TIES 2019 Logistics Information

Attendance:

Virginia TIES (Transgender Information and Empowerment Summit) is an inclusive, accessible, and safe space for everyone. Workshops will be available for members of the trans community, significant others, family members of gender expansive youth, and allies. Everyone is welcome at TIES as long as you positively contribute by treating others with dignity and respect, as well as follow the guidelines in place to keep this a safe environment for trans and gender nonconforming people and their allies.

Location:

TIES will be held on Saturday, October 19, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at a NEW location this year: the University of Richmond. Please use this address to get to the parking lot beside the Robins School of Business: 102 UR Drive, Richmond, VA 23173. We recommend approaching the campus via Three Chopt Road.

Parking:

Please park in either of the two lots marked: U-6 (E Permit) or U-8 (E Permit). There will be plenty of volunteers and signs that will direct you to the correct parking lots. There will be signs and volunteers to direct you to the conference buildings. Click here to see a parking map.

If those two lots are full, volunteers and signs can direct you to the overflow lot beside the Modlin Center for the Arts. Shuttles will then be able to transport you to the Robins School of Business.

Schedule:

The schedule for the day is available for you, which also includes descriptions of the workshops and the plenary panel.

Registration:

General Registration begins at 8:45am and will take place on the first floor of the Robins School of Business inside of the rotunda. There, you’ll be able to pick up a copy of the TIES program and make your own name tag. Volunteers will be stationed around the campus to help guide and assist you. Please allow yourself plenty of time to get settled in – the first workshops of the day begin promptly at 9:45am.

Resources:

TIES offers many free resources for you, including legal assistance with the name and gender marker process (schedule ahead of time here or day-of), appointments with trans-friendly mental health and medical providers (schedule ahead of time here or day-of), rapid HIV testing, a clothes closet, and a  binder consultation station. There are also community spaces including outdoor activities, tables for community organizations, a conference-wide art project, and a people of color (POC) lounge located in Room 107 of the Law School.

Youth Corner:

All transgender, non-binary, and gender diverse youth and their siblings, who are middle school-aged and up, are welcome to come by the TIES Youth Corner for any part or all of the day. Side by Side will have staff and volunteers in the Youth Corner all day and lunch will be provided. This is a space for youth to meet other youth and connect with resources in a fun space with plenty of activities.

TransACTION: Advocacy & Ally Boot Camp

For the first time ever, TIES will host a unique two-hour session to prepare you with the tools you need to advocate for transgender equality at home. If you’ve been looking for a way to get more involved and advocate for the trans community – this is it!

Lunch:

You can purchase lunch for $10.50 at the Heilman Dining Center which offers a lunch buffet with options for all dietary needs. You can check out the menu here. The dining center is a 5-minute walk from the Robins School of Business, and there will also be shuttles leaving from the Robins School of Business that can take you to the dining center and back.

Physical Accessibility:

The map passed out at TIES will mark the outdoor paths that are accessible to people using wheelchairs in bold. There are signs throughout the conference grounds marking accessible entrances and paths. The map will also mark elevator locations. Due to the location of elevators in the Law School, please allow extra time to get to your destination. Shuttles to the overflow parking lot and Heilman Dining Center are wheelchair-accessible. A closer dining option is the Passport Café on the first floor of the Carole Weinstein Center.

Post-TIES Social Event:

Keep TIES going at “The Cellar”, located on the bottom floor of the Tyler Haynes Commons, from 5:30-7:00pm. Free heavy hors d’oeuvres will be available as well as free drink tickets for those who are 21 years of age and older with an ID. All ages are welcome to the reception! You can also purchase a TIES t-shirt, which is only for sale during the social event.