W W W . P A C E . E D U / D Y S O N
9
Dyson Hosts LGBTQ+
Thought Leaders
The Pace University community had the opportunity
to hear from several standout voices on a range of
topics in the fight for LGBTQ+ equality, including
activists, editors, and a Hollywood actor. During
the spring semester, the Pace School of Performing
Arts, the Department of Film and Screen Stud
-
ies, and the Department of Women's and Gender
Studies presented "Julia Weldon: On Being a Queer,
Non-binary, Trans-Identified Actor In the TV/Film
Industry." A critically acclaimed singer, Weldon
landed a breakout acting role opposite Meryl Streep
and Liam Neeson in Before and After, and appeared
in numerous other film and TV projects.
Two other events commemorated the 50th
anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising, an event that
galvanized the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
On April 23, student activists participated in
a discussion with movement founders including
Pace distinguished professor emerita, activist, and
author Karla Jay; Robert Vázquez-Pacheco (ACT UP
and Gran Fury artist-activist collective member);
Mark Segal (National Gay Newspaper Guild and
National Gay Press Association former president,
Philadelphia Gay News founder and publisher); and
Jay Toole (Queers for Economic Justice co-founder,
activist, storyteller, and butch).
On June 4, the director of both the MS in
Publishing Program and the Pace University Press,
Manuela Soares, moderated a panel discussion
about the state of the publishing industry regarding
LGBTQ+ cultural breakthroughs, career choices,
and must-read publications. Two of the distin
-
guished panelists were Michael Denneny, editor
of And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts, and
Arthur A. Levine, editor of the Harry Potter series
and now head of his own publishing company.
