Our Work
JR and Vanessa Ford are nationally-known advocates for LGBTQIA+ rights, specifically rights for transgender youth. Their advocacy and work has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and in “Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric.” They were both founding members of the Human Rights Campaign’s Parents for Transgender Equality. They live with their two children, one of whom is trans, in the Boston, MA area.
Meet JR!
JR Ford hails from Washington, DC and his career spans nearly twenty years in Information Technology. Along with Vanessa, his advocacy work began in earnest in 2015 when their youngest child came out as transgender. Since that time, JR's eyes have been opened wide on the pervasiveness of structural racism, social and economic inequities, and violence towards people of color and the LBGTQIA+ community. Typically a quiet guy with sarcasm brimming, JR is a compassionate and loving person to all that know him.
Meet Vanessa!
Vanessa Ford has spent her nearly 20 year career focused on equity in education. She has been a staunch advocate for equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community and works with schools, leaders and Districts to make their schools more equitable and safe places. If you've met or talked to Vanessa, you will know she has the following super powers: being PRESENT, putting a smile on your face, and rocking cool eye wear!