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Initiative studied the experiences with highest honors from Cornell nine-figure settlement for the CEO with the creation of TransTech
of students and leveraged a part- University (B.S. Industrial and of one of the most successful so- Social Enterprises, an online and
nership with Johnson Publishing Labor Relations 2002) and from cial media apps; he also complet- offline co-learning and co-working
Company’s EBONY Magazine to Columbia Law School (J.D. 2005). ed successful representations, after community.
produce a series of African Amer- Moez served as vice chair of the trial, of the State Bar of California In 2017, Angelica success-
ican Educational Summits at col- LGBT student group and chair of and T-Mobile USA. He currently fully launched the 1 Annual
st
lege campuses throughout the the Muslim student group at Co- represents the Navajo Nation with TransTech Summit hosted at the
country. The students, as young as lumbia Law School where he also regard to the devastating environ- GROUPON headquarters and
elementary school, were the only met his husband Bjorn Lundberg. mental disaster known as the Gold Columbia College Chicago. With
experts at the summits and they Moez began his legal career King Mine Spill and its effects on TransTech Social Enterprises,
provided the recommendations at Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz the Navajo people, waters and cul- Angelica’s intention to empow-
that have been used to improve in New York after serving as a law ture. In addition to his litigation er her community and her posi-
policies, programs and practices, clerk to the Honorable Raymond C. practice, Moez is also active in the tive global impact have lead to
including curriculum, designed to Fisher of the United States Court of community and in pro bono mat- many honors, including being
ensure that students thrive both in Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. In ad- ters, including advancing LGBT on the Trans 100 list, receiving
school and in life. In September dition to his litigation practice, Moez equality and assisting victims of a GLAAD Media Award and the
2017, David began the next chap- previously served as the Secretary of domestic violence. He has also 2016 Human Rights Campaign
ter of his life’s story by becom- the Board of Directors for Equality represented Equality California in Visibility Award. Angelica con-
ing the executive director of the California and continues to dedicate challenging the constitutionality tinues to portray dynamic trans
National Black Justice Coalition considerable time to pro bono work. of California’s ban on same-sex characters on television and in
(NBJC), a civil rights organization In 2013, he represented Equality marriage in the United States Su- movies, including her most recent
dedicated to the empowerment of California in challenging the con- preme Court and represented vari- role as “Relevance” on TNT’s
Black LGBTQ people, including stitutionality of California’s ban on ous women’s rights groups in cases Claws. She’s also been cast in
people living with HIV/AIDS. same-sex marriage in the United challenging the constitutionality Ryan Murphy’s upcoming se-
NBJC’s mission is to end racism, States Supreme Court. For several of the Defense of Marriage Act ries POSE, currently shooting in
homophobia and LGBTQ bias and years he represented various wom- (“DOMA”). New York, as well as co-starring
stigma. en’s rights groups in cases challeng- in Ghetto Plainsman with Whoo-
ing the constitutionality of the De- ANGELICA ROSS pi Goldberg and Hill Harper.
BEQ PRIDE ON DAVID JOHNS: fense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and (She, Her) is 37 Angelica leads her life with “so-
David Johns wants people to see state bans on same-sex marriage. SMALL BUSINESS — Founder, bering honesty, a compassionate
him, to know that he exists. He As a young lawyer, he has tried Actor, Activist heart and a determined spirit to
wants people to know that, as a to balance both professional accom- @MissRossLive @angelicaross never give up no matter what.”
community, they can refuse to hide plishments and civic duty. Moez is For more information visit Miss-
or check parts of who they are at a co-founder of Hueston Hennigan Angelica Ross is in sync with Ross.com
the door, shrink or otherwise fail to LLP. He has remained commit- her life and writing her story. Af-
show up in their fullness — knowing ted to causes promoting LGBTQ ter being discharged from the
who they are and whose they are. military for “Homosexual Admit- BEQ PRIDE ON ANGELICA
David assumes this responsibility, in equality. Moez used his legal skills tance” during the era of “Don’t ROSS: Angelica founded a social
part, because it’s important for him to work with different organiza- Ask Don’t Tell”, Angelica faced enterprise that provides education,
support and jobs for trans people
tions and client groups to advance
to show up for younger people the marriage equality, challenge the the harsh realities of discrimina- facing high levels of discrimination.
way he wishes adults had shown up Defense of Marriage Act, challenge tion, marginalization and isolation In her own words, “At TransTech,
for him — fully, honestly and with- experienced by so many trans and
out apology. Everyday, David shows laws that discriminate on the basis gender nonconforming people and we’ve created a space for trans peo-
up for the voiceless and marginal- of gender or sex stereotyping, etc. especially trans women of color. ple to come together, work together,
ized. He believes it is important for the At 19, while working in the adult laugh together, go to lunch togeth-
LGBTQ community to continue film industry, this enterprising er. There’s strength in numbers.
MOEZ KABA to come together to ensure and en- woman discovered her interest in They’re building networks, and
(He, Him) is 36 shrine legal protection, economic technology and used online train- down the line they’ll think of each
SMALL BUSINESS —Hueston vitality and long-term safety and ing classes to change the trajectory other when it comes to jobs.” Har-
security for all. of her life. After 10 years of doing nessing the power of technology
Hennigan LLP
web development and supporting and community, Angelica is creat-
A first-generation Pakistani BEQ PRIDE ON MOEZ KABA: herself and taking acting classes, ing pathways to a promising future
Muslim, Moez Kaba graduated In 2017, Moez helped achieve a she created a blueprint for success for trans people. 

BEQ PRIDE December 2017 | 25