Marcelas Owens created quite a stir six years ago as the "Obamacare Kid." At the time he was a chubby 11-year-old African-American boy in a black vest who watched President Obama sign the AFA into law.

Marcelas' mother died because she didn't have health insurance, Owens says. She was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2006. Her illness caused her to miss days at work, which led to her losing her job. She was denied Medicaid because she had earned too much money working the previous year.

So Marcelas started attending Obamacare rallies and "gave a human face to an abstract political isse."

Marcelas stepped into a new role. While other kids his age could barely mumble while speaking before a class, he was speaking to crowds of up to 6,000 people at rallies. At one rally in Seattle, he met U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from the state of Washington.

And when the Affordable Care Act was passed, he was invited to the White House signing ceremony. He still talks about the experience with a sense of awe.

"I got a high five and fist bump from Barack Obama!"

So this is all old news and some of you may have heard this story and more.

Well...Marcelas is in the news again.

Marcelas lives in a townhome in Seattle with two younger sisters, Myanna, 12, and Monique, 13, and their grandmother, Gina Owens.

Each March, Marcelas goes through a ritual. She gets calls from the media to talk about her front row seat at a historic moment. She's proud of her role in Obamacare. And she understands why people would be curious about that kid in the White House picture.

"If I wasn't me, I would like to know, where did he go?" Marcelas says.

I like it that I can be called the Obamacare kid, but in some ways I wish I could look past the Obamacare kid and become Marcelas and people would have the same reaction to me that they had with the Obamacare kid.

Last autumn Marcelas came out as transgender.

Grandma, if I wanted to be a girl, what would you tell me that I should do?

--Marcelas

I thought Marcelas was joking at first. Then I realized my grandchild was serious. I told Marcelas that if she wanted her honest opinion, she preferred that she would stay a boy.

But I would respect you if you decided to change and be somebody else.

--Gina Owens

Even though she preferred me as a boy she respected my choice to choose. That gave me a sort of blessing.

--Marcelas

I already had in my mind an inkling, so I really wasn't shocked.

--Gina Owens

I've been learning about self-love. Finding myself may equal losing those I was once close to, I continue to search. Closed minds equal closed hearts, I remain forever open.

--Marcelas, on Facebook

On Marcelas' birthday, Owens wrote (also on Facebook):

On this day [March 10] you were born to the world as your mother's 1st child. You are 17 now, and have in so, so many ways, made your mom & me very proud. We both have watched you grow & become the person you are today.

So today, on your 17th birthday; I tell you AND the world; My grandson is on a new journey in life... I am so happy that SHE has trusted our relationship enough where SHE felt more comfortable sharing with me first; BEFORE the rest of the world... I give my heart & blessing to HER. I LOVE YOU AND YOUR COURAGE IN LIFE, MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW. Walk your journey in love & light.

--Gina Owens