersey training school leaders in the NJEXCEL Leadership Program. Dr. Hamlett is presently a board member of GLSEN Central New Jersey. Her research foci include educational leadership, diversity issues, inclusion of Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming students in our schools with equality, equity and liberation. Christine Hamlett Pronouns She/Her/Hers

Sue henderson

Pronouns she, her, and hers

Retired educator of 39 years, first 12 years as a health, physical education, and driver ed teacher, 27 years as a school counselor. Coached freshman Field Hockey, Varsity Girls tennis, JV Basketball and served as the head track coach even after retiring. Serving on the board of GLSEN for 20 years and presently serving as a co-chair of the central NJ board.

Rebekah Bruesehoff

Rebekah Bruesehoff is a 15-year-old author and activist passionate about inclusion and authenticity. She stumbled into public advocacy when a picture of her holding a sign that said “I’m the Scary Trangender Person the Media Warned You About” went viral in 2017. Suddenly she had a platform, and she knew she needed to use it. Since then she’s used that platform to connect with legislators, advocate for representation of LGBTQ+ voices in books and media, and share her story as an athlete. In 2021, Rebekah co-authored A Kids Book About Being Inclusive. Her work has been featured by Disney, Nickelodeon, Time’s Kid of the Year, People, Good Morning America, Good Morning Britain, The Today Show, TeenVogue, British Vogue, Forbes, USA Today, The Trevor Project, Human Rights Campaign and more. She’s even a Marvel superhero immortalized in her very own comic book. Whether in meetings with legislators, on the field hockey field, singing in the church choir, or on stage in front of 30,000 people, Rebekah inspires people of all ages and identities to show up fully as themselves and dare to make the world a better place.

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