Twin Cities Quorum to host annual National Coming Out Day Luncheon

The 32nd annual National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Luncheon will take place on Friday, Oct. 10.

Twin Cities Quorum is inviting LGBTQ+ community members and allies to join them in celebration of authenticity at its annual National Coming Out Day (NCOD) Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 10, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. The event aims to provide attendees with a space to network, elevate LGBTQ+ voices and drive meaningful impact across Minnesota.

This year will mark 32 years since the luncheon first began. Quorum’s Executive Director Rebecca Waggoner Johnson says that the organization has grown its luncheon attendance numbers from approximately 200 to 500 guests over the course of several years.

The event offers a marketplace expo from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., where attendees can network with Quorum’s diverse members, sponsors and community partners. The luncheon portion of the event goes from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and will include speeches from a list of guest speakers.

Sebastian Dziuk is one of the confirmed guest speakers at the NCOD Luncheon. Dziuk is a veteran who served in the Minnesota National Guard for over a decade and was one of the first out transgender soldiers. He is also a speaker and founder of an email/marketing agency. 

He speaks at both LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ events, sharing his lived experience as a trans man with others and emphasizing the importance of trans representation in all settings. 

“It’s important to me because I think there isn’t always the most trans representation when we talk about LGBT issues, and especially for trans men,” Dziuk says. “I know how important it is to see representation in all areas of life, whether it’s at an LGBT event or at a non-LGBT event, and so I’m happy to be able to provide some of that representation, not just for me, but for trans men.”

A topic that Dziuk plans on covering at the NCOD Luncheon specifically is the importance of coming out at a pace that feels comfortable to each individual. He explains that a person will likely face the experience of “coming out” multiple times in their life as they continue to evolve and enter new environments. He wants others to know that the process shouldn’t feel like a race.

Both Dziuk and Waggoner Johnson emphasize just how crucial it is that LGBTQ+ allies make an effort to support queer community members. Waggoner Johnson says that approximately one-third of Quorum’s members identify as allies of the community.

“We want to create a space where people can come together to grow and thrive,” Waggoner Johnson says. “Ultimately, we want to build, connect and strengthen the LGBTQ+ and allied business community in Minnesota and, in order to do that, we have to include allies.”

“Many Journeys, One Minnesota” has been selected as this year’s luncheon theme, emphasizing the importance of and commitment to creating a state where all people can present their whole selves in every aspect of their life while being embraced for exactly who they are, according to Quorum’s website.

“One of the reasons we came up with the theme this year is because Minnesota is a trans refuge state and ‘Many Journeys, One Minnesota’ is a project that we’re actually doing to capture the stories of people who are moving here as trans refugees,” Waggoner Johnson says.

The project was first launched at 2025 Pride, and it involves Quorum members and eventgoers writing welcome notes to trans refugees and other LGBTQ+ members moving to Minnesota. Letter-writing will be available to luncheon attendees if they wish to participate.
Tickets to the NCOD Luncheon are $70 for members and $90 for non-members. A vendor table at the marketplace expo costs $175 for members and $225 for non-members. Visit twincitiesquorum.com to learn more about the upcoming event.