Friday Keynote Speaker

Rebecca Kling


Rebecca Kling image

Rebecca Kling (she/her) is an educator, organizer, storyteller, and advocate for social change. Kling worked as an advocate for trans rights at the National Center for Transgender Rights, where she served as the community storytelling advocate and director of education programming, as well as on the leadership team of Harbor Camps, a sleepaway summer camp for trans and non-binary youth. She is also the co-founder of Better World Collaborative, a social impact consulting firm working to combat the recent flood of anti-trans legislation. She lives in Chicago with her two cats. You can learn more about her at www.rebeccakling.com and www.betterworldcollab.com.



Saturday Keynote Speakers

JR and Vanessa Ford

JR and Vanessa Ford Hugging

Vanessa (she/her) and JR Ford (he/him) are award winning authors and parent advocates for trans equality. Thier children's book, Calvin (PRH, 2021), won the 2022 Lambda Literary Award for Best Children's Book and is based on (although not about) their child's journey. The Ford's advocacy has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Newsweek, NPR and "Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric". They were founding members of The Human Rights Campaign's Parents for Transgender Equality Council and Vanessa sat for 2 years on the board of the National Center for Transgender Equality. Vanessa was also an award-winning classroom teacher for 14 years in DC Public Schools and co-authored, The Advocate Educator's Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive (Wiley, 2024). They live with their two kiddos, one of whom is trans, in the Boston area. You can learn more about their advocacy at www.jrandvanessaford.com .

 

Together, along with illustrator Kayla Harren, JR and Vanessa published Calvin, a picture book about a transgender boy who prepares for the first day of school and introduces himself to his family and friends for the first time.

 

Calvin Picture Book cover

 

Awards and Recognition for Calvin includes:

The 2022 Lambda Literary Award Winner in the LGBTQ Children's/Middle Grade category

A 2022 Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year

A 2022 ALA Rainbow Book List Top Ten Title for Young Readers

A 2022 NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book Pick

 

Vanessa co-authored the book, The Advocate Educator's Handbook: Creating Schools Where Transgender and Non-Binary Students Thrive, with fellow educator Rebecca Kling in 2024. 

 

Cover to The Advocate Educator's Handbook

 

"This book was created especially for K-12 educators, administrators, pre-service teachers and others looking to enact change and create safe spaces for transgender and nonbinary youth. From daily life in the classroom to policy at the highest levels, The Advocate Educator's Handbook will help educators & their community work toward meaningful change."

 

Rebecca, Vanessa, and JR will be holding book signing for both publications at SSSC 2024.