JR (he/him) and Vanessa (she/her) Ford are nationally-respected advocates for LGBTQ+ rights and specifically transgender youth. Their advocacy has been featured in the New York Times, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, NPR’s All Things Considered and Good Morning America. They are members of the Human Rights Campaign’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council and authors of the award-winning book, Calvin (Penguin, 2021). Vanessa is also the co-author of the upcoming book “Educate, Affirm, Include and Interrupt: Creating Spaces Where Transgender Students Thrive ( Jossey-Bass 2024).  They live with their two children, one of whom is trans, in the Boston Massachusetts area. www.jrandvanessaford.com

Awards

2022 Lambda Literary “Lammy” Award for Best Children’s /Middle Grade Book

3 Fun Facts

1. Vanessa loves public speaking
2. JR is a podcast connoisseur
3. JR and Vanessa met in 2005 and it was “love at first sight”.