Ella Ray is a sister, friend, and an auntie based in Portland, Oregon. From 9 am to 5 pm she works as an arts writer and editor, art historian, and library worker. Through a critical writing and research practice guided by black feminist frameworks and homegrown archival methodologies, Ray seeks to honor black femme communication patterns and their corresponding visual and sonic representations. Ray is currently the Associate Editor of Variable West. Their essays, reviews, and research have been featured in Cult Classic Magazine, A Year In Black Art journal, the Studio Museum in Harlem’s website, accompanying exhibitions at the Portland Art Museum, lumber room, Oregon Contemporary and more.