08/24/2022

ASAE Annual Meeting 2022: Closing Keynote

Disruption can lead to finding your authentic self

Disruption can feel a little strange. It can feel like something that shouldn’t be spoken, let alone done. But pursuing that feeling of disruption can help identify the core issue you need to address. That was the message of Cidny Bullens, a Grammy-nominated musician and LGBTQ advocate, during his closing keynote on Tuesday afternoon at ASAE’s 2022 Annual Meeting & Exposition.

"When I was told that the theme of this year's conference was 'disruption equals opportunity,' I thought, 'Well, that's perfect for me,' because it kind of sums up my whole life," he said. "I am a walking disruption, and I always have been."

Bullens, a transgender man, remembers at four-years-old telling his mother not to call him Cindy anymore, and to instead call him Bob. His mother told him he was born in the wrong body but wouldn't call him Bob. This is Bullens' first memory of sharing his inner feeling out loud, and it also provided him with a clear sense that this was disruption.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Associations Now.