Aaron Kirk Douglas

Aaron Kirk Douglas writes where empathy meets edge, chronicling the messy, magical intersections of mentorship, family, and redemption. A lifelong Oregonian, he first captured hearts with "Growing Up Twice," a memoir of mentoring the first of three half-brothers through Big Brothers Big Sisters and beyond — into the raw, unpredictable terrain of real life.

Aaron's own path runs just as unpredictably: from Southern Baptist roots in Springfield, Oregon, to a seeker's years in India, to a married gay convert to Judaism — a journey that infuses his work with curiosity and soul. A vegetarian for 40-plus years and an irreverent paralegal-turned-marketing-pro, he co-produced the award-winning documentary "Monster Camp" and co-created the alien-abduction musical "Among the Stars" (formerly "Planet Eden") with Joel Cobbs, featuring original music and lyrics by Kurt Crowley.

You can follow Aaron's short essays on Medium at @aaronpdx.