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PRZM PEOPLE ARCHIVE

EVA REIGN

WRITTEN BY PRZM_Admin

What’s your name, age, and preferred pronouns?

Eva Reign, 24, she/her.

Where are you from?

I’m from St. Louis, but I live in Brooklyn, NY.

How would you identify?

Queer Black trans woman.

What will Gen Z be remembered for?

We’ll be remembered for innovation and reimagining a system that was never meant to work.

What made you want to become a writer?

I began writing when I was 9 years old, sitting on the bleachers at my brother’s basketball games. I was really bored and wanted an escape from my present reality. As I got older, the more I wrote the more people around didn’t seem to understand me. St. Louis is a fairly religious and conservative area. A little effeminate Black kid tends to stand out which leads to a lot of ostracization. I needed to write to provide language not only to those around but to myself.

What piece have you written that you’re most proud of?

I’m most proud of a piece I wrote about life in Missouri. There’s so much more to say, but this was one of the first times I ever opened up about my time there. I plan on writing much more about my life in long form in the future. I’m also working on film that touches on those experiences through my fellowship with Queer|Art.

Where does inspiration come from?

My lived experience. Whenever I’m feeling alone and there are not recorded accounts of my loneliness or simply not enough, I feel inspired to change that. No one else should ever feel that they are the only ones suffering with a difficult experience. The more mirrors of self we have to turn to the better.

If this question was a commercial break what would you want our audience to know about?

My audience should know about the murders of Black trans women. We are being slain at an exponential rate, and that only accounts for the murders that are reported. Everyone needs to take action against the pandemic on Black trans livelihood. It’s crucial.

How has this year personally impacted you?

This year has really thrown me for a loop. I was living in Brooklyn when the pandemic hit, but I had some roommate issues that forced me to regroup. I went home to St. Louis, then Kansas City, then Chicago and now I’m back in Brooklyn. It’s been a wild ride. Luckily I’ve had people who care about me to help keep me safe.

When do you feel strongest?

Whenever I’m allowed to be vulnerable. I try to act strong by holding back my emotions and becoming silent, but when I actually let go and show parts of myself, I’m empowered.

How do you find balance?

I talk to my ancestors and look for guidance from my trancestors like Octavia St. Laurent and Consuela Cosmetica. I find messages embedded in my dreams. Knowing someone else is looking out for me helps me remain centered.

Last but not least please leave us with a quote by one of your favorite authors…

“Those parts of yourself that you desperately want to hide and destroy will gain power over you. The best thing to do is face and own them, because they are forever a part of you.” – Janet Mock

St. Louis born, world domination bound. Eva Reign is a profound writer who has found her voice sharing her story as a young Black trans woman from the Midwest. She is a film fellow for Queer|Art, a columnist for them., and you can read her work and stay up-to-date on her career here.