About Arianne True
Please do not copy this informal deluge for events or other official things :) A short bio for events etc is below; scroll down.
Arianne True (that’s me!) is a poet and excitable human based in Tacoma, WA. I grew up in Seattle, brought up by the local youth poetry scene; as an adult, most of my work has been as a teaching artist with young poets, and working with youth is one of my favorite things. I’ve taught with Writers in the Schools, the Hugo House, and the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate program (and a bunch of other places, but those are the long-running ones). I’ve also been a guest lecturer in multiple departments at the University of Washington, and have a lot of fun teaching college courses.
I’m Chickasaw (enrolled) and Choctaw, chronically ill and disabled, neurodivergent, ace, and a raging lesbian. Representation and my communities are very important to me, and if you want more details on all this, you can find more in the communities statement on this page.
I’m also a proud alum of Hedgebrook and of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts, and I’ve received fellowships and residencies from Jack Straw, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Repertory Theater, among others. I have dreams of putting a full resume on this site at some point because everywhere that does a good job supporting artists should be named and appreciated.
My work has appeared in journals, zines, and anthologies (see Published Work for a list), and I’ve also been a poet for the Pride Poets Hotline, writing custom poems for strangers over the phone. My first full-length collection of poetry, working title exhibits, is forthcoming from Red Hen Press in 2026, and I can’t wait for you to read it.
I love multimedia poetry installations (and all sorts of weird and/or collaborative art!). Some of my work has been in group shows and I also, through the residency at Seattle Rep, got to create a massive solo installation open to the public; it adapted an entire experimental manuscript into an immersive physical space, letting visitors walk around inside the text.
Currently, I’m the 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate. For more info on the projects and events I do as part of that work, or to make event or press requests, check out the WA Poet Laureate website. Follow me on Instagram at @ariannetrue and @wapoetlaureate for updates and random fun goodies.
Fun facts: I live with my cat, wife, and dog. I am always on the lookout for high-quality dairy-free baked goods. I love comics and video games, and also yelling about narrative structure, how we tell stories, and why that matters. I find so much joy in cool stickers and anything to do with zines.
Helpful note! Arianne is pronounced “airy-anne” and I really appreciate when folks try to get it right! My pronouns are whatever is kind and respectful and feels natural, and I can’t stand formal gendered address (so none of that “Ms.” business please).
photo credit Libby Lewis
Communities Statement
I come from a lot of marginalized and politicized groups of people, and it's really important to me to be visible as part of those groups, and also to do advocacy and education around ways our needs go unmet, especially in arts spaces. There is a lot of work to keep doing to make our arts and literary spaces inclusive and beautiful places for everyone.
I am Native/indigenous (Choctaw and Chickasaw), queer (lesbian, acespec, and some femme gender fun), and poor/working class, both growing up and as an adult.
I have a number of chronic illnesses and disabilities (including POTS, EDS, post-viral illness, and severe MCS), and am neurodivergent (autistic + ADHD). I'm a millennial in my early 30s, so I'm also young + disabled/ill, which is a whole thing too. I believe in the social model of disability, and constantly experience that changing physical setups and human attitudes are both needed to make our spaces more accessible.
Short version: I'm a punk-ass sick neurospicy indigiqueer.
P.S. This section is not exhaustive; this is not every group or community I belong to, but it is the ones I'm currently comfortable and happy talking about and interacting around in public spaces <3 And as always, a reminder that there are no monoliths or spokespeople; I am one person, no more no less.
Looking for a bio for a reading or other event? Use this:
Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) is a disabled queer poet and teaching artist from Seattle, and has spent most of her work time working with youth. She’s received fellowships and residencies from Jack Straw, Artist Trust, and the Seattle Repertory Theater, among others, and is a proud alum of Hedgebrook and of the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts. She lives in Tacoma with her cat and is always questing for high-quality dairy-free baked goods. Arianne is the 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate. Learn more at https://www.arts.wa.gov/washington-state-poet-laureate/ and follow her on Instagram at @wapoetlaureate and @ariannetrue.
Current Projects
exhibits
exhibits is a collection of experimental poems that bring you through a museum exhibition, and the poems are reading you as much as you're reading them. This museum engages with how the experience of childhood trauma doesn't end when you turn eighteen, and the effects ripple, even for decades, finding new ways to manifest and asking to be healed. Given the history of Natives and American museums, the museum form is also a perfect place to repatriate a stolen body, and the artist in the book hopes to do just that across the course of the work.
If you're curious about this project, check out what's out in the world so far: it has a special section on my Published work page.
Update: exhibits has been accepted for publication! Red Hen Press has slated it for 2026 (dreamy!). There should be a pre-order link about six months before publication, and I'll add that here when it's ready! You can follow me on Instagram for the latest updates.
Pepper Gecko Editing: freelance work!
I spent a year or two training in a professional program for editors and copyeditors, and am now a freelance copyeditor and proofreader! If you're curious about the editing side of my life, or are interested in contracting me for a project, you can visit Pepper Gecko Editing.
The dream someday is to work as an editor for comics and graphic novels, though I'm happy to take on all sorts of projects right now. I love helping people find clarity of expression in their writing, and prioritize that and the experience of the reader when I'm editing.