Texas state Rep. Jessica Gonzalez chats with Arizona state Rep. Daniel Hernandez during their workshop at Creating Change. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)

Texas state Rep. Jessica Gonzalez and Arizona state Rep. Daniel Hernandez spoke about what inspired them to run for office at a workshop that was attended by a number of people planning to run for office and those working on campaigns around the country.

An official of the LGBT Victory Fund said the number of LGBTQ elected officials across the country has almost doubled in the past five years.

Gonzalez spoke about the importance of having LGBT people in the Texas House. She said the LGBT Caucus helped kill 22 bad bills and watered down the one that got through to the point where it effectively does nothing.

Actor Yuval David from New York has appeared on shows such as Madam Secretary and has a new show, The Plot Against America, coming to HBO later this season.

He led workshops on Art and Activism and on Art for Social Change.

Attendees to his workshop discussed finding creative ways to attract attention, to raise money, to find volunteers and to get people engaged.

One teenager from Virginia who is attending the conference said her school’s Gay Straight Alliance is under attack from the school’s administration for becoming too activist. People around the room suggested ways her group might incorporate into its own non-profit organization and creative ways to secure funding.

Yuval talked about creating art that makes a difference. He said organizations need artists, because artists create out of passion. When speaking for an organization, Yuval speaks with that same passion to inspire people to donate, whether it’s their time, money or other type of support.

Rafael McDonnell from Resource Center in Dallas and Dallas Independent School District’s Mahagonie Gaston, who is support services to LGBTQ youth coordinator presented a workshop on working with school districts to pass and enact policies to help LGBT students.

McDonnell said school districts usually won’t change immediately, but changing policy is a long game.

He spoke about successes in DISD, whose goal this year is to have a GSA in each of Dallas’ 40 high schools.

He described his success with a school district in North Texas. When he spoke to an official with the district, she said he needed to know three things about her – she’s Republican, she’s religious and she has two moms. What she did take DISD’s anti-bullying policy, change Dallas to her district’s name and had her board adopt it that week.

Workshops at the Creating Change conference continue through Saturday. Creating Change runs through Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Sheraton Dallas.

— David Taffet