“I feel like I was taught to lie, in some ways, about who I was. My church experiences taught me how to push down a part of myself. I had to confront that. I had to allow myself to like who I was. I struggled with believing that God loved me and that I love myself. I learned to look at my spiritual practice as a way of prioritizing my own health, my own wellness – prioritizing my joy.” - Ai Elo, Writer and Youth Advocate
Many Voices, an organization working to foster a Black church movement for gay and transgender justice, has released a series of videos featuring the personal stories of African American LGBTQ people who came of age in Black churches. The web campaign features lay people as well as high-profile clergy. In this video, Ai Elo, 23, talks about growing up in the Florida-based church where her grandfather pastored.
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