Leila Sawan’s Remarkable Journey as a Trans Arab Refugee - and Her Dedication to Making the Path Easier for Others

Stories We Haven't Shared

In this conversation, Shanti interviews Leila Sawan (she/her), a trans Arab refugee and activist. Despite being highly qualified, Leila was repeatedly passed over for roles early in her career due to her intersectionality - leading her to take exploitative jobs simply to survive. She reveals the struggles trans individuals face in some countries to obtain medical resources needed to transition. She also highlights the insensitivity many trans employees face in the workplace. Determined to help others avoid the same hardships, Leila immerses in grassroots activism and perseveres in her career. She earns a role as Executive Director of the Trans-IT Foundation, which empowers the trans community through certifications, scholarships and job opportunities in the tech sector. Leila reminds us that now - more than ever - is an important time to come together, “not only as a queer community…not only as a trans community…as just humans.”

Leila Sawan is the Executive Director of the Trans-IT Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering trans and nonbinary individuals across Latin America through a certification program that enables participants to unlock new career opportunities and achieve greater professional growth. Leila also has a bachelor's degree in software engineering and a background researching artificial intelligence.
Shanti Joy Gold is a professional coach, 30-year corporate warrior and member of the LGBTQIA+ community. She understands the unique challenges faced by those who feel like outsiders and, as an executive coach, guides underrepresented people to confidently thrive in their careers by being fully themselves.

ACCESS SHANTI’S FREE THRIVING ASSESSMENT TO GET BIG-PICTURE CLARITY ON FOCUS AREAS FOR INCREASED FULFILLMENT, JOY AND IMPACT - https://shantijoygold.com/take-the-thriving-assessment/

Other stories shared by Leila and Shanti at the campfire:

• Hearing Leila’s advice for those feeling hopeless in their careers, encouraging them to navigate immediate challenges while continuing to keep their dreams in sight.
• Learning about Leila’s and her cousin’s road trip in Turkey to secure hormones from pharmacies in the hopes of distributing them for free to others who couldn’t access them.
• Exploring how the current anti-DEI, anti-Trans sentiments are leading to lack of responsiveness from previously-engaged corporate business partners.
• Discussing how Leila accepting an admin role eventually leads to her promotion to Executive Director, showing that sometimes small career steps lead to big opportunities.

Thank you for listening! Tune in to all episodes to receive insights about how to navigate your career as an outsider - and learn more about the impact of allyship. Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast and find me below to share your key takeaways!

Learn more about Stories We Haven’t shared at https://storieswehaventshared.com

CONNECT WITH LEILA SAWAN
Website Trans-IT
LinkedIn Trans-IT
Instagram Trans-IT
Email - [email protected]

CONNECT WITH SHANTI JOY GOLD
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Chapters

1. Introduction and Welcome (00:00:00)

2. Professional Journey and Activism (00:02:22)

3. Personal Interests and Motivations (00:03:52)

4. Leila's Intersectionality (00:05:36)

5. Early Career Days: Doors Closed Despite Qualifications (00:06:35)

6. Early Career Days: Pivoting to Exploitative Jobs to Support Basic Needs (00:10:01)

7. Leila Takes a Road Trip Hoping to Secure Medical Needs for Trans Community in Turkey (00:11:55)

8. Safety Concerns Lead Leila to Abandon Business Idea in Support of Trans Community (00:14:50)

9. Leila's Call to Service and Landing Her Dream Job (00:16:49)

10. The Important Work of the Trans-IT Foundation (00:19:12)

11. The Direct Impacts of Anti-DEI and Anti-LGBTQ+ Sentiment (00:20:40)

12. An Inside Look at the Challenges of the Trans Experience in the Workplace (00:22:59)

13. What Leila is Proud to Have Shared at a Corporate Diversity Event (00:25:56)

14. Do What You Have to Do and Don't Give Up on Dreams (00:26:55)

15. A Foot in the Door Leads to a Dream Role and Impact (00:28:34)

16. Now is the Time to be Together in Community (00:30:30)

17. Music Share: Experiencing an Inspirational Arabic Icon (00:31:28)

18. Where to Find and Connect with Leila (00:32:53)

19. Thank You and Final Thoughts (00:33:41)