In A Pose About How Coding Saved Her Life By Changing The LGBTQ Voice, Angelica Ross Has Risen To Become An Industry Technology.

The actress, producer, and lawyer revealed Wednesday during a small business Facebook event “Do it with pride” of her entrepreneurial path. As Angelica Ross recalls, her first loves were always singing and acting, but the technology was a passion that helped. Transgender actress fights marginalization and rises as a traveler in Silicon Valley – saving her life.

Speaking to PEOPLE, the actress, producer, and lawyer revealed how working in technology as a transgender woman has brought life-changing opportunities and how other companies can create a more welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ employees.

She said after employers learned she identified as transgender. While unemployed, Ross contacts another transgender woman who runs an adult entertainment website – and although the woman initially envisions Ross as a model, she quickly realizes her technological prowess and offers her a job as webmaster on the site, editing photos and updating content.

“Technology saved my life,” Ross, 40, told PEOPLE. “I learned to code, watched video tutorials on editing and programming, and it helped me survive and not have to be a sex worker.” Ross realizes that some people like to choose sex work as a vocation, but technology allows him to “enter into a more positive space.”

In 2014, Ross founded TransTech Social Enterprises, a company that empowers transgender and misfit people through on-the-job training, leadership, and workplace skills. In addition, he spoke with business, education, and government leaders, including President Barack Obama, to ensure the economic empowerment of marginalized communities.

On Wednesday, Ross attended a small business event, “Do it with pride” on Facebook, chatted by the fire with Damien Baines, Instagram’s Head of Marketing Experience, about his entrepreneurial journey, and practically connected with fellow LGBTQ+ small business owners on the session time network.

Speaking to Baines, Ross noted how the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has shown how remote work can benefit LGBTQ+ workers who may feel insecure or judged by their appearance in a traditional office environment.

“I think we discovered some things, especially after COVID, that the way we do things is not necessarily the best way to do things, that we need to create more opportunities for people to come to work, not just physically. “He said, ‘If they can show up to do the job, we should let them.’