Arien Reed

A Baha'i, transgender man and also an artist, freelance editor, and author of fiction and poetry, Arien Reed lives off the grid with his husband in a small, solar- and generator-powered cabin built by himself, his husband, and his mother-in-law within the Sierra Nevada foothills of California. He volunteers daily as a board member of Trans-E-Motion, a transgender support, advocacy, and resource organization in Fresno, CA. Despite possessing invisible disabilities causing him to live in constant, moderate pain, when not working or volunteering, he can be found caring daily for his elderly in-laws, practicing mixed martial arts, lifting weights, reading in a field of flowers, dancing to dubstep or k-pop, headbanging to death metal while spray-painting mural artwork on the sides of buildings (with permission), and burning sugar-free desserts in the oven. As a child, his art won local awards under his deadname, and since returning to it in his late twenties, his art recently won a national award under his true name. His poetry has received national and international commendations, and his unpublished books of poetry have been shortlisted for multiple awards. He holds a BS in Accounting (Fresno State) with a Minor in Creative Writing (Fresno State), an MFA in Creative Writing (National University), and a Certified Public Accounting license. He is currently pursuing an online education in Mixed Media and Oil Painting through the Milan Art Institute.