D
on Abram’s shared passion for the Black Church and the LGBTQ+ community
prompted him to start Pride in the Pews.
Don grew up in a hand clapping, toe-tapping Black church on the Southside of Chicago.
Every Sunday, at 11:00am, he was in the pews expecting a soul-stirring sermon. At the age
of 14, he was called into ministry and moved from the pews to the pulpit—a paradigm shifting transition. With his new role, he
adopted theological positions that mirrored
and storytelling. Pride in the Pews seeks
of oppressions that seek to dehumanize
Christians in the Black Church can share
embodies intersectional liberation through
to create a platform by which LGBTQ+
their testimony and contribute to a more just and equitable world. Don is deeply committed to ensuring that the next
generation of Black LGBTQ+ leaders of faith are equipped to be change agents. Q: How did Pride in the Pews get started?
the teachings of his home church. After years
A: The work of Pride in the Pews was born
a halt when Don realized that he embodied
justice and during ongoing legislative
against: queerness.
In the wake of the George Floyd protests,
of preaching orthodoxy, everything came to
on the heels of historic protests for racial
the one of the very things that he preached
attacks against the LGBTQIA+ community.
As a student at Harvard Divinity School, Don was presented with an opportunity
to critically engage scripture with a focus on marginalized communities, including the LGBTQ+ community. With rigorous
theological training and a heart for justice,
Don deconstructed queerphobic theologies from the perspective of Black liberation
theology. As Don’s theological commitments evolved, his love for the Black Church never
ceased. In fact, his commitment to ensuring that the Black Church pursued a ministry that centered the needs and voices of
marginalized communities grew stronger. Frustrated with lack of theological nuance and the silencing of LGBTQ+ voices in the
Black Church, Don decided to launch Pride in the Pews. He believes that far too many LGBTQIA+ Christians in the Black Church still hear dehumanizing messages about their sexuality and their gender identity,
which impedes their ability to contribute to a more just world. So, he decided to
confront queerphobic theologies in the Black Church through storytelling.
civic engagement, political education,
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and resists the vestiges of harmful
theologies and ideologies that serve to otherize and disempower members of our own community. @Pride in the Pews @Pride in the Pews
identity. The Black Church has always
been the training ground for monumental leaders in our nation’s history. However,
it has excluded a pivotal consistency for far too long: Black LGBTQ+ leaders of
faith. With the proper tools, training, and resources, the Black Church can once
again be a birthplace for transformative
leadership, producing individuals who act as catalysts for social movements that
impact the church and our nation. But, it
must become radically inclusive and lead
from a place and empathy and compassion, especially for LGBTQ+ people, to do so.
At Pride in the Pews, we believe that the
next generation of changemakers lie within
Black LGBTQ+ leaders of faith but the Black Church is not equipped to provide them
with the necessary training and skillset. We are working to fill that gap, so that Black LGBTQ+ people of faith can continue to be catalysts for social movements that advance equity and justice for all.
A: Pride in Pews imagines a Black Church
to advance social movements through
We envision a church that acknowledges
for all, regardless of sexual and/or gender
Pews. It is a grassroots nationwide nonprofit emerging Black LGBTQ+ leaders of faith
aid, and ministry for the marginalized.
to recommit itself to the work of justice
Q: What is the goal of Pride in
that develops, equips, and organizes
advocacy, community outreach, mutual
Don saw a unique time for the Black Church
Armed with a $40,000 grant and a calling to ministry, Don launched Pride in the
the disinherited. We envision a church that
the Pews campaign?
reconciled unto itself. We envision a church that reflects and celebrates the sexual and gender diversity that exists within Black
Christandom while challenging all systems
PRIDE IN THE PEWS By Don Abram, M.Div
