J Mase III is a Black/Trans/queer poet and educator based in Seattle by way of Philly. As an educator, Mase has worked with community members in the US, UK, and Canada on the needs of LGBTQIA+ folks and racial justice in spaces such as K-12 schools, universities, faith communities and restricted care facilities. He is founder of awQward, the first trans and queer people of color talent agency.

Mase is author of "And Then I Got Fired: One Transqueer’s Reflections on Grief, Unemployment & Inappropriate Jokes About Death" as well as "White Folks Be Trippin’: An Ethnography Through Poetry & Prose." He is head writer for the theatrical production "Black Bois."

His work has been featured on MSNBC, Essence Live, Everyday Feminism, Black Girl Dangerous, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, Blavity, the Root, the Huffington Post, TEDx and more.

Winner of a Lambda Literary Award for Transgender Non-Fiction and a Creative Capital Award, he is co-director of the forthcoming documentary, "The Black Trans Prayer Book," and is finishing his latest solo work, "Is Your God a Violent God? Finding a Theology for Survivors."

Faith & Religion, Authors, Writing, Poetry, LGBTQ, Transgender, Black Heritage, Social Justice, LGBTQ Rights, Discrimination Racism, TED,