Header Image Description: Ani, a trans-masculine person, gazes into the camera with their eyes slightly squinted. They are white and have a short, coiffed hairstyle. They are standing in a park on a sunny, winter day. They're wearing a purple, patterned scarf and a charcoal coat. Photographer: Katie Swain

Ani's Letter to You

Dear Visitor,

Thank you for being here. You may be wondering who I am—I reflect on this quite often. Some days, I find myself drowning in a sea of doubt. Who am I?

I am the universe.
I am a soul.
I am human.
I have a body—a vehicle of beauty, grace, and light.
I have consciousness, a light that arrives with my birth and leaves with my death.
I am a thinker, a feeler, a doer.
I am an artist, a lover, and a friend.
I am so many things, just like you. And I’d like to share a little more about my journey.

My name is Ani, and my pronouns are they/them. I am transgender, queer, neurodivergent, and live with several disabilities. In February 2021, I became sober from alcohol dependence with community support. Through recovery—and gentle nudges from friends—I came to acknowledge my disabilities and discovered I am neurodivergent. I sought assessments for Autism and OCD, receiving official diagnoses.

Understanding that I’m neurodivergent helped me make sense of why I relied on alcohol to cope with life, my gender identity, daily functioning, and my trauma history. It explained why I’ve struggled without the support or language to understand myself. A stranger to my own experience, I was suffering. And in some ways, I still am, but that’s part of my ongoing path of healing and recovery.

Through my art and self-expression, I hope to foster understanding of the conditions I live with—ADHD, Autism, OCD, PTSD, Fibromyalgia, Joint Hypermobility and related conditions. I also want to share my journey of addiction recovery and what I’ve learned about the dysfunctional systems that create violence and disconnection from our truest selves.

Though self-doubt, harsh inner dialogue, and fear of judgment often tell me to stay small, I’m here to share my story and creative gifts with you. I choose to believe my life matters—to the world and to my communities. Most of all, I’m here to nurture my inner child, who still needs to be heard and cared for.

We all have a story of suffering, and I believe we all yearn to be seen as fragile, lovable beings. I bet we have a lot in common, and I’m glad you’re here.

With love,

Ani

Explore Ani's Creative Projects

Content Accessibility Portfolio Trueheart Creations Music Speaking Writing

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