Nate Cannon is an incredible speaker and has a captivating story to tell—a story of resilience and awareness.
 
Sue Abderholden MPH
Executive Director, NAMI-MN (National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Nate Cannon speaks with compassion and humility while sharing his own personal growth through the struggles of addiction, pain, mental health, and the transition from a female to a male.  He delivered an engaging presentation at our 2nd annual Substance Use Disorder Conference that led the group to laugh, cry, and ponder how they could improve the services that they were providing in the substance use and mental health profession.  His ability to tell his story is creative and valuable to any audience.  I saw first hand the benefits his 90 minute keynote delivered to a group of helping professionals.  Nate Cannon makes the world a better place and I am grateful he graced us with his presence at our conference.

Jeremiah Olson BA, CSAC, ICS
Substance Use Disorder Counseling Department Chair/Instructor
Fox Valley Technical College - Appleton, WI

Nate Cannon is a remarkable individual, and writes with honesty, clarity, and compassion about his transition from woman to man, addict to survivor, and his maturation into a confident, intelligent, and engaging person. His story is horrific and uplifting, and he gives us all hope as we try to deal with our difficulties or those of our friends and family. His first book, and now his new book, "Dying to Hang with the Boys," is a must read for anyone interested in gender reassignment, overcoming mental and physical disability, and healing.

Bernie Santarsiero
Director, Research Initiatives, Office of Diversity
University of Illinois at Chicago

Nate Cannon's memoir is a brave, powerful, and beautifully told story about universal human themes, as well as particular and timely ones: what it means to finally recognize one's true gender identity, and the struggle of living in a world that often fails to respect it. The storytelling is superb, the characters precisely drawn, the dramatic moments skillfully rendered. Dying to Hang with the Boys is a necessary book.

Justin St. Germain, author of Son of a Gun (Random House, 2013)
Assistant Professor, Oregon St. University

Cannon's presentation as the keynote speaker at the UIC/The Reginald Sewell Foundation LGBQT mental health awareness seminar in September 2016 was riveting. Nate's journey captivated the audience as he took us through the mental and physical obstacles of his life. His story provided the audience a look into the world of mental illness and its correlation to suicide. Also provided a much needed lens on the struggle with gender acceptance.

Nate's triumphant journey is a story that is beneficial to others struggling & could be used by clinicians when faced with patients with a similar story.

Vikki Webster
Founder & Executive Director of The Paul & Reginald Sewell Foundation
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Board Member - Chicago, Il

Nate Cannon delivered a wonderful presentation for our library's gay pride event. He addresses a variety of issues some might find uncomfortable, while handling the topics with sensitivity, yet Nate never shies from basic truths. He is an inspiring advocate for the trans community, as well as for others.

Steve Harsin
Director, Grand Marais Public Library - Grand Marais, MN

Nate Cannon has both an amazing story to share and  an uncanny ability to connect with an audience. He is one of the best public speakers I have ever heard. Lucid and eye-opening, Cannon's memoir explores his history of gender reassignment, mental illness and disability with prose that is clear and engaging. Dying to Hang With the Boys is a great read.

Dan Field LCSW
Assistant Adjunct Professor
USC Dworak-Peck School of Social Work - Los Angeles, CA

Nate Cannon is captivating when he unearths his intrepid journey. He eloquently gives light to his experiences of living with invisible disabilities. His passion and unrelenting advocacy for transgender, disability and mental health rights is catching and highly inspiring.
 
Melissa Traxler
Access Center Coordinator
Century College - White Bear Lake, MN

Nate Cannon eloquently describes his decision to change his physical body to what his mind and heart believed it was meant to be. The way Cannon describes the progression of the emotional and physical struggles is powerful and courageous as he opens his life, struggles, and story of recovery to people who do not have experience with the transgender community. 

Patti Hecht
Owner, ProCrisis LLC

Nate Cannon is a powerful speaker with an important and compelling story of hardship, struggle and determination.  His ability to share his life so openly contributed to a high impact session for the students, staff and faculty at our college.

Nicole Jagodzinski
Counselor, Anoka-Ramsey Community College - Coon Rapids, MN

Cannon’s story is a true definition of resiliency.  His vulnerability and passion are inspiring and brilliant.
 
Maxwell Poessnecker
Associate Director Student Life and Director of LGBTQ Services
Century College - White Bear Lake, MN

Nate Cannon works as a health care professional and is a sought-after speaker and advocate for mental health awareness. All of which makes his life story as fascinating as it is unlikely. He has been through mental illness, physical disability, and gender reassignment surgery—none of which most people notice, or even guess. He is an outstanding speaker with an essential and timely story to tell. His presentation at the 2016 LAGPA Annual Conference at Antioch University in Los Angeles was exceptional and his delivery both precise and engaging. 

Along with his speaking, Nate has proven himself to be an exceptional writer. His next memoir, Dying to Hang with the Boys, should both change and save lives. It will explore the ways in which gender transition, identity, physical disability, addiction and recovery, and mental health all intersect and complicate each other, examining these issues from multiple angles—as patient, professional, and advocate. It will be a crucial addition to the mental health professional’s collection. 


Chuck Stewart 
Executive Director, LAGPA of Southern California - Los Angeles, CA

Nate Cannon combines his gifts for writing and storytelling in relating the psychological and medical torment he experienced in seeking a physical body and social presence to match his gender identity. The tales are honest and raw and, at times, dark and heavy. This is intentionally not a story with a feel-good, fairy-tale ending, but rather one that illuminates and humanizes the myriad ways in which being transgender can impact relationships, career prospects, financial stability, and health. Readers will find themselves rooting for Nate at each step in his journey and gain insight into the subtle and pronounced ways their own behavior can affect the ability of transgender individuals to gain self-acceptance.

Ken Abrams
Professor of Psychology, Carleton College - St. Olaf, MN