"Those who have never faced the bitter reality of complete transition or transformation will see only this beautiful fully-realized outcome, and rarely understand the total dissolving of self that had to come before."

Using parallels of personal change within gender transition alongside the rarely discussed "gross middle stage" we all experience between the seasons of our lives, Flint tells the story of how the most effective leaders are the ones willing to push beyond the discomfort of change without the promise of what may be waiting on the other side.

"Without trust, there's no story. The buy-in comes from a shared and intimate experience between the teller and the listener, and there is no way to speed run intimacy."

As an author and former high school literature and film teacher with four years of digital storytelling experience, Flint speaks on lessons learned through trial-and-error up against some of the toughest audiences in the world. In this talk, he reveals trade secrets that have made their mark in the economy of attention in the classroom, on the page, and on the screen.

"We're paradigm shifting, but no one has taught us how to work the clutch. Because What are your values, really? Are they yours, or are they hand-me downs? When was the last time you measured them against what you actually feel?"

After more than a decade on the front lines of queer and transgender advocacy on the digital stage and in the worlds of education and public health, Flint uses data as a means of community storytelling, weaving a picture of the possibilities promised in a future that prioritizes equity. He argues that the only wrong answer is to turn away, as national trends paint an undeniable picture that in order for every professional to stay competitive and empowered, they have to lean in when their impulse is to step out.