Trans Voices Speak Out Webinar from CLGS on Vimeo.
Advocates in North Carolina are hard at work to repeal HB 2, a bill that targets transgender people, LGBTQ people, and workers for discrimination. Join us for this opportunity to hear directly from transgender and gender non-conforming people of faith from North Carolina to learn more about the spiritual and political struggle in that state. Our panelists will talk about the impact the law has had on them and their communities and reflect spiritually about their experiences and activism. They’ll also share their thoughts on how people from around the country can assist them in this struggle.
Co-sponosored by CLGS, the Freedom Center for Social Justice and the National LGBTQ Task Force.
Panelists:
Rev. Mykal Slack, MCC Pastor & Director of Spiritual Outreach for Trans People of Color Coalition
The Rev. Mykal O’Neal Slack is the founder and lead organizer of 4LYFE, an ecumenical, consultative ministry of Metropolitan Community Churches that provides pastoral and educational resources to address sexual orientation and gender identity issues in faith communities across a broad spectrum, inviting everyone to Live Your Faith Everyday. He also serves First Parish in Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist as a Worship Leader and Community Life Coordinator, supporting their efforts to become a multiracial, multifaith, justice-making community. As part of his ministry, Mykal is the Director of Spiritual Outreach for the Trans People of Color Coalition, the only national organization that seeks to promote the social and economic equality of all black and brown transgender and gender non-conforming people.
Debra Hopkins, Associate Minister at Sacred Souls Community Church
Debra Hopkins is Associate Minister of Sacred Souls Community Church in Charlotte, NC. Sacred Souls Community Church is a Christian fellowship guided by God’s call to love unconditionally and to see each living soul as sacred.
Mykal Shannon, Transgender Faith & Action Network
Mykal Shannon is a Trans Male of faith from the Charlotte area. He served as a HRC Fellow with the Freedom Center for Social Justice in 2014 as the Conference Coordinator for the Transgender Faith and Action Network. Mykal’s LGBTQ advocacy work follows his recent retirement from a 15 year career in law enforcement to further impact awareness and support for the LGBTQ community. Mykal is also attending divinity school at Ambassador Christian College to assist him in serving those with concerns around faith and gender variant issues.
Angel Collie, Assistant Director of the LGBTQ Center at the University of North Carolina
Angel is a transmasculine person from rural North Carolina. He spends his days working as the Assistant Director of the LGBTQ Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He came back to Chapel Hill where he received his BA in Religious Studies with minors in both Women’s Studies and Sexuality Studies after obtaining his Masters of Divinity from Yale Divinity School. Angel is involved widely as a member of the LGBT-Religious Archives Network Advisory Committee, the Freedom Center for Social Justice board, MCC’s Trans and GNC working group, and is on the steering committee for the National Religious Leaders Roundtable of the National LGBTQ Task Force.
