Kicking off Trans Awareness Month is the first ever TransTech Summit, taking place November 4, with workshops and talks all led by trans and gender non-conforming facilitators. Created by Angelica Ross, the TransTech Summit will provide training in four tracks:  Design Technology, Web/App Technology, Media Technology, and Business Technology.

The weekend will kick off November 3 with a game night, hosted by Columbia College and keynoted by Madison Hinton. The TransTech Summit will begin the following day at Groupon’s headquarters in Chicago.

“My purpose in launching the TransTech Summit is to inspire everyone in the LGBTQ community that is experiencing marginalization, especially trans women of color, to take inventory of their skills, discover their value and learn how to communicate that value in concrete business terms and in the job market,” said Angelica Ross, CEO of TransTech Social Enterprises.

“It is critical that we kick off Trans Awareness Month and create a momentum of motivation with more than just strategies for survival, but strategies for creating a thriving and economically empowered trans community,” she added. “We are no longer asking for equity, we are creating it.”

Programming highlights will include:

• Special presentation from employers, armed with active job openings, and ready to interview and talk to Summit Attendees in an interactive career fair taking place immediately after
• Closing plenary event featuring an intergenerational panel discussion in partnership with AARP 

For tickets and additional information, visit www.transtechsocial.org/summit.

The TransTech Summit is presented by Angelica Ross and AARP, hosted by Groupon and Columbia College, and sponsored by Paypal.

TransTech is an incubator for LGBTQ Talent with a focus on economically empowering transgender people in our community. In 2014, CEO Angelica Ross founded TransTech Social Enterprises to follow a vision: A social enterprise that provides education, support, and jobs for trans people facing high levels of discrimination.

Earlier this year, Ross’ interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, in which she shed light on the discrimination and barriers to employment that transgender people face, received a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. Joined by Noah, Ross took the stage to accept the award at the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City. This year, GLAAD also recognized the Emmy-nominated web series Her Story – which starred Ross as lead actress – with a Special Recognition Award.