Aria Sa’id is a Senior Policy Advisor, Cultural Strategist, Writer and the Founder/Director of the Kween Culture Initiative.

Aria is humbled to be a 2018 recipient the San Francisco Pride “Heritage of Pride Award for 10+ Years of Service” to the transgender and Gender nonconforming community of the Bay Area and the state of California.

As a writer, she created the concept blog, TransSexInTheCity, in 2013 as a platform to share her stories for “cosmopolitan transwomen who never got to share her stories at slumber parties”. She would go on to be a published contributing author to the 2018 Lambda Literary Award nominated transgender erotica anthology, Nerve Endings, edited by Tobi Hill-Meyer.

As an award winning public policy advocate, she co-founded the world’s first transgender cultural district, the Compton’s Cultural District. She was a co-sponsor of SB 310: Name and Dignity Act for Incarcerated Transgender People, and served as lobbyist for SB 179: Gender Recognition Act– both laws being authored by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins.

For her efforts in public policy, she has received awards from:  California State Legislature’s Assembly, The Women’s Foundation of California,  Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence Initiative ‘National Excellence’ Award, and the 2017 Emerging Leader award at the San Francisco Transgender Day of Visibility.

 

In addition, she was a lead advocate for the “Prioritizing Safety for Sex Workers” bulletin with San Francisco Police Department- and continuing in the 2018 state legislation cycle (AB 2243, ASM Friedman).

She is a 2016-2017 Policy Fellow Alum of the Women’s Foundation of California’s Women’s Policy Institute; and Sojourner Truth Fellow Alum of Auburn Theological Seminary in New York.

She is featured in numerous media platforms for her advocacy including, SF Weekly, Buzzfeed, SF Examiner,  Huffington Post, Vice, San Francisco Examiner, and The Advocate Magazine for her advocacy efforts.

 

She currently serves as the Senior Policy Advisor for the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, where she oversees LGBT Initiatives, Sex Worker Policy & Community Engagement, LGBTQI+ Violence Prevention Grant making & Community Partnerships, and strategy to address government relations in Race & Gender Justice Equity and a commitment towards raising visibility on intersectional experiences of marginalized communities.