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Public Speaking

Michele is an experienced public speaker, presenter, panelist, and moderator. She has been the keynote speaker at LGBTQ+ events. Michele has also been an invited guest or panelist at various conventions including New York Comic-Con, Flame Con, and Anime NYC, and she would be happy to be invited to yours.

Below are a few examples of presentations Michele can give at your next event.

Flame Con

Queering Speculative: LGBTQ+ and Other Diverse Identities in Science Fiction and Fantasy
August 20, 2022

A panel on LGBTQ+ representation in fantasy/science fiction that discusses diverse representation in the field of speculative fiction.

Out of the Deck: A Conversation on Aro-Ace Identity and Representation
November 25, 2021

Deemed the Invisible Orientations, Aromantic and Asexual (Aspec) identities have long been left out of mainstream conversation However, with the rise of Aspec representation in pop culture, literature, and social media our voices are finally gaining visibility. Join a panel of authors, activists, and artists as they discuss what asexual/aromantic representation means, how cultural norms are shifting, the expanding definition of queerness.


Anime NYC

Geeks OUT Presents: Serving Magical Person Realness
November 20, 2021

From Sailor Moon to Yuri on Ice, anime, manga, and graphic novels have been evolving platforms for the showcasing of LGBTQ+ characters and themes. Sit with us, as a panel of editors, artists, and cultural commentators, discuss the works that sparked their interest in Japanese visual media, as well as the nuanced spectrum of queer representation, discussing the historical significance of censorship and queer-coding to the canonical representation of queer identities today.


New York Comic Con

Shades of a Deck: A Conversation on Aromantic-Asexual Identity, Culture, and Representation
Oct 8, 2021

Deemed the Invisible Orientations, Aromantic and Asexual (Aspec) identities have long been left out of mainstream conversation However, with the rise of Aspec representation in pop culture and literature our voices are finally being heard. Join Geeks OUT and a panel of authors, activists, and artists as they discuss what asexual/aromantic representation means, how cultural norms are shifting, the expanding definition of queerness.

Calling All Monsters: On Liminality & Power Through the Lens of Speculative Fiction
October 8, 2022

When it comes to power, what better comes to mind than the literal ability to fly, shapeshift, or otherwise hold magic at your fingertips? Join Geeks OUT, as a panel of speculative fiction writers discusses how their characters interact with the supernatural, while navigating intersectional identities. Discussing how power manifests in more ways than one, speculative fiction addresses how members of marginalized communities fight back against real and fictional evils.


Mocca Arts Fest

Picturing Queer Youth
April 3, 2022

Graphic novels featuring queer experience, including Raina Telgemeier’s Drama and Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki’s This One Summer, are among the most frequently challenged books in school library systems and educational institutions because of their inclusion of subject matter including sexuality and LGBTQ experience. As censorship makes headlines, the value of available youth-oriented narratives that depict queer experience only becomes more urgent. Ethan Aldridge translates queer experience to fantasy settings in graphic novels including Estranged (a Junior Library Guild selection) and its sequel The Changeling King. Rosemary Valero-O’Connell is the artist of Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, also written by Mariko Tamaki, which depicts a toxic relationship between two high school girls. In collaboration with journalist Catherine Castro, French artist Quentin Zuttion has produced Call Me Nathan, a fact-based narrative of trans experience (now in English form SelfMadeHero).  In a conversation moderated by writer Michele Kirichanskaya (Contributing Writer, Geeks OUT), they will discuss the depiction of young people’s queer experience in books intended for young readers.