54 20 2479 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/03a2408884704028c32f6099e4e11a53.jpg ca72c3d6ad77648e3fc47bb30eec356b Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Nicole Michelle Garcia was born Michael on December 12, 1959, in Boulder, Colorado, the oldest son in a Hispanic, Roman Catholic family. On December 12, 1532, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an Indian peasant, Juan Diego, and told him to take roses to the Bishop of Mexico. As Juan Diego opened his blanket, the roses fell to the floor and the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared on the blanket. Michael was a Guadalupano. The church and the Virgin of Guadalupe were important parts of life during his formative years. He grew up a good Roman Catholic boy; played guitar in the church choir. While in college, he served on the church council. To the world, Michael was a quiet, studious, young man. On the inside, he constantly battled depression. He tried too hard, but never felt like he fit in anywhere. He prayed to God to help him fit in. He didn’t like the things the other guys liked and felt uncomfortable spending time doing “guy things.” Michael met Gwyn while in college at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She seemed to like Michael because he was gentle and sensitive. Gwyn was his first “girlfriend” and was very independent and open-minded. She introduced him to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Michael saw this movie at least 30 times in two years. He had never heard the term “transvestite” before and had never thought anyone else liked to do what he did. When he told Gwyn he liked wearing women’s clothes, she was not surprised. She actually let him “dress up” for her. Michael received a B.A. in political science in 1982 and started graduate school. During the first semester his  relationship with Gwyn ended. He feared he would never again find someone with whom he felt safe with this secret. He did not finish the second semester; moved out of his parents’ house and lived in a house with friends. Michael worked in retail sales--at one time or another, he sold men’s clothing, jewelry, women’s perfume and cars. By November of 1989, he was living with a cousin in the back room of her trailer. Life was going nowhere, fast. One morning he ended up in a detox center. He realized that he had lost all direction, faith and hope.  He started attending Alcoholics Anonymous and grudgingly allowed God back into his life. During the following years, Michael worked hard--was promoted a few times and became an assistant store manager. He was able to afford his own place. He was praying again, but hadn’t found a church to attend on a regular basis. Michael was “buying and purging” on a regular basis. He would get the courage to buy a few pieces of women’s clothing to wear around the house. Later he would feel terrible about having these feelings and throw away all the women’s garments. He tried to repress those so-called “shameful” feelings. Michael met a woman in 1993 who seemed like every man’s dream. The family adored her. They were married on October 1, 1994, in a big wedding in a Roman Catholic Church. Michael began a new career, law enforcement. He didn’t have to think about what he was supposed to wear. He was trained to be to be commanding and finally learned to be macho. By his 41st birthday, he was married to a wonderful woman and they both had successful careers. They lived in a large house near downtown Denver with two new cars in the garage. But there were problems looming. They wanted kids, but she didn’t get pregnant. Michael managed to avoid sexual situations as much as possible--usually working second shift and taking on extra duties. He was still trying to repress his shameful feelings and began drinking again. They agreed to divorce and he moved to a little house in the suburbs. The downward spiral continued and Michael even contemplated suicide. But when his employer sent out a message about confidential mental health treatment, he made the call out of desperation. After two sessions, the therapist recommended long-term therapy. With the therapist's help, he began to come to terms with the fact that he may be a “cross-dresser.” At the therapist's recommendation, he went to a support group at the Gender Identity Center of Colorado (GIC). In February 2003, Michael attended the Goldrush Conference, sponsored by the GIC, bringing together the transgender world for a few days. Speakers and workshops dealt with a wide variety of topics, such as make-up, clothes, surgeries, therapy and how to walk and talk like a man or a woman. Although Michael went to the conference to come to terms with being a cross-dresser, he sat in on a workshop that dealt with transsexuals. As he sat there and listened to the stories, he started realizing they were telling his story. During that workshop, Michael had a “moment of clarity,” a term from the AA Big Book. This moment happened when he realized and accepted who he was. Michael was a woman. Then came a feeling Michael had never felt before--inner peace. The prospect of making this gender transition--to become Nicole--was huge. Her therapist referred her to another therapist, who specialized in Gender Identity Disorder. She was referred to a medical doctor and on July 8, 2003, started hormone replacement therapy. As a part of therapy, she decided to dress as a woman during the evenings and on weekends. She began attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Denver with René, a friend from the GIC conference. She joined St. Paul after several months--in April 2004--because the people treated her as an individual, not as a transgender woman. Nicole first talked with her sisters about her transition. Nicole's parents also took it well, but feared Nicole would end up alone in the world. After giving them six months to process the reality of Michael becoming Nicole, she began to wear more feminine clothing on family visits, then some make-up. It took time, patience and understanding, but Nicole's family worked through this transition. The reaction at work was easier than expected. Nicole initially came out to an officer with whom she had a close professional and personal relationship. With her help, she told a few more officers, then her immediate supervisor. After some consultation Nicole was asked to attend a department-wide supervisors’ meeting where the Director gave her full support, directing all supervisors to contact her directly if there was any dissention in the ranks. Nicole was transferred from the streets to a desk position for the transition. It wasn't long before everyone in the office was a friend and supporter. Nicole had gender reassignment surgery in Trinidad, Colorado, on November 11, 2005. Her birth certificate was amended to reflect her new name, Nicole Michelle García, and sex, female. Soon thereafter, Nicole was transferred back to the streets at work. In July 2008, Nicole was elected the Transgender Representative on the board of directors of Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA). In June 2011, Nicole became the co-chair of the board of directors. Being a member of the board of LC/NA has provided many opportunities. In 2010, Nicole accepted an invitation to join the Latino/a Roundtable, sponsored by the Pacific School of Religion, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Ministry and Religion. In 2011, Nicole joined the board of directors of the Interfaith Working Group (IWG). IWG supports people of transgender and gender non-conforming experience by being the umbrella organization for TransFaith On-line, Allies Gather, and the Yes! Coalition of Philadelphia. Nicole chairs the Leadership Development Committee as a member of the IWG board. In that capacity, Nicole is reaching out to connect with individuals in the transgender and gender non-conforming community to develop the future leaders of the movement. In an effort to understand the complexity of human existence, Nicole has become a graduate student in counseling at the University of Colorado Denver. Nicole is on track to earn a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology in August 2013. And, after fulfilling the requirements for the state of Colorado, intends to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. As a self-identified transgender Latina, Nicole has presented workshops at two previous LC/NA biennial assemblies (2008 and 2010), at National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change (2009. 2011, and 2012), the Philadelphia TransHealth Conference, (2009, 2010, 2011), and countless events in Boulder County Colorado for PFLAG, Boulder County Public Health, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Nicole is a trainer for A La Familia - a bilingual guide for addressing LGBT inclusion in Catholic and Protestant Latino families and congregations created by The Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and UNIDOS, the National Latina/o LGBT Human Rights Organization. (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman from an autobiographical article by Nicole Garcia in the Winter 2007 issue of LC/NA's Concord and from additional information provided by Nicole.) Biographical Text Nicole Michelle Garcia was born Michael on December 12, 1959, in Boulder, Colorado, the oldest son in a Hispanic, Roman Catholic family. On December 12, 1532, the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to an Indian peasant, Juan Diego, and told him to take roses to the Bishop of Mexico. As Juan Diego opened his blanket, the roses fell to the floor and the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe appeared on the blanket. Michael was a Guadalupano. The church and the Virgin of Guadalupe were important parts of life during his formative years. He grew up a good Roman Catholic boy; played guitar in the church choir. While in college, he served on the church council. To the world, Michael was a quiet, studious, young man. On the inside, he constantly battled depression. He tried too hard, but never felt like he fit in anywhere. He prayed to God to help him fit in. He didn’t like the things the other guys liked and felt uncomfortable spending time doing “guy things.” Michael met Gwyn while in college at the University of Colorado in Boulder. She seemed to like Michael because he was gentle and sensitive. Gwyn was his first “girlfriend” and was very independent and open-minded. She introduced him to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Michael saw this movie at least 30 times in two years. He had never heard the term “transvestite” before and had never thought anyone else liked to do what he did. When he told Gwyn he liked wearing women’s clothes, she was not surprised. She actually let him “dress up” for her. Michael received a B.A. in political science in 1982 and started graduate school. During the first semester his  relationship with Gwyn ended. He feared he would never again find someone with whom he felt safe with this secret. He did not finish the second semester; moved out of his parents’ house and lived in a house with friends. Michael worked in retail sales--at one time or another, he sold men’s clothing, jewelry, women’s perfume and cars. By November of 1989, he was living with a cousin in the back room of her trailer. Life was going nowhere, fast. One morning he ended up in a detox center. He realized that he had lost all direction, faith and hope.  He started attending Alcoholics Anonymous and grudgingly allowed God back into his life. During the following years, Michael worked hard--was promoted a few times and became an assistant store manager. He was able to afford his own place. He was praying again, but hadn’t found a church to attend on a regular basis. Michael was “buying and purging” on a regular basis. He would get the courage to buy a few pieces of women’s clothing to wear around the house. Later he would feel terrible about having these feelings and throw away all the women’s garments. He tried to repress those so-called “shameful” feelings. Michael met a woman in 1993 who seemed like every man’s dream. The family adored her. They were married on October 1, 1994, in a big wedding in a Roman Catholic Church. Michael began a new career, law enforcement. He didn’t have to think about what he was supposed to wear. He was trained to be to be commanding and finally learned to be macho. By his 41st birthday, he was married to a wonderful woman and they both had successful careers. They lived in a large house near downtown Denver with two new cars in the garage. But there were problems looming. They wanted kids, but she didn’t get pregnant. Michael managed to avoid sexual situations as much as possible--usually working second shift and taking on extra duties. He was still trying to repress his shameful feelings and began drinking again. They agreed to divorce and he moved to a little house in the suburbs. The downward spiral continued and Michael even contemplated suicide. But when his employer sent out a message about confidential mental health treatment, he made the call out of desperation. After two sessions, the therapist recommended long-term therapy. With the therapist's help, he began to come to terms with the fact that he may be a “cross-dresser.” At the therapist's recommendation, he went to a support group at the Gender Identity Center of Colorado (GIC). In February 2003, Michael attended the Goldrush Conference, sponsored by the GIC, bringing together the transgender world for a few days. Speakers and workshops dealt with a wide variety of topics, such as make-up, clothes, surgeries, therapy and how to walk and talk like a man or a woman. Although Michael went to the conference to come to terms with being a cross-dresser, he sat in on a workshop that dealt with transsexuals. As he sat there and listened to the stories, he started realizing they were telling his story. During that workshop, Michael had a “moment of clarity,” a term from the AA Big Book. This moment happened when he realized and accepted who he was. Michael was a woman. Then came a feeling Michael had never felt before--inner peace. The prospect of making this gender transition--to become Nicole--was huge. Her therapist referred her to another therapist, who specialized in Gender Identity Disorder. She was referred to a medical doctor and on July 8, 2003, started hormone replacement therapy. As a part of therapy, she decided to dress as a woman during the evenings and on weekends. She began attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in downtown Denver with René, a friend from the GIC conference. She joined St. Paul after several months--in April 2004--because the people treated her as an individual, not as a transgender woman. Nicole first talked with her sisters about her transition. Nicole's parents also took it well, but feared Nicole would end up alone in the world. After giving them six months to process the reality of Michael becoming Nicole, she began to wear more feminine clothing on family visits, then some make-up. It took time, patience and understanding, but Nicole's family worked through this transition. The reaction at work was easier than expected. Nicole initially came out to an officer with whom she had a close professional and personal relationship. With her help, she told a few more officers, then her immediate supervisor. After some consultation Nicole was asked to attend a department-wide supervisors’ meeting where the Director gave her full support, directing all supervisors to contact her directly if there was any dissention in the ranks. Nicole was transferred from the streets to a desk position for the transition. It wasn't long before everyone in the office was a friend and supporter. Nicole had gender reassignment surgery in Trinidad, Colorado, on November 11, 2005. Her birth certificate was amended to reflect her new name, Nicole Michelle García, and sex, female. Soon thereafter, Nicole was transferred back to the streets at work. In July 2008, Nicole was elected the Transgender Representative on the board of directors of Lutherans Concerned/North America (LC/NA). In June 2011, Nicole became the co-chair of the board of directors. Being a member of the board of LC/NA has provided many opportunities. In 2010, Nicole accepted an invitation to join the Latino/a Roundtable, sponsored by the Pacific School of Religion, Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Ministry and Religion. In 2011, Nicole joined the board of directors of the Interfaith Working Group (IWG). IWG supports people of transgender and gender non-conforming experience by being the umbrella organization for TransFaith On-line, Allies Gather, and the Yes! Coalition of Philadelphia. Nicole chairs the Leadership Development Committee as a member of the IWG board. In that capacity, Nicole is reaching out to connect with individuals in the transgender and gender non-conforming community to develop the future leaders of the movement. In an effort to understand the complexity of human existence, Nicole has become a graduate student in counseling at the University of Colorado Denver. Nicole is on track to earn a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology in August 2013. And, after fulfilling the requirements for the state of Colorado, intends to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. As a self-identified transgender Latina, Nicole has presented workshops at two previous LC/NA biennial assemblies (2008 and 2010), at National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Creating Change (2009. 2011, and 2012), the Philadelphia TransHealth Conference, (2009, 2010, 2011), and countless events in Boulder County Colorado for PFLAG, Boulder County Public Health, and the University of Colorado Boulder. Nicole is a trainer for A La Familia - a bilingual guide for addressing LGBT inclusion in Catholic and Protestant Latino families and congregations created by The Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and UNIDOS, the National Latina/o LGBT Human Rights Organization. (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman from an autobiographical article by Nicole Garcia in the Winter 2007 issue of LC/NA's Concord and from additional information provided by Nicole.) 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 Nicole Garcia Catholic LC/NA Lutheran Lutherans Concerned Nicole Garcia Roman Catholic TransFaith Online https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/292bfe359e98f38096a3372e05a6acfd.jpg e808e06e3880dfb20e4c8c26625faecd Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Nickie Valdez, a native of San Antonio, came out in the early 1960’s and has always been inclined to the spiritual aspect of life.  Her early involvement with the LGBT community began in the early 70’s, at the San Antonio Free Clinic (a city wide clinic funded in part by the United Way) where she volunteered for the switchboard (a hotline for the LGBT community).  At that time, the bars were the only convening places for the community in San Antonio.  Through her involvement with the Free Clinic and NOW, she met others who formed the Forward Foundation which organized the first  conference in San Antonio for the LGBT community in 1976 called “A Sense of Belonging”. She had also began gathering with other lesbians and gay men to talk and share about their sexuality as it related to their sexuality. The group would gather, pray, discuss scripture and it’s meaning in their lives as gays and lesbians. Then the group found Dignity, Inc., a national organization of LGBT Catholics.  She along with about 10-15 others, about half women and half men, started the local Dignity Chapter. Dignity San Antonio is the oldest LGBT organization in San Antonio.  Nickie has been a vital and active member of the Dignity community for its 41 years of service in San Antonio. She has also been a founder of other organization in San Antonio, including San Antonio Equal Rights Political Caucus and PRO SA (Progressive Religious Organizations of San Antonio) and worked hard to build bridges across communities and groups.  She and her spouse of 31 years, Deb Myers, were legally married in September of 2015. (This biographical statement provided by Nickie Valdez.) Biographical Text Nickie Valdez, a native of San Antonio, came out in the early 1960’s and has always been inclined to the spiritual aspect of life.  Her early involvement with the LGBT community began in the early 70’s, at the San Antonio Free Clinic (a city wide clinic funded in part by the United Way) where she volunteered for the switchboard (a hotline for the LGBT community).  At that time, the bars were the only convening places for the community in San Antonio.  Through her involvement with the Free Clinic and NOW, she met others who formed the Forward Foundation which organized the first  conference in San Antonio for the LGBT community in 1976 called “A Sense of Belonging”. She had also began gathering with other lesbians and gay men to talk and share about their sexuality as it related to their sexuality. The group would gather, pray, discuss scripture and it’s meaning in their lives as gays and lesbians. Then the group found Dignity, Inc., a national organization of LGBT Catholics.  She along with about 10-15 others, about half women and half men, started the local Dignity Chapter. Dignity San Antonio is the oldest LGBT organization in San Antonio.  Nickie has been a vital and active member of the Dignity community for its 41 years of service in San Antonio. She has also been a founder of other organization in San Antonio, including San Antonio Equal Rights Political Caucus and PRO SA (Progressive Religious Organizations of San Antonio) and worked hard to build bridges across communities and groups.  She and her spouse of 31 years, Deb Myers, were legally married in September of 2015. (This biographical statement provided by Nickie Valdez.) 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 Nickie Valdez Catholic Dignity DignityUSA Nickie Valdez Roman Catholic https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/afef35a21a51fd6b5f06f65ee9e4e883.jpg c04ebcc7a9ccc17a89d60565bca7c9f6 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document The Rev. Dr. Neil G. Cazares-Thomas is currently the Senior Pastor of Cathedral of Hope of Dallas, called and elected by the 4,500-member congregation on April 12, 2015, following a year-long search. He began his tenure on June 3, 2015. Dr. Cazares-Thomas served as the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church, Bournemouth following his ordination, serving in this capacity for 12 years. He was instrumental in founding churches in Southampton, Brighton, Dorchester, and Torquay, (England). In 2002, he answered a call to ministry in Los Angeles where he served as Senior Pastor of MCC Los Angeles, the founding church of the Metropolitan Community Churches.  Well-known for his social activism he has been instrumental in feeding programs for the homeless, night and day shelters, safer sex initiatives, establishing relations with police and LGBTQ communities, Over the Rainbow, (a drop in center offering counseling, support and information), LGBTQ youth services, as well as challenging laws that continue discrimination and intolerance. He also served as chaplain to the Sanctuary (an HIV/AIDS hospice), five drug and alcohol rehab houses, Women’s Refuge and the Mayor of Bournemouth. He also served as Chair of Relate (Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch)--a relationship counseling organization.  In 1998, Thomas was honored by an invitation from HRH Queen Elizabeth II to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his work in the Bournemouth community. He is a contributing author of Daring to Speak Love’s Name and From Queer to Eternity. He has also been featured in a number of journals relating to queer theology and ministry to the LGBTQ community. Prior to his arrival in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Cazares-Thomas served for 13 years as the Senior Pastor of the Founders Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles, the founding church of Metropolitan Community Churches, an international movement of churches reaching in and beyond the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, and inter-sex community. A member of Metropolitan Community Churches since 1981, having joined the church on his fifteenth birthday, Rev. Neil has served in numerous denominational positions including Chair, Board of Ordained Ministries (European District); Member, Elder’s Task Force on Education; Member, European District Committee; Member, Board of Samaritan College in Europe; Supervising Pastor, and Ecumenical Officer. More recently he has served on the Moderator’s Advising Team and consultant to the Office of Formation and Leadership Development. As a native of Bournemouth, England, Dr. Cazares-Thomas was born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His family left the Mormon Church in his early years. He attended St John’s Theological College (Church of England), La Saint Union (Roman Catholic) and King Alfred’s College, and graduated with a BA (M. Div [USA equiv]). In 2002, he enrolled in the Doctoral program at San Francisco Theological College (Presbyterian) He graduated with his Doctor of Ministry in October 2009. Dr. Cazares-Thomas holds credentials in both the United Church of Christ and Metropolitan Community Churches. Dr. Cazares-Thomas is a contributing author of Daring to Speak Love’s Name (Penguin Books, 1993), From Queer to Eternity (Cassell, 1997), The Queer Bible Commentary (SCM Press, 2006) and is currently writing a chapter for a new book entitled, Jesus Acted Up: Then and Now. He has also been featured in a number of journals relating to queer theology and ministry to the LGBTQ community. Dr. Cazares-Thomas served as president of California Faith for Equality, an interfaith coalition that built a strong voice in bringing about Marriage Equality in California; president of the Los Angeles LGBTQI Clergy Council; and served Metropolitan Community Churches on the California Council of Churches. Dr. Cazares-Thomas is married to Isaiah Thomas-Cazares and they have a daughter. (This biographical statement provided by Neil Cazares-Thomas.) Biographical Text The Rev. Dr. Neil G. Cazares-Thomas is currently the Senior Pastor of Cathedral of Hope of Dallas, called and elected by the 4,500-member congregation on April 12, 2015, following a year-long search. He began his tenure on June 3, 2015. Dr. Cazares-Thomas served as the Senior Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church, Bournemouth following his ordination, serving in this capacity for 12 years. He was instrumental in founding churches in Southampton, Brighton, Dorchester, and Torquay, (England). In 2002, he answered a call to ministry in Los Angeles where he served as Senior Pastor of MCC Los Angeles, the founding church of the Metropolitan Community Churches.  Well-known for his social activism he has been instrumental in feeding programs for the homeless, night and day shelters, safer sex initiatives, establishing relations with police and LGBTQ communities, Over the Rainbow, (a drop in center offering counseling, support and information), LGBTQ youth services, as well as challenging laws that continue discrimination and intolerance. He also served as chaplain to the Sanctuary (an HIV/AIDS hospice), five drug and alcohol rehab houses, Women’s Refuge and the Mayor of Bournemouth. He also served as Chair of Relate (Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch)--a relationship counseling organization.  In 1998, Thomas was honored by an invitation from HRH Queen Elizabeth II to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of his work in the Bournemouth community. He is a contributing author of Daring to Speak Love’s Name and From Queer to Eternity. He has also been featured in a number of journals relating to queer theology and ministry to the LGBTQ community. Prior to his arrival in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Cazares-Thomas served for 13 years as the Senior Pastor of the Founders Metropolitan Community Church, Los Angeles, the founding church of Metropolitan Community Churches, an international movement of churches reaching in and beyond the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, and inter-sex community. A member of Metropolitan Community Churches since 1981, having joined the church on his fifteenth birthday, Rev. Neil has served in numerous denominational positions including Chair, Board of Ordained Ministries (European District); Member, Elder’s Task Force on Education; Member, European District Committee; Member, Board of Samaritan College in Europe; Supervising Pastor, and Ecumenical Officer. More recently he has served on the Moderator’s Advising Team and consultant to the Office of Formation and Leadership Development. As a native of Bournemouth, England, Dr. Cazares-Thomas was born into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. His family left the Mormon Church in his early years. He attended St John’s Theological College (Church of England), La Saint Union (Roman Catholic) and King Alfred’s College, and graduated with a BA (M. Div [USA equiv]). In 2002, he enrolled in the Doctoral program at San Francisco Theological College (Presbyterian) He graduated with his Doctor of Ministry in October 2009. Dr. Cazares-Thomas holds credentials in both the United Church of Christ and Metropolitan Community Churches. Dr. Cazares-Thomas is a contributing author of Daring to Speak Love’s Name (Penguin Books, 1993), From Queer to Eternity (Cassell, 1997), The Queer Bible Commentary (SCM Press, 2006) and is currently writing a chapter for a new book entitled, Jesus Acted Up: Then and Now. He has also been featured in a number of journals relating to queer theology and ministry to the LGBTQ community. Dr. Cazares-Thomas served as president of California Faith for Equality, an interfaith coalition that built a strong voice in bringing about Marriage Equality in California; president of the Los Angeles LGBTQI Clergy Council; and served Metropolitan Community Churches on the California Council of Churches. Dr. Cazares-Thomas is married to Isaiah Thomas-Cazares and they have a daughter. (This biographical statement provided by Neil Cazares-Thomas.) 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 Neil Cazares-Thomas MCC Metropolitan Community Church Neil Cazares-Thomas https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d4d4701859e68e6393774c51687edd9f.jpg 14146baa5d99c299cb1d8225594174af Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a daughter of Detroit, is the Faith Work Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, the country's oldest national LGBTQ justice and equality group. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Theology and Religious Studies department at Villanova University. Before joining the Task Force, Naomi was the suburban community organizer for POWER, a multi-faith, multi-racial network of congregations in Metro Philadelphia. She also served as Co-Pastor and Minister of Music at the Wisdom's Table at St. Peter's United Church of Christ. She is affiliated with the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries and the United Church of Christ, and earned the Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2016. Naomi delights in singing with the Philly Threshold Choir, a group whose mission is to bring audible comfort and kindness to people in hospice care. She is a board member of Roots of Justice, a collective of anti-racism trainers and organizers. In 2016, Naomi was invited to serve as a member of the Faith and Spiritual Affairs Advisory Board of the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Disability Services, and in 2017, she was appointed by Mayor John Kenney to the Philadelphia Commission on LGBT Affairs. Naomi's work is included in the volume,"From Generation to Generation: A Commemorative Collection of African American Millennial Sermons from the Festival of Preachers 2010-2015, a rare and unique compilation of what the nation's most promising young African-American ministers are thinking and proclaiming about the Christian faith (Chalice Press, 2015). Naomi shares her life with her wife, Kentina, a chaplain and religious educator. Together, they are raising a curious, energetic, future Oscar-winning 5th grader, Sophia. (This biographical statement provided by Naomi Washington-Leapheart.) Biographical Text Naomi Washington-Leapheart, a daughter of Detroit, is the Faith Work Director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, the country's oldest national LGBTQ justice and equality group. She is also an adjunct faculty member in the Theology and Religious Studies department at Villanova University. Before joining the Task Force, Naomi was the suburban community organizer for POWER, a multi-faith, multi-racial network of congregations in Metro Philadelphia. She also served as Co-Pastor and Minister of Music at the Wisdom's Table at St. Peter's United Church of Christ. She is affiliated with the Fellowship of Affirming Ministries and the United Church of Christ, and earned the Master of Divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2016. Naomi delights in singing with the Philly Threshold Choir, a group whose mission is to bring audible comfort and kindness to people in hospice care. She is a board member of Roots of Justice, a collective of anti-racism trainers and organizers. In 2016, Naomi was invited to serve as a member of the Faith and Spiritual Affairs Advisory Board of the City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Disability Services, and in 2017, she was appointed by Mayor John Kenney to the Philadelphia Commission on LGBT Affairs. Naomi's work is included in the volume,"From Generation to Generation: A Commemorative Collection of African American Millennial Sermons from the Festival of Preachers 2010-2015, a rare and unique compilation of what the nation's most promising young African-American ministers are thinking and proclaiming about the Christian faith (Chalice Press, 2015). Naomi shares her life with her wife, Kentina, a chaplain and religious educator. Together, they are raising a curious, energetic, future Oscar-winning 5th grader, Sophia. (This biographical statement provided by Naomi Washington-Leapheart.) 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 Naomi Washington-Leapheart Fellowship of Affirming Ministries Naomi Washington-Leapheart UCC United Church of Christ https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/26803226d7e5a9a998eee95ff7728971.jpg 6ee5b6adff2ba4b40e6d43e824693673 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson is the former Moderator (global leader) of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC). She  was elected to that position in 2005, following the retirement of the Founder of MCC, Rev. Elder Troy Perry, and in July 2010, she was re-elected for a term of six years.  She is only the second person, and the first woman, to serve in that role since the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1968. Rev. Wilson obtained her B.A. from Allegheny College, her M.Div. from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, and her D.Min. from Episcopal Divinity School (EDS). She received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from EDS in 2016.  Rev. Wilson found MCC in 1972, and became a pastor at the new MCC church in Boston, as well as an activist in the community. She was ordained in MCC in Dallas, Texas, in 1975. She served as pastor of Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota, Florida, from 2001 to 2005 and was previously the pastor of MCC Los Angeles—now Founders MCC—from 1986 until 2000; the church founded by Rev. Troy Perry in 1968. Rev. Wilson joined MCC as Associate Pastor of MCC Boston in 1972 at 22 years of age.  She served as Pastor of MCC Detroit from 1975 to 1979. She was elected Elder of MCC in 1976 and served as the denomination’s Vice-Moderator from 1993 to 2001. Rev. Wilson served as Clerk of the Board of Elders for ten years; and became MCC’s first Chief Ecumenical Officer, a post she held for 23 years.  She has been the official delegate of MCC to the World Council of Churches General Assemblies in Canberra, Australia (1991); Harare, Zimbabwe (1998); and Porto Alegre, Brazil (2006). Rev. Wilson is also an Associate Minister with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, which Dr. Yvette Flunder serves as Presiding Bishop. In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Rev. Wilson to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Their work culminated in a report of recommendations to the President: "Building Partnerships to Eradicate Modern-Day Slavery." Following President Obama’s re-election in 2013, Rev. Wilson gave a Scripture reading at the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and was the first openly gay clergy member to participate. In 2014, Rev. Wilson was named as one of the spokespeople for Blessed Tomorrow, a team of twenty-one top ecumenical and interfaith leaders in the United States to spearhead an effort to mobilize religious communities to address environmental concerns. Blessed Tomorrow emerged from EcoAmerica MomentUs, a group that invited Rev. Wilson to join in 2013 as they began to formalize their strategy to secure grassroots support through faith groups to work toward climate solutions in their congregations, communities, and homes. In May 2014, Rev. Wilson was one of four honorees to be recognized by Intersections International for her humanitarian work in the area of social justice. In honor of International Women’s Day in 2014, HuffPost selected Rev. Wilson as one of 50  “powerful religious leaders…making change in the world.” Rev. Wilson’s published works include: “Trust is a Queer Thing,” in Stars Shine Upon the Road of Hope" (繁星照耀希望路); “A Queer Theology of Sexuality,” in On the Way of Acceptance: Christianity and Queer Community; Outing the Bible: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Christian Scriptures(LifeJourney Press); Outing the Church: 40 Years in the Queer Christian Movement (LifeJourney Press); Nossa Tribo: Gays, Deus, Jesus e a Bíblia (Metanoia); Our Tribe:  Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible (Alamo ); with Fr. Malcolm Boyd, Amazing Grace. Rev. Wilson’s prayers and poems are included in Race and Prayer, edited by Malcolm Boyd and Chester Talton (Morehouse Press).  Her most recent publication is I Love to Tell The Story, 100+ Stories of Justice, Inclusion and Hope, published by Books to Believe In, 2016. Rev. Wilson is frequently published in Huffington Post, and has been interviewed by various local, national, and international news agencies about matters related to the LGBTQI community and social justice issues. Rev. Wilson has spoken at colleges, national, and international conferences on the topics of eradicating human trafficking, a queer response to climate change, global LGBTQI human rights, racial reconciliation and economic justice; HIV/AIDS, women’s reproductive freedom, religion and social change, and marriage equality. Rev. Wilson is a popular preacher and speaker. She also writes poetry, and is an avid birdwatcher.  Rev. Wilson resides in Bradenton, Florida, with her wife, since 1977, Dr. Paula Schoenwether. an artist and jeweler. (This biographical statement provided by Nancy Wilson.) Biographical Text Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson is the former Moderator (global leader) of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC). She  was elected to that position in 2005, following the retirement of the Founder of MCC, <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1457">Rev. Elder Troy Perry</a>, and in July 2010, she was re-elected for a term of six years.  She is only the second person, and the first woman, to serve in that role since the founding of Metropolitan Community Churches in 1968. Rev. Wilson obtained her B.A. from Allegheny College, her M.Div. from SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, and her D.Min. from Episcopal Divinity School (EDS). She received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from EDS in 2016.  Rev. Wilson found MCC in 1972, and became a pastor at the new MCC church in Boston, as well as an activist in the community. She was ordained in MCC in Dallas, Texas, in 1975. She served as pastor of Church of the Trinity MCC in Sarasota, Florida, from 2001 to 2005 and was previously the pastor of MCC Los Angeles—now Founders MCC—from 1986 until 2000; the church founded by Rev. Troy Perry in 1968. Rev. Wilson joined MCC as Associate Pastor of MCC Boston in 1972 at 22 years of age.  She served as Pastor of MCC Detroit from 1975 to 1979. She was elected Elder of MCC in 1976 and served as the denomination’s Vice-Moderator from 1993 to 2001. Rev. Wilson served as Clerk of the Board of Elders for ten years; and became MCC’s first Chief Ecumenical Officer, a post she held for 23 years.  She has been the official delegate of MCC to the World Council of Churches General Assemblies in Canberra, Australia (1991); Harare, Zimbabwe (1998); and Porto Alegre, Brazil (2006). Rev. Wilson is also an Associate Minister with The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries, which Dr. Yvette Flunder serves as Presiding Bishop. In 2011, President Barack Obama appointed Rev. Wilson to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Their work culminated in a report of recommendations to the President: "Building Partnerships to Eradicate Modern-Day Slavery." Following President Obama’s re-election in 2013, Rev. Wilson gave a Scripture reading at the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and was the first openly gay clergy member to participate. In 2014, Rev. Wilson was named as one of the spokespeople for Blessed Tomorrow, a team of twenty-one top ecumenical and interfaith leaders in the United States to spearhead an effort to mobilize religious communities to address environmental concerns. Blessed Tomorrow emerged from EcoAmerica MomentUs, a group that invited Rev. Wilson to join in 2013 as they began to formalize their strategy to secure grassroots support through faith groups to work toward climate solutions in their congregations, communities, and homes. In May 2014, Rev. Wilson was one of four honorees to be recognized by Intersections International for her humanitarian work in the area of social justice. In honor of International Women’s Day in 2014, HuffPost selected Rev. Wilson as one of 50  “powerful religious leaders…making change in the world.” Rev. Wilson’s published works include: “Trust is a Queer Thing,” in Stars Shine Upon the Road of Hope" (繁星照耀希望路); “A Queer Theology of Sexuality,” in On the Way of Acceptance: Christianity and Queer Community; Outing the Bible: Queer Folks, God, Jesus, and the Christian Scriptures(LifeJourney Press); Outing the Church: 40 Years in the Queer Christian Movement (LifeJourney Press); Nossa Tribo: Gays, Deus, Jesus e a Bíblia (Metanoia); Our Tribe:  Queer Folks, God, Jesus and the Bible (Alamo ); with Fr. Malcolm Boyd, Amazing Grace. Rev. Wilson’s prayers and poems are included in Race and Prayer, edited by Malcolm Boyd and Chester Talton (Morehouse Press).  Her most recent publication is I Love to Tell The Story, 100+ Stories of Justice, Inclusion and Hope, published by Books to Believe In, 2016. Rev. Wilson is frequently published in Huffington Post, and has been interviewed by various local, national, and international news agencies about matters related to the LGBTQI community and social justice issues. Rev. Wilson has spoken at colleges, national, and international conferences on the topics of eradicating human trafficking, a queer response to climate change, global LGBTQI human rights, racial reconciliation and economic justice; HIV/AIDS, women’s reproductive freedom, religion and social change, and marriage equality. Rev. Wilson is a popular preacher and speaker. She also writes poetry, and is an avid birdwatcher.  Rev. Wilson resides in Bradenton, Florida, with her wife, since 1977, Dr. Paula Schoenwether. an artist and jeweler. (This biographical statement provided by Nancy Wilson.) 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 Nancy Wilson MCC Metropolitan Community Church Nancy Wilson https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/822c8963bebdbe47d559d0393be6fddc.jpg 7eded29281903032d8872cf93d3d8bdd Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Nancy E. Krody was born in 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She received a B.A. in political science and sociology from Ohio State University in 1960. She subsequently completed two years of course work toward an M.A. degree in sociology, but did not write the thesis. During this time, Nancy was very active in the Baptist-Disciples Student Fellowship and in a statewide ecumenical student group. In 1962, Krody enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. Martin Luther King, Jr., had graduated from Crozer only a few years earlier. She was the only woman student at Crozer and ranked academically at the top of her second-year class. During Holy Week of 1964, she came out to a faculty-student group that was planning Crozer's upcoming centennial. Following this revelation, Krody was told to move out of student housing and to live off campus. Although she took a couple of courses the following year, she did not complete the academic program at Crozer. She notes that she could not afford to go to probably the only seminary that would have welcomed her at that time--Union  Theological Seminary in New York City. Krody then spent nine years working as a secretary in the national setting of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and joined a UCC local congregation in the mid-'60's because of its justice and ecumenical stances; thereby leaving the American Baptist Church of her birth. She was the first woman elder and consistory president of the congregation. She became very involved with racial and economic justice issues through the Philadelphia Association of the UCC and the wider church. Upon hearing of Bill Johnson's ordination in the UCC as an openly gay man, Krody contacted him in 1972. Bill and Nancy, along with a gay layman and a straight woman ally became the public face of the newly formed UCC Gay Caucus at the UCC General Synod in the summer of 1973. Bill and Nancy served as co-coordinators for a time; She handled the newsletter and treasury. Krody preached her "coming out" sermon in her home church. In those early years, She notes that all of the leaders of gay and lesbian Christian groups knew one another, since there were so few persons able to be publicly identified. Krody was often the lesbian invited to speak to other gay religious groups to help them understand why lesbians were not breaking down the doors to get in. Or she was invited to speak to national church meetings because other lesbians and gay men were unable to be publicly visible for fear of losing their jobs.  During this time, Krody was also involved in radical gay politics, particularly through the Susan Saxe Defense Fund and her trials. She also published Genesis III, the newsletter of the Philadelphia Task Force on Women in Religion, an interfaith group supporting women's roles in churches and synagogues, and, ultimately, lesbians' roles as well. The UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns subsequently moved on to other leadership, and Krody turned to other pursuits with a partner who did not support her involvement in gay/lesbian movements. Her involvement with the church continued at all levels--local congregation, Association, Conference, and national boards and committees. In recent years Krody has re-engaged in LGBT religious movements. She has been the co-coordinator of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference chapter of the UCC Coalition since its beginning in the 1970s--encouraging congregations to become Open and Affirming and representing LGBT concerns at Conference meetings. Ecumenically, she has been active in the YES! Coalition, which grew out of the first ecumenical LGBT Christian conference (WOW 2000) and which subsequently helped host the second WOW Conference in 2003. She serves on the Council of the YES! Coalition as treasurer. She is also on the planning group for Out and Faithful, an interfaith  program of the William Way LGBT Center in Philadelphia. Krody was honored with "pioneer" awards at the 1991 General Synod of the UCC and and at the UCC Coalition's Gathering in 2004. For professional employment, Krody has been the managing editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies at Temple University since 1973. Since 1999, her life partner has been Pat Szabo, M.D., with whom she lives in Springfield, Pennsylvania. They were married on December 27, 2014. (This biographical statement provided by Nancy E. Krody.) Biographical Text Nancy E. Krody was born in 1939 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  She received a B.A. in political science and sociology from Ohio State University in 1960. She subsequently completed two years of course work toward an M.A. degree in sociology, but did not write the thesis. During this time, Nancy was very active in the Baptist-Disciples Student Fellowship and in a statewide ecumenical student group. In 1962, Krody enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. Martin Luther King, Jr., had graduated from Crozer only a few years earlier. She was the only woman student at Crozer and ranked academically at the top of her second-year class. During Holy Week of 1964, she came out to a faculty-student group that was planning Crozer's upcoming centennial. Following this revelation, Krody was told to move out of student housing and to live off campus. Although she took a couple of courses the following year, she did not complete the academic program at Crozer. She notes that she could not afford to go to probably the only seminary that would have welcomed her at that time--Union  Theological Seminary in New York City. Krody then spent nine years working as a secretary in the national setting of the United Church of Christ (UCC) and joined a UCC local congregation in the mid-'60's because of its justice and ecumenical stances; thereby leaving the American Baptist Church of her birth. She was the first woman elder and consistory president of the congregation. She became very involved with racial and economic justice issues through the Philadelphia Association of the UCC and the wider church. Upon hearing of <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1403">Bill Johnson's</a> ordination in the UCC as an openly gay man, Krody contacted him in 1972. Bill and Nancy, along with a gay layman and a straight woman ally became the public face of the newly formed UCC Gay Caucus at the UCC General Synod in the summer of 1973. Bill and Nancy served as co-coordinators for a time; She handled the newsletter and treasury. Krody preached her "coming out" sermon in her home church. In those early years, She notes that all of the leaders of gay and lesbian Christian groups knew one another, since there were so few persons able to be publicly identified. Krody was often the lesbian invited to speak to other gay religious groups to help them understand why lesbians were not breaking down the doors to get in. Or she was invited to speak to national church meetings because other lesbians and gay men were unable to be publicly visible for fear of losing their jobs.  During this time, Krody was also involved in radical gay politics, particularly through the Susan Saxe Defense Fund and her trials. She also published Genesis III, the newsletter of the Philadelphia Task Force on Women in Religion, an interfaith group supporting women's roles in churches and synagogues, and, ultimately, lesbians' roles as well. The UCC Coalition for LGBT Concerns subsequently moved on to other leadership, and Krody turned to other pursuits with a partner who did not support her involvement in gay/lesbian movements. Her involvement with the church continued at all levels--local congregation, Association, Conference, and national boards and committees. In recent years Krody has re-engaged in LGBT religious movements. She has been the co-coordinator of the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference chapter of the UCC Coalition since its beginning in the 1970s--encouraging congregations to become Open and Affirming and representing LGBT concerns at Conference meetings. Ecumenically, she has been active in the YES! Coalition, which grew out of the first ecumenical LGBT Christian conference (WOW 2000) and which subsequently helped host the second WOW Conference in 2003. She serves on the Council of the YES! Coalition as treasurer. She is also on the planning group for Out and Faithful, an interfaith  program of the William Way LGBT Center in Philadelphia. Krody was honored with "pioneer" awards at the 1991 General Synod of the UCC and and at the UCC Coalition's Gathering in 2004. For professional employment, Krody has been the managing editor of the Journal of Ecumenical Studies at Temple University since 1973. Since 1999, her life partner has been Pat Szabo, M.D., with whom she lives in Springfield, Pennsylvania. They were married on December 27, 2014. (This biographical statement provided by Nancy E. Krody.) 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 Nancy Krody Nancy Krody ONA Open and Affirming in the UCC UCC United Church of Christ https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/0d8a14868da689aafce6c30dbd08e1d9.jpg 6b413da139e59c5801b22784735288cc Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Morris Floyd, an early leader of LGBT movements in The United Methodist Church, was born in 1946 in Austin, Texas.  His father Morris Sr. was studying for an MBA degree at the University of Texas.  The family moved to Arizona when Morris was two, living first in Tucson and then in Glendale while his father worked for J.C. Penney.  His brother Steve was born before his father’s 1952 death, from an illness contracted while a prisoner of war in Germany. Morris’s mom Buena, almost always shortened to “Boots,” remarried in 1957.  Ray was serving in the U.S. Air Force and his assignment took the family, now including Ray’s children from his first marriage and their daughter to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 1961. Morris attended school at Kaiserslautern High School where he was a member of the Latin Club, the National Honor Society and studied Russian. He was active in the Protestant youth group at the chapel on the base and often led the group in its Sunday evening worship. He also worked as director of the Youth Employment Services on the base during his last two years of high school.  There he helped match other teenagers with domestic jobs, such as babysitting and household chores.   Morris had a sense of his sexual orientation during high school but little opportunity to explore that then.  Years later he reconnected with Joe, one of his best high school friends, who was also gay. They had traveled together around Europe together during the last couple of years of high school and became close again before Joe died of AIDS in 1987.  Overall Morris thrived during his high school years and graduated in 1964.     Morris intended to study premed in college and was accepted at the University of Minnesota.  However, one of his teachers was a graduate of George Washington University (GWU) in D.C. and encouraged Morris to apply there.  So Morris began college at GWU in the fall of 1964.  He enjoyed his time in this diverse, urban setting.  However, right away he struggled in the classroom with organic chemistry and decided to drop premed studies.  When his family moved from Germany to California, Morris transferred to the University of Texas to be closer to them.  He was active at the Wesley Foundation on campus and at University U.M. Church.  It was during these college years that Morris started to identify himself as a gay man albeit largely in private. He took some summer classes which allowed him to graduate in January 1968 with a double major in philosophy and political science with a minor in anthropology.  Morris’ college years coincided with peak years of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.   In the winter of 1965 he traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska to participate in a Methodist Student Movement Conference. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was scheduled to be the keynote speaker. On Morris’ connecting flight departing Chicago, Dr. King spotted him reading a book recommended for the conference and struck up a brief conversation.  That encounter and his experience at the conference nurtured a commitment to social justice activism.      As he completed college, he considered options.  Although he was accepted for training as a Peace Corps volunteer, Morris perceived that church ministry would provide an opportunity to use his skills to address what was needed in the country and world.  He was accepted to enter Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 1968.   In the interim, he drew on his mother’s past associations with Congressman J.J. Pickle (elected to Lyndon Johnson’s House of Representatives seat when LBJ became a Senator) to get a position working odd jobs in the House of Representatives that spring and summer.   Morris’ seminary years were again marked by prominent socio-political movements in the U.S. with the anti-Vietnam War protests, the Poor Peoples’ Campaign and the Stonewall Riots.  Wesley students and faculty were certainly tuned into these tumultuous events.  Morris did student pastoring as a youth minister at a Glen Burnie, Maryland congregation and was then assistant pastor at Marvin Memorial U.M. Church in Silver Spring.  He had a good working relationship with the senior pastor Edward Carroll (later elected a bishop) and enjoying numerous opportunities to preach. At Wesley he preached a highly-praised antiwar sermon in chapel, drawing on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream.”  He was also active in student government at Wesley.  Morris stayed in seminary a fourth year to work with a cohort of 15 or so top Wesley students who sought to create a more experiential learning experience. They designed a program called “Interact” in which they created their own coursework that would integrate studies with field work.  Wesley Dean L. Harold DeWolf supported the venture and educator-activist Parker Palmer was enlisted to lead the group.   It was in this group that Morris began to talk with others about being gay.  Morris worked with other Wesley students to organize a conference that year, “Politics of Hope,” that brought seminarians and students to D.C. for an intensive urban experience. Dan Rather was the keynote speaker for the conference.     Morris’ last seminary year coincided with the 1972 United Methodist General Conference.  Prior to the General Conference, Morris and leaders of other United Methodist seminary student governments decided to try have voices of seminarians heard at the General Conference.  They organized and traveled to the conference in Atlanta with a proposal that they be seated with voice but not vote.  Following an affirmative vote by the conference, Morris was able to sit in with other conference delegates.  He did get to speak in the historic debate on a Social Principles statement on Homosexuality, which resulted in the “incompatible with Christian teaching” clause being adopted.  He was aware of gay activists who were circulating around the edges of the conference—among them Gene Leggett, Ernie Reagh, and Don McGaw.  He also met Michael Collins there, beginning a deep friendship built on common commitments as gay men of faith and advocacy for LGBT folk in the church.  They worked together closely until Michael’s death in 1984. Morris recalls traveling with Michael one summer to the meeting of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference, where Michael’s ministerial relationship was in jeopardy because he was openly gay.  On the road trip from Southern California, they spent some time in Gold Beach, OR, where an innkeeper insisted on giving them a room with two beds even though their reservation had only asked for one.  After a couple of times of back and forth with the innkeeper Michael – exasperated – finally said, “You can give us two beds if you must, but we’re still only going to use one!”  Walking up the beach for dinner a little later, the two worried half-seriously if they should be on the lookout for bashers. Following seminary graduation, Morris enlisted in the US-2 program, a domestic mission venture for young United Methodist adults.  He was assigned to be chaplain at the Robinson School in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The school needed coaching football, so Morris (who was not an athlete) decided to draw on his experience observing touch football on the seminary campus to coach the junior varsity team.  He quietly glowed when the team finished with a 4-3 record, as the varsity team had a losing season.  Learning that sports provided a great opportunity to connect with students, he became the athletic director at the school.   Morris developed a close mentoring relationship with a number of students and stays in contact with them decades later. During his time in Puerto Rico, Morris was commissioned as a Home Missionary. Morris pursued membership and ordination in what was then known as the Southern California-Arizona Annual conference of the United Methodist Church.  He remembers a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry asking him when he was planning to get married, to which he had no answer.  In those days it didn’t raise quite the red flags it would raise today, and his application was successful.  Later, the pastor who asked him that question became a strong supporter of LGBT folk in the church. In 1975, Morris returned to Southern California to complete a year of pastoring required to fulfill probationary status.  He served that year working with youth at First U.M. Church of El Cajon with a conservative senior pastor.  Persons spotted books about homosexuality on his bookshelves and were concerned about this, but he was not overtly challenged. After that year Morris moved to Farmington, New Mexico to become principal at Navajo United Methodist Mission School. The students boarded there during the week and went home on weekends. The objective of Morris’ leadership was to change the school from being an old-style mission school—where, for example, students were not allowed to speak Navajo—to become more of a Navajo School.  A Navajo pastor was hired as chaplain.  A graduate of the school came back to serve as the guidance counselor.  The school superintendent and Morris were building a board of directors that was primarily Navajo.  After his second year, another school graduate became principal and Morris became associate superintendent.  He spent his last year there largely traveling to raise money for the school.  During one of those trips, he connected by coincidence with the young Affirmation group, LGBT United Methodists and allies, at its national meeting at Broadway U.M. Church in Chicago.  This was the first opportunity for Morris to have significant interaction with other LGBT United Methodists.  The group was considering how to respond to the decision of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary to forbid the graduation of two gay students. Working with Lyle Loder and other friends in the Southern California annual conference, Morris helped to organize a presence for Affirmation in the region.             In February 1980, Morris moved to New York City to work for the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) helping to resource missions in the U.S.  He helped lead training for a new class of US-2 volunteers in the summer 1980 in Boston and the following year in Washington, D.C. He went to the 1980 General Conference in Indianapolis—not as an agency staff but to assist Affirmation in advocating for LGBT concerns.  Although ordained, Morris was also commissioned as a Home Missionary and active in the work of Deaconesses and Missionaries, which is a lay office in the UMC.  In the period not long after the firing of Deaconess Joan Clark, Morris advocated strongly for an approach inclusive of LGBT folk in the office.  This did not make him popular with the woman who provided administrative leadership for Deaconesses and Home Missionaries, but he felt it was especially urgent to do so.  During the decades when women could not be ordained and thereafter, the role of Deaconess has been a path by which many lesbians entered the UMC’s ministry of lay service as leaders, advocates for the disadvantaged and staff for church and community ministry and community centers, among other options. He was a member of the board of Diaconal Ministry in his home annual conference and participated in three international conferences. He also advocated strongly for LGBT concerns in that role, including several "energetic" with the then-head of the office at the GBGM.    Morris had told his boss that he was gay and could see that there were a number of other gay and lesbian persons on the staff.  But there was unease around the agency in the aftermath of the 1979 firing of Joan Clark for being a lesbian. Although Morris had no reason to think he would be challenged, he also realized that in the case of a major expose, the support he would get would be limited.  So in August 1981, he moved to Minneapolis to become executive director of Gay Community Services (later Lesbian & Gay Community Services – LGCS), a mental health center funded largely by the county and by United Way.  During his 20 years in Minneapolis, Morris provided leadership in the LGBT community and beyond by, among other things, being one of the founders of the Minnesota AIDS Project and serving on the state’s AIDS Task Force, as well as the board of directors of the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. This move freed Morris up to become more actively and publicly involved in Affirmation.  He was selected for the Coordinating Committee and helped design plans for advocacy and witness at the 1984 General Conference and to launch a new “welcoming church” program, the Reconciling Congregation Program.      Morris went to the 1984 General Conference in Baltimore as one of Affirmation’s national co-spokespersons, alongside Mary Gaddis.  His years of work in United Methodist missions and as a national agency staff positioned him to get an audience with some denominational leaders there. He was invited to dinner by Bishop Finis Crutchfield from Houston (who was outed after his death from AIDS a few years later) in the dining room of the hotel that housed the bishops.  Crutchfield made a point of walking Morris around and introducing him to other bishops.  He wanted to impress Morris in this way and by relating what he had done for the gay community, previously in New Orleans and now in Houston.   Morris also recalls a hallway discussion with a prominent pastor who was seen as an ally but vehemently opposed the strategy of having an openly gay person to speak to the General Conference.  This taught him to be skeptical about how far “progressive” leaders would go to advocate for LGBT persons.  Affirmation sponsored a dinner for allies and friends at a Baltimore congregation where they honored “saints” who had supported LGBT concerns.  Following the dinner, a leading African-American pastor took Morris to task for not being recognized for the risks he had taken to lead his congregation to provide space for a largely-gay Metropolitan Community Church.  This brought Morris face-to-face again with how covert racism could thwart the intentions and vision of Affirmation that believed it was espousing social justice. Meanwhile, Morris had also sought an appointment by Bishop Jack Tuell to his position at LGCS.  This led to several years of discussion with the Conference leadership about Morris’ status, and initially Morris was placed on an involuntary leave of absence, an action that required a supermajority vote of Annual Conference clergy. At the clergy executive session of the Annual Conference where this occurred, Bishop Tuell made a ruling of church law affirming that such a leave may be initiated and imposed involuntarily. Such decisions are automatically referred to the Judicial Council, the denomination’s Supreme Court.  Morris argued in opposition to the Bishop’s action that the decision was contrary to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church and to key due-process rights provided in the United Methodist Discipline to protect clergy from arbitrary removal of their right to an appointment.  In <a href="http://www.umc.org/decisions/41417/eyJyZXN1bHRfcGFnZSI6IlwvZGVjaXNpb25zXC9zZWFyY2gtcmVzdWx0cyIsInNlYXJjaDpkZWNpc2lvbl9udW1iZXIiOiIxMjA4In0)">Decision 524 </a>the Judicial Council overruled Morris’s appeal. The documents related to the appeal are available below as an additional resource. The second time the question came up, the involuntary leave was sustained by the clergy session, though by a narrow margin.  Thereafter the Bishop agreed to appoint Morris to any position reasonably compatible with the special appointment rules, but not to a local church.  Thereafter Morris worked for many years as an executive for a Twin Cities health care corporation.  He took the retired relationship to the Annual Conference in 1992, feeling that the Annual Conference relationship was hollow under the Bishop’s terms. In 1983, Bishop Tuell had worked with other bishops and an executive of the UM Board of Higher Education and Ministry to devise the language later approved at the 1984 General Conference that required “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness” of the clergy, effectively preventing the ordination or appointment of gay and lesbian clergy. In May of 2003, Tuell preached a sermon (<a href="https://www.rmnetwork.org/newrmn/bishop-tuell-how-i-changed-my-mind/)">https://www.rmnetwork.org/newrmn/bishop-tuell-how-i-changed-my-mind/)</a> describing how he had changed his mind and confessing that he and the others that day were “unconsciously guided” by the need for “institutional protection” over the controversial matter, rather than the Wesleyan “tests of truth” (as the Bishop referred to them in a 2000 sermon called “Doing a New Thing”): “Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason.” Despite their profound disagreement at the time his appointment was in question, Morris remembers his relationship with Bishop Tuell as productive, mutually respectful and friendly. Morris served as a spokesperson for Affirmation through the 1992 General Conference.  In subsequent years he became a member of the Reconciling Congregation Program board of directors.  Among other contributions, he helped the group to create its initial effort to raise funds through major gifts from “Angels.”  In a sermon to the 25thAnniversary celebration of Affirmation, in 2000, Morris reminded attendees that their status as beloved children of God is not dependent on the approval on the United Methodist church, or any other religious body, and called on them find dignity and worth internally rather than allowing themselves to become victims by continually seeking validation from an institution. By the turn of the 21stCentury, Morris was distancing himself increasingly from the church, though he says to this day he is an “fascinated observer and commentator” on what he views as the denomination’s gyrations to find a position regarding homosexuality that will be faithful to the Gospel and to Wesleyan standards while also satisfactory to those who insist on a literal reading of Biblical proscriptions.  He believes that the struggle is about matters even more profound than human sexuality – the very nature of God, humankind, the rest of creation and the relationship among them, as well as the role of the Bible.  He does not think it likely that some sort of political accommodation between deeply opposed factions is likely to produce a resolution satisfactory to anyone.  Prior to the General Conference of 2016 he encouraged (<a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer/2016/05/umc/">http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer/2016/05/umc/</a>) progressive United Methodists to forgo allegiance to the denomination and find a home for themselves and their Wesleyan heritage in other denominations.  He believes doing could dramatically strengthen the witness and work of groups such as the United Church of Christ without creating the overhead associated with a new Methodist denomination. Morris now considers himself a “recovering Christian.”  He says that he can identify with many elements of that faith community’s story, but he has recognized that he cannot honestly make the theological affirmations associated with Christian faith. Morris and his partner of 28 years, Alex Herrera, moved from Minneapolis to Chicago in the fall of 2001, where he served for 2 ½ years as the executive leader for development of the Center on Halsted, an LGBT community center.  Thereafter he worked with clients of DST Health Solutions as an account executive, consulting on the implementing the clients’ business strategy through improvements in their technology strategy and infrastructure.  After a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, Morris retired to get well and spend his time in other ways.  He considers himself a fortunate survivor, now cancer-free 8 years later. Alex and Morris, fearing that Illinois would not promptly approve legislation supporting marriage equality, were married in 2012 in Toronto in a small ceremony with Alex’s mother, sister and her family as witnesses.  They presently live with their pug Niko in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood and have a second home in Cuernavaca, Mexico.  While Alex works as a senior development executive for Northwestern University, Morris enjoys volunteering at the National Runaway Safeline, being active in his condominium association and occasional blogging as the "Observant Queer" (<a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer">www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer</a>). (This biographical profile was drafted by Mark Bowman from an interview with Morris Floyd and edited by Floyd.) Biographical Text Morris Floyd, an early leader of LGBT movements in The United Methodist Church, was born in 1946 in Austin, Texas.  His father Morris Sr. was studying for an MBA degree at the University of Texas.  The family moved to Arizona when Morris was two, living first in Tucson and then in Glendale while his father worked for J.C. Penney.  His brother Steve was born before his father’s 1952 death, from an illness contracted while a prisoner of war in Germany. Morris’s mom Buena, almost always shortened to “Boots,” remarried in 1957.  Ray was serving in the U.S. Air Force and his assignment took the family, now including Ray’s children from his first marriage and their daughter to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in 1961. Morris attended school at Kaiserslautern High School where he was a member of the Latin Club, the National Honor Society and studied Russian. He was active in the Protestant youth group at the chapel on the base and often led the group in its Sunday evening worship. He also worked as director of the Youth Employment Services on the base during his last two years of high school.  There he helped match other teenagers with domestic jobs, such as babysitting and household chores.   Morris had a sense of his sexual orientation during high school but little opportunity to explore that then.  Years later he reconnected with Joe, one of his best high school friends, who was also gay. They had traveled together around Europe together during the last couple of years of high school and became close again before Joe died of AIDS in 1987.  Overall Morris thrived during his high school years and graduated in 1964.     Morris intended to study premed in college and was accepted at the University of Minnesota.  However, one of his teachers was a graduate of George Washington University (GWU) in D.C. and encouraged Morris to apply there.  So Morris began college at GWU in the fall of 1964.  He enjoyed his time in this diverse, urban setting.  However, right away he struggled in the classroom with organic chemistry and decided to drop premed studies.  When his family moved from Germany to California, Morris transferred to the University of Texas to be closer to them.  He was active at the Wesley Foundation on campus and at University U.M. Church.  It was during these college years that Morris started to identify himself as a gay man albeit largely in private. He took some summer classes which allowed him to graduate in January 1968 with a double major in philosophy and political science with a minor in anthropology.  Morris’ college years coincided with peak years of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.   In the winter of 1965 he traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska to participate in a Methodist Student Movement Conference. The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was scheduled to be the keynote speaker. On Morris’ connecting flight departing Chicago, Dr. King spotted him reading a book recommended for the conference and struck up a brief conversation.  That encounter and his experience at the conference nurtured a commitment to social justice activism.      As he completed college, he considered options.  Although he was accepted for training as a Peace Corps volunteer, Morris perceived that church ministry would provide an opportunity to use his skills to address what was needed in the country and world.  He was accepted to enter Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 1968.   In the interim, he drew on his mother’s past associations with Congressman J.J. Pickle (elected to Lyndon Johnson’s House of Representatives seat when LBJ became a Senator) to get a position working odd jobs in the House of Representatives that spring and summer.   Morris’ seminary years were again marked by prominent socio-political movements in the U.S. with the anti-Vietnam War protests, the Poor Peoples’ Campaign and the Stonewall Riots.  Wesley students and faculty were certainly tuned into these tumultuous events.  Morris did student pastoring as a youth minister at a Glen Burnie, Maryland congregation and was then assistant pastor at Marvin Memorial U.M. Church in Silver Spring.  He had a good working relationship with the senior pastor Edward Carroll (later elected a bishop) and enjoying numerous opportunities to preach. At Wesley he preached a highly-praised antiwar sermon in chapel, drawing on Simon & Garfunkel’s “Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream.”  He was also active in student government at Wesley.  Morris stayed in seminary a fourth year to work with a cohort of 15 or so top Wesley students who sought to create a more experiential learning experience. They designed a program called “Interact” in which they created their own coursework that would integrate studies with field work.  Wesley Dean L. Harold DeWolf supported the venture and educator-activist Parker Palmer was enlisted to lead the group.   It was in this group that Morris began to talk with others about being gay.  Morris worked with other Wesley students to organize a conference that year, “Politics of Hope,” that brought seminarians and students to D.C. for an intensive urban experience. Dan Rather was the keynote speaker for the conference.     Morris’ last seminary year coincided with the 1972 United Methodist General Conference.  Prior to the General Conference, Morris and leaders of other United Methodist seminary student governments decided to try have voices of seminarians heard at the General Conference.  They organized and traveled to the conference in Atlanta with a proposal that they be seated with voice but not vote.  Following an affirmative vote by the conference, Morris was able to sit in with other conference delegates.  He did get to speak in the historic debate on a Social Principles statement on Homosexuality, which resulted in the “incompatible with Christian teaching” clause being adopted.  He was aware of gay activists who were circulating around the edges of the conference—among them Gene Leggett, Ernie Reagh, and Don McGaw.  He also met Michael Collins there, beginning a deep friendship built on common commitments as gay men of faith and advocacy for LGBT folk in the church.  They worked together closely until Michael’s death in 1984. Morris recalls traveling with Michael one summer to the meeting of the Oregon-Idaho Annual Conference, where Michael’s ministerial relationship was in jeopardy because he was openly gay.  On the road trip from Southern California, they spent some time in Gold Beach, OR, where an innkeeper insisted on giving them a room with two beds even though their reservation had only asked for one.  After a couple of times of back and forth with the innkeeper Michael – exasperated – finally said, “You can give us two beds if you must, but we’re still only going to use one!”  Walking up the beach for dinner a little later, the two worried half-seriously if they should be on the lookout for bashers. Following seminary graduation, Morris enlisted in the US-2 program, a domestic mission venture for young United Methodist adults.  He was assigned to be chaplain at the Robinson School in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  The school needed coaching football, so Morris (who was not an athlete) decided to draw on his experience observing touch football on the seminary campus to coach the junior varsity team.  He quietly glowed when the team finished with a 4-3 record, as the varsity team had a losing season.  Learning that sports provided a great opportunity to connect with students, he became the athletic director at the school.   Morris developed a close mentoring relationship with a number of students and stays in contact with them decades later. During his time in Puerto Rico, Morris was commissioned as a Home Missionary. Morris pursued membership and ordination in what was then known as the Southern California-Arizona Annual conference of the United Methodist Church.  He remembers a member of the Board of Ordained Ministry asking him when he was planning to get married, to which he had no answer.  In those days it didn’t raise quite the red flags it would raise today, and his application was successful.  Later, the pastor who asked him that question became a strong supporter of LGBT folk in the church. In 1975, Morris returned to Southern California to complete a year of pastoring required to fulfill probationary status.  He served that year working with youth at First U.M. Church of El Cajon with a conservative senior pastor.  Persons spotted books about homosexuality on his bookshelves and were concerned about this, but he was not overtly challenged. After that year Morris moved to Farmington, New Mexico to become principal at Navajo United Methodist Mission School. The students boarded there during the week and went home on weekends. The objective of Morris’ leadership was to change the school from being an old-style mission school—where, for example, students were not allowed to speak Navajo—to become more of a Navajo School.  A Navajo pastor was hired as chaplain.  A graduate of the school came back to serve as the guidance counselor.  The school superintendent and Morris were building a board of directors that was primarily Navajo.  After his second year, another school graduate became principal and Morris became associate superintendent.  He spent his last year there largely traveling to raise money for the school.  During one of those trips, he connected by coincidence with the young Affirmation group, LGBT United Methodists and allies, at its national meeting at Broadway U.M. Church in Chicago.  This was the first opportunity for Morris to have significant interaction with other LGBT United Methodists.  The group was considering how to respond to the decision of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary to forbid the graduation of two gay students. Working with Lyle Loder and other friends in the Southern California annual conference, Morris helped to organize a presence for Affirmation in the region.             In February 1980, Morris moved to New York City to work for the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) helping to resource missions in the U.S.  He helped lead training for a new class of US-2 volunteers in the summer 1980 in Boston and the following year in Washington, D.C. He went to the 1980 General Conference in Indianapolis—not as an agency staff but to assist Affirmation in advocating for LGBT concerns.  Although ordained, Morris was also commissioned as a Home Missionary and active in the work of Deaconesses and Missionaries, which is a lay office in the UMC.  In the period not long after the firing of Deaconess Joan Clark, Morris advocated strongly for an approach inclusive of LGBT folk in the office.  This did not make him popular with the woman who provided administrative leadership for Deaconesses and Home Missionaries, but he felt it was especially urgent to do so.  During the decades when women could not be ordained and thereafter, the role of Deaconess has been a path by which many lesbians entered the UMC’s ministry of lay service as leaders, advocates for the disadvantaged and staff for church and community ministry and community centers, among other options. He was a member of the board of Diaconal Ministry in his home annual conference and participated in three international conferences. He also advocated strongly for LGBT concerns in that role, including several "energetic" with the then-head of the office at the GBGM.    Morris had told his boss that he was gay and could see that there were a number of other gay and lesbian persons on the staff.  But there was unease around the agency in the aftermath of the 1979 firing of Joan Clark for being a lesbian. Although Morris had no reason to think he would be challenged, he also realized that in the case of a major expose, the support he would get would be limited.  So in August 1981, he moved to Minneapolis to become executive director of Gay Community Services (later Lesbian & Gay Community Services – LGCS), a mental health center funded largely by the county and by United Way.  During his 20 years in Minneapolis, Morris provided leadership in the LGBT community and beyond by, among other things, being one of the founders of the Minnesota AIDS Project and serving on the state’s AIDS Task Force, as well as the board of directors of the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. This move freed Morris up to become more actively and publicly involved in Affirmation.  He was selected for the Coordinating Committee and helped design plans for advocacy and witness at the 1984 General Conference and to launch a new “welcoming church” program, the Reconciling Congregation Program.      Morris went to the 1984 General Conference in Baltimore as one of Affirmation’s national co-spokespersons, alongside Mary Gaddis.  His years of work in United Methodist missions and as a national agency staff positioned him to get an audience with some denominational leaders there. He was invited to dinner by Bishop Finis Crutchfield from Houston (who was outed after his death from AIDS a few years later) in the dining room of the hotel that housed the bishops.  Crutchfield made a point of walking Morris around and introducing him to other bishops.  He wanted to impress Morris in this way and by relating what he had done for the gay community, previously in New Orleans and now in Houston.   Morris also recalls a hallway discussion with a prominent pastor who was seen as an ally but vehemently opposed the strategy of having an openly gay person to speak to the General Conference.  This taught him to be skeptical about how far “progressive” leaders would go to advocate for LGBT persons.  Affirmation sponsored a dinner for allies and friends at a Baltimore congregation where they honored “saints” who had supported LGBT concerns.  Following the dinner, a leading African-American pastor took Morris to task for not being recognized for the risks he had taken to lead his congregation to provide space for a largely-gay Metropolitan Community Church.  This brought Morris face-to-face again with how covert racism could thwart the intentions and vision of Affirmation that believed it was espousing social justice. Meanwhile, Morris had also sought an appointment by Bishop Jack Tuell to his position at LGCS.  This led to several years of discussion with the Conference leadership about Morris’ status, and initially Morris was placed on an involuntary leave of absence, an action that required a supermajority vote of Annual Conference clergy. At the clergy executive session of the Annual Conference where this occurred, Bishop Tuell made a ruling of church law affirming that such a leave may be initiated and imposed involuntarily. Such decisions are automatically referred to the Judicial Council, the denomination’s Supreme Court.  Morris argued in opposition to the Bishop’s action that the decision was contrary to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church and to key due-process rights provided in the United Methodist Discipline to protect clergy from arbitrary removal of their right to an appointment.  In <a href="http://www.umc.org/decisions/41417/eyJyZXN1bHRfcGFnZSI6IlwvZGVjaXNpb25zXC9zZWFyY2gtcmVzdWx0cyIsInNlYXJjaDpkZWNpc2lvbl9udW1iZXIiOiIxMjA4In0)">Decision 524 </a>the Judicial Council overruled Morris’s appeal. The documents related to the appeal are available below as an additional resource. The second time the question came up, the involuntary leave was sustained by the clergy session, though by a narrow margin.  Thereafter the Bishop agreed to appoint Morris to any position reasonably compatible with the special appointment rules, but not to a local church.  Thereafter Morris worked for many years as an executive for a Twin Cities health care corporation.  He took the retired relationship to the Annual Conference in 1992, feeling that the Annual Conference relationship was hollow under the Bishop’s terms. In 1983, Bishop Tuell had worked with other bishops and an executive of the UM Board of Higher Education and Ministry to devise the language later approved at the 1984 General Conference that required “fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness” of the clergy, effectively preventing the ordination or appointment of gay and lesbian clergy. In May of 2003, Tuell preached a sermon (<a href="https://www.rmnetwork.org/newrmn/bishop-tuell-how-i-changed-my-mind/)">https://www.rmnetwork.org/newrmn/bishop-tuell-how-i-changed-my-mind/)</a> describing how he had changed his mind and confessing that he and the others that day were “unconsciously guided” by the need for “institutional protection” over the controversial matter, rather than the Wesleyan “tests of truth” (as the Bishop referred to them in a 2000 sermon called “Doing a New Thing”): “Scripture, Tradition, Experience and Reason.” Despite their profound disagreement at the time his appointment was in question, Morris remembers his relationship with Bishop Tuell as productive, mutually respectful and friendly. Morris served as a spokesperson for Affirmation through the 1992 General Conference.  In subsequent years he became a member of the Reconciling Congregation Program board of directors.  Among other contributions, he helped the group to create its initial effort to raise funds through major gifts from “Angels.”  In a sermon to the 25thAnniversary celebration of Affirmation, in 2000, Morris reminded attendees that their status as beloved children of God is not dependent on the approval on the United Methodist church, or any other religious body, and called on them find dignity and worth internally rather than allowing themselves to become victims by continually seeking validation from an institution. By the turn of the 21stCentury, Morris was distancing himself increasingly from the church, though he says to this day he is an “fascinated observer and commentator” on what he views as the denomination’s gyrations to find a position regarding homosexuality that will be faithful to the Gospel and to Wesleyan standards while also satisfactory to those who insist on a literal reading of Biblical proscriptions.  He believes that the struggle is about matters even more profound than human sexuality – the very nature of God, humankind, the rest of creation and the relationship among them, as well as the role of the Bible.  He does not think it likely that some sort of political accommodation between deeply opposed factions is likely to produce a resolution satisfactory to anyone.  Prior to the General Conference of 2016 he encouraged (<a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer/2016/05/umc/">http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer/2016/05/umc/</a>) progressive United Methodists to forgo allegiance to the denomination and find a home for themselves and their Wesleyan heritage in other denominations.  He believes doing could dramatically strengthen the witness and work of groups such as the United Church of Christ without creating the overhead associated with a new Methodist denomination. Morris now considers himself a “recovering Christian.”  He says that he can identify with many elements of that faith community’s story, but he has recognized that he cannot honestly make the theological affirmations associated with Christian faith. Morris and his partner of 28 years, Alex Herrera, moved from Minneapolis to Chicago in the fall of 2001, where he served for 2 ½ years as the executive leader for development of the Center on Halsted, an LGBT community center.  Thereafter he worked with clients of DST Health Solutions as an account executive, consulting on the implementing the clients’ business strategy through improvements in their technology strategy and infrastructure.  After a diagnosis of stage 4 cancer, Morris retired to get well and spend his time in other ways.  He considers himself a fortunate survivor, now cancer-free 8 years later. Alex and Morris, fearing that Illinois would not promptly approve legislation supporting marriage equality, were married in 2012 in Toronto in a small ceremony with Alex’s mother, sister and her family as witnesses.  They presently live with their pug Niko in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood and have a second home in Cuernavaca, Mexico.  While Alex works as a senior development executive for Northwestern University, Morris enjoys volunteering at the National Runaway Safeline, being active in his condominium association and occasional blogging as the "Observant Queer" (<a href="http://www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer">www.chicagonow.com/observant-queer</a>). (This biographical profile was drafted by Mark Bowman from an interview with Morris Floyd and edited by Floyd.) 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 Morris Floyd Affirmation LGBT United Methodists Methodist Morris Floyd United Methodist Church https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/c55238c37bdfc74ea4e221a0b682b4a8.jpg 695c5e7a6e6ca810efffd93134453909 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Miss Major Griffin-Gracy is a formerly incarcerated Black transgender elder and activist who has been fighting for the rights of trans women of color for over 40 years. Miss Major is a veteran of the Stonewall Rebellion and a survivor of Attica State Prison, a former sex worker, an elder, and a community leader and human rights activist. She is simply “Mama” to many in her community. Her personal story and activism for transgender civil rights intersects LGBT struggles for justice and equality from the 1960s to today. At the center of her activism is her fierce advocacy for her girls, trans women of color who have survived police brutality and incarceration in men’s jails and prisons. Miss Major is formerly the long-time executive director of the San Francisco-based Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), which advocates for trans women of color in and outside of prison. She is also the subject of a new documentary feature film currently showing around the country, MAJOR! (This biographical statement provided by Miss Major’s agent, Toshio Meronek.) Biographical Text Miss Major Griffin-Gracy is a formerly incarcerated Black transgender elder and activist who has been fighting for the rights of trans women of color for over 40 years. Miss Major is a veteran of the Stonewall Rebellion and a survivor of Attica State Prison, a former sex worker, an elder, and a community leader and human rights activist. She is simply “Mama” to many in her community. Her personal story and activism for transgender civil rights intersects LGBT struggles for justice and equality from the 1960s to today. At the center of her activism is her fierce advocacy for her girls, trans women of color who have survived police brutality and incarceration in men’s jails and prisons. Miss Major is formerly the long-time executive director of the San Francisco-based Transgender Gender-Variant Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP), which advocates for trans women of color in and outside of prison. She is also the subject of a new documentary feature film currently showing around the country, MAJOR! (This biographical statement provided by Miss Major’s agent, Toshio Meronek.) 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 Miss Major Griffin-Gracy Miss Major Griffin-Gracy https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/f8d798748f1d5e7609529a126bf76142.jpg a5b8bd1e64097e33308d989b0054a9d9 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders.  Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them.  Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination.  Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status.  Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy.  This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster.  On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF).  She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig.  Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.  Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of.  Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) Biographical Text Rev. Megan M. Rohrer is a transgender and gay pastor, activist, and passionate leader in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).  Megan was born April 3, 1980 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Megan’s family was Lutheran and the most important church services for them were in their grandmother’s home. The church Megan’s family attended, St. Paul Lutheran, had a female pastor that the congregation assumed was a lesbian (although she did not openly identify as lesbian publicly). As a young adult in high school, Megan was involved in the church youth group and was strongly encouraged to pursue ministry. Another individual in the church outed Megan as gay to the youth director and the church kicked Megan out of the congregation. In 1998 Megan graduated from high school and enrolled in Augustana College, a private Evangelical Lutheran school in South Dakota, to study religion. In 1999, while serving as president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Augustana, Megan held a screening of the movie, “Call To Witness,” a documentary that serves to educate the ELCA on the struggles and experiences of LGBT members and leaders.  Megan organized a forum along with the screening that was attended by several people from the documentary, including Pam Walton and Jeff Johnson. In reaction to the screening other students became violent and aggressive towards Megan and the guests of the forum. They said they would hang gay people from the goal posts on the athletic field, and would bang on Megan’s door at night threatening to rape them straight. When Megan went to class other students would sing hymns or throw holy water on Megan to, “heal”, them.  Megan moved off of campus and graduated in 2001. The campus pastor at Augustana encouraged Megan to pursue the candidacy process in the ELCA. The local Synod office offered for Megan to meet several celibate gay and lesbian pastors to discern whether Megan could be celibate and pursue ordination.  Megan did not want to lie in order to pursue candidacy and did not like being coached to navigate questions around sexuality in the candidacy interview. Megan decided to pause the ordination process and worked for a year in social work at a children’s shelter. One child in the shelter who was six years old and had attempted suicide twelve times told Megan that he was trying to kill himself before he became so bad that he would go to hell. In this moment Megan realized that they wanted to become a pastor in the Lutheran church so that kids could hear a different message from the pulpit. In 2002, Megan began seminary at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. Megan also took a position as director of a ministry to homeless persons, Welcome Ministry housed in Old First Presbyterian Church, San Francisco. She continues to serve that ministry. While at PLTS Megan was one of a few openly gay seminarians and witnessed many people being closeted as a result of church policy, social stigma, or intersecting issues such as document and visa status.  Megan decided to transfer to the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California in 2004. At this time 70% of PSR’s student body identified as LGBTQIA which felt like a stronger community for Megan to be studying within. Megan was one of the pastors to participate in the extraordinary candidacy process in the ECLA. Megan was ordained in 2006 and was the first person to openly identify as transgender in this candidacy process. During this time the ECLA expelled and censured several congregations in San Francisco for participating in the extraordinary candidacy process to ordain, affirm, or call LGBTQ pastors. In 2009, Megan attended the ELCA Churchwide Assembly in Minneapolis and slept on the streets to raise awareness of experiences of homelessness. Megan spoke to the Assembly about how many homeless youth had come to San Francisco to escape religious persecution in their towns of origin. Erma Wolf, the founder of Word Alone (an anti-gay organization), approached Megan at the Assembly. Erma told Megan that if the church focused on ministries such as Megan’s, it would be going in the right direction. She asked to pray together and Megan agreed, even though they were both aware that they would be praying for conflicting outcomes on the Assembly’s vote on LGBT issues. Megan recalls that day with because right after the assembly voted to change policy to include LGBTQ pastors by a vote of 66.6 percent, the building was also hit by a tornado. After the Assembly Megan and Erma were invited to collaborate on a blog together and reflect and respond to the changes in the church. The wider church felt that their collaboration would be a prime example of how to relate and stay united through difference and disagreement. In 2010, the Council of U.S Bishops created a Rite of Reconciliation to address the situation of pastors who had been barred prior to the change in policy.  This rite served to receive and reinstall pastors to the ECLA roster.  On July 25, 2010 Megan and six others were officially received and reinstated to the ELCA roster at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in San Francisco—150 clergy presided, 900 people attended with 700 more on live-stream. Ironically, St. Mark’s had been the site of the 1990 trial that had expelled and censured congregations who had called openly and non-celibate LGBT pastors. From 2010 onward, Megan has helped lead several different ministries and social justice projects. This includes the Urban Share Community Gardening Project, the Free Farm to produce local vegetables to residents in S.F, the Growing Home Community Garden, and the Community of Travelers (a spiritual theological group at St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, SF).  She co-edited the book Letters for My Brothers: Transitional Wisdom in Retrospect (2011) with Zander Keig.  Megan has also helped write and coordinate several services that incorporate contemporary music including Masses centered on the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Lady Gaga, and 80’s music. In 2014, Megan was installed as pastor at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of San Francisco.  Megan describes this congregation as a wonderful place to heal and one of the most welcoming communities they have ever been a part of.  Megan intends to continue working with this congregation, as well as begin several projects that address the experiences and needs of transgender seminarians in the ECLA. (This biographical statement written by Sonny Duncan from an interview with Rev. Megan Roher.) 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 Megan Rohrer Megan Rohrer https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/482f4be1361fd51cd817b90cb32cd29e.jpg 0df23aa9faf11960f831feae3aff1b27 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Matthew Vines is the founder and executive director of The Reformation Project and the author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. He lives in Lenexa, Kansas. Matthew attended Harvard University from 2008 to 2010. He then took a leave of absence in order to research the Bible and same-sex relationships and work toward LGBTQ inclusion in the church. In March 2012, Matthew delivered a speech at a church in his hometown about the Bible and same-sex relationships, calling for acceptance of gay Christians and their marriage relationships. Since then, the video of the speech has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube, leading to a feature story in The New York Times that fall. In 2013, Matthew launched The Reformation Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to training LGBTQ Christians and allies to reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Reformation Project has hosted conferences in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Kansas City, and Los Angeles; the 2017 national conference will be held in Chicago from October 26-28. The Reformation Project also runs a leadership development cohort for LGBTQ Christians and allies each spring, as well as an event series at non-affirming churches called “Elevating the Dialogue on LGBTQ Inclusion in the Church.” (This biographical statement provided by Matthew Vines.) Biographical Text Matthew Vines is the founder and executive director of The Reformation Project and the author of God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same-Sex Relationships. He lives in Lenexa, Kansas. Matthew attended Harvard University from 2008 to 2010. He then took a leave of absence in order to research the Bible and same-sex relationships and work toward LGBTQ inclusion in the church. In March 2012, Matthew delivered a speech at a church in his hometown about the Bible and same-sex relationships, calling for acceptance of gay Christians and their marriage relationships. Since then, the video of the speech has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube, leading to a feature story in The New York Times that fall. In 2013, Matthew launched The Reformation Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to training LGBTQ Christians and allies to reform church teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Reformation Project has hosted conferences in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Kansas City, and Los Angeles; the 2017 national conference will be held in Chicago from October 26-28. The Reformation Project also runs a leadership development cohort for LGBTQ Christians and allies each spring, as well as an event series at non-affirming churches called “Elevating the Dialogue on LGBTQ Inclusion in the Church.” (This biographical statement provided by Matthew Vines.) 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 Matthew Vines Matthew Vines The Reformation Project https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/9d56738a1ee75bb4c0c69ea88013e7ba.jpg 28afcd5a05791fc66bff7aa62924b062 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D., is a feminist theologian who is co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER) in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. A Catholic active in the women-church movement, she lectures and writes on theology and ethics with particular attention to social justice concerns. Dr. Hunt received her Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California (1980). She also received the Masters in Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (1979) and the Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School (1974). Her undergraduate degree in Theology and Philosophy is from Marquette University (1972). She completed Clinical Pastoral Education and is fluent in Spanish. She spent several years teaching and working on women's issues and human rights in Argentina as a participant in the Frontier Internship in Mission Program. She continues that work through WATER's project, "Women Crossing Worlds," an ongoing exchange with Latin American women. Dr. Hunt was Adjunct Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies at Georgetown University for five years. She has lectured and taught at numerous institutions. For the 2000-2001 academic year she was a Research Fellow at Harvard Divinity School’s Center for the Study of Values in Public Life. She has taught online and in summer programs at Iliff School of Theology and Pacific School of Religion, and in the summer at Lancaster Theological Seminary. She teaches periodically at the Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) in Matanzas, Cuba. She is the editor of A Guide for Women in Religion: Making Your Way from A to Z (Palgrave, 2004) and a co-editor (with Kecia Ali and Monique Moultrie) of the revised version (2014) She is a co-editor, with Patricia Beattie Jung and Radhika Balakrishnan, of Good Sex: Feminist Perspectives from the World’s Religions (Rutgers University Press, 2001). She is the author of Fierce Tenderness: A Feminist Theology of Friendship (Crossroad Publishing Company, 1991), which was awarded the Crossroad Women's Studies Prize. She edited From Woman-Pain to Woman-Vision: Writings in Feminist Theology (Fortress Press, 1989) by Anne McGrew Bennett. She edited La sfida del femminismo alla teologia.The Challenge of Feminism to Theology, with Rosino Gibellini, (Queriniana,1980). Among her many publications are articles in the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Concilium, Conscience, ReligionDispatches.org, and Mandragora. She has published chapters in books such as Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe (ed. Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim), PopeFrancis in Postcolonial Reality: Complexities, Ambiguities, & Paradoxes. (ed. Nicolas Panotto), “Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century: Technology, Dialogue, and Expanding Borders (ed. Gina Messina-Dysert and Rosemary Radford Ruether), Querida Ivone: Amorosas Cartas de Teologia & Feminismo,( Ed. Nancy Cardoso e Claudio Carvalhaes), Queer Christianities: Lived Religion in Transgressive Forms (ed. Kathleen T. Talvacchia, Michael F. Pettinger, and Mark Larrimore), “Women, Sex, and Religion,” with Patricia Beattie Jung, Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion, (ed. David A. Leeming, Kathryn Madden, and Stanton Marlan),The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Social Justice,  (ed. Michael D. Palmer and Stanley M. Burgess), Queer Religion: LGBT Movements and Queering Religion, Volume 2, (ed. Donald Boisvert and Jay Emerson Johnson). New Feminist Christianity, (ed. Mary E. Hunt and Diann L. Neu), Feminist Theologies: Legacy and Prospect (ed. Rosemary Radford Ruether), Heterosexism in Contemporary World Religion: Problem and Prospect (ed. Marvin M. Ellison and Judith Plaskow), God Forbid (ed. Kathleen Sands), Sexuality and the Sacred (ed. James Nelson and Sandra Longfellow), Feminist Theological Ethics (ed. Lois Daly), Sexual Diversity and Catholicism (ed. Patricia Beattie Jung), and Women’s Voices and Visions of the Church: Reflections from North America (ed. Letty M. Russell, Aruna Gnanadason, and J. Shannon Clarkson), as well as entries in the Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America (ed. Rosemary Skinner Keller and Rosemary Radford Ruether). Mary is a member of the Society for Christian Ethics and the American Academy of Religion where she co-chaired the Women and Religion Section. She is an advisor to the Women's Ordination Conference. She is a member of the Editorial Board of I.B. Taurus. Mary is active in the Women-Church Convergence and through WATER participates in the National Religious Leadership Roundtable. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her partner, Diann L. Neu, and their daughter, Catherine Fei Min Hunt-Neu. (This revised biographical profile provided by Mary E. Hunt, 2017) Biographical Text Mary E. Hunt, Ph.D., is a feminist theologian who is co-founder and co-director of the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual (WATER) in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. A Catholic active in the women-church movement, she lectures and writes on theology and ethics with particular attention to social justice concerns. Dr. Hunt received her Ph.D. from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California (1980). She also received the Masters in Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley (1979) and the Masters in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School (1974). Her undergraduate degree in Theology and Philosophy is from Marquette University (1972). She completed Clinical Pastoral Education and is fluent in Spanish. She spent several years teaching and working on women's issues and human rights in Argentina as a participant in the Frontier Internship in Mission Program. She continues that work through WATER's project, "Women Crossing Worlds," an ongoing exchange with Latin American women. Dr. Hunt was Adjunct Assistant Professor of Women’s Studies at Georgetown University for five years. She has lectured and taught at numerous institutions. For the 2000-2001 academic year she was a Research Fellow at Harvard Divinity School’s Center for the Study of Values in Public Life. She has taught online and in summer programs at Iliff School of Theology and Pacific School of Religion, and in the summer at Lancaster Theological Seminary. She teaches periodically at the Evangelical Theological Seminary (SET) in Matanzas, Cuba. She is the editor of A Guide for Women in Religion: Making Your Way from A to Z (Palgrave, 2004) and a co-editor (with Kecia Ali and Monique Moultrie) of the revised version (2014) She is a co-editor, with Patricia Beattie Jung and Radhika Balakrishnan, of Good Sex: Feminist Perspectives from the World’s Religions (Rutgers University Press, 2001). She is the author of Fierce Tenderness: A Feminist Theology of Friendship (Crossroad Publishing Company, 1991), which was awarded the Crossroad Women's Studies Prize. She edited From Woman-Pain to Woman-Vision: Writings in Feminist Theology (Fortress Press, 1989) by Anne McGrew Bennett. She edited La sfida del femminismo alla teologia.The Challenge of Feminism to Theology, with Rosino Gibellini, (Queriniana,1980). Among her many publications are articles in the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Concilium, Conscience, ReligionDispatches.org, and Mandragora. She has published chapters in books such as Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe (ed. Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim), PopeFrancis in Postcolonial Reality: Complexities, Ambiguities, & Paradoxes. (ed. Nicolas Panotto), “Feminism and Religion in the 21st Century: Technology, Dialogue, and Expanding Borders (ed. Gina Messina-Dysert and Rosemary Radford Ruether), Querida Ivone: Amorosas Cartas de Teologia & Feminismo,( Ed. Nancy Cardoso e Claudio Carvalhaes), Queer Christianities: Lived Religion in Transgressive Forms (ed. Kathleen T. Talvacchia, Michael F. Pettinger, and Mark Larrimore), “Women, Sex, and Religion,” with Patricia Beattie Jung, Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion, (ed. David A. Leeming, Kathryn Madden, and Stanton Marlan),The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Social Justice,  (ed. Michael D. Palmer and Stanley M. Burgess), Queer Religion: LGBT Movements and Queering Religion, Volume 2, (ed. Donald Boisvert and Jay Emerson Johnson). New Feminist Christianity, (ed. Mary E. Hunt and Diann L. Neu), Feminist Theologies: Legacy and Prospect (ed. Rosemary Radford Ruether), Heterosexism in Contemporary World Religion: Problem and Prospect (ed. Marvin M. Ellison and Judith Plaskow), God Forbid (ed. Kathleen Sands), Sexuality and the Sacred (ed. James Nelson and Sandra Longfellow), Feminist Theological Ethics (ed. Lois Daly), Sexual Diversity and Catholicism (ed. Patricia Beattie Jung), and Women’s Voices and Visions of the Church: Reflections from North America (ed. Letty M. Russell, Aruna Gnanadason, and J. Shannon Clarkson), as well as entries in the Encyclopedia of Women and Religion in North America (ed. Rosemary Skinner Keller and Rosemary Radford Ruether). Mary is a member of the Society for Christian Ethics and the American Academy of Religion where she co-chaired the Women and Religion Section. She is an advisor to the Women's Ordination Conference. She is a member of the Editorial Board of I.B. Taurus. Mary is active in the Women-Church Convergence and through WATER participates in the National Religious Leadership Roundtable. She lives in Silver Spring, Maryland, with her partner, Diann L. Neu, and their daughter, Catherine Fei Min Hunt-Neu. (This revised biographical profile provided by Mary E. Hunt, 2017) 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 Mary Hunt Catholic Mary Hunt Roman Catholic https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/69a238ff7988635f46b0eb8142a31421.jpg 3eb7fa2de7dd944d6695d89aaf0cb306 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Marnie Warner, one of four co-authors of the Open and Affirming Resolution in the United Church of Christ, was a key strategist in the passage of Open and Affirming in the Massachusetts Conference and at the 1985 General Synod. Marnie (Margaret) was born in Bethel, Connecticut, in 1950 and baptized in First Congregational Church of Bethel that later joined the UCC. She faithfully attended Sunday School, went to summer camp at Silver Lake Conference Center in Sharon, Conn., and was part of Pilgrim Fellowship. Marnie was the fifth generation to attend this church. She remembers her great-aunt Minnie Carter who was sent from the church as a missionary to Inanda School for Girls in South Africa for forty years. Marnie visited there in 1995. Marnie studied at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to get her Masters degree in Library Science at Simmons College in Boston. While attending Simmons, Marnie became involved at Church of the Covenant (COTC) and became Clerk of Council in 1977. In the early 1980’s, Marnie served on the Metropolitan Boston Association’s Committee on Ministry. She was chosen as a delegate from the Massachusetts Conference to the 1983 and 1985 General Synods which is where the Opening and Affirming story unfolds (and is told in this interview). Following that time, Marnie continued to give her time to Conference activities including chairing a search committee for two associate conference ministers and chairing the annual conference program committee. During the 1990’s, Marnie developed a workshop on Making Meetings Work that she taught and trained others to teach at churches throughout the Massachusetts Conference. At COTC, Marnie was on the Board of Deacons, Membership Development Committee and Covenant News. Being a Deacon during the 1980s was challenging as COTC shepherded many gay men through their journey with AIDS. From 1989-1992, Marnie was part of the Committee to Renew the Covenant that successfully raised $1.3 million from church members, foundations and corporations to renovate the church and create space for non-profits. Marnie met rose ann olmstead at COTC and they grew to know each other through a COTC project, Casa Myrna Vazquez, one of the first shelters for women experiencing domestic violence. In 1981, rosi became a minister at COTC and served the congregation for twenty-two years. In 1991, rosi and Marnie took time to travel cross country by bicycle. They both pedaled all 5,250 miles with Cycle America. After over two decades as partners, Marnie and rosi were legally married in Massachusetts at Church of the Covenant in May 2004. Throughout Marnie’s career as a law librarian, she worked to make the law accessible to anyone needing legal information. She held jobs in a law firm and at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners setting up law libraries in prisons. Since 1980 she has worked for the Trial Court overseeing and developing the services of 17 public law libraries that serve the Court, the legal community and the public. Recently she has been involved in Access to Justice. If you asked Marnie what was most exciting about her life, she would answer that “I had the opportunity to experience many firsts in my life–in all of my professional jobs, I was the first person to hold the position; I was a catalyst in Opening and Affirming and had a front row seat to an amazing journey; and was able to legally marry my partner.” (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman from information provided by Marnie Warner.) Biographical Text Marnie Warner, one of four co-authors of the Open and Affirming Resolution in the United Church of Christ, was a key strategist in the passage of Open and Affirming in the Massachusetts Conference and at the 1985 General Synod. Marnie (Margaret) was born in Bethel, Connecticut, in 1950 and baptized in First Congregational Church of Bethel that later joined the UCC. She faithfully attended Sunday School, went to summer camp at Silver Lake Conference Center in Sharon, Conn., and was part of Pilgrim Fellowship. Marnie was the fifth generation to attend this church. She remembers her great-aunt Minnie Carter who was sent from the church as a missionary to Inanda School for Girls in South Africa for forty years. Marnie visited there in 1995. Marnie studied at Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin, and moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to get her Masters degree in Library Science at Simmons College in Boston. While attending Simmons, Marnie became involved at Church of the Covenant (COTC) and became Clerk of Council in 1977. In the early 1980’s, Marnie served on the Metropolitan Boston Association’s Committee on Ministry. She was chosen as a delegate from the Massachusetts Conference to the 1983 and 1985 General Synods which is where the Opening and Affirming story unfolds (and is told in this interview). Following that time, Marnie continued to give her time to Conference activities including chairing a search committee for two associate conference ministers and chairing the annual conference program committee. During the 1990’s, Marnie developed a workshop on Making Meetings Work that she taught and trained others to teach at churches throughout the Massachusetts Conference. At COTC, Marnie was on the Board of Deacons, Membership Development Committee and Covenant News. Being a Deacon during the 1980s was challenging as COTC shepherded many gay men through their journey with AIDS. From 1989-1992, Marnie was part of the Committee to Renew the Covenant that successfully raised $1.3 million from church members, foundations and corporations to renovate the church and create space for non-profits. Marnie met rose ann olmstead at COTC and they grew to know each other through a COTC project, Casa Myrna Vazquez, one of the first shelters for women experiencing domestic violence. In 1981, rosi became a minister at COTC and served the congregation for twenty-two years. In 1991, rosi and Marnie took time to travel cross country by bicycle. They both pedaled all 5,250 miles with Cycle America. After over two decades as partners, Marnie and rosi were legally married in Massachusetts at Church of the Covenant in May 2004. Throughout Marnie’s career as a law librarian, she worked to make the law accessible to anyone needing legal information. She held jobs in a law firm and at the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners setting up law libraries in prisons. Since 1980 she has worked for the Trial Court overseeing and developing the services of 17 public law libraries that serve the Court, the legal community and the public. Recently she has been involved in Access to Justice. If you asked Marnie what was most exciting about her life, she would answer that “I had the opportunity to experience many firsts in my life–in all of my professional jobs, I was the first person to hold the position; I was a catalyst in Opening and Affirming and had a front row seat to an amazing journey; and was able to legally marry my partner.” (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman from information provided by Marnie Warner.) 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 Marnie Warner Marnie Warner https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/30b4e426c2ecfe6b10bf294854bb19e7.jpg 40050eb0c6a98d621d2f4f6b806e73dd Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Marco A. Grimaldo has long adhered to the personal motto, “be of good service.” He grew up in the Spanish-speaking Presbyterian Churches of Central and South Texas where service to family and community was always stressed.  Marco remains fiercely Tejano.  Born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas, Marco is the son of Pedro and Ruth Grimaldo and brother to Rebecca.  His dad, Pedro, worked for non-profit groups, mostly for Southside Community Center to provide housing and help to low-income families in Central and South Texas.  Ruth was first Deputy County Clerk and later court administrator for a state district judge. Together they raised a family of Presbyterian Chicano activists.    Marco attended Southwest Texas State University for his undergraduate degree in political science and later attended the Georgetown Public Policy Institute which brought him to Washington, D.C.  He worked briefly for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and went on to serve as a consultant on policy and political organizing to clients, mainly churches and charitable groups. In 1996, Marco began working with Bread for the World advocating for an end to hunger as a consultant and that relationship has grown into a long-standing partnership. Marco started off in the Organizing Department but over the years he has served as Director of Bread for the World Institute and the founding director of the Alliance to End Hunger. From 2012 through 2015, Marco took a break from Bread to become the President and CEO of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a statewide interfaith group that equips faithful Virginians to lobby the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia delegation in Congress on issues of hunger, poverty and inequality.  Following that, Marco returned to Bread for the World and currently serves as Deputy Director of Church Relations and Senior Associate for Latino Engagement.  Marco Grimaldo has more than 25 years of experience in politics and non-profit advocacy, including work on national campaigns related to international development assistance, HIV/AIDS, debt relief and domestic hunger and poverty concerns. As a queer Latino in the church, Marco has worked to bridge the gap between people’s expectations and assumptions of who we are as LGBTQ people and the reality of our lives and ministries.  Marco previously served on the board of More Light Presbyterians, the Presbyterian AIDS Network, NGLTF’s Religious Leadership Roundtable and co-chaired Witness Our Welcome 2003.  Marco is an ordained ruling elder who attends Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, D.C. (This biographical statement provided by Marco Grimaldo.) Biographical Text Marco A. Grimaldo has long adhered to the personal motto, “be of good service.” He grew up in the Spanish-speaking Presbyterian Churches of Central and South Texas where service to family and community was always stressed.  Marco remains fiercely Tejano.  Born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas, Marco is the son of Pedro and Ruth Grimaldo and brother to Rebecca.  His dad, Pedro, worked for non-profit groups, mostly for Southside Community Center to provide housing and help to low-income families in Central and South Texas.  Ruth was first Deputy County Clerk and later court administrator for a state district judge. Together they raised a family of Presbyterian Chicano activists.    Marco attended Southwest Texas State University for his undergraduate degree in political science and later attended the Georgetown Public Policy Institute which brought him to Washington, D.C.  He worked briefly for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and went on to serve as a consultant on policy and political organizing to clients, mainly churches and charitable groups. In 1996, Marco began working with Bread for the World advocating for an end to hunger as a consultant and that relationship has grown into a long-standing partnership. Marco started off in the Organizing Department but over the years he has served as Director of Bread for the World Institute and the founding director of the Alliance to End Hunger. From 2012 through 2015, Marco took a break from Bread to become the President and CEO of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, a statewide interfaith group that equips faithful Virginians to lobby the Virginia General Assembly and the Virginia delegation in Congress on issues of hunger, poverty and inequality.  Following that, Marco returned to Bread for the World and currently serves as Deputy Director of Church Relations and Senior Associate for Latino Engagement.  Marco Grimaldo has more than 25 years of experience in politics and non-profit advocacy, including work on national campaigns related to international development assistance, HIV/AIDS, debt relief and domestic hunger and poverty concerns. As a queer Latino in the church, Marco has worked to bridge the gap between people’s expectations and assumptions of who we are as LGBTQ people and the reality of our lives and ministries.  Marco previously served on the board of More Light Presbyterians, the Presbyterian AIDS Network, NGLTF’s Religious Leadership Roundtable and co-chaired Witness Our Welcome 2003.  Marco is an ordained ruling elder who attends Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, D.C. (This biographical statement provided by Marco Grimaldo.) 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 Marco Grimaldo Marco Grimaldo More Light Presbyterians for LGBT Concerns Presbyterian https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/d857d1fc559e9f9ebea2cc3efd92785e.jpg 05d9625c28fe4388726b4d80320b0bfc Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Malcolm Himschoot was born in 1977 in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Idaho Springs, Colorado in a white conservative Christian context.  Malcolm’s father was a builder and mother worked as a nurse. He had an older and a younger brother. He was inspired by the mountains and by outdoor worship services growing up, and read through the Bible once a year as a teenager.  Malcolm did co-ed activities in high school: newspaper, theatre, learned languages, traveled with Spanish and French classes. He graduated from the public high school a valedictorian. He also participated in a number of different Christian groups and activities. The family attended several different “Bible-based” churches.  Throughout this time Malcolm was identified by others as female. He had no concept of “lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender” until near the end of his time in high school. He developed into more of a self-described hermit. Intrigued by academics and by the lore of Emily Dickinson, he enrolled in Amherst College in Massachusetts, assisted by major scholarships for a first-generation college student.   During his Amherst years, Malcolm’s experience and understanding of faith, intellect and diverse identities greatly expanded. There he met a trans person for the first time and came to realize internally that the identity of a trans man also fit him. Through the pastoral outreach of Rev. Jan Powers, Malcolm also became affiliated with the United Church of Christ. He describes new-found mental wellness during this time, shedding previously-received fundamentalist message of guilt, shame, fear and fragmentation. However, the years after college resulted in insecure housing and job discrimination. Malcolm spent time traveling and living in Russia, Texas, and Guatemala, studying, doing volunteer work and self-examination. Deciding he would transition to a male gender expression, his desire to re-connect with estranged family eventually led him back to Colorado. He applied to seminary while working in adult education as an English language instructor with immigrant families. Malcolm started seminary in Denver at the Iliff School of Theology in 2000. Initially he was drawn to academic study of religion and ethics. Dr. Vincent Harding, Dr. Dana Wilbanks, and Gail Erisman-Valeta in the Justice and Peace Studies program encouraged him toward urban ministry and community transformation.  As Malcolm made his gender transition, connecting with multiple support people in the area, he also began shifting toward greater interest in pastoral ministry. His cross-cultural student pastorate at the Denver Inner City Parish with pastor Steve Johnsen drew him further along a ministerial path. He received the William R. Johnson Scholarship from the United Church of Christ and was taken in care by the Metro Denver Association of the UCC, in membership with the Washington Park UCC congregation pastored by Rev. Emily Hassler. In 2001 Malcolm participated in a consultation for trans people in the UCC’s national LGBT Concerns Office in Cleveland. This was a life-changing experience in which Malcolm got to meet, hear and make connections with a number of trans leaders in the UCC, including Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. Shortly thereafter Malcolm was invited by a filmmaker to be the subject of a UCC-produced documentary about a trans person’s journey. Malcolm resisted this offer, considering it both too intimate and too individualistic. Finally understanding the importance of a film as an opportunity to break down isolation for trans persons, a vehicle to open conversation in religious congregations about gender diversity, and an artistic expression of spirituality to a non-religious audience, Malcolm agreed to participate in the project. Call Me Malcolm was released in 2005, co-produced by the wider United Church of Christ and Filmworks, Inc.  In conjunction with that film, he has since spoken at churches, conferences, colleges, and universities around the country. Malcolm was ordained as clergy in the United Church of Christ in 2004. He later served as Associate Minister for Outreach at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a period of time. In addition, he served as interim Open and Affirming Coordinator for the United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT Concerns, during an important period of transition for the program. Malcolm and his partner Mariah welcomed twins into their family in 2007. Malcolm shifted much of his time toward parenting, but continued to do some teaching and occasional presentations on transgender concerns. His published writing appeared in Prism, Progressive Christian, Christian Century, edited volumes by Marcella Althaus-Reid and Megan Rohrer, and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors online journal Sacred Spaces. In addition to guest preaching, Malcolm filled supply, interim, or grant-funded position at churches including Arvada UCC, Community UCC of Boulder, and Parker UCC. He traveled less but continued to translate and interpret for some Spanish-language congregations. Taking part in trans activism, Malcolm’s commitments grew in interfaith, anti-racist, and anti-poverty directions. He attended World Council of Churches conversations on gender and sexuality in 2009, supported the founding of the U.S.-based TransFaith Institute, and in 2010 convened a multi-generational network within the UCC called GenderFold. In 2012 Malcolm accepted a position in Cleveland in the national offices of the United Church of Christ, as Minister for Ministerial Transitions. He said, “Churches call forth ministers so that ministers will call forth the calling of the church!” (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman and edited by Malcolm Himschoot.) Biographical Text Malcolm Himschoot was born in 1977 in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Idaho Springs, Colorado in a white conservative Christian context.  Malcolm’s father was a builder and mother worked as a nurse. He had an older and a younger brother. He was inspired by the mountains and by outdoor worship services growing up, and read through the Bible once a year as a teenager.  Malcolm did co-ed activities in high school: newspaper, theatre, learned languages, traveled with Spanish and French classes. He graduated from the public high school a valedictorian. He also participated in a number of different Christian groups and activities. The family attended several different “Bible-based” churches.  Throughout this time Malcolm was identified by others as female. He had no concept of “lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender” until near the end of his time in high school. He developed into more of a self-described hermit. Intrigued by academics and by the lore of Emily Dickinson, he enrolled in Amherst College in Massachusetts, assisted by major scholarships for a first-generation college student.   During his Amherst years, Malcolm’s experience and understanding of faith, intellect and diverse identities greatly expanded. There he met a trans person for the first time and came to realize internally that the identity of a trans man also fit him. Through the pastoral outreach of Rev. Jan Powers, Malcolm also became affiliated with the United Church of Christ. He describes new-found mental wellness during this time, shedding previously-received fundamentalist message of guilt, shame, fear and fragmentation. However, the years after college resulted in insecure housing and job discrimination. Malcolm spent time traveling and living in Russia, Texas, and Guatemala, studying, doing volunteer work and self-examination. Deciding he would transition to a male gender expression, his desire to re-connect with estranged family eventually led him back to Colorado. He applied to seminary while working in adult education as an English language instructor with immigrant families. Malcolm started seminary in Denver at the Iliff School of Theology in 2000. Initially he was drawn to academic study of religion and ethics. Dr. Vincent Harding, Dr. Dana Wilbanks, and Gail Erisman-Valeta in the Justice and Peace Studies program encouraged him toward urban ministry and community transformation.  As Malcolm made his gender transition, connecting with multiple support people in the area, he also began shifting toward greater interest in pastoral ministry. His cross-cultural student pastorate at the Denver Inner City Parish with pastor Steve Johnsen drew him further along a ministerial path. He received the William R. Johnson Scholarship from the United Church of Christ and was taken in care by the Metro Denver Association of the UCC, in membership with the Washington Park UCC congregation pastored by Rev. Emily Hassler. In 2001 Malcolm participated in a consultation for trans people in the UCC’s national LGBT Concerns Office in Cleveland. This was a life-changing experience in which Malcolm got to meet, hear and make connections with a number of trans leaders in the UCC, including <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1443">Miss Major Griffin-Gracy</a>. Shortly thereafter Malcolm was invited by a filmmaker to be the subject of a UCC-produced documentary about a trans person’s journey. Malcolm resisted this offer, considering it both too intimate and too individualistic. Finally understanding the importance of a film as an opportunity to break down isolation for trans persons, a vehicle to open conversation in religious congregations about gender diversity, and an artistic expression of spirituality to a non-religious audience, Malcolm agreed to participate in the project. Call Me Malcolm was released in 2005, co-produced by the wider United Church of Christ and Filmworks, Inc.  In conjunction with that film, he has since spoken at churches, conferences, colleges, and universities around the country. Malcolm was ordained as clergy in the United Church of Christ in 2004. He later served as Associate Minister for Outreach at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota for a period of time. In addition, he served as interim Open and Affirming Coordinator for the United Church of Christ Coalition for LGBT Concerns, during an important period of transition for the program. Malcolm and his partner Mariah welcomed twins into their family in 2007. Malcolm shifted much of his time toward parenting, but continued to do some teaching and occasional presentations on transgender concerns. His published writing appeared in Prism, Progressive Christian, Christian Century, edited volumes by Marcella Althaus-Reid and Megan Rohrer, and the American Association of Pastoral Counselors online journal Sacred Spaces. In addition to guest preaching, Malcolm filled supply, interim, or grant-funded position at churches including Arvada UCC, Community UCC of Boulder, and Parker UCC. He traveled less but continued to translate and interpret for some Spanish-language congregations. Taking part in trans activism, Malcolm’s commitments grew in interfaith, anti-racist, and anti-poverty directions. He attended World Council of Churches conversations on gender and sexuality in 2009, supported the founding of the U.S.-based TransFaith Institute, and in 2010 convened a multi-generational network within the UCC called GenderFold. In 2012 Malcolm accepted a position in Cleveland in the national offices of the United Church of Christ, as Minister for Ministerial Transitions. He said, “Churches call forth ministers so that ministers will call forth the calling of the church!” (This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman and edited by Malcolm Himschoot.) 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 Malcolm Himschoot Malcolm Himschoot UCC United Church of Christ 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 https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/411c830dda9665dfc1b9e882da7aacb9.jpg bd72c3fa9aa0af50669be4d4514f29f3 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document The Rev. Lois (Loey) M. Powell retired in 2016 from the denominational offices of the United Church of Christ after serving in various positions of leadership there for almost 20 years. Loey began her national setting ministry in 1996 when she was called to serve as the last Executive Director for the Coordinating Center for Women in Church and Society (CCW), one of the offices that would disappear as a distinct focus when the UCC restructured in 2000. Justice advocacy for women continued in a new national ministry called Justice and Witness Ministries and Loey joined the leadership team of JWM with particular attention to this advocacy work along with peace issues and leadership development, continuing this until 2014. At that point, Loey became the Executive Associate to the General Minister and President, and then filled a different position in her last months in the national offices. The UCC likes to tout its “firsts” in history, such as being the first mainline church to ordain a woman when Antoinette Brown was ordered in 1853, and the first to ordain an openly gay or lesbian minister when the Rev. William R. Johnson was ordained in 1972. Loey’s ministry includes a few such firsts as an open lesbian in ministry since 1978, the year she was ordained by the Golden Gate Association of the Northern California-Nevada Conference. Loey was the first open lgbt member to be elected to the UCC’s Executive Council (around 1986), the primary decision-making body of the UCC. When she was called to be pastor of the United Church in Tallahassee (FL) in 1989, Loey was the first open lgbt minister to be called as sole pastor through the regular search and call process (which means she was just another name in a pool of candidates). As Executive Director of CCW, she was the first openly lgbt executive on the UCC’s Council of Instrumentality Executives. Loey was a preacher’s kid. Her father, Oliver Powell, was a well-respected UCC minister who never shied away from engaging the church in the realities of the world and its social issues. Her mother, Eleonore Powell, returned to complete her B.S. when Loey was in grade school and had her own career as a dietician. Loey had two older brothers, David and Jonathan, but the family lost Joe when he was just 17. Born in Worcester, MA, in 1950, the Powells moved to Oak Park, IL, when Loey was in first grade. There she completed high school before attending Oberlin College. Then it was off to Pacific School of Religion in 1974 where Loey earned her M.Div. in 1977. She came out as lesbian during her first year at PSR and became clear that her call to ministry was to be an advocate for justice. Feminist and liberation theologies were front and center and the desire to model a belief that ministry exists in and through community led Loey and two other women, also lesbian, to seek ordination together. They made their request for ordination from the Golden Gate Association of the No. California-Nevada Conference having written a joint theology of ministry paper. Along with Stacy Cusulos and Jody Parsons, the three women chose not to publicly state their sexual orientation in their request because of the joint nature of their request. It was widely known, however, throughout the Conference that they were lesbians. On April 2,1978, that ordination took place at Mill Valley Community Church (UCC) with much joy and celebration.  Loey’s first call in ministry was to be the director for an ecumenical non-profit that did education and advocacy on environmental and energy issues with churches. After two years, she had the opportunity to be an interim associate Conference minister, and then she was called to be the interim associate minister at 1st Congregational Church of San Francisco. Following her two years in that position, Loey entered a period of time when she was not able to find a ministry position for several years. She worked for Redwood Records, the independent women-owned label started by Holly Near, worked as a receptionist in a chiropractic office, and as a technician at the Oakland Museum. She was called to serve part-time as the founding pastor of Peace UCC in Oakland, an Open and Affirming Congregation seeking new ways to minister and worship in the Bay Area, a role she fulfilled for the first two years of that congregation’s life. Then, in 1989, Loey was called to the United Church in Tallahassee. There she was engaged in HIV/AIDS outreach, reproductive justice concerns, peace issues, lgbtq advocacy, and responding to the rise in the number of Black churches in the South which were being burned down, among other issues of the day. It was a very satisfying pastorate with a wonderful congregation. During her tenure in the national setting of the UCC, Loey had the opportunity to represent the UCC in ecumenical and interfaith settings. She was a member of the Justice for Women Working Group of the National Council of Churches, participated in an ecumenical women’s trip to the Middle East, served for four years as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and was able to attend many conferences and committees addressing a wide range of issues. For many ecumenical and interfaith partners, Loey’s sexuality was a challenge or a blessing, especially as many denominations struggled internally with lgbtq issues. For Loey, it felt important to be more than a single-issue minister particularly as one whose interests covered a range of topics. Over the years, Loey was active with the UCC’s Open and Affirming Coalition, becoming involved when it was still known as the UCC Gay Caucus. She was co-national coordinator with Bill Johnson early on, and then with Sam Loliger. Her parents founded a new ministry focus in their retirement when they formed a new support group, the UCC Parents of Lesbians and Gays. Over the years, Eleonore and Oliver counseled and encouraged parents who were struggling with accepting their children and developed a strong voice of advocacy within the UCC for lgbtq persons and families. In 2017, Loey was awarded the UCC’s Antoinette Brown Award which since 1975 has recognized trailblazing ministries of women. Loey met her spouse, Brenda Joyner, in Tallahassee. Brenda was the Director of the Feminist Women’s Health Center then and they became personally involved in 1996. When Loey moved to Cleveland in 1997, Brenda went off the CUNY Law School. Both are retired now, Loey from the UCC and Brenda from teaching, and seek new ways to live out their strong commitments to justice. They balance the craziness of the world with their avid love of golfing, cooking, good wine, and taking on all kinds of home repair jobs. (This revised biographical statement provided by Loey Powell.) Biographical Text The Rev. Lois (Loey) M. Powell retired in 2016 from the denominational offices of the United Church of Christ after serving in various positions of leadership there for almost 20 years. Loey began her national setting ministry in 1996 when she was called to serve as the last Executive Director for the Coordinating Center for Women in Church and Society (CCW), one of the offices that would disappear as a distinct focus when the UCC restructured in 2000. Justice advocacy for women continued in a new national ministry called Justice and Witness Ministries and Loey joined the leadership team of JWM with particular attention to this advocacy work along with peace issues and leadership development, continuing this until 2014. At that point, Loey became the Executive Associate to the General Minister and President, and then filled a different position in her last months in the national offices. The UCC likes to tout its “firsts” in history, such as being the first mainline church to ordain a woman when Antoinette Brown was ordered in 1853, and the first to ordain an openly gay or lesbian minister when the Rev. William R. Johnson was ordained in 1972. Loey’s ministry includes a few such firsts as an open lesbian in ministry since 1978, the year she was ordained by the Golden Gate Association of the Northern California-Nevada Conference. Loey was the first open lgbt member to be elected to the UCC’s Executive Council (around 1986), the primary decision-making body of the UCC. When she was called to be pastor of the United Church in Tallahassee (FL) in 1989, Loey was the first open lgbt minister to be called as sole pastor through the regular search and call process (which means she was just another name in a pool of candidates). As Executive Director of CCW, she was the first openly lgbt executive on the UCC’s Council of Instrumentality Executives. Loey was a preacher’s kid. Her father, Oliver Powell, was a well-respected UCC minister who never shied away from engaging the church in the realities of the world and its social issues. Her mother, Eleonore Powell, returned to complete her B.S. when Loey was in grade school and had her own career as a dietician. Loey had two older brothers, David and Jonathan, but the family lost Joe when he was just 17. Born in Worcester, MA, in 1950, the Powells moved to Oak Park, IL, when Loey was in first grade. There she completed high school before attending Oberlin College. Then it was off to Pacific School of Religion in 1974 where Loey earned her M.Div. in 1977. She came out as lesbian during her first year at PSR and became clear that her call to ministry was to be an advocate for justice. Feminist and liberation theologies were front and center and the desire to model a belief that ministry exists in and through community led Loey and two other women, also lesbian, to seek ordination together. They made their request for ordination from the Golden Gate Association of the No. California-Nevada Conference having written a joint theology of ministry paper. Along with Stacy Cusulos and Jody Parsons, the three women chose not to publicly state their sexual orientation in their request because of the joint nature of their request. It was widely known, however, throughout the Conference that they were lesbians. On April 2,1978, that ordination took place at Mill Valley Community Church (UCC) with much joy and celebration.  Loey’s first call in ministry was to be the director for an ecumenical non-profit that did education and advocacy on environmental and energy issues with churches. After two years, she had the opportunity to be an interim associate Conference minister, and then she was called to be the interim associate minister at 1st Congregational Church of San Francisco. Following her two years in that position, Loey entered a period of time when she was not able to find a ministry position for several years. She worked for Redwood Records, the independent women-owned label started by Holly Near, worked as a receptionist in a chiropractic office, and as a technician at the Oakland Museum. She was called to serve part-time as the founding pastor of Peace UCC in Oakland, an Open and Affirming Congregation seeking new ways to minister and worship in the Bay Area, a role she fulfilled for the first two years of that congregation’s life. Then, in 1989, Loey was called to the United Church in Tallahassee. There she was engaged in HIV/AIDS outreach, reproductive justice concerns, peace issues, lgbtq advocacy, and responding to the rise in the number of Black churches in the South which were being burned down, among other issues of the day. It was a very satisfying pastorate with a wonderful congregation. During her tenure in the national setting of the UCC, Loey had the opportunity to represent the UCC in ecumenical and interfaith settings. She was a member of the Justice for Women Working Group of the National Council of Churches, participated in an ecumenical women’s trip to the Middle East, served for four years as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and was able to attend many conferences and committees addressing a wide range of issues. For many ecumenical and interfaith partners, Loey’s sexuality was a challenge or a blessing, especially as many denominations struggled internally with lgbtq issues. For Loey, it felt important to be more than a single-issue minister particularly as one whose interests covered a range of topics. Over the years, Loey was active with the UCC’s Open and Affirming Coalition, becoming involved when it was still known as the UCC Gay Caucus. She was co-national coordinator with Bill Johnson early on, and then with Sam Loliger. Her parents founded a new ministry focus in their retirement when they formed a new support group, the UCC Parents of Lesbians and Gays. Over the years, Eleonore and Oliver counseled and encouraged parents who were struggling with accepting their children and developed a strong voice of advocacy within the UCC for lgbtq persons and families. In 2017, Loey was awarded the UCC’s Antoinette Brown Award which since 1975 has recognized trailblazing ministries of women. Loey met her spouse, Brenda Joyner, in Tallahassee. Brenda was the Director of the Feminist Women’s Health Center then and they became personally involved in 1996. When Loey moved to Cleveland in 1997, Brenda went off the CUNY Law School. Both are retired now, Loey from the UCC and Brenda from teaching, and seek new ways to live out their strong commitments to justice. They balance the craziness of the world with their avid love of golfing, cooking, good wine, and taking on all kinds of home repair jobs. (This revised biographical statement provided by Loey Powell.) 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 Loey Powell ONA Open and Affirming in the UCC UCC United Church of Christ https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/5cfc1a5856bfc248d21823d1c09d9c62.jpg 32fde639ab26f98af6ea0cc69a77226b Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Leo Treadway is most well-known for his leadership of Lutherans Concerned/North America; the development of the Wingspan Ministry at St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, and through that context his educational and advocacy efforts across a broad expanse of church and society; his creation of the first programming for GLBT youth in Minnesota; and, more recently, his work with the Minnesota Historical Society to insure the preservation and archiving of Minnesota’s GLBT heritage.  While not ordained, Leo became active with the fledgling Lutherans Concerned for Gay People (later Lutherans Concerned/North America) within a month of their formation in the Twin Cities and represented them at the American Lutheran Church Assembly of Congregations in Detroit later that same year (1974). Leaving a marriage, he relocated to the Twin Cities and immediately immersed himself in the activities of the local LCGP chapter, eventually serving as chair of the chapter for several years.  Recognizing the need for expanded organizing at the national level (among gay and lesbian Lutherans), Leo eventually served as co-chair of Lutherans Concerned/North America with Pastor Anita Hill (later to become his colleague with St. Paul-Reformation’s Wingspan Ministry, and finally to be ordained in defiance of ELCA policy). During his tenure as national co-chair (1978-1982), Leo helped to expand LC/NA into an international organization with the recognition of Canadian GLBT Lutherans. He currently serves on a LC/NA Task Force that is developing a Partnership Project with GLBT Lutherans in Brazil.  The Reconciled In Christ Project was developed and implemented under his leadership and he assisted St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in becoming its first registered congregation. A liturgist by avocation, Leo provided leadership and inspiration for the development of Orders for Worship, addressing the needs of both women and men, as well as addressing the positive faith experience of lesbians and gay men.  He collaborated with others to develop Creating Worship That Welcomes and Includes , a resource still available through LC/NA (including a Order of Service in Celebration of Coming Out, and several orders for the Celebration of Union). <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/leo-treadway/Pic%20Emcee%20for%20Queer%20Jeopardy%20late%201980s.jpg" />Emcee for Queer Jeopardy game on LGBT history & culture at AIDS conference in Minneapolis late 1980sAt local, national and international levels, Leo encouraged GLBT Lutherans to develop cooperative relationships with other GLBT religious organizations and his work led to the creation of the Lesbian and Gay Interfaith Council of Minnesota. Later, in his role as co-chair for LC/NA, Leo served as one of the founding members of the Lesbian and Gay Interfaith Alliance, a national organization committed to helping the many established and newly emerging GLBT religious groups to work, worship and advocate collaboratively. By 1981, Leo’s continuing work with the local LC/NA chapter in the Twin Cities led him to believe in the importance of finding a home congregation that would be fully welcoming of GLBT people, their friends and families and who would actively advocate on their behalf. That year became a year of "mission development" with St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church and resulted, the following year, in the establishment of the Wingspan Ministry.  Leo served as a Ministry Associate with the congregation and Wingspan for another 12 years. During that period, Leo successfully used that congregational base to provide active leadership in community organizing and development with Minnesota’s GLBT communities. In early 1982, working closely with Pastor Paul Tidemann (senior pastor at St. Paul Reformation), Leo helped the Minnesota Council of Churches to adopt their historic "Statement on Ministry To and With Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans." Although adopted by their board with a significant majority, this statement sparked a whirlwind of reaction, ending in the firing of the Council’s Executive Director. A few years later, secretive actions by another Executive Director quietly disavowed that the historic statement had ever really been adopted. In the meantime, church bodies and congregations all across Minnesota were given the opportunity to learn about, discuss, and argue over ministry with their GLBT sons and daughters. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/leo-treadway/Pic%20at%20LCNA%20Assembly%201992.jpg" />At the Lutheran Church North America Assembly 1992Leo’s earlier involvement with the St. Paul Citizens for Human Rights campaign (1977-78) had paved the way for his commitment to advocacy for legal protections for Minnesota’s GLBT citizens. Twenty years of educational and organizing work, advocacy, and leadership led to the passage of statewide human rights protections, signed into law by the governor in 1993. During that journey, Leo served on three task forces appointed by successive Minnesota governors: The Governor’s Task Force on Prejudice and Violence that led to two new laws protecting Minnesotans from hate crimes and upgrading the penalties for such actions; The Governor’s Task Force on Lesbian and Gay Minnesotans, and later The Governor’s Task Force on Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans, both of which paved the way for full human rights protection. During service on all three task forces, Leo strongly advocated the use of public hearings throughout the state, for the first time allowing GLBT Minnesotans the opportunity to speak to state-appointed officials about their experiences with prejudice and discrimination. These hearings throughout Minnesota formed an enduring commitment for Leo to advocacy on behalf of GLBT citizens in small towns and cities all around Minnesota; and he was to become known for his unflagging commitment to helping such communities become recognized and represented in the state’s major GLBT organizations. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/leo-treadway/Pic%20Introduces%20Marcelo%20Bischoff,%20international%20grand%20marshall%20Twin%20Cities%20Pride%201991.jpg" />Introducing Marcelo Bischoff, international grand marshal for Twin Cities Pride 1991 Through this community organizing Leo came to recognize the financial needs of many small and emerging GLBT organizations in the Twin Cities and, more broadly, throughout the state. In accepting the invitation to join the Headwaters Fund as Chair of its Grantmaking Committee, Leo committed the foundation to become increasingly more proactive in funding GLBT programs and projects. He left this volunteer position after achieving his goal and moved on to become involved with the Philanthrofund Foundation, a small foundation from within the GLBT community itself, where he again became involved in the grantmaking process. Before his departure from this board, he helped to design a more proactive outreach to small GLBT organizations in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. When the HIV crisis hit Minnesota (in the early 1980s), this too became part of Leo’s ministry work through Wingspan.  Although he created and established the "Embrace Hope" series of prayer services for those affected by HIV, Leo is perhaps better remembered for chairing the effort that brought the NAMES Project Quilt to Minnesota during its first display tour of the nation. Leo developed other major efforts to bring public and community attention to the AIDS crisis, including the area premiere of Buddies and a widely publicized piece of guerrilla theatre involving Leo in protesting the restrictive policies being encouraged by the Berean League (a long time enemy to GLBT people in Minnesota). In a less confrontational setting, Leo also served on the HIV Task Force for the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health (a group  whose primary task was to recommend levels of funding for HIV programs in the state). <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/leo-treadway/Pic%20with%202nd%20International%20Grand%20Marshal%20for%201993%20TC%20PRIDE%20Glademer%20Lorenzi.jpg" />With Glademer Lorenzi, international grand marshal for Twin Cities Pride 1993 In 1983, Leo began work on a long-time interest and helped to develop the state’s first established programming for GLBT youth, a weekly support group for which Leo provided leadership during the next decade.  From such a humble beginning, Leo was able to provide an enormous amount of training and advocacy for youth-serving organizations and professionals in Minnesota as well as nationally. He developed a high profile poster series on GLBT youth issues (still available from Wingspan Ministries) and managed to have these posters carried in buses throughout the Twin Cities. His work with GLBT youth, and on their behalf, led to his selection as a recipient for the McKnight Foundation Award in 1987. Yet he credits the high point of this portion of his career with the establishment of the Out 4 Good program in the Minneapolis School District--one of the first programs to help GLBT students, teachers, staff, and parents in the nation. As his career and ministry have aged, Leo has now turned his interests to the preservation and archiving of Minnesota’s GLBT population. In addition to donating an extraordinary amount of material to the Minnesota Historical Society, Leo helped them establish the GLBT Collections Working Group, a project he chaired until stepping down in 2003. Currently, Leo is working to establish regional GLBT Collections elsewhere in Minnesota. Despite his continuing commitment to build the MHS Collection, once again Leo is on the road traveling and visiting smaller GLBT communities in Minnesota--something for which he has a great passion.  With numerous articles and contributed chapters to his credit, Leo is now working on two books with a lesbian colleague--one a memoir style reporting of "critical moments in Minnesota GLBT history," and the second a photo essay, seeking to retain a visual memory of Minnesota’s GLBT community organizations and queer spaces.  Although now part of a passing generation of GLBT leadership, Leo has well over 1,000 speaking engagements to his credit, including his well-known Queer Jeopardy program on GLBT history. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/leo-treadway/Pic%20with%20youth%201993%20March%20on%20Wash.jpg" />With Minnesota youth at 1993 March on WashingtonNow living in partial retirement from his previous demanding schedule on GLBT issues, Leo has committed a significant portion of his time helping to strengthen Minnesota’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities through leadership on the Planning Committee of the Dragon Festival. In 2003, Leo was the chief organizer for the Dragon Boat Races and was delighted to see the gay-identified Long Yang Club take first prize in their division.  But despite retirement, Leo continues to work on behalf of various causes which benefit minority communities.  Through his home congregation, Leo worked to help provide sanctuary, housing and support for a Nigerian immigrant family.  Additionally, he works with a new set of programs at St. Paul-Reformation:  Shear Grace (a free haircut program for homeless youth and families), and in partnership with The Sheridan Project (providing meal bags for school children unlikely to have sufficient food over the weekend).  He continues his board membership for AEDA (Asian Economic Development Association), which provides business loans for Asian-American businesses, while also supporting the local Asian American arts community and artists. Leo continues his commitment to GLBT youth, and is a regular speaker at a local St. Paul Middle School's program for GLBT students - some 80 in regular attendance.  For several years Leo collaborated with others in a project designed to raise funds and provide support for GLBT organizations in Uganda - while at the same time, raising awareness of their needs with Minnesota's GLBT communities.  Leo will be returning to Brazil in October 2018 to reestablish and strengthen connections with GLBT Lutherans in that country.  Leo was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award for a GLBT Individual" in 2018, by Reconciling Works, at their biennial Assembly in Minneapolis.   Leo is pictured with Squeaker, who appeared with Leo in an edition of "The Lutheran," becoming infamous in the process.  Even with these activities, Leo's current cat (Zazu) remains unimpressed and has made it quite clear that his primary responsibility should be as her minion! (This biographical statement was provided by Leo Treadway.) Biographical Text Leo Treadway is most well-known for his leadership of Lutherans Concerned/North America; the development of the Wingspan Ministry at St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, and through that context his educational and advocacy efforts across a broad expanse of church and society; his creation of the first programming for GLBT youth in Minnesota; and, more recently, his work with the Minnesota Historical Society to insure the preservation and archiving of Minnesota’s GLBT heritage.  While not ordained, Leo became active with the fledgling Lutherans Concerned for Gay People (later Lutherans Concerned/North America) within a month of their formation in the Twin Cities and represented them at the American Lutheran Church Assembly of Congregations in Detroit later that same year (1974). Leaving a marriage, he relocated to the Twin Cities and immediately immersed himself in the activities of the local LCGP chapter, eventually serving as chair of the chapter for several years.  Recognizing the need for expanded organizing at the national level (among gay and lesbian Lutherans), Leo eventually served as co-chair of Lutherans Concerned/North America with Pastor Anita Hill (later to become his colleague with St. Paul-Reformation’s Wingspan Ministry, and finally to be ordained in defiance of ELCA policy). During his tenure as national co-chair (1978-1982), Leo helped to expand LC/NA into an international organization with the recognition of Canadian GLBT Lutherans. He currently serves on a LC/NA Task Force that is developing a Partnership Project with GLBT Lutherans in Brazil.  The Reconciled In Christ Project was developed and implemented under his leadership and he assisted St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church in becoming its first registered congregation. A liturgist by avocation, Leo provided leadership and inspiration for the development of Orders for Worship, addressing the needs of both women and men, as well as addressing the positive faith experience of lesbians and gay men.  He collaborated with others to develop Creating Worship That Welcomes and Includes , a resource still available through LC/NA (including a Order of Service in Celebration of Coming Out, and several orders for the Celebration of Union). At local, national and international levels, Leo encouraged GLBT Lutherans to develop cooperative relationships with other GLBT religious organizations and his work led to the creation of the Lesbian and Gay Interfaith Council of Minnesota. Later, in his role as co-chair for LC/NA, Leo served as one of the founding members of the Lesbian and Gay Interfaith Alliance, a national organization committed to helping the many established and newly emerging GLBT religious groups to work, worship and advocate collaboratively. By 1981, Leo’s continuing work with the local LC/NA chapter in the Twin Cities led him to believe in the importance of finding a home congregation that would be fully welcoming of GLBT people, their friends and families and who would actively advocate on their behalf. That year became a year of "mission development" with St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church and resulted, the following year, in the establishment of the Wingspan Ministry.  Leo served as a Ministry Associate with the congregation and Wingspan for another 12 years. During that period, Leo successfully used that congregational base to provide active leadership in community organizing and development with Minnesota’s GLBT communities. In early 1982, working closely with Pastor Paul Tidemann (senior pastor at St. Paul Reformation), Leo helped the Minnesota Council of Churches to adopt their historic "Statement on Ministry To and With Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans." Although adopted by their board with a significant majority, this statement sparked a whirlwind of reaction, ending in the firing of the Council’s Executive Director. A few years later, secretive actions by another Executive Director quietly disavowed that the historic statement had ever really been adopted. In the meantime, church bodies and congregations all across Minnesota were given the opportunity to learn about, discuss, and argue over ministry with their GLBT sons and daughters. Leo’s earlier involvement with the St. Paul Citizens for Human Rights campaign (1977-78) had paved the way for his commitment to advocacy for legal protections for Minnesota’s GLBT citizens. Twenty years of educational and organizing work, advocacy, and leadership led to the passage of statewide human rights protections, signed into law by the governor in 1993. During that journey, Leo served on three task forces appointed by successive Minnesota governors: The Governor’s Task Force on Prejudice and Violence that led to two new laws protecting Minnesotans from hate crimes and upgrading the penalties for such actions; The Governor’s Task Force on Lesbian and Gay Minnesotans, and later The Governor’s Task Force on Gay and Lesbian Minnesotans, both of which paved the way for full human rights protection. During service on all three task forces, Leo strongly advocated the use of public hearings throughout the state, for the first time allowing GLBT Minnesotans the opportunity to speak to state-appointed officials about their experiences with prejudice and discrimination. These hearings throughout Minnesota formed an enduring commitment for Leo to advocacy on behalf of GLBT citizens in small towns and cities all around Minnesota; and he was to become known for his unflagging commitment to helping such communities become recognized and represented in the state’s major GLBT organizations. Through this community organizing Leo came to recognize the financial needs of many small and emerging GLBT organizations in the Twin Cities and, more broadly, throughout the state. In accepting the invitation to join the Headwaters Fund as Chair of its Grantmaking Committee, Leo committed the foundation to become increasingly more proactive in funding GLBT programs and projects. He left this volunteer position after achieving his goal and moved on to become involved with the Philanthrofund Foundation, a small foundation from within the GLBT community itself, where he again became involved in the grantmaking process. Before his departure from this board, he helped to design a more proactive outreach to small GLBT organizations in Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. When the HIV crisis hit Minnesota (in the early 1980s), this too became part of Leo’s ministry work through Wingspan.  Although he created and established the "Embrace Hope" series of prayer services for those affected by HIV, Leo is perhaps better remembered for chairing the effort that brought the NAMES Project Quilt to Minnesota during its first display tour of the nation. Leo developed other major efforts to bring public and community attention to the AIDS crisis, including the area premiere of Buddies and a widely publicized piece of guerrilla theatre involving Leo in protesting the restrictive policies being encouraged by the Berean League (a long time enemy to GLBT people in Minnesota). In a less confrontational setting, Leo also served on the HIV Task Force for the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health (a group  whose primary task was to recommend levels of funding for HIV programs in the state). In 1983, Leo began work on a long-time interest and helped to develop the state’s first established programming for GLBT youth, a weekly support group for which Leo provided leadership during the next decade.  From such a humble beginning, Leo was able to provide an enormous amount of training and advocacy for youth-serving organizations and professionals in Minnesota as well as nationally. He developed a high profile poster series on GLBT youth issues (still available from Wingspan Ministries) and managed to have these posters carried in buses throughout the Twin Cities. His work with GLBT youth, and on their behalf, led to his selection as a recipient for the McKnight Foundation Award in 1987. Yet he credits the high point of this portion of his career with the establishment of the Out 4 Good program in the Minneapolis School District--one of the first programs to help GLBT students, teachers, staff, and parents in the nation. As his career and ministry have aged, Leo has now turned his interests to the preservation and archiving of Minnesota’s GLBT population. In addition to donating an extraordinary amount of material to the Minnesota Historical Society, Leo helped them establish the GLBT Collections Working Group, a project he chaired until stepping down in 2003. Currently, Leo is working to establish regional GLBT Collections elsewhere in Minnesota. Despite his continuing commitment to build the MHS Collection, once again Leo is on the road traveling and visiting smaller GLBT communities in Minnesota--something for which he has a great passion.  With numerous articles and contributed chapters to his credit, Leo is now working on two books with a lesbian colleague--one a memoir style reporting of "critical moments in Minnesota GLBT history," and the second a photo essay, seeking to retain a visual memory of Minnesota’s GLBT community organizations and queer spaces.  Although now part of a passing generation of GLBT leadership, Leo has well over 1,000 speaking engagements to his credit, including his well-known Queer Jeopardy program on GLBT history. Now living in partial retirement from his previous demanding schedule on GLBT issues, Leo has committed a significant portion of his time helping to strengthen Minnesota’s Asian and Pacific Islander communities through leadership on the Planning Committee of the Dragon Festival. In 2003, Leo was the chief organizer for the Dragon Boat Races and was delighted to see the gay-identified Long Yang Club take first prize in their division.  But despite retirement, Leo continues to work on behalf of various causes which benefit minority communities.  Through his home congregation, Leo worked to help provide sanctuary, housing and support for a Nigerian immigrant family.  Additionally, he works with a new set of programs at St. Paul-Reformation:  Shear Grace (a free haircut program for homeless youth and families), and in partnership with The Sheridan Project (providing meal bags for school children unlikely to have sufficient food over the weekend).  He continues his board membership for AEDA (Asian Economic Development Association), which provides business loans for Asian-American businesses, while also supporting the local Asian American arts community and artists. Leo continues his commitment to GLBT youth, and is a regular speaker at a local St. Paul Middle School's program for GLBT students - some 80 in regular attendance.  For several years Leo collaborated with others in a project designed to raise funds and provide support for GLBT organizations in Uganda - while at the same time, raising awareness of their needs with Minnesota's GLBT communities.  Leo will be returning to Brazil in October 2018 to reestablish and strengthen connections with GLBT Lutherans in that country.  Leo was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement Award for a GLBT Individual" in 2018, by Reconciling Works, at their biennial Assembly in Minneapolis.   Leo is pictured with Squeaker, who appeared with Leo in an edition of "The Lutheran," becoming infamous in the process.  Even with these activities, Leo's current cat (Zazu) remains unimpressed and has made it quite clear that his primary responsibility should be as her minion! (This biographical statement was provided by Leo Treadway.) 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 Leo Treadway LC/NA Leo Treadway Lutheran Lutherans Concerned https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/8d1837db40638bdd7b24317f85b8234c.jpg 6bfd348e44802dd157a48d0ff25220bb Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Larry Rodriguez is a native of Los Angeles, California.  After an early childhood in Boyle Heights, his family moved to what was then considered the distant suburbs of Los Angeles, Monterey Park.  Larry was raised in the Roman Catholic Church.  Although he attended public schools, in his late teens Larry decided to join the parish choir.  At the age of 21, Larry had his first gay experience with the music director of the folk mass.  When people began to inquire about the nature of their close relationship the director concocted a story that outed Larry, but did not implicate himself.  Larry was asked to leave the choir, if not the church. In a soul-searching experience, Larry recalls the night he was closing up after Saturday night mass.  He had turned out all the lights, approached the altar railing, knelt and prayed:  “God, if being who I am is wrong, then change me.  But if it is not, then find me a people who will love me for who I am and whom I can love.” A short time later, Larry found Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles.  The year was 1969 and Reverend Troy Perry was the Pastor.  Larry served in various ministries of the church, and served on the Board of Directors of MCC Los Angeles for a period of 10 years.  He also served as the Worship Coordinator of the church during a pulpit vacancy in 1985. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/larry-rodriguez/Rodriguez%201975%20LA%20March.jpg" />1975 March from MCC Los Angeles to Federal Building to repeal California’s sodomy laws. Rev. June Norris, Rev. James Sandmire, Rev. Don Pederson & Larry (left to right).    On the District level of the denomination, Larry served as the Southwest District Lay Representative from 1977 to 1987, and as a member of the District Committee from 1985 to 1987.  Additionally, Larry has served as the chairperson of the denomination’s Bylaws Committee, as a member of the Commission on Government Structures and Systems, and as Assistant Chairperson of the Commission on the Laity. Larry was elected to the Board of Elders of the denomination at the 1987 General Conference in Miami, Florida, and served on the Board of Elders for ten years.  It was the second time a lay person had served on the Board of Elders. Larry continues to be active in his home church, Founders MCC Los Angeles, working with the Creative Worship Team and Archives Committee. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/larry-rodriguez/Rodriguez%201993%20Wedding.jpg" />Larry with Kees at The Wedding on Mall in Washington, D.C. 1993. Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Science Degree in Meteorology from UCLA.  He taught Health, Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science at Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles for 32 years before retiring in 2007.   In the 1990’s, Larry co-founded a Project 10 program at the school which provided support to LGBT students. Larry lives in Culver City, California, with his life partner of 36 years, Kees Van Vliet. (This biographical statement provided by Larry Rodriguez.) Biographical Text Larry Rodriguez is a native of Los Angeles, California.  After an early childhood in Boyle Heights, his family moved to what was then considered the distant suburbs of Los Angeles, Monterey Park.  Larry was raised in the Roman Catholic Church.  Although he attended public schools, in his late teens Larry decided to join the parish choir.  At the age of 21, Larry had his first gay experience with the music director of the folk mass.  When people began to inquire about the nature of their close relationship the director concocted a story that outed Larry, but did not implicate himself.  Larry was asked to leave the choir, if not the church. In a soul-searching experience, Larry recalls the night he was closing up after Saturday night mass.  He had turned out all the lights, approached the altar railing, knelt and prayed:  “God, if being who I am is wrong, then change me.  But if it is not, then find me a people who will love me for who I am and whom I can love.” A short time later, Larry found Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles.  The year was 1969 and Reverend Troy Perry was the Pastor.  Larry served in various ministries of the church, and served on the Board of Directors of MCC Los Angeles for a period of 10 years.  He also served as the Worship Coordinator of the church during a pulpit vacancy in 1985. On the District level of the denomination, Larry served as the Southwest District Lay Representative from 1977 to 1987, and as a member of the District Committee from 1985 to 1987.  Additionally, Larry has served as the chairperson of the denomination’s Bylaws Committee, as a member of the Commission on Government Structures and Systems, and as Assistant Chairperson of the Commission on the Laity. Larry was elected to the Board of Elders of the denomination at the 1987 General Conference in Miami, Florida, and served on the Board of Elders for ten years.  It was the second time a lay person had served on the Board of Elders. Larry continues to be active in his home church, Founders MCC Los Angeles, working with the Creative Worship Team and Archives Committee. Larry earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Master of Science Degree in Meteorology from UCLA.  He taught Health, Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science at Theodore Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles for 32 years before retiring in 2007.   In the 1990’s, Larry co-founded a Project 10 program at the school which provided support to LGBT students. Larry lives in Culver City, California, with his life partner of 36 years, Kees Van Vliet. (This biographical statement provided by Larry Rodriguez.) 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 Larry Rodriguez Catholic Larry Rodriguez MCC Metropolitan Community Church Roman Catholic https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/bda309d607998ec288ebb22dbdf517fd.jpg d40b67bd086c5bf5bc4ecb681289f8da Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Keisha E. McKenzie, PhD, is a communications consultant and program director of Believe Out Loud, which empowers LGBTQIA Christians and allies to work for justice. The leading digital platform in Christian faith and LGBTQIA advocacy, Believe Out Loud is a program of Intersections International and a ministry of the Collegiate Churches of New York (dual-affiliated with the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ). Born to Jamaican parents in the UK, Keisha studied at Northern Caribbean University. Keisha later completed graduate degrees in technical communication and rhetoric, and founded <a href="https://mackenzian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McKenzie Consulting Group</a>, a communication, strategy, and social good firm. Keisha has served on the board of Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International, the peer support group for current and former LGBTQIA Seventh-day Adventists and allies, participates in Adventist congregations in Maryland and New York and appears in the dialogue film on faith, gender, and sexuality in theologically conservative traditions, <a href="http://enoughroomfilm.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enough Room at the Table</a>. Keisha now lives in Maryland and Harlem, New York City. (This biographical statement provided by Keisha McKenzie.) Biographical Text Keisha E. McKenzie, PhD, is a communications consultant and program director of Believe Out Loud, which empowers LGBTQIA Christians and allies to work for justice. The leading digital platform in Christian faith and LGBTQIA advocacy, Believe Out Loud is a program of Intersections International and a ministry of the Collegiate Churches of New York (dual-affiliated with the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ). Born to Jamaican parents in the UK, Keisha studied at Northern Caribbean University. Keisha later completed graduate degrees in technical communication and rhetoric, and founded <a href="https://mackenzian.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McKenzie Consulting Group</a>, a communication, strategy, and social good firm. Keisha has served on the board of Seventh-day Adventist Kinship International, the peer support group for current and former LGBTQIA Seventh-day Adventists and allies, participates in Adventist congregations in Maryland and New York and appears in the dialogue film on faith, gender, and sexuality in theologically conservative traditions, <a href="http://enoughroomfilm.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enough Room at the Table</a>. Keisha now lives in Maryland and Harlem, New York City. (This biographical statement provided by Keisha McKenzie.) 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 Keisha McKenzie adventist Believe Out Loud Keisha McKenzie Reformed Church in America Seventh Day Adventist UCC United Church of Christ https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/files/original/03cde53e5b85147594121f414eb888a6.jpg 33ed88b12f4d03a58b1133d28930c824 Person An individual. Text Any textual data included in the document Karen was born in 1953 in Pennsylvania and grew up in very white suburbs remarkably unaware of white supremacy and the Civil Rights Movement.  She escaped a sense of unease by developing a pious, private Christian spirituality.  Early in her time at Allegheny College, she decided she wanted a different life and began to volunteer at a community center whose purpose was to bridge racial division. Shortly after that she fell in love with Colevia Carter, who began Karen's education on racism.  The two of them thought they did not know any other lesbians. Then they found out that Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, who had just graduated from Allegheny, was starting MCC Boston with Rev. Larry Bernier.  Nancy invited them to visit her, and this visit changed both their lives. The experience of attending church with other lesbians and gay men “put at rest forever the question of whether a person can be gay and Christian.”  Also, it was the first time Karen had ever seen a woman minister. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/karen-ziegler/PicOrdination%201979.jpg" />MCC General Conference 1979, Karen was ordained. Karen served MCC Philadelphia as an Exhorter (Student Clergy) in 1975-1976 while working at Jefferson Medical School.   She was licensed as an MCC Minister in 1977 and served on the staff of MCC New York while attending Union Theological Seminary, becoming Worship Coordinator of MCC New York in 1978.  In 1979 she appeared before the UFMCC Credentials Committee in Los Angeles having graduated from seminary and having been called to serve as Pastor of MCC New York, but she was very nearly not ordained. The only woman on the committee was Rev. Elder Jeri Ann Harvey, who later told her that half of the large committee had decided on the basis of her ordination thesis, “A Radical Feminist Theology of Ministry,” that she was a heretic. It did not help that she suggested in an article called “Creation Myths: Bridge to Human Wholeness” (The Gay Christian, April/May 1979) that, “An end to patriarchy would mean not a reinterpretation of the Yahweh of the Bible, but an end to this father god. If the Bible records a continuing battle to suppress female religion, and thereby to oppress women, unless we come to understand biblical religion in a radically new way, there is no hope for real change. Our entire sacred story needs to shift.”  (p. 24) Karen was ordained by one vote and the lengthy ordination process was later seen as a kind of heresy trial. Jeri Ann let her know that without that one vote, her credentials would have been removed entirely.  In a second The Gay Christian article in 1980, “Jesus According to a Lesbian,” Karen wrote, “Our spiritual survival may depend upon our rejection of traditional theology.”  (p. 8) This article too generated considerable controversy. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/karen-ziegler/PicPride%201980.jpg" />New York City Pride 1980 with Chet Jones, Willie White & Jim Mitulski. With the benefit of hindsight, these theological arguments can be understood as a class conflict as well as a struggle to apply the insights of feminism to Christianity.  In those days, seminary-educated clergy and women clergy were a minority. Some clergy had very little formal education and others had graduated from prestigious seminaries. The entire spectrum of theology was represented in MCC, from the most liberal to the most conservative. Also for a long time there were very few women pastors. The rich diversity of MCC was a great gift and at the same time creating church in such oppressed communities was stressful. District and General Conferences became theological battlefields. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/karen-ziegler/PicToronto%201982.jpg" />Toronto General Conference 1982 with Nancy Wilson & Paula Schoenwether. One extraordinary example of MCC’s great strength and struggle in those days was the Trek, a gay rights march from Jacksonville to Tallahassee, Florida which took place in the spring of 1980. The Trek was jointly called by the Board of Home Missions of the Southeast District and the Florida Task Force and led by Florida clergy and laity including Rev. Joseph Gilbert and Rev. Lee Carlton as a political and spiritual exercise. MCC clergy and laity from several other districts came to Florida to do the 168-mile walk, including Karen, Rev. Shelley Hamilton, and Rev. Edward Hougan who was then District Coordinator of the Northeast District. Rev. Elder Troy Perry, Rev. Elder Jeri Ann Harvey, and many others eventually joined the group. From the first day there were logistical and theological arguments, however, during the 8-day march while singing every day, attending to blistered feet, and enduring the harassment of people who passed by shouting obscenities and sometimes throwing things out of passing cars, the group bonded in a very deep way.  Arguments did not end, but unlikely and enduring spiritual friendships were cemented. Karen served as Senior Pastor of MCC New York from 1979 until 1988 and was joined by a remarkably gifted staff, including Rev. Renee McCoy, Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski, Rev. Elder Pat Bumgardner, Rev. Susan Eenigenburg, and Rev. Janine Dietz, and Rev. Jill Thompson. During this time Karen served on the steering committee of the Commission on Women in Ministry of the National Council of Churches and was involved in UFMCC’s prolonged and unsuccessful application for membership in the National Council.  <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/karen-ziegler/PicCredentials%201983.jpg" />MCC Credentials Committee meeting 1983 with Brenda Hunt, Claudia Vierra and Ken Martin. In 1982, the City of New York evicted MCC New York and other occupants of 208 West 13th Street. With a few other community activists and with the full support the congregation, Karen resisted this effort and eventually became one of the founders of the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center in Greenwich Village. Initially, members of MCC New York served as the staff of this Center. Meanwhile beginning in 1981 the congregation and community were devastated by what came to be known as AIDS.  Dozens of members of MCC New York became sick and died. Members of the community who had not been interested in church sought spiritual counseling and arranged their funerals. The young men facing death in those days did so with grace, courage, and often astonishing humor and creativity. Karen’s interest in all aspects of healing deepened. Seeking help in learning to pastor led Karen to completion of a D.Min. program at New York Theological Seminary in 1986 with a thesis entitled, “Empowering People to Do Ministry.” In 1988, Karen resigned from MCC New York and was subsequently invited by Michael Callen to work for the People with AIDS Coalition. She then developed citywide interfaith networks to provide pastoral care for people with AIDS through the AIDS Resource Center and AIDS Interfaith. <img src="http://rollingthestoneaway.org/media/profile/karen-ziegler/PicLast%20Worship%201988.jpg" />February 1988 after last worship at MCC New York. Karen began studying meditation in the 1980’s on her own and began the search for a teacher.  She traveled to India three times to study at a Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri, and in recent years has been studying Buddhism. Observing the hideous physical suffering endured by friends with AIDS as well as her interest in healing led Karen to nursing school. She completed her BSN at Columbia School of Nursing in 1990 and her MSN from Duke School of Nursing in 1994.  She worked as a nurse and a nurse practitioner and taught for 15 years in the School of Medicine at Duke University. Karen married her life partner, singer Randa McNamara, after 30 years together. They live in Durham, North Carolina. She currently works as an activist through Indivisible Triangle, participates in Triangle Insight meditation community, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Resource Center for Women in Ministry in the South and volunteers in the acute psychiatry ward at the Durham Veterans Administration Hospital. (This biographical statement provided by Karen Ziegler.) Biographical Text Karen was born in 1953 in Pennsylvania and grew up in very white suburbs remarkably unaware of white supremacy and the Civil Rights Movement.  She escaped a sense of unease by developing a pious, private Christian spirituality.  Early in her time at Allegheny College, she decided she wanted a different life and began to volunteer at a community center whose purpose was to bridge racial division. Shortly after that she fell in love with Colevia Carter, who began Karen's education on racism.  The two of them thought they did not know any other lesbians. Then they found out that <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1446">Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson</a>, who had just graduated from Allegheny, was starting MCC Boston with Rev. Larry Bernier.  Nancy invited them to visit her, and this visit changed both their lives. The experience of attending church with other lesbians and gay men “put at rest forever the question of whether a person can be gay and Christian.”  Also, it was the first time Karen had ever seen a woman minister. At the MCC General Conference 1979, Karen was ordained. Karen served MCC Philadelphia as an Exhorter (Student Clergy) in 1975-1976 while working at Jefferson Medical School.   She was licensed as an MCC Minister in 1977 and served on the staff of MCC New York while attending Union Theological Seminary, becoming Worship Coordinator of MCC New York in 1978.  In 1979 she appeared before the UFMCC Credentials Committee in Los Angeles having graduated from seminary and having been called to serve as Pastor of MCC New York, but she was very nearly not ordained. The only woman on the committee was Rev. Elder Jeri Ann Harvey, who later told her that half of the large committee had decided on the basis of her ordination thesis, “A Radical Feminist Theology of Ministry,” that she was a heretic. It did not help that she suggested in an article called “Creation Myths: Bridge to Human Wholeness” (The Gay Christian, April/May 1979) that, “An end to patriarchy would mean not a reinterpretation of the Yahweh of the Bible, but an end to this father god. If the Bible records a continuing battle to suppress female religion, and thereby to oppress women, unless we come to understand biblical religion in a radically new way, there is no hope for real change. Our entire sacred story needs to shift.”  (p. 24) Karen was ordained by one vote and the lengthy ordination process was later seen as a kind of heresy trial. Jeri Ann let her know that without that one vote, her credentials would have been removed entirely.  In a second The Gay Christian article in 1980, “Jesus According to a Lesbian,” Karen wrote, “Our spiritual survival may depend upon our rejection of traditional theology.”  (p. 8) This article too generated considerable controversy. With the benefit of hindsight, these theological arguments can be understood as a class conflict as well as a struggle to apply the insights of feminism to Christianity.  In those days, seminary-educated clergy and women clergy were a minority. Some clergy had very little formal education and others had graduated from prestigious seminaries. The entire spectrum of theology was represented in MCC, from the most liberal to the most conservative. Also for a long time there were very few women pastors. The rich diversity of MCC was a great gift and at the same time creating church in such oppressed communities was stressful. District and General Conferences became theological battlefields. One extraordinary example of MCC’s great strength and struggle in those days was the Trek, a gay rights march from Jacksonville to Tallahassee, Florida which took place in the spring of 1980. The Trek was jointly called by the Board of Home Missions of the Southeast District and the Florida Task Force and led by Florida clergy and laity including Rev. Joseph Gilbert and Rev. Lee Carlton as a political and spiritual exercise. MCC clergy and laity from several other districts came to Florida to do the 168-mile walk, including Karen, Rev. Shelley Hamilton, and Rev. Edward Hougan who was then District Coordinator of the Northeast District. Rev. <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1457">Elder Troy Perry</a>, Rev. Elder Jeri Ann Harvey, and many others eventually joined the group. From the first day there were logistical and theological arguments, however, during the 8-day march while singing every day, attending to blistered feet, and enduring the harassment of people who passed by shouting obscenities and sometimes throwing things out of passing cars, the group bonded in a very deep way.  Arguments did not end, but unlikely and enduring spiritual friendships were cemented. Karen served as Senior Pastor of MCC New York from 1979 until 1988 and was joined by a remarkably gifted staff, including Rev. Renee McCoy, <a href="http://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/rolling-the-stone-away/item/1344">Rev. Elder Jim Mitulski</a>, Rev. Elder Pat Bumgardner, Rev. Susan Eenigenburg, and Rev. Janine Dietz, and Rev. Jill Thompson. During this time Karen served on the steering committee of the Commission on Women in Ministry of the National Council of Churches and was involved in UFMCC’s prolonged and unsuccessful application for membership in the National Council.  In 1982, the City of New York evicted MCC New York and other occupants of 208 West 13th Street. With a few other community activists and with the full support the congregation, Karen resisted this effort and eventually became one of the founders of the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center in Greenwich Village. Initially, members of MCC New York served as the staff of this Center. Meanwhile beginning in 1981 the congregation and community were devastated by what came to be known as AIDS.  Dozens of members of MCC New York became sick and died. Members of the community who had not been interested in church sought spiritual counseling and arranged their funerals. The young men facing death in those days did so with grace, courage, and often astonishing humor and creativity. Karen’s interest in all aspects of healing deepened. Seeking help in learning to pastor led Karen to completion of a D.Min. program at New York Theological Seminary in 1986 with a thesis entitled, “Empowering People to Do Ministry.” In 1988, Karen resigned from MCC New York and was subsequently invited by Michael Callen to work for the People with AIDS Coalition. She then developed citywide interfaith networks to provide pastoral care for people with AIDS through the AIDS Resource Center and AIDS Interfaith. Karen began studying meditation in the 1980’s on her own and began the search for a teacher.  She traveled to India three times to study at a Siddha Yoga ashram in Ganeshpuri, and in recent years has been studying Buddhism. Observing the hideous physical suffering endured by friends with AIDS as well as her interest in healing led Karen to nursing school. She completed her BSN at Columbia School of Nursing in 1990 and her MSN from Duke School of Nursing in 1994.  She worked as a nurse and a nurse practitioner and taught for 15 years in the School of Medicine at Duke University. Karen married her life partner, singer Randa McNamara, after 30 years together. They live in Durham, North Carolina. She currently works as an activist through Indivisible Triangle, participates in Triangle Insight meditation community, serves on the Board of Trustees of the Resource Center for Women in Ministry in the South and volunteers in the acute psychiatry ward at the Durham Veterans Administration Hospital. (This biographical statement provided by Karen Ziegler.) 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 Karen Ziegler Karen Ziegler MCC Metropolitan Community Church