NAAFA Announces Dr. Joy Cox as Closing Keynote Speaker

FOSTER CITY, Calif. - Feb. 9, 2019 - PRLog -- NAAFA, the civil rights organization working for Equality at Every Size, is pleased and excited to announce that Dr. Joy Cox will join our conference line-up as the closing keynote speaker for our 50th Anniversary Conference. This historic event will be held June 14-16, 2019 at Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, NV. Our conference theme is "Honoring Our Past; Creating Our Future," and NAAFA believes you will want to hear Joy's vision for the future of fat rights activism.

Dr. Cox's presentation, entitled "Imagining the Future: What Happens When the Pieces Start to Come Together" will look at what it's like to be a part of both the present and future of fat activism and how NAAFA plays a pertinent role in how we move forward as a community.

Dr. Joy Cox is a body justice advocate using her skill set in research and leadership to foster social change through the promotion of fat acceptance and diversity and inclusion. With 36 years living as a fat, Black cis-gender woman and seven+ years of professional experience under her belt, Dr. Cox draws on her own experiences and skillset to amplify the voices of those most marginalized in society, bringing attention to matters of intersectionality addressing race, body size, accessibility, and "health."

For Joy, growing up has not always been easy, but she credits her aunt Pearl for displaying a fat positive representation early in her life, illustrating that dark-skinned fat Black women could in-fact live a life without shame despite the challenges society presents. Joy also learned advocacy early, contesting doctors' admonishment about her weight and staving off criticisms from family and peers.

In 2014, Cox graduated with her master's degree and completed a thesis entitled, "It's All in the Face: An Examination of Attitudes and Self-Perceptions of Viewers After Being Exposed to Pictures of Fat Women in the Media." In May of 2018, Joy completed her doctorate degree at Rutgers University submitting the finished dissertation, "The Fat Liberation Movement, Identity & Political Action: Processes and Implications." She also wrapped up her time as an organizer on the conference team of ASDAH's 2018 conference.

Visit www.naafa.org  today to learn more about NAAFA's 50^th Anniversary Conference. Conference and hotel registration may be completed right on the NAAFA website.

Founded in 1969, NAAFA is a non-profit civil rights organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for fat people. NAAFA works to eliminate discrimination based on body size and provide fat people with the tools for self-empowerment through public education, advocacy, and member support.

On the web: www.naafa.org