Equality NOVA: Salon’s and Discussion: What Does it mean to be LGBTQ in 2026?

Name: Equality NOVA: Salon’s and Discussion: What Does it mean to be LGBTQ in 2026?
Start: 2026-01-17T18:00:00-05:00
Location: Federico Ristorante Italiano

Schedule

Sat, 17 Jan, 2026 at 06:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Federico Ristorante Italiano | Arlington, VA

Courageous Conversations for Change
Mission:
To convene courageous, inclusive conversations that deepen understanding, elevate marginalized voices, and inspire collective action within and beyond the LGBTQ+ community. Through thoughtfully themed salons, we bring people together in small groups and full-room dialogue — fostering connection, reflection, education, and pathways toward social change.
Topic for Meetup:
-- What does it mean to be LGBTQIA in our community today, what challenges and gaps are being felt most urgently, and how can we build a truly inclusive agenda to meet those needs in the year ahead?
-- What does it mean to be in the LGBTQIA community in 2026?
-- What issues (housing, safety, healthcare, mental health, youth support, etc...) are rising fastest?
-- What are the biggest gaps in services, resources, or representation?
-- What do LGBTQ residents say leaders and organizations overlook?
-- How do we build an inclusive agenda for the upcoming year?
***
What is it?
A salon (as we're using the term) is a thoughtfully curated gathering-usually in an intimate or semi-formal setting - where people come together not for a speech, but for real conversation, listening, and collective reflection. It's a space of exchange: participants share stories, explore different perspectives, dig into complex question, and work toward insight or purposeful action.
The tradition of salons dates back to Europe—especially France in the 17th and 18th centuries—where intellectuals, writers, artists, and philosophers met in private homes to debate ideas, share creative work, and challenge prevailing norms. These salons were hubs of Enlightenment thinking and helped foster what we now call the public sphere of civic dialogue.
Over time, salons have evolved: today, they often focus on social justice, identity, public policy, art, or community building, while retaining their spirit of intentional dialogue and collective inquiry.
In practice, a modern salon balances depth and accessibility: it typically begins with small-group breakout discussions, then moves to a full-group sharing session, and concludes by naming “next steps” or actions. The facilitator or host establishes ground rules—listening, respect, “I” statements, confidentiality—to help ensure that all voices feel safe and heard. Salons do not aim for consensus so much as greater understanding, new connections, and ideas to seed further collaboration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_%28gathering%29