Ella Ray is a sister, friend, and an auntie based in Portland, Oregon. Ray uses critical writing and library work to honor and investigate the abundant forms of black femme communication. Ray made their curatorial debut in 2021 with the group show “Nobody’s Fool.” They’ve been a writer in residence with the Black Arts Ecology of Portland, the Black Abbey Residency, and Stelo Arts. Ray recently participated in the Black Embodiments Studio Writing Incubator. Ella Ray is currently the Associate Editor of Variable West. Ray’s essays, reviews, and research have been featured in Cult Classic Magazine, the Studio Museum in Harlem’s website, accompanying exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, lumber room, Oregon Contemporary and more.