NAPERVILLE, Ill., April 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Youth Outlook, Illinois’ first and longest-running social services agency dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth, announced today that national advocates Crispin Torres and Chris Mosier will headline its 2026 Future Outlook Conference, set for April 16-17 in Naperville. The two-day conference will bring together professionals serving LGBTQ+ youth and families for learning, connection, and practical strategies to strengthen community care.
Torres will deliver the Thursday keynote, “Stay in the Fight: TLGBQ Resilience in a Shifting Political Landscape.” A principal and co-founder of Better World Collaborative, Torres brings more than two decades of experience in campaign strategy, messaging, and public education, including work with national advocacy organizations focused on expanding rights and protections for LGBTQ+ communities. His session will examine the current landscape of restrictions on gender-affirming care, education, and civil rights, while offering attendees grassroots strategies for resilience, resistance, and collective action.
Mosier will headline Friday with “Fireside Chat with Chris Mosier: Inclusion for Trans Athletes Impacts All of Us.” An eight-time Team USA athlete, national champion, author, and founder of TransAthlete.com, Mosier is widely recognized for helping reshape the conversation around transgender inclusion in sport. His keynote will focus on leadership, fairness, resilience, and what inclusion for trans athletes reveals about community, policy, and belonging.
Future Outlook is Youth Outlook’s annual two-day conference for professionals working with LGBTQ+ youth and families. The event offers expert-led sessions, networking, and continuing education opportunities for educators, healthcare providers, social service professionals, and other youth-serving leaders across Illinois. The conference will be held in person in Naperville on April 16-17, 2026.
“These speakers bring exactly the kind of honesty and practical wisdom this moment calls for,” said Nancy Mullen, Executive Director of Youth Outlook. “Young people are the experts of their own lives, and the adults who serve them need tools that are grounded in that truth. Crispin Torres and Chris Mosier will help our care community think clearly, act courageously, and keep building spaces where LGBTQ+ youth know they belong.”
The 2026 conference theme, “Strengthening Our Community of Care,” reflects Youth Outlook’s ongoing commitment to equipping professionals with the knowledge, relationships, and skills needed to better support LGBTQ+ young people. Youth Outlook trains thousands of professionals annually through its Community Education and Professional Development work, alongside direct services that include Drop-In Centers, parent and caregiver support, and Health & Wellness Navigation.
About Youth Outlook
Founded in 1998, Youth Outlook is Illinois’ first and longest-running social services agency dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth. We provide the care and community LGBTQ+ young people need to thrive, offering statewide services that include virtual and in-person programs for youth and young adults ages 5-24, caregiver and parent support, health and wellness navigation, and community education and professional development. Youth Outlook is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. youth-outlook.org
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