Source: Ken Jiretsu
Ken Jiretsu is a community advocate and activist in Baltimore’s Transgender Community. He is the Executive Director of Hearts and Ears Inc. LGBTQIA+ Wellness and Recovery Center where he provides peer support, and handles social media, outreach and training in the center. Prior to his work in behavioral health peer support, Ken was one of the co-founders of The Baltimore Transgender Alliance and a member of Black Transmen Inc. MD/DC chapter.
His focus in these organizations included advocacy and awareness of the issues Transgender men of color face in society. Ken is also the first transgender person to get his gender marker changed on his birth certificate in the state of Maryland on the first day the law went into effect. He in the process of becoming a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist and is certified in Wellness and Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), Trauma Informed Care for Peer Support, and Mental Health First Aid.
He is also a member of Alpha Omega Kappa Fraternity Incorporated. When Ken is not working or volunteering, he enjoys working in his backyard urban farm, playing guitar, cooking, and spending time with his wife Mary and their four special needs young adult children.
