The annual First Event Conference brought together the transgender and gender nonconforming community, loved ones, allies and supporting professionals for five days of fun, education and connection-making. Expanded programming helped make 2019 the largest First Event ever, with about 1,000 attendees and featuring over 150 workshops, including tracks focusing on transmasculine, transfeminine, trans people of color, transgender youth and families, and transgender wellness. Among four dozen vendors and sponsors included DCF seeking foster homes for LGBTQ youth and BAMSI offering free HIV/HCV/STI testing. Additional highlights included the annual fashion show featuring 40 transgender and gender nonconforming models of all ages, the Love Disco Ball, a job fair hosted by the Mass. LGBT Chamber of Commerce and a rousing keynote by transgender rights and prison reform activist CeCe McDonald.
