Just a few short months ago I was sitting in the back of a large conference room listening to Diane Conklin as she engaged an audience of her colleagues, coaching them in the ways of smart business strategies. Her PowerPoint presentation about marketing plans came to a strange pause and her demeanor became very solemn. The emotion in the room became strangely palpable as this speaker began to “peel back the onion” and share an extremely vulnerable side of her… her story.
Her story is not mine to share in this forum, but I can tell you that the vulnerability she allowed the rest of us to experience is what made the real impact. I may not relate to her experience, I may not understand where she is coming from and I may not even agree with her on some points of life. What IS important is that I value her as a human being, I respect her struggle and I acknowledge that what she shared is her truth. That is ALL that matters.
The Diane Conklin foundation is reaching out to the LGBTQ youth. These are kids in the middle of their struggle that, beyond a safe place to sleep, just want to feel loved and valued. They have all the potential in the world and all they need is a chance. That starts by hearing their story.
Visit our Stories page to hear others’ experiences and perhaps share your own story.