Jack Bates (he/they) is a bisexual, trans and non-binary Episcopalian, father, fiancé, drag queen, stand-up comedian, and theologian. He has a B.A. in Bible and Masters degrees in Philosophy and Religion as well as Historical Theology. They share about doing drag in faith spaces, the intersection of faith and disability, and the importance of a queer-affirming theology.

You can find Jack on Twitter at @jackmb and listen to their queer Christian podcast, "Lavender Mafia," wherever you find podcasts.

Jon Kwok (he/him) is Chinese-American, gay, and a reconstructing Christian. He's also a graduate student at Teachers College, Columbia University studying International Educational Development. Jon shares about his time in the Peace Corps, deconstructing his faith, and the dichotomy of harm and good being done in aid work.

You can find Jon on Instagram at @jonpkwok or on LinkedIn as Jonathan Kwok.

In part 2 of my conversation with Donovan, we talk about freedom and loss after coming out, healing each other’s wounds, and diversity in queer community.

You can find Donovan on Facebook and LinkedIn as Donovan Ackley III, Instagram at @donovanackley3, and their profile on the Yoga Alliance website here. You can find his book, “Sex As Sacrament,” on Amazon and Kindle.

If you or someone you know is trans, Trans Lifeline is a community support resource created by and for trans individuals. They also offer support for parents of trans folx. You can find out more at translifeline.org.

Donovan Ackley III (he/they) is a yoga instructor for trauma recovery, professor and program coordinator for the LGBTQ+ Leadership Certificate at the University of Redlands, and consultant on gender and sexual minorities. In part 1 of our conversation, he shares about growing up as an intersex person, coming out in Christian community, and the liberation and losses that followed.

You can find out more about the LGBTQ+ Leadership Certificate program here. If you identify as trans and need support, or would like to support or volunteer with Trans Lifeline, you can do so here. Donovan's book, "Sex and Sacrament: A Queer Liberation Theology of Prayer and Worship" is available on Amazon. You can find the audio version of the book as well as their guided spiritual practices on YouTube.

Abby Coppock (she/her) is a White, female, wife, sister, aunt, and independent consultant. From working in a drug and rehab center in Chicago to receiving her degree in social work, she's since moved to Portland and worked as an organizational consultant focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In a conversation centered around race and allyship, we talk about hard conversations, dealing with perfectionism, and knowing your shortcomings.

You can find Abby on LinkedIn as Abby Coppock and her upcoming website at abbycoppockconsulting.com.

Brian Terada (he/him) is a creative who makes everything from videos and music to events and experiences. He’s the founder of Be Free and Be Free Stories, social meet-ups where people come together to listen to and share stories of how they’ve found freedom. By doing the work personally and professionally, he’s set out to be himself so that others can be free too.

You can find Brian on most platforms at @brianterada. You can also find him on TikTok at @brianteradaa and Twitch at @brianteradababy.

Mindy Durias (she/her) is a lesbian, mystic, mother of five and Pastor of Families at Pearl Church in Portland, Oregon. From growing up in the Jesus Movement to attending Bible college, she was taught spirituality is about rules, certainty, and behavior. When her life took a different path, she discovered contemplative practices, which saved her spirituality.

You can reach Mindy via Pearl Church at pearlchurch.com/pastoral-team and Coach Training World at coachtrainingworld.com/find-a-coach-directory/mindy-durias-wpcc.

Emmy Martinez (she/her) is the fierce, fabulous, and femme Mentoring Coordinator at the Los Angeles LGBT Center. She tells her story of growing up, facing heteronormativity and exploring gender. Additionally, she shares about the amazing work she does at the Center and the resilience of the many mentees she’s worked with.

For more information or to get involved in the Center's Mentorship Program, you can contact Emmy at [email protected]. You can also follow her on Instagram at @scenesofyoli.

A glimpse into my story, the "why" behind the podcast, and what Beautiful Tension is about.