United States – November 10, 2017: (L to R) Ryan Rice, Connie’s middle son, Connie’s wife Birgit, and Connie’s boyfriend Ken, join Connie for a night out with the family in Sterling. With support from her family and employer IBM, Rice has cultivated the confidence to find her voice on the national stage, but it hasn’t always been easy. Less than a decade ago, Rice’s world was in turmoil as she began her transition, and there has been plenty of pain along the way. But in the end, acceptance won the day, and a long sought-after sense of normalcy has set in.