News  MPS' LGBTQIA+ Training Team members attend longest-running US conference on transgender and gender-expansive people

First Event is one of the longest-running conferences in the U.S. for transgender and gender-expansive people.

"The conference had a extensive event schedule with multiple programs running every hour which allowed us to bring information back to our team of instructors and incorporate new information into our trainings," said Julie Grady, Training Division Administrative Coordinator and one of three MPS employees who attended the conference.

Mason Dunn, Director of Education and Research at the Massachusetts LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, served as a featured keynote speaker at the conference. MPS staff attended such workshops as "Dual Gender, Gender Fluid, Non-Binary or Full Time?," "Transitioning At Work: It’s Not Your Job," and "Where do you fit under the transgender umbrella?," a session where MPS staff learned about dual gender and its meaning.

In addition to Ms. Grady, two other members of MPS's LGBTQIA+ Training Team attended: Essex Probate & Family Probation Officer Amy Kasprzyk and Hampden Juvenile Probation Officer Brenda Tirado. MPS' Training team includes eight employees who oversee a roster of 17 instructors. LGBTQIA+ training is mandatory for all MPS employees.

"Conference attendance to First Event provides our LGBTQ+ instructors the opportunity to engage in learning environments that enhance their knowledge and resource base, ultimately improving the programs we offer," said Patricia Gavin, MPS' Statewide Training Supervisor.

The team is also preparing for its 2nd Annual Pride Day event scheduled for June 21, 2024. MPS became the first Massachusetts Trial Court department to offer trainings on how to effectively serve LGBTQIA+ court-users and is believed to be one of the first state court systems in the US to provide this specialized training and engage in outreach efforts to LGBTQIA+ court-users and the community.

MPS' first LGBTQIA+ training was provided by the Maybright consultant firm to MPS employees in 2015. MPS employees participated in "Train the Trainer" sessions. The trained employees began offering the mandatory sessions in 2017, according to Ms. Grady. In addition to the LGBTQIA+ training and the Pride Day event, Ms. Grady, a Cultural Proficiency Champion also referred to as Champion, created a Safe Space campaign for LGBTQIA+ court users and their families who enter Probation Departments or Community Justice Support Centers across the state. The poster features the wording, "This is a Safe Space. Here, We Welcome Diversity in all its Forms."

MPS conference participants after attending a session on ‘Trans Rights: Local, State, and National Updates’ with speaker Mason Dunn, Director of Education and Research, MA LGBT Chamber of Commerce. From left: Amy Kasprzyk (Probation Officer – Essex Probate & Family Court), Julie Grady (Admin Coordinator – MPS Training Division), Mason Dunn, and Brenda Tirado (Probation Officer – Hampden Juvenile Court).