About the Author
Marsha is an author, speaker, educator and advocate for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) 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, was president of an insurance agency, and held a various director positions at a charter school for almost 15 years. She transitioned to an educational consultant in 2011 to focus her attention on her advocacy work in the LGBT community, as well as her writing.
Her three areas of focus as an advocate are safe schools, bringing greater visibility and support to the Asian Pacific Islander LGBT community, as well as the transgender community. With this passion, she has helped to bring a safe and nurturing high school diploma program to students who face intolerable cruelty every day at their local high schools.
Her dream is to invite all harassed and bullied students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out to continue their education at locations with staff that value their individuality and see their potential greatness. Since February 2010, a high school diploma program has been offered through the partnership of the Los Angeles LGBT Center's LifeWorks Program and Opportunities for Learning Public Charter School. The L.A.LGBT Center is the largest gay and lesbian center in the United States.
In addition to the LGBT high school diploma program at the LA LGBT Center, Marsha helped to create Courageous Conversations, an event offered to school district superintendents and their cabinet to bring greater resources and emerging practices to their staff. This event provides schools districts a place to obtain information and connect with other districts who have overcome challenges as they have created safe spaces for their LGBTQ students.
Marsha’s API and transgender work has taken her around the United States and overseas to China 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 over 100 organizations around the country. She co-founded and is current President of the San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG and in 2014 she co-chaired Okaeri (which means welcome home in Japanese) a Nikkei LGBTQ gathering which drew close to 200 people from across the nation and Canada.
Marsha has been honored with a number of awards for her work. The Seattle JACL gave her a special civil rights award at their 2014 annual banquet. JACL National honored her with the Japanese American Biennium Award for Education and Humanities at their 2014 annual convention. And Congresswoman Judy Chu named her Community Activist of 2014 at her annual DiverCities event.
Marsha is currently serving on the PFLAG National Board of Directors, as well as the PFLAG’s Diversities and Inclusion Task Force. She is on two charter school boards and the Executive Board of the SGV API PFLAG. She is a regular columnist for the Pacific Citizen and has had articles published on Huffington Post, as well as been a guest speaker on Huff Post Live. She is a consultant for both Opportunities for Learning and Options for Youth Public Charter School, Pathways in Education and Downey Unified School District.
Marsha has worked in human resources, was president of an insurance agency, and held a various director positions at a charter school for almost 15 years. She transitioned to an educational consultant in 2011 to focus her attention on her advocacy work in the LGBT community, as well as her writing.
Her three areas of focus as an advocate are safe schools, bringing greater visibility and support to the Asian Pacific Islander LGBT community, as well as the transgender community. With this passion, she has helped to bring a safe and nurturing high school diploma program to students who face intolerable cruelty every day at their local high schools.
Her dream is to invite all harassed and bullied students who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out to continue their education at locations with staff that value their individuality and see their potential greatness. Since February 2010, a high school diploma program has been offered through the partnership of the Los Angeles LGBT Center's LifeWorks Program and Opportunities for Learning Public Charter School. The L.A.LGBT Center is the largest gay and lesbian center in the United States.
In addition to the LGBT high school diploma program at the LA LGBT Center, Marsha helped to create Courageous Conversations, an event offered to school district superintendents and their cabinet to bring greater resources and emerging practices to their staff. This event provides schools districts a place to obtain information and connect with other districts who have overcome challenges as they have created safe spaces for their LGBTQ students.
Marsha’s API and transgender work has taken her around the United States and overseas to China 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 over 100 organizations around the country. She co-founded and is current President of the San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG and in 2014 she co-chaired Okaeri (which means welcome home in Japanese) a Nikkei LGBTQ gathering which drew close to 200 people from across the nation and Canada.
Marsha has been honored with a number of awards for her work. The Seattle JACL gave her a special civil rights award at their 2014 annual banquet. JACL National honored her with the Japanese American Biennium Award for Education and Humanities at their 2014 annual convention. And Congresswoman Judy Chu named her Community Activist of 2014 at her annual DiverCities event.
Marsha is currently serving on the PFLAG National Board of Directors, as well as the PFLAG’s Diversities and Inclusion Task Force. She is on two charter school boards and the Executive Board of the SGV API PFLAG. She is a regular columnist for the Pacific Citizen and has had articles published on Huffington Post, as well as been a guest speaker on Huff Post Live. She is a consultant for both Opportunities for Learning and Options for Youth Public Charter School, Pathways in Education and Downey Unified School District.
About Aiden
Aiden Takeo Aizumi was born in Japan on May 24, 1988. Adopted by Tad and Marsha Aizumi, he lived as a female 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 intolerable cruelty daily in high school and was diagnosed agoraphobic 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 shared his desire to transition to male. Since that day, his life has taken an upward turn. His focus for academic achievement returned. He currently is a student at the University of La Verne working towards his Bachelors in Liberal Studies, and is planning on working towards his teaching credential after graduation in the Spring 2015. Besides being a college student, he works part-time as Research Assistant at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. Aiden is actively involved in the LGBT community. He serves on the PFLAG National Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Advisory Board and Executive Board of Pasadena PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), has volunteered to speak at high schools and colleges in the area to broaden the awareness of LGBT issues. In his spare time, he loves music and plays both piano and drums.
Aiden recently was awarded 2013 and 2014 Higher Education Grant from PFLAG Pasadena. Earlier in 2010, he was honored with the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leader Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Dallas, Texas. Aiden also worked with his mother to bring high school diploma programs to LGBT youth who are dropping out or have dropped out of high school due to harassment and bullying. He hopes to share his journey with others and bring hope and empowerment to youth who need support. He believes his story of success can be theirs as well.
You can find out more about what Aiden is doing by visiting his website at www.aidenaizumi.weebly.com
In 2008, Aiden shared his desire to transition to male. Since that day, his life has taken an upward turn. His focus for academic achievement returned. He currently is a student at the University of La Verne working towards his Bachelors in Liberal Studies, and is planning on working towards his teaching credential after graduation in the Spring 2015. Besides being a college student, he works part-time as Research Assistant at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, in the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine. Aiden is actively involved in the LGBT community. He serves on the PFLAG National Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Advisory Board and Executive Board of Pasadena PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), has volunteered to speak at high schools and colleges in the area to broaden the awareness of LGBT issues. In his spare time, he loves music and plays both piano and drums.
Aiden recently was awarded 2013 and 2014 Higher Education Grant from PFLAG Pasadena. Earlier in 2010, he was honored with the Paul A. Anderson Youth Leader Award from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force in Dallas, Texas. Aiden also worked with his mother to bring high school diploma programs to LGBT youth who are dropping out or have dropped out of high school due to harassment and bullying. He hopes to share his journey with others and bring hope and empowerment to youth who need support. He believes his story of success can be theirs as well.
You can find out more about what Aiden is doing by visiting his website at www.aidenaizumi.weebly.com