ATLANTA — Pride in the Pews, a nonprofit with local and national reach recognized by prominent platforms such as the Chicago Tribune and NPR, is excited to announce the monumental “State of the Black Church” Symposium 2024. An intergenerational, prophetic moment, ‘Lighting the Torch’ is set to challenge the status quo and ignite change. 

Born out of passion, protest, prayer, and praise, Pride in the Pews has earned global recognition for its work in empowering the Black LGBTQ+ community. The nonprofit is dedicated to the holistic health and wellness of Black LGBTQ+ communities, which constitutes at least 12% of the Black Church’s membership. 

Despite significant progress, substantial challenges remain. Many Black churches continue to view the sexual expression and gender identities of the LGBTQ+ community as sinful, contributing to substantial violence against transgender individuals, particularly trans women of color. The U.S. also faces a mental health crisis, with 42% of LGBTQ+ youth, especially Black youth at a staggering 21%, having seriously considered suicide in the past year. 

Envisioned by the visionary founder, Rev. Don Abram, a Harvard Divinity School graduate, the Symposium aims to delve deeper into the intersections of faith, sexuality, and race in the service of healing and wholeness. The objective is to equip every attendee with the necessary tools to contribute to a world wherein Black LGBTQ+ communities can live, work, play, and pray freely. 

The Symposium scheduled to take place at Spelman College will be an empowering, community-driven occasion. Unique to this gathering is also the organizational sunsetting of ‘Many Voices’, a pioneering organization that significantly contributed to Black LGBTQ+ affirmation in churches for over two decades, and its incorporation into the work of Pride in the Pews.  

The ‘Lighting the Torch’ Symposium will explore the roots and rich legacy of the liberating Black Church, aiming to foster transformation both inside and outside the Black Church. It is a timely space where deep theology, black joy, education, and community organizing intersect to create transformative change. 

For more information on the “State of the Black Church” Symposium 2024, visit prideinthepews.com/symposium or contact [email protected]  

Pride in the Pews is a grassroots nationwide nonprofit building bridges and creating solutions that empower Black LGBTQ+ communities to thrive in the public square, the pulpit, and the pew. 

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