Organizers of the Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference today announced the winner of an inaugural award named for the conference’s founder.
PTHC presented Jayden Sampson with the Charlene Arcila Award Friday afternoon at the conference, which runs through Saturday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Sampson has been a planner for the conference since its second year; the event is celebrating its 15th year. Sampson, who earned a law degree from Madison-Wisconsin Law School, has presented PTHC workshops on legal, financial and aging issues.
The Montgomery County Community College teacher has sat on the board of the Mazzoni Center and The Attic Youth Center.
The award was named for the local trans woman who founded the conference and was influential in a number of local trans-rights issues, including the removal of gender markers from SEPTA transpasses. Arcila died earlier this year.
Organizers took nominations from community members for the inaugural award. Nominated alongside Sampson were Charlotte White, Chris Paige, Janis Stacy, Ja’Nae Tyler, Mister Chris Benjamin and A. Dionne Stallworth.