My name is Alex Neff (they/them).

There are many things that make me, me. I am a settler, I am queer, I am an artist, a loving partner, I am a brother, I am a son, and I am a listener, for starters.

I identify as non-binary and I go by they/them. As a gentle reminder, I often like to wear a pin with my pronouns. Though I appear masculine, inside, I am a softie and follow a feminine inner voice. I am also neurodivergent. I have Borderline Personality Disorder which means I feel emotions intensely and my frontal lobe (part of the brain) doesn’t work the same way as most adults. Because of this, I have to practice mindfulness around resource management, addiction, and self-criticism. I also have ADHD tendencies (getting a proper diagnosis is a long, arduous process in British Columbia—which I am knee deep in). Once, a kind doctor commented to me that diagnoses can be scary, but they can also be a blessing in understanding yourself—without this dual combination of neurodivergencies, I probably wouldn’t have the emotional drive or the bursts of intense focus to do Drawing Thanks like I do. Though at times, I can face challenges with my disabilities, because of this project, I can truly view them as a superpower and a great asset to my community.

I am a second generation Canadian. All four of my grandparents immigrated to Canada. My mum’s Welsh parents moved here for forbidden young love which went on to stand the test of time. My dad’s German parents moved here to escape a fear-driven and dangerous country. My mum was born in Alberta and my father in British Columbia. It has been an important task of my twenties and thirties to grasp the privileges and unbalanced, unequitible systems I have been born into and benefit from to this day. This country has been a place of refuge for my family, but at the undeniable cost of life and culture it erased in order for “Canada” to exist. As a white settler, it is very important to me that my practice respects, acknowledges, and learns from Indigenous culture and creatives—emphasizing at the heart of the work, connection and relationships. Throughout my blog posts, you will frequently find me using the traditional names of places I have worked and lived in, as well as their colonial names for clarity and context.

For me, it is hard to separate Drawing Thanks from who I am. Through this practice, I get to show up as my authentic self, practice gratitude for the people around me, make people feel seen and appreciated, and share their stories for others to learn from.

As you spend time on this website, I hope you feel the love and care I put into it. It means a lot to me that you are here celebrating the incredible power of community with me.