Hello! My name is Shel Raphen, and this is my website! I write nonfiction essays, personal essays, fiction, and poetry—about all sorts of topics that you can find on the tags page. My life has been a bit unusual and the perspective I bring to my writing is an important context. So, who I am?
- I was born in the mid-90s to an Ashkenazi Jewish mother and Irish father. Originally from a Jewish inner-suburb of Boston, I have also lived in Central Massachusetts, Western Massachusetts, and Philadelphia.
- I grew up in an 'unschooling'-related cult.
- I'm a librarian. I have a BA in Social Psychology and Linguistics; and an MS in Library and Information Science.
- I'm a post-op heteroflexible grey-asexual transgender woman, and began transition as a teenager. In the early days, I presented part-time as a gay man.
- I became involved in progressive/left-wing activism in 2013 and have continuously been involved in various left-wing movements since. I have organized under a variety of left-wing tendencies including progressive coalitions, anarchist, democratic socialist, marxist-leninist, mutual aid, and standard union organizing with the AFL-CIO. I have also done community organizing for LGBT organizations, spiritual communities, kink communities, hobby communities, and online communities. I have been involved in facilitating transformative justice processes, consent incident investigation and response, and conflict mediation for most of my life.
- I am Autistic. I was officially diagnosed with autism as an adult. In August of 2023 I had a minor traumatic brain injury which as of September 2024 I am still in recovery from. I have been on hiatus from activism since the injury. I have a variety of other chronic illnesses and disabilities going on.
- I practice Judaism as my religion.
- I like maps, transit, geography, history, board games, TTRPGs, sci-fi, fantasy, books, talmud, reading, information, crochet, and painting my nails, among other interests.
Contact Me:
The best way to contact me is email. My email is shelraphen on gmail. I'm happy to hear from you.
