Laverne Cox for Creating Change

"Orange is the New Black" star and activist to keynote 2014 Creating Change Conference

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Television star, actress and activist Laverne Cox will be the keynote plenary speaker at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's 26th Annual National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change ("Creating Change"), in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 29--Feb. 2, 2014, 8:00 PM. Cox plays Sophia Burset, a transgender woman, in the hit Netflix series, "Orange is the New Black."  

"As an actress and a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activist, Laverne Cox is the real thing and we are delighted to have her be our keynote speaker," said Sue Hyde, Creating Change Conference director. "She embodies the values of our conference, as she is passionate, pioneering and progressive."  

Creating Change is the nation's premier LGBT progressive conference. Four thousand lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights advocates from across the country are expected to attend the Houston conference in January. For more information about the conference and to register, please visit www.CreatingChange.org (http://www.CreatingChange.org).  

There will be workshop sessions, presentations, receptions and the four dynamic plenary sessions on Friday, Jan. 31, Saturday, Feb 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2. Participants may attend the pre-conference daylong institutes on Wednesday, Jan 29 and Thursday, Jan 30, as well as enjoy the Welcome to Houston Reception on the evening of Thursday, Jan. 30.  

The conference also features the Task Force's Academy for Leadership and Action sessions, on Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday Feb. 1 in which our team of Task Force organizers offer sophisticated trainings and strategy sessions on a range of issues.  

Creating Change also features hundreds of skills-building workshops, more than 18 additional daylong institutes, receptions, caucuses, film screenings, networking sessions, hospitality suites, interfaith services and much more.  

The conference has grown from 300 people in its first year in 1988 to 3,500 attendees each year -- and is projected to continue its growth in Houston.  

To register and to make your hotel reservation, please visit www.CreatingChange.org (http://www.CreatingChange.org).        

To learn more about the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, visit and follow us on Twitter: @TheTaskForce (http://www.twitter.com/thetaskforce).

Note to editors: For media credentials, please contact Pedro Julio Serrano at [email protected].

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force builds the power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community from the ground up. The Task Force is the country's premier social justice organization fighting to improve the lives of LGBT people and working to create positive, lasting change and opportunity for all. The Task Force is a 501(c)(3) corporation incorporated in Washington, D.C. Contributions to the Task Force are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. (C) 2013, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, 1325 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C., 20005. Phone 202.393.5177. TTY 202.393.2284. [email protected]

SOURCE National Gay and Lesbian Task Force