About the Author
Marsha is an author, speaker, educator and advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) community, a cause she embraced due, in large part, to the harassment and bullying her son experienced throughout high school. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Marsha moved to Southern California at an early age. She earned her BA from California State University at Los Angeles, majoring in American Studies and minoring in English. She went on to receive her secondary teaching life credential.
Marsha has worked in human resources and was president of an insurance agency. She has held various director and consulting positions at a charter school for over 20 years.
Her areas of focus as an advocate are staff trainings, bringing greater visibility and support to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) LGBTQ+ community, as well as to the transgender and the faith communities. Marsha continues to bring resources on bullying and harassment through district trainings, consulting with schools on how to increase visibility and support to LGBTQ+ students and has organized symposiums for district superintendents and their cabinet called Courageous Conversations.
Marsha’s API and transgender work has taken her around the United States and overseas to Asia as she shares how her shame, grief and fear moved into unconditional love and acceptance for her son, Aiden. Marsha and Aiden have written a book, Two Spirits, One Heart, which was published in 2013 by Magnus Books and together or individually have spoken to an over 200 organizations around the country. In 2021, Two Spirits, One Heart, was reissued as a 2nd edition. In 2012, she co-founded and was former President of the San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG and in 2014 she co-founded Okaeri (which means welcome home in Japanese), a Nikkei LGBTQ+ community which draws about 250 people from across the United States and Canada and continues to be a biennial event.
Her faith work includes organizing an event called Creating Safe Faith Communities in 2017 and organizing Walking in Love in 2019. The goal of both events was to bring faith leaders together to work on LGBTQ+ individuals and families feeling accepted and seen in their churches and temples. Aiden and Marsha have spoken to Christian, Buddhist and Mormon communities, hoping that their rejection from a Christian church they attended will provide a platform for churches and temples to find ways to be more open and inclusive.
Marsha has been honored with a number of awards for her work. Congresswoman Judy Chu named her Community Activist in 2014. She has been given honors from Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, the National Queer API Alliance, the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, and was named 2015 Trailblazing Parent by LOGO TV.
Marsha has been serving on the PFLAG National Board of Directors since 2011 and was co-chair of PFLAG’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is a regular columnist for the Pacific Citizen and has had articles published on Huffington Post, as well as being a guest speaker on Huff Post Live. She has served on a number of charter school boards and on HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council. Marsha was appointed in 2017 to the LGBTQ Equality Advisory Council for former Vice President Joe Biden’s Foundation.
Marsha has worked in human resources and was president of an insurance agency. She has held various director and consulting positions at a charter school for over 20 years.
Her areas of focus as an advocate are staff trainings, bringing greater visibility and support to the Asian Pacific Islander (API) LGBTQ+ community, as well as to the transgender and the faith communities. Marsha continues to bring resources on bullying and harassment through district trainings, consulting with schools on how to increase visibility and support to LGBTQ+ students and has organized symposiums for district superintendents and their cabinet called Courageous Conversations.
Marsha’s API and transgender work has taken her around the United States and overseas to Asia as she shares how her shame, grief and fear moved into unconditional love and acceptance for her son, Aiden. Marsha and Aiden have written a book, Two Spirits, One Heart, which was published in 2013 by Magnus Books and together or individually have spoken to an over 200 organizations around the country. In 2021, Two Spirits, One Heart, was reissued as a 2nd edition. In 2012, she co-founded and was former President of the San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG and in 2014 she co-founded Okaeri (which means welcome home in Japanese), a Nikkei LGBTQ+ community which draws about 250 people from across the United States and Canada and continues to be a biennial event.
Her faith work includes organizing an event called Creating Safe Faith Communities in 2017 and organizing Walking in Love in 2019. The goal of both events was to bring faith leaders together to work on LGBTQ+ individuals and families feeling accepted and seen in their churches and temples. Aiden and Marsha have spoken to Christian, Buddhist and Mormon communities, hoping that their rejection from a Christian church they attended will provide a platform for churches and temples to find ways to be more open and inclusive.
Marsha has been honored with a number of awards for her work. Congresswoman Judy Chu named her Community Activist in 2014. She has been given honors from Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, the National Queer API Alliance, the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team, and was named 2015 Trailblazing Parent by LOGO TV.
Marsha has been serving on the PFLAG National Board of Directors since 2011 and was co-chair of PFLAG’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She is a regular columnist for the Pacific Citizen and has had articles published on Huffington Post, as well as being a guest speaker on Huff Post Live. She has served on a number of charter school boards and on HRC’s Parents for Transgender Equality Council. Marsha was appointed in 2017 to the LGBTQ Equality Advisory Council for former Vice President Joe Biden’s Foundation.
About Aiden
Aiden Takeo Aizumi was born in Japan on May 24, 1988. Assigned female at birth, Aiden struggled with his gender identity for the first twenty years of his life. He attended public school, played varsity golf and was awarded MVP all four years. Coming out as a lesbian during his sophomore year, he experienced bullying and harassment daily in high school and was diagnosed with agoraphobia with panic attacks. Unable to attend school as a result of his agoraphobia, Aiden barely finished high school, but did receive his diploma from Arcadia High School in 2006.
In 2008, Aiden came out as transgender and shared that he wished to transition from female to male. Since that day, his life has taken an upward turn. His focus for academic achievement returned. He is currently working as a Compliance Coordinator & Regional Sports Advisor for Opportunities for Learning Public Charter Schools - San Gabriel Valley. Aiden is actively involved in the LGBTQ+ community. He is currently the President of PFLAG Pasadena where he also facilitates the youth group. Aiden has also volunteered to speak at high schools and colleges in the area to broaden the awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.
Earlier in 2010, he was honored with the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leader Award from the National LGBTQ Task Force in Dallas, Texas. He hopes to share his journey with others and bring hope and empowerment to youth who need support.
In May of 2015, Aiden graduated from the University of La Verne with his Bachelors in Liberal Studies, Magna Cum Laude and with Departmental Honors. In 2017, the University of La Verne selected Aiden as one of the "125 Most Influential" people at the university. Aiden decided to continue his education and finished with a Masters in Education in May 2018.
Aiden currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with his wife, Mary, and their furbaby, Kuma. In his spare time, he loves music, Disneyland, traveling and photography.
You can find out more about what Aiden is doing by visiting his website at www.aidenaizumi.com
In 2008, Aiden came out as transgender and shared that he wished to transition from female to male. Since that day, his life has taken an upward turn. His focus for academic achievement returned. He is currently working as a Compliance Coordinator & Regional Sports Advisor for Opportunities for Learning Public Charter Schools - San Gabriel Valley. Aiden is actively involved in the LGBTQ+ community. He is currently the President of PFLAG Pasadena where he also facilitates the youth group. Aiden has also volunteered to speak at high schools and colleges in the area to broaden the awareness of LGBTQ+ issues.
Earlier in 2010, he was honored with the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leader Award from the National LGBTQ Task Force in Dallas, Texas. He hopes to share his journey with others and bring hope and empowerment to youth who need support.
In May of 2015, Aiden graduated from the University of La Verne with his Bachelors in Liberal Studies, Magna Cum Laude and with Departmental Honors. In 2017, the University of La Verne selected Aiden as one of the "125 Most Influential" people at the university. Aiden decided to continue his education and finished with a Masters in Education in May 2018.
Aiden currently lives in Los Angeles, CA with his wife, Mary, and their furbaby, Kuma. In his spare time, he loves music, Disneyland, traveling and photography.
You can find out more about what Aiden is doing by visiting his website at www.aidenaizumi.com