Washington State LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship Workshop Series
Thursday, May 15, 2025
10:00AM - 4:15PM PDT
The workshop consist of three interactive sessions that prepare veteran service providers with information to better serve LGBTQ+ veterans and family members. This includes historical perspectives, current legal environment, and inclusive practices.
Location: Online
Continuing Education: 3.75 (Applied through NASW Oregon)
Cost: Free to RVP Volunteers and partnering clinics who are listed in our directory and who have an active MOU with RVP. We also welcome our OR/WA Vet Center and VA staff to join for free.
All other community providers, please pay $29(or apply to become a RVP volunteer provider).
Who Should Attend:
This training is open to all RVP Volunteer Providers, social workers, mental health counselors, and community providers.
What You Will Learn:
Washington State LGBTQ+ Veteran Allyship Workshop Series are three interactive sessions that prepare veteran service providers with information to better serve LGBTQ+ veterans and family members.
The three workshops constist of:
- The LGBTQ+ Veteran Experience and LGBTQ+ Military History, 10:00am to 11:15am
- LGBTQ+ Program and Definition of Veteran, 1:30pm – 2:15pm
- Inclusive Practices, 3:00pm – 4:15pm
In Workshop I, we look at how past policies impact LGBTQ+ veterans, shape their experiences, and affect their risk profile. We also look at current Executive Orders that affect LGBTQ+ veterans as well as active-duty service members. As providers of benefits
and services that affect veteran families in addition to the veteran, we touch on how those Executive Orders impact spouses, children, family, friends, and co-workers.
We close out with a look at LGBTQ+ veterans throughout history. Many veterans served under different circumstances, but regardless of when they served, we see the universal constant is discrimination and harassment. More importantly we see how resilience and determination to demand fair treatment and equal rights prevails.
In Workshop II we learn about the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs LGBTQ+ Veterans Program, one of only two legislatively mandated state programs in the nation.
We also learn about the recently expanded State of Washington definition of Veteran which allows more veterans to be eligible for state benefits. We will learn how this will impact veterans and address past inequalities.
In Workshop III we cover LGBTQ+ cultural competencies and ways to be a better ally. Topics include sexual identities, gender identities, gender expression, emotional attraction, sexual attraction, intersectionality, dominant culture, pronouns, inclusive practices, privilege, and coming out.
The overarching objective is that by learning about LGBTQ+ veteran experiences, available resources, and inclusive practices it will help you create a welcoming environment where LGBTQ+ veterans can receive their benefits or services without fear of mistreatment.
CE Faculty
Robin Lang is the LGBTQ+ Veterans Outreach Coordinator for YOUR Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA). She was the first person hired into the position in 2021 after the Washington State Legislature voted her position into state law. She connects LGBTQ+ veterans to their earned benefits, services, programs, resources, and information to promote their economic security and financial stability. Additionally, she is helping to shape Washington laws for the LGBTQ+ and veteran communities through advocacy and recommendations to the Legislature.
Robin is an Army Veteran and retired in 2015 last serving as the Chief Information Officer of Madigan Army Medical Center. Robin started as a private (medic) and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel (Medical Service Corps 70D). She served in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan as well. Prior to joining WDVA, Robin worked at the Washington Military Department, where she headed up Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Security for the State of Washington.
Currently at WDVA, Robin is an Accredited Veterans Service Office and provides vital services such as discharge upgrades (DOD), Character of Service Determinations (VA), and assistance with D0D records corrections. She also offers guidance on service-connected disability claims, host statewide network meetings and resource-sharing events, and conduct comprehensive trainings on LGBTQ+ Veteran issues. She has delivered numerous workshops and presentations on the LGBTQ+ Experience, LGBTQ+ Veteran Cultural Competencies, and Inclusive practices.
Robin builds partnerships and forms relationships with the veteran-centric organizations which act as a pipeline for those resources to channel LGBTQ+ Veterans to WDVA. This network is also leveraged to maintain a broad insight into the LGBTQ+ community while learning of challenges, or areas that are not currently meeting the needs of LGBTQ+ veterans.
Robin also organizes and conducts outreach events in Washington and Oregon providing individuals information about the WDVA LGBTQ+ Veterans Outreach Program and other veteran resources.
Want to attend our trainings for free? Become an RVP Volunteer and gain access to free CE trainings and other great benefits! Learn more about volunteering >
Contact: Jennifer Keeling, RVP Director of Retention and Recruitment .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
503-954-2259
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