Ben Panico, the only transgender staffer working for Congress, began his career on Capitol Hill on a different note than transgender politicos before him: he received a warm welcome.

The 22-year-old Panico works in the office of Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), pushing for policies that include the repeal of discriminatory laws and the elimination of hate-motivated violence.

“It’s really my dream to just come here and be able to talk about and work on the issues that mean so much to me every day, and to be able to do it in such an important setting with such powerful people,” he said.

-Video shot by Geneva Sands and Nicole Toczauer, edited by Pat O’Gara.