OPINION (FW) – A pricey design conference in Texas yanked a Christian speaker from its roster after a local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts took issue with his inclusion. The Circles Conference, taking place in Richardson in mid-September, removed David Roark, communications director for The Village Church, the megachurch led by pastor Matt Chandler, after the Dallas-Fortworth AIGA pulled out of the arts conference because he was slated to speak during the event. News Roark had been disinvited was first
shared by conservative radio host Dana Loesch, who wrote about it in a lengthy Facebook post. In a statement, the AIGA specifically took issue with the Village’s “openly discriminatory policies and practices towards women and the LGBTQ+ community.” “We feel it would be hypocritical of us to be involved in the conference and tacitly endorse the policies of The Village Church,” the statement continued. “This would be a misallocation of our membership resources and a disservice to all members of our community against whom the organization discriminates.” READ MORE
