Jaden Fields

Jaden Fields is an LA-born queer Black femme transboi, community activist, and poet. He currently works as a Health Educator at APAIT, running the HEART program. HEART is an HIV education and trans empowerment program for transgender people of color, who have the highest HIV contraction rates in Los Angeles county. During his time at USC, Jaden planned events for Take Back the Night, a social movement to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault, while highlighting the high rates of violence that transgender and gender non-conforming folks face. His work in college has informed his social activism. He is a core member and support group facilitator of the grassroots, community-based organization, Trans Folx Fighting Eating Disorders (T-FFED), traveling with them to different conferences to raise awareness about how trans and gender non-conforming individuals are disproportionately affected by eating disorders, usually as a coping mechanism for dealing with trauma. Jaden emphasizes the importance of a trauma-informed approach to treatment and recovery, in his work with T-FFED. He believes in the beauty of vulnerability and the strength in the stories that trans and gender diverse bodies hold, so he uses poetry and storytelling as a vehicle for change.