Trans Bodies, Trans Lives

essa may ranapiri (Ngāti Wehi Wehi, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Arawa, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Takatāpui, Na Guinnich) is a poet who lives on Ngāti Wairere whenua in Aotearoa. They have a great love for language, LAND BACK and hot chips. Their first book of poetry ransack (VUP) was published in 2019. Echidna is their second book published by the newly renamed Te Herenga Waka University press. They will write until they're dead. (they/ia).

Rae White is a non-binary transgender writer, educator and zine maker. Their poetry collection Milk Teeth (University of Queensland Press) won 2017 Arts Queensland Thomas Shapcott Poetry Prize, was shortlisted for 2019 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and commended in the 2018 Anne Elder Award. Rae’s second poetry collection, Exactly As I Am, will be published by UQP in 2022.

Rae is represented by Danielle Binks at Jacinta di Mase Management.

Rae is the editor of #EnbyLife, a journal for non-binary and gender diverse creatives. They are the Events and Marketing Manager at Queensland Poetry.

Rae recently completed a Wheeler Centre Hot Desk Fellowship for their YA verse manuscript Welcome Home.

Rae’s poem ‘The last tourist’ won Highest Queensland Entry in 2020 Arts Queensland Val Vallis Award. Their poem ‘who, what, why, where’ was shortlisted for 2020 Woollahra Digital Literary Awards. Rae’s poem ‘hussshhh’ won Highest Queensland Entry in 2019 XYZ Prize for Innovation in Spoken Word. And their poem ‘what even r u?’ placed second in 2017 Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize.

Rae’s short story The Body Remembers placed second in 2019 Rachel Funari Prize for Fiction.

Rae’s poetry has been published in Australian Poetry Journal, Cordite Poetry Review, Meanjin Quarterly, Overland, Rabbit and others.

Rae holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative Writing Production) from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), and previously worked at 4ZZZ community radio as an on-air announcer.