1 20 3 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/61b2a1fc6db5c0d94e57d59b047e3fc3.jpg 3b3a8c0d056536d9593fee8af633948c Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Rev. Louis Mitchell is a pioneering "intentional man". Known around the country and abroad as an elder, advocate, teacher, student, minister, parent and friend. He serves as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Transfaith™/Interfaith Working Group and as the Associate Minister of South Congregational Church in Springfield, MA.   Mitchell is a proud father to his daughter, Kahlo, and co-parent with her mother, Krysia L. Villon. Louis has been in recovery for over three decades and been involved in the fight for health, respect and self-determination since the early 1980s, with deep engagement in political, mental health, recovery, and church contexts. He brings his own learned experiences, a broad range of resources, theories and studies, to offer a fresh, “on the ground”, open-hearted, holistic strategy to the work of individual and community healing, intersectional diversity planning and commitment to personal and community agency and solvency. Some key accomplishments include: <ul> <li>Profiled in the documentaries <a href="http://www.stillblackfilm.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen</a> (2008, Zeigler & Lora), Gender Journeys: More than a Pronoun (2016, Luke Allen) and More than T (2017, Silas Howard).</li> <li>Going to Church with Kahlo Received the 2017 International Jose Julio Sarria Civil Rights Award from the Imperial Court of Western Massachusetts, the 2015 Claire Skiffington Vanguard Award from the Transgender Law Center for his long time advocacy for the disenfranchised and the 2011 Haystack Award from the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC for his work in Social Justice and Social Ministry. </li> <li>Received the President’s Award from the Wells College students for his 2015 Residency on Intentional Inclusion and Building Diversity.</li> <li>Recognized as a part of the <a href="http://thetrans100.com/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">2014 edition of the Trans 100</a>, Louis was named as one of the ten leading Black Religious leaders Advancing LGBTQ Justice by BelieveOutLoud.</li> <li>Honored by <a href="http://blacktransmen.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Black Trans Advocacy</a> with a Foundation Award in 2013. Established in his name, the "Louis Mitchell Foundation Award for Empowerment" acknowledges those who increase spiritual, political, or social strength through service, personal encouragement, and availability to the Black Trans Community.</li> <li>Profiled in the <a href="http://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=330" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">LGBT Religious Archives</a> Network gallery.</li> <li>Provided keynote addresses for the 2011 Transgender Religious Leaders Summit, the 2012 Inaugural <a href="http://blacktransmen.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Black Transmen, Inc</a>. Conference, and the 2012 <a href="http://www.trans-health.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference</a>.</li> <li> <ul> <li>Served as a founding member and East Coast Regional Minister of <a href="http://www.transsaints.org/">TransSaints</a>, a ministry of <a href="http://www.radicallyinclusive.com/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries</a>(TFAM).</li> <li>Served as the founding Officer for Religious Affairs for the <a href="http://www.transpoc.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Transgender People of Color Coalition</a>(TPOCC).</li> <li>Served as a member of the <a href="http://www.masspreventssuicide.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention</a> at both the regional (Pioneer Valley) and the statewide (Massachusetts) level..</li> <li>Co-founded Recovering the Promise Ministries in Springfield, MA.</li> <li>Worked with clients and staff at <a href="http://www.rhd.org/morrishouse.aspx" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Morris Home</a>, a transgender-specific residential recovery house in Philadelphia, PA.</li> <li>Served as founding executive director of the Oshun women’s drop-in center (San Francisco, CA).</li> <li>First “out” transgender-identified board member of the <a href="http://www.thetaskforce.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">National Gay and Lesbian Task Force</a> (now The Task Force) and a founding member of Lesbians and Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action (LGADDA).</li> </ul> (This biographical statement provided by Louis Mitchell.) </li> </ul> Biographical Text Rev. Louis Mitchell is a pioneering "intentional man". Known around the country and abroad as an elder, advocate, teacher, student, minister, parent and friend. He serves as the Co-founder and Executive Director of Transfaith™/Interfaith Working Group and as the Associate Minister of South Congregational Church in Springfield, MA.   Mitchell is a proud father to his daughter, Kahlo, and co-parent with her mother, Krysia L. Villon. Louis has been in recovery for over three decades and been involved in the fight for health, respect and self-determination since the early 1980s, with deep engagement in political, mental health, recovery, and church contexts. He brings his own learned experiences, a broad range of resources, theories and studies, to offer a fresh, “on the ground”, open-hearted, holistic strategy to the work of individual and community healing, intersectional diversity planning and commitment to personal and community agency and solvency. Some key accomplishments include: <ul> <li>Profiled in the documentaries <a href="http://www.stillblackfilm.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen</a> (2008, Zeigler & Lora), Gender Journeys: More than a Pronoun (2016, Luke Allen) and More than T (2017, Silas Howard).</li> <li>Going to Church with Kahlo Received the 2017 International Jose Julio Sarria Civil Rights Award from the Imperial Court of Western Massachusetts, the 2015 Claire Skiffington Vanguard Award from the Transgender Law Center for his long time advocacy for the disenfranchised and the 2011 Haystack Award from the Massachusetts Conference of the UCC for his work in Social Justice and Social Ministry. </li> <li>Received the President’s Award from the Wells College students for his 2015 Residency on Intentional Inclusion and Building Diversity.</li> <li>Recognized as a part of the <a href="http://thetrans100.com/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">2014 edition of the Trans 100</a>, Louis was named as one of the ten leading Black Religious leaders Advancing LGBTQ Justice by BelieveOutLoud.</li> <li>Honored by <a href="http://blacktransmen.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Black Trans Advocacy</a> with a Foundation Award in 2013. Established in his name, the "Louis Mitchell Foundation Award for Empowerment" acknowledges those who increase spiritual, political, or social strength through service, personal encouragement, and availability to the Black Trans Community.</li> <li>Profiled in the <a href="http://www.lgbtran.org/Profile.aspx?ID=330" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">LGBT Religious Archives</a> Network gallery.</li> <li>Provided keynote addresses for the 2011 Transgender Religious Leaders Summit, the 2012 Inaugural <a href="http://blacktransmen.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Black Transmen, Inc</a>. Conference, and the 2012 <a href="http://www.trans-health.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Philadelphia Trans-Health Conference</a>.</li> <li> <ul> <li>Served as a founding member and East Coast Regional Minister of <a href="http://www.transsaints.org/">TransSaints</a>, a ministry of <a href="http://www.radicallyinclusive.com/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries</a>(TFAM).</li> <li>Served as the founding Officer for Religious Affairs for the <a href="http://www.transpoc.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Transgender People of Color Coalition</a>(TPOCC).</li> <li>Served as a member of the <a href="http://www.masspreventssuicide.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention</a> at both the regional (Pioneer Valley) and the statewide (Massachusetts) level..</li> <li>Co-founded Recovering the Promise Ministries in Springfield, MA.</li> <li>Worked with clients and staff at <a href="http://www.rhd.org/morrishouse.aspx" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">Morris Home</a>, a transgender-specific residential recovery house in Philadelphia, PA.</li> <li>Served as founding executive director of the Oshun women’s drop-in center (San Francisco, CA).</li> <li>First “out” transgender-identified board member of the <a href="http://www.thetaskforce.org/" target="_blank" title="Opens external link in new window" rel="noopener">National Gay and Lesbian Task Force</a> (now The Task Force) and a founding member of Lesbians and Gays of African Descent for Democratic Action (LGADDA).</li> </ul> (This biographical statement provided by Louis Mitchell.) </li> </ul> Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Louis Mitchell Congregational Church Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Louis Mitchell TransFaith TransSaints Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Kevin Stole Text Rev. Kevin Downer Metropolitan Community Church Chicago, IL I am the founding pastor of aChurch4Me? MCC, a new community and church where love is a blessing, diversity is a gift, worship a celebration, and life a journey! I grew up in a small, rural New England farming village, attending a Congregational Church/UCC and felt called to ministry at an early age. A patriarch of the congregation confirmed this calling in my late teens, though by then I was sure that I could not be gay and Christian, let alone serve the church. I became a business consultant and busied myself for many years, avoiding faith and spirituality all together – until I wandered into an MCC. That first worship celebration changed my life and my journey, and slowly I reconciled my relationship with myself and my God, and the Spirit of God resurrected my calling. This stole was created by a Lay Leader at the first church that I served, MCC San Antonio. I am reminded of the communion of saints who have gone before us who have (and continue to) courageously heard the still small voice and responded, “Here I am, send me.” In their courageous witness, LGBTQ people like me are able to serve as our Maker gifts, calls, and sends us. This stole also remains a powerful reminder of the many callings never resurrected, and the untold needs that go unmet. Denomination Metropolitan Community Church United Church of Christ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1133 Title A name given to the resource Kevin Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Chicago, Illinois (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kevin Downer Chicago Clergy Activist Congregational Church Downer, Kevin Illinois MCC Ordination Texas United Church of Christ Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shower of Stoles Description An account of the resource Items (stoles) for the Shower of Stoles exhibit Stole A stole in the Shower of Stoles exhibit Honoree The person honored by the creation of thestole. Congregational Church of Needham Stole Text THE CONGREGATIONAL <?xml:namespace prefix = ns0 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />CHURCH OF NEEDHAM<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> United Church of Christ Needham, MA …gives this stole in celebration of the 5th anniversary of our vote to become an Open and Affirming congregation. We dedicate this stole to those in our midst and elsewhere who have lived and served openly or in silence, those who have suffered because of church or society and those who have been healed, those who have lost family or safety and those who have found them. May we be a place where all people find safety, healing, affirmation, fulfillment, and God’s grace. Open and Affirming Statement As a covenant community, we are committed to the belief that all people are created equal before God. In affirmation of the inclusive love of Christ Jesus, we welcome persons of any race, gender, age, sexual orientation, ability, and economic circumstance to full participation in our community life and ministry. We strive to reflect these beliefs in the language and content of our worship and in our lives together. Adopted February 2000 Denomination United Church of Christ Contribution Date 2007 Contribution Story The stole arrived in the mail. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context 1106 Title A name given to the resource Congregational Church of Needham Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant Needham, Massachusetts (USA) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Congregational Church of Needham Congregational Church Massachusetts Open and Affirming in the UCC (ONA) United Church of Christ