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Dear UConn Community,  

We have some exciting news to share: SOGIEcon is coming home to UConn. 

For those who may be new to SOGIECon (the Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression Conference) is the largest LGBTQ+ youth conference in the world. At its peak, it has drawn 3,500 young people, 1,200 educators, clinicians, and youth-serving professionals, and more than 200 workshops under one roof. While it has always been a cornerstone for Connecticut's young people, families, and workforce, it draws attendees from across the country who make the trip because there is simply nothing else like it. 

As of June 2026, SOGIEcon has officially transitioned to the University of Connecticut Rainbow Center, returning to the very campus where this conference was born more than 30 years ago. The Rainbow Center will serve as the lead home for SOGIEcon, with vital support from two extraordinary UConn partners: the National SOGIE Center and UConn Events. This transition would simply not be possible without their expertise, infrastructure, and deep commitment to LGBTQIA+ youth. 

SOGIEcon's founder, Robin McHaelen, is joining the transition as a consulting partner, bringing three decades of institutional knowledge, community relationships, and an unwavering belief in what this conference makes possible. Robin's involvement ensures that everything that has made SOGIEcon transformative for thousands of young people  will carry forward into this new chapter. 

And what a chapter it will be. SOGIEcon 2027 will mark the conference's 30th anniversary, a milestone we plan to celebrate in a big way, right here at UConn.