Meet Ali Kellog of The Satanic Temple in Mt. Washington

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ali Kellog.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ali. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was born in Venice Beach, CA to a Buddhist musician and an Italian flight attendant. I grew up for the most part a loner, and spent a lot of time in the ocean or playing music. My life today is made up of a number of really unconventional assets – archaeology & academic work, music, political activism, and Satanism. They’re all intertwined and make my life very much not a boring one, and I’m very happy about that.

I graduated from UCLA with a Masters in Archaeology where I did research on ancient Mayan agricultural practices and religion. I also played in a bunch of bands and have been making music since I was 15. I currently record solo under the moniker Sister Calypso. I mostly do compositional work and scores for film, performance and video art. I work as a writer now, mostly cataloging macabre moments in history and Satanic philosophy.

I got into Satanism like most people when I was a pissed off teenager who listened to metal. I got a copy of LaVey’s Satanic Bible, which I could relate to some of, but it felt very gimmicky and not welcoming to women. My first real job was working in a small bookstore when I was 16, and I also dropped out of high school and got my CHSPE to start at community college early. Those extra two years to take any class that interested me and spend the rest of the time flipping through various books fueled a lot of my development. I’ve always been interested in the Left Hand Path and occult philosophy, but never really felt like there was one thing I fully identified with enough to subscribe and conform to it. At this same time, I was also just getting involved with activism by way of either going to protests/marches or canvassing for non-profits. When The Satanic Temple came into my life in 2014, it felt very natural and my involvement came swiftly.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Absolutely not, and I’ve learned to be grateful for all of the pot holes because I believe without them, I’d be boring and dimensionless. Most of my hurdles are put in front of me by myself. I have depression, anxiety, PTSD, I struggle with my self-esteem and self-doubt like anyone. I had a really shitty childhood full of abuse that will likely stay with me forever. My mom took her own life when I was a teenager which absolutely shattered my world. But like I said, coarseness is what creates a beautiful surface and I’m also in many ways grateful for the crappy cards life has dealt me because it made me into the person I am.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Satanic Temple story. Tell us more about the business.
The Satanic Temple is a religious and activist organization now prominent on a global scale. We’re like a big family that micro-organizes to collectively combat what we see as the true evils of the world – religious totalitarianism, restrictions on free speech and bodily autonomy, the war on science, and the suppression of an empathetic nature to all people. I am a chapter head for the Los Angeles chapter.

I’m most proud of the collective brilliance of my cohorts and the opportunity to be a part of such a ferociously intelligent and magical community.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thesatanictemple.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: flatchestedpirateprincess
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sssssistercalypso

Image Credit:
Ali

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