A Creative Agency and Social Enterprise
TransTech began as a vision of Angelica Ross, and a reflection of her experience navigating education and employment. Over the span of 10+ years, Angelica built a creative design business that began on the margins of society, outside the formal education system. She used independent learning methods like video tutorials, professional books, and hands-on experience to create her own income, and she knew these skills could be transferred to others facing the same discrimination she had endured. This is where TransTech was born.
Angelica, alongside a small team of Chicagoans, has developed a Start 2 Work program that utilizes technology to empower, educate and employ the LGBTQ community with a focus on trans-identified individuals. The pilot program, in its first year, has taught graphic design, coding and virtual assistant skills. The TransTech apprenticeship program inducted seven apprentices and hired on three staff members and a handful of freelancers. This unique social enterprise structure combines a creative agency that can service full professional clients and projects that are considered “dual empowerment.” These dual empowerment projects are serviced by the apprentices in a learning environment and at a discounted rate.
Now TransTech is in the process of using the pilot program and national data to create a strategy that can be utilized across the nation. This expansion will include a vocational assessment, an electronic course, larger reach within the work program and a new leadership training program.