The TransLatin@ Coalition Job Fair 2026 LGBTQ+ Jobs & Resources in Los Angeles

Hope on the Horizon: Our Job Fair Opens Doors for TGI Community Members

West Hollywood Aquatics & Recreation Center

On Tuesday, April 21, 2026, The TransLatin@ Coalition hosted a job fair at the West Hollywood Aquatics & Recreation Center, connecting trans, gender expansive, and intersex individuals with employers who see them, value them, and want to hire them.

At The TransLatin@ Coalition, one of our core beliefs is simple: to make change happen, you have to be the change. So on Tuesday, April 21, that's exactly what we did. Alongside 20 participating employers and organizations, we brought our community together at the West Hollywood Aquatics & Recreation Center for a day of opportunity, empowerment, and real connection, all in a space designed to feel safe, affirming, and genuinely welcoming.

We know that events like this aren't just nice to have. For our TGI community members, they're essential. Discrimination in the workplace remains an everyday reality, and in the current political climate, the attacks on our community from the federal government make spaces like this even more vital. As our CEO Bamby Salcedo put it: "Specifically in these times, when the federal government continues to attack us and diminish us, it's important that companies that are allies of our community come together so we can find solutions to improve our community's quality of life."

Bamby Salcedo, President & CEO of The TransLatin@ Coalition delivering her opening remarks at the TLC Job Fair

The day kicked off at 11 a.m. with a Trans 101 training for hiring companies, led by our Violence Prevention and Workforce Development Manager, Mel Escalante. Before a single resume was exchanged, we made sure every employer in the room understood how to properly interact with LGBTQI+ individuals and why it matters. Respecting people's gender identity and sexual orientation isn't just the right thing to do; it's also the law, protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Mel framed it best: "TGI people face work discrimination all of the time, so instead of discussing their gender, let's focus on people's skills, abilities, and professional development, because that's what working is all about."

Mel Escalante, Violence Prevention and Workforce Development Manager, conducting the Trans 101 Training with employers

Bank of America employees with their booth at the TLC Job Fair

At noon, Bamby Salcedo welcomed everyone and officially opened the fair. Twenty employers and organizations set up tables on the second floor, representing industries from healthcare and education to finance, security, and community services, including Trans Can Work. Attendees could walk up, introduce themselves, exchange resumes, and have real conversations, and for those wanting to put their best foot forward, TLC staff had professional attire available right outside, because looking the part should never be a barrier. Among the employers, Luis Andrade from Bank of America, a company well known for encouraging all of their employees to bring their authentic selves to work, had an important message for attendees: "I encourage you, be who you are, because that says a lot."

Job seekers interacting with potential employers at the TLC Job Fair

While the job fair was in full swing downstairs, the third floor came alive with professional development workshops running from noon to 4 p.m. Attendees had the opportunity to explore AI tools designed for executives and entrepreneurs, strengthen their resumes and cover letters, and gain practical guidance on navigating substance use challenges in the workplace. Sessions also addressed how overall health can impact career growth, offered financial management strategies, and worked to break stigma through our TRUE Program, funded by the City of West Hollywood. The workshops weren't an afterthought; they were a core part of making sure everyone left with more than they arrived with. Between sessions, raffles kept the energy high and the room buzzing because community-building should feel good, too.

HIV Prevention in the Workplace workshop by AHF

Maia Benford chats with potential employers at the TLC Job Fair

For attendees like Maia Benford, just walking through the door was meaningful. They shared that finding work in this current job market has been incredibly difficult, and choosing to come to a place that affirms and supports them was a deliberate, hopeful decision. “Just coming here, in general, is giving me a sense of hope, and it's been really inspiring to see other people like me and businesses that support us. So it's a great opportunity even if you don't get a job, to network and build community, which is really important, especially right now."

That sense of hope and community is exactly what we set out to create, and hearing it reflected back from the people who showed up means everything to us. Our mission has always been to break down barriers to essential services and ensure that all TGI individuals have access to the comprehensive resources they need to thrive. Employment is one of those resources, and events like this job fair are how we put that mission into practice. We're not stopping here. Stay up to date on events like this by following us on our socials.

Job seekers at the TLC Job Fair

Thank you to the participating companies that made this year’s job fair possible:

APLA Health, St. Johns Community Health, Teach for America, Serve Robotics, Bank of America, Mass Liberation, LAUSD Classified, Covenant House California, Los Angeles Education Partnership, Scorpion Private Security, the California Civil Rights Department, LA Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, Clínica Romero, M&L Enterprise WC LLC, Hospitality Training Academy, Low Income Study, AHF, and Safelink