IRE23 LGBTQ+ Resource Guide
Welcome to the IRE23 LGBTQ+ Resource Guide.
Whether you’re looking for queer-focused sessions, IRE personnel, a spot for lunch or a business to support, this guide can be your roadmap while in Orlando.
The IRE Board of Directors recently issued a statement reaffirming the organization’s commitment to LGBTQ+ equity and inclusion. When registering, attendees also agreed to an anti-harassment policy and our Code of Conduct. If you have questions or concerns, please seek out IRE Board Secretary Josh Hinkle, IRE Director of Diversity & Inclusion Francisco Vara-Orta, IRE Senior Training Director Liz Lucas, or IRE Training Director Adam Rhodes — who are all LGBTQ+ community members and happy to help.
CONFERENCE SESSIONS
On Thursday, we’re kicking things off with an hour-long LGBTQIA+ networking session right before lunch. IRE Training Director Adam Rhodes and The Hechinger Report’s Olivia Sanchez will be your hosts to ensure you feel welcome and ready for the next few days of the conference.
Then, on Friday, from 11:30 to 12:30, we’ll hear from Jo Yurcaba at NBC; Lauren McGaughy with the Dallas Morning News; and Madison Pauly from Mother Jones. They’ll teach us how they dig deep into anti-trans legislation, locally and nationally.
And on Saturday, George Joseph at THE CITY will lead a panel with Jo Yurcaba and Nicole Einbinder (Insider) that will focus on how to cover and investigate the treatment of LGBTQ+ people inside the criminal legal system.
But don’t think of those sessions as your only chance to tap into the LGBTQ+ beat. FOIA, data and traditional investigative tools are indispensable assets on any beat, and we have tons of sessions at the conference aimed at building your skills on all fronts, including:
- Tailoring investigative journalism for the ear
- Trauma-informed reporting
- Digging into data for stories
- A deep dive into PACER to find untold stories in federal court records
- Unearthing secrets: How to scrub any candidate or public official
- Breaking down the investigative narrative
Outside the conference, we encourage you to support LGBTQ-owned businesses and have compiled a list of some dining and nightlife options, as well as community organizations and other resources for Orlando and its vibrant queer community.
DINING
- The Hammered Lamb
- Se7en Bites
- The Glass Knife
- Bites & Bubbles
- Hungry Pants
- Island Time
- Garp & Fuss
- Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria
- Market On South
- White Wolf Cafe and Bar
- Ethos Vegan Kitchen
NIGHTLIFE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS & OTHER RESOURCES
- The Center
- onePULSE Foundation (created by the owners of the Pulse Nightclub following the mass shooting)
- Zebra Youth (focuses on LGBTQ+ youth!)
- The Pride Chamber
- City of Orlando
- Visit Orlando LGBTQ+ Travel Guide
- Out of the Closet Thrift Store
- Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
If you have businesses or other resources you’d like to add to this list, send us a quick email at conference@ire.org and we’ll be happy to add to the list! We can’t wait to learn and celebrate side-by-side with you in Orlando! Happy Pride, y’all!
See more local tips from IRE’s “Other Orlando” guide, which includes a map of local Black-owned dining establishments, neighborhoods of note, attractions and more!