Ali digs deep into his past, reflecting on the transformation that took place as he realized that even though he was born and raised as a girl, he was really a man. Ali Michael Cannon spent six years as a School District Administrator, managing state and federal grants that improve the lives of youth without equal access to education. Prior to being a District Administrator, he worked as a non-profit manager for 20 years. Currently he works as a consultant, supporting schools to become more LGBT inclusive, and address issues of equity and bias.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Mr. Cannon is a writer, organizer, activist, and public speaker. As a recognized leader in the transgender community, he has been invited to speak on various panels and organized numerous conferences and events for the LGBT, Jewish and Queer Jewish communities.
His writing has been published in From the Inside Out: Radical Gender Transformation, FTM and Beyond. His provocative illumination of Jewish and transgender themes can be seen in the film, It’s A Boy: Journeys from Female to Male and his essay (co-authored with TJ Michels), Whose Side Are You On. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx