LGBTQ+ religions

Jasmine Mans

Jasmine Mans is an artist who calls Newark her home and celebrates the childhood she there spent through her poetry. As an author, performer, poet, and teacher, Jasmine uses a variety of mediums and means, such as books, videos, live performances, and social media to serve as a platform to speak on behalf of others and her community. She recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 2014 with a Bachelor’s in African-American Studies, and is now traveling the world as a poet. Her work has received a multitude of awards from the Star Ledger-NJPAC, Arts Millennia, and the New York...

Kevin E. Taylor

Kevin E. Taylor is working on his greatness while he inspires you to walk in yours! He’s a noted author (JADED, UNCLUTTER, BECAUSE HE LIVES, IT’S TIME FOR SOME ACTION, ENVY: the darkest shade of green, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING and MEET THE HENDERSONS). He’s a pastor (Senior Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church NewArk now and Unity Fellowship Church New Brunswick for 12 years). He’s a writer and producer for television (22 years in television and more than 20 years running TaylorMadeMultiMedia (TM3), his own video production company. He is a lecturer/empowerment speaker, who has...

Julio Roman

At the age of sixteen, Safe Space Expert and LGBTQIA+ Rights Advocate, Julio C. Roman, accepted his calling in LGBTQIA+ activism and safe space design.

Julio has dedicated over twenty-two years to creating LGBTQIA+ safe spaces and advancing the health equality and social justice initiatives of Black and Brown Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender communities, and other marginalized communities affected by HIV/AIDS and its related health, social, and economic disparities.

His experience lies extensively in Safe Space Design, HIV Prevention and Harm Reduction...

Eyricka Morgan

Eyricka Morgan (1987-2013) was one of the amazing speakers on the "Queer Newarkers: The 21st Century Generation" panel of Queer Newark's first conference, Queer Newark: Our Voices, Our Stories in November of 2011. Tragically, Eyricka was murdered before the QNOHP was able to record her full oral history. Because we want to preserve her voice and story as best we can, we have edited together her comments from the conference as a stand-alone page.
 

Related: 

Eyricka Morgan, Transgender Woman, Allegedly Murdered In New Jersey New Jersey Paper Refuses to Correct...

Saundra Toby-Heath

Saundra A. Toby-Heath is a Newark Native who loves her city with great passion. She is an artisan and the sole proprietor of Akirfa Design Studio (find her art on Facebook).
 

* Lovari

Born and raised in Queens, and now a resident of Newark, singer/actor Lovari has released his new album "The Rhythm Of Life" (currently on Amazon's Bestseller Soul Chart). A collection of twelve original songs and two remakes, including the title track and Mariah Carey's "Around You", the project is inspired by the sounds of the early 90s r&b/pop genre. The single "Crush On You" reached #2 on SpinReports' R&B chart and the music video "Paparazzi" was featured in the Top Ten of I'm So Newark Short Film Series Contest. 

Lovari's 2017 film projects include a "Peace Of The...

Aminah Washington

Aminah Washington is an African American Trans woman, b.1986, born and raised in Newark, NJ.  She attended Malcolm X Shabazz High School and Peshine Ave Prep. She has been through more than most and is blessed to have the chance to learn and grow from her life experiences. She knows that regardless of her trials and tribulations she has come out on the other side strong and is still striving to make the best of her life.
 

Steven Malick

Steven Malick serves as the secretary of the Board of Directors for the Newark LGBTQ Community Center. He previously volunteered with the Newark LGBTQ Concerns Advisory Commission and helped to organize the first ever town hall debate on issues relevant to the LGBTQ community. Steve is a resident of the City of Newark and has worked or lived in and around Newark for nearly a decade. Steve’s professional background includes eight years in education as a former middle school math teacher and as a coach of new teachers. Steven currently works as research analyst for a public policy research firm...

Janyce Jackson Jones

Reverend Janyce Jackson Jones, a prominent and respected leader in the community retired after 21 years of dedicated service to her church and to social justice in the city of Newark.
 
Janyce L. Jackson Jones served as Co-Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church located in Newark, NJ.  UFC Newark, is a member of the non-denominational Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a Social Justice Ministry that seeks to minister to all people, regardless of race, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
 
Prior to Co-Pastoring at UFC Newark, Reverend Jackson served...

Patreese Johnson

Patreese Johnson is a femme-identified poet. She is the youngest of four brothers and one sister, and she grew up as the youngest on the block in her tight-knit community in Newark, New Jersey. She is fiercely empathetic with a big heart. While incarcerated after fighting off a street harasser in New York City (a story told in the documentary Out in the Night), she received her GED and ran a support group for women who were survivors of domestic violence. Since her release, she has enrolled at Essex County Community College, studying for Associates degree in Liberal Arts. She has been touring...

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