will.i.am Hosts TRANS4M 2013: TRANS4Ming America Conference And Annual Concert For The Benefit Of i.am.angel Foundation On February 7, 2013

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- International recording artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist will.i.am announced today that he will host "TRANS4M 2013: TRANS4Ming America" on Thursday, February 7, 2013 at the California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.  TRANS4M is an invitation-only conference that seeks out large, chronic problems and leverages collaborative efforts among businesses, non-profits, government, and community volunteers to accelerate new thinking and solutions.  

This year's TRANS4M conference will focus on community transformation across America through STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), community and wellness, all of which are programmatic goals of the i.am.angel foundation. The daytime conference sessions will focus on various aspects of transformation across life, self and community.

TRANS4M creator will.i.am and Brian David Johnson, Intel Futurist and TRANS4M joint Curator, will present an eclectic slate of speakers including President Bill Clinton. Conference highlights will also include a VIP breakfast gathering under the Space Shuttle Endeavour with remarks by Astronaut and NASA Associate Administrator for Education Leland Melvin.  Additional speakers will be announced.

The concert portion of TRANS4M will take place at The Avalon Hollywood, where 1,500 guests will enjoy performances by Alicia Keys and will.i.am, among others.  Additional artists will be announced.  Proceeds from the concert will be donated to i.am.angel foundation to fund its programmatic activities, such as i.am.STEAM, i.am.home and i.am.wellness, which focus on STEAM education, home ownership and financial literacy, and healthy lifestyles, respectively.

"This year, 'TRANS4M 2013: TRANS4Ming America' will focus on teaming businesses, non-profits, volunteers, and new technologies together to drive positive change in communities across the United States through education, the right STEAM skills and training, and a focus on the wellness of the people who live there," will.i.am said.

This is the second year that will.i.am will host his invitation-only conference, including 350 participants from industry, consumer brands, government and non-profits who will convene and explore smarter ways to collaborate to drive community transformation.  Last year's benefit concert raised in excess of $5 million for programs in Boyle Heights neighborhood (East Los Angeles), will.i.am's hometown.  Concert proceeds fund educational, home ownership and financial literacy programs operated by will.i.am's i.am angel foundation. 

About TRANS4M

The TRANS4M conference and benefit concert series is part of will.i.am's larger mission to drive positive transformation in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles where he grew up.  The number 4 in TRANS4M represents the four pillars and driving forces involved in improving the state of chronic societal problems:  business, government, non-profits and community volunteers. The inaugural 2012 "TRANS4M: Boyle Heights" conference event was a collaboration between will.i.am and Intel Corporation.

ABOUT the i.am.angel Foundation

will.i.am created the i.am.angel foundation to TRANS4M lives through education, inspiration and opportunity.  The private foundation was launched in 2009 with a mission to provide assistance to needy college-bound students through a program entitled i.am.scholarship.  Since that time, the foundation has grown to include new programs including "i.am.home" to provide mortgage relief and financial literacy assistance, "i.am.College Track" to work with students from will.i.am's home town (Boyle Heights – East Los Angeles) throughout high school to best prepare them for college, and more recently, "i.am.STEAM" to encourage education in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art and math.  The foundation is fortunate to be working with partner organizations to help administer and fund these ambitious programs including College Track, the California Endowment, JP Morgan Chase Global Philanthropy and others.  In 2012, in response to individuals, corporations, and funders expressing interest in supporting similar charitable activities, i.am.angel foundation is currently seeking public charity status with the appropriate taxing authorities, and the private foundation is now called i.am.giving foundation.  To learn more about the foundation, please visit http://iamangelfoundation.org.

ABOUT ALICIA KEYS

Alicia Keys is a 14-time Grammy Award^® winning singer/songwriter/producer, actress, New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur and humanitarian. Since releasing her debut album, songs in A minor, Keys has built an unparalleled repertoire of hits with over 30 million albums sold worldwide. Her latest album, Girl on Fire, recently debuted at number one on the Billboard album chart. As a philanthropist, Keys co-founded Keep a Child Alive (KCA) and serves as Global Ambassador.

will.i.am®, i.am, i.am.angel, S.T.E.A.M., i.am.STEAM and TRANS4M are trademarks of William Adams and/or i.am.symbolic, llc. 

SOURCE i.am.angel Foundation