1. “TransWork,
Philadelphia airport team up for job fair aimed at increasing trans employment”
TransWork, an employment program developed by the Independence Business Alliance for trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming job seekers and entrepreneurs, held its inaugural job fair in September with the city’s airport. About 30 folks attended the event at William Way LGBT Community Center. A second job fair took place in November with partners from Independence Blue Cross.
“This is like a sanctuary for trans people,” said event attendee Vincent Tjia, adding, “You can be any kind of individual and just come and apply for a job. We’re just trying to live our life.”
2. “GALAEI launches visual campaign celebrating trans lives”
Queer Latinx social justice organization GALAEI launched a visual campaign highlighting the daily lives of Philadelphia’s trans and gender-nonconforming residents in honor of Transgender Awareness Week. The project, dubbed #TeaAndRoses, follows 12 individuals and was the brainchild of GALAEI’s peer-based, trans-focused initiative Trans Equity Project.
“Trans people are usually highlighted in death and are never highlighted during their time on this earth,” said Valentina Rosario, a trans woman and the coordinator of Trans Equity Project. “So we are talking about recognizing them for their everyday lives and their hobbies; the things that they do on the daily.”
3. “William Way opens new trans resource center”
William Way LGBT Community Center opened the Arcila-Adams Trans Resource Center in November. Named as a tribute to Philadelphia’s late trans leaders Charlene Arcila and Jaci Adam, the new resource hub provides services including health care and therapy referrals, job services and help enrolling in insurance and food assistance programs.
“We felt that at a time with increasing hostility from both the federal government and from other political figures, it was really important for us as the community center to say that we wanted to stand behind our trans communities and provide the best resources to them,” said Chris Bartlett, William Way executive director.
4. “Philly’s Trans Wellness Conference shows growth”
This year’s three-day Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference, hosted by Mazzoni Center, brought in more than 11,000 attendees, exceeding 2018 numbers. The event featured more than 200 offerings including workshops, panels, lectures, discussions and meetups and operated under the theme “trans joy.”
“PTWC is one of my favorite weekends of the year,” said Jay Alston, Mazzoni’s technology and data coordinator. “It feels like a reunion, and it’s so great getting to see everyone again.”
5. “New trans-inclusive LGBTQ medical center to emerge from pending Hahnemann University Hospital closure”
In the wake of Hahnemann University Hospital closing due to “financial difficulties,” its Transgender Fellowship Training Program — among the first of its kind in the United States — is moving to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Dr. Kathy Rumer, the fellowship’s director, is also partnering with Jefferson to open a “multi-disciplinary gender center” that will serve as a “one-stop shop” for LGBTQ people and their health care needs in 2020. Services will include psychiatry, endocrinology, preventative care, primary care and voice therapy.
“We could never really get it off the ground at Hahnemann because of the financial issues that are going on there,” Rumer told PGN. “But that was always the plan, and now that we’re in an environment that can support that, we’ll be able to make that happen.”