She Will Not Fall

Season 2 of She Will Not Fall officially kicks off in a couple of weeks! This season we are talking liberation. With each guest, Marielle will unpack various aspects of liberation and how we can fight, dream and work towards a better world. 

During this season, reflect on two questions:

1. What does liberation look like for me personally?

2. How do I define liberation? 

It's going to be an amazing season! Be sure to follow SWNF on IG: @shewillnotfallcollective

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Send a one-time donation at $iammariellet or paypal.me/mariellethomas1

On this episode, I talk to Tamika and Laura the creators of For Collard Girls! We talk about how they meet, what sisterhood means, how women should see themselves reflected in the divine and so much more. This is the last episode of Season 1 and it's so good.  

Support the work Tamika and Laura are doing and their podcast: http://forcollardgirls.com/about-us/ Be sure to follow them on IG and Twitter: @forcollardgirls   

Follow SWNF on IG: @shewillnotfallcollective   

Learn more about For Collard Girls:  

For Collard Girls is a journey, a conversation, and podcast, that shares the unique, bold and beautiful narrative of womyn of color who are in spaces in the church, in the community, and in the world. We are writers. Activists. Entrepreneurs. Religious Leaders.  We want our narratives as womyn of color to enrich and challenge all “faiths seeking understanding” in world that is grappling with truth, justice, and femininity.  Join us on the journey and conversation about God, justice, and the world of #ForCollardGirls

This week, I sit down and talk to Rev. Jaz. We talk about her call into ministry at a young age and how she has navigated operating in that call and moving into pastoring. 

You can follow Rev. Jaz on Twitter at @revjaz

Follow SWNF on IG: @shewillnotfallcollective 

Learn more about Rev. Jaz:

Rev. Jazmine Brooks, more affectionately known as Rev. Jaz, is the proud pastor of Macedonia AME Church in Accomac, Virginia. She serves as the Program Director for the Office of Inclusive Excellence at Mary Baldwin University and co-facilitates the African-American Religious History course with an emphasis on the lineage of resistance. Her work includes cross-cultural programming, leadership and professional development, civic, social, and community engagement, academic support, and advocacy.

In 2016, Rev. Jaz received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice and Philosophy & Religion and is a 2021 graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC with a Master of Divinity.

Rev. Jaz has served in several capacities to include but not limited to youth and young adult programming, congregational and community asset mapping, congregational and generational culture research, and leading Black Liberation and Womanist studies. She has served the Washington, DC Poor People’s Campaign as a social media coordinator, organizer, and tri-chair member. In addition to her formal duties, Jazmine has consistently invested in liberative education through her leadership in the Sacred Circle Womanist Conference and the Literacy to Liberation Initiative.

She facilitated the formation of a local committee on equity, achievement, and opportunity in Staunton, Va and serves the community in voting and census registration initiatives. She also serves as the 2nd Vice President of the Staunton Branch NAACP. Earlier this year, Rev. Jaz joined the leadership of the Staunton Equity Coalition, a citizens organization committed to proposing policy that addresses inequities in education, policing, employment, and housing.

Rev. Jaz is a contributing writer for the AME Church Christian Recorder and was recently featured in a national USA Today series on citizens who inspire change in their local community. She is committed to the work of creating spaces for the innovative engagement of formal and informal education, multicultural programming, and liberative theology as an investment in the life of our beloved community.

On this episode, I sit down and talk to Rev. Lauren Harris. We talk about her journey into ministry, her evolution, what she is working on but most importantly, why she will not fall.  

Follow Rev. Lauren on Twitter @revlaurelj  

Follow SWNF on IG @shewillnotfallcollective   

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 Learn more about Rev. Lauren:  REV. LAUREN HARRIS is an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.) with over 15 years of ministerial experience working with children, youth, and young adults. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Maryland (College Park) and a Master of Divinity from Howard University. She's been published in Sojourners, Washington Family, Modern Loss, The A.M.E. Church's "Christian Recorder," Gospel Today, and many other publications. Rev. Harris is featured in the upcoming publication "Preaching During a Pandemic: The Rhetoric of the Black Preaching Tradition" set to release in 2021. Her professional experience includes working with several faith-based nonprofits, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, Faith in Public Life, Wesley Theological Seminary, and she currently works for the Baltimore- Washington Conference of The United Methodist Church. Rev. Harris' volunteer work includes speaking for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in honor of her late first husband, Gabriel Jones, and she was even a finalist for MADD's search for a national president in 2018. Rev. Harris currently serves as Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church in Columbia, Md. She is married to Marvine Harris, a GIS Specialist, and is the proud mother of two children. She acknowledges Jesus as the one who makes all things possible. Her favorite scripture is John 15:16, "You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name."

On this episode of She Will Not Fall, I talk to Deirdre Jonese Austin. We talk about her journey to seminary and how seminary is helping her redefine faith and reimagine how to serve in ministry.   

Support and follow the work she is doing https://deirdrejoneseaustin.com/

IG: @DeirdreJonese 

Twitter: @DeirdreJonese  

Minister Deirdre “Jonese” Austin (she/her/hers) is a public theologian, writer, and justice seeker in the process of earning her Master of Divinity degree at Candler School of Theology where she is pursuing certificates in Black Church Studies and Baptist Studies. She is also a 2019 graduate of Georgetown University. Additionally, Jonese is a licensed Baptist minister currently serving as a ministerial intern at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. Her ministry calling and research interests are within the Black Church at the intersections of faith, race, gender, and sexuality. In her life and ministry, Jonese aspires to employ a radical love ethic in working towards healing, wholeness, and liberation through good theology, research, direct action, and policy. To learn more about her, you can visit her website at DeirdreJoneseAustin.com.

On this episode, I talk to powerhouse Mia McClain! Mia is a preach-HER, singer, artist and so much more. We talk about her story, her passions and her dreams. Sit back, relax and hear why Mia Will Not Fall!  

Follow Mia on social media @miashellymac 

 Follow SWNF on IG @shewillnotfallcollective   

Learn more about Mia Mia is an artist, pastor and king cake lover. She currently serves as the Associate Minister of Faith Formation and Community Outreach at Myers Park Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she works to create and sustain a vibrant adult small group ministry, Sunday morning classes, and educational conferences, as well as coordinating and facilitating justice initiatives and community partnerships. Originally from New Orleans, Mia went on to obtain a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from Syracuse University, a Master of Arts in Art and Public Policy from New York University—Tisch School of the Arts, and a Master of Divinity, with concentration in Psychology, Religion, and Homiletics from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. At Union, she was 2018 recipient of the Jonathan Kneeland Preaching Fellowship—awarded by Auburn Seminary—and the 2019 recipient of the Karen Ziegler Feminist Preaching Prize. This year, she is the recipient of the Duke Divinity Innovation Grant that will enable research and production around decolonizing liturgical practice and space. A licensed Baptist minister, Mia is ordained in the United Church of Christ and serves as a liturgist and songwriter at the UCC's 2021 General Synod. Prior to her call to ministry, Mia lived into her arts career fully, performing in theatres across the country, composing and executive producing projects, such as the Voice of Peace EP (’12).

On this episode, I talk to my fellow song bird, Leah! We talk about her story, her journey with anxiety, her creative process and so much more! Be sure to check out her music on Spotify and other streaming platforms.  

 Be sure to follow Leah on Instagram: @leahwrennemusic  

Follow SWNF on Instagram @shewillnotfallcollective  

 Learn more about Leah: 

A 25 yr. old Philadelphia native, Leah Wrenne blends soul and folk elements together as a singer/songwriter. Her desire is to write songs that help people to be honest about life’s ups and downs while reminding them that they are not without the Hope of Jesus. Inspired by her birth name and Matthew 6:26, Leah Wrenne means “a songbird of the meadows.” This name is a reminder to the artist that the Lord is faithful to provide the needs of His children.

On this episode, I sit down and talk Joselyn and we walk through her amazing story and the work she is doing in mental health and wellness. Check out why Joselyn will not fall!   

Follow Joselyn on IG and Twitter: @JadeAndwele 

Follow She Will Not Fall on IG: @shewillnotfallcollective   

Learn more about Joselyn: 

Joselyn is a holistic wellness specialist and licensed therapist with a wealth of experiences in mental health and spiritual care in a variety of communities and contexts. Her greatest passion is making sure people are taken care of and that they experience the wholeness/Shalom that God intended for us. As the director of mental health and wellness for a faith organization, she takes care of clergy, congregations, and communities by working out of the intersection of faith and holistic wellness to create more trauma-informed spaces that also employ sustainable models of communal care and wellness equity. As a theologian, she is interested in lifting up experiences of mental health in the Biblical text, bringing to light narratives that are overlooked, and further defining and developing the ethic of care around issues of mental health and wellness, individually and communally. Joselyn explores her thoughts on care ethics on her blog and forthcoming podcast, On an Ethic of Care. Specifics of her professional work experiences include being a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Registered Art Therapist (ATR), adjunct faculty member, registered yoga and meditation teacher, hospital chaplain, preacher, and theologian. Most importantly, Joselyn is a sacred woman and a good friend. She has a Masters of Divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, a Masters in Art Therapy and Professional Counseling from Eastern Virginia Medical School, and a Bachelors in Studies in Women and Gender and African American Studies from the University of Virginia.

On this episode, I talk to Irene M. Cho. Irene shares her amazing story -- trust me you will be leaning in this whole conversation. Hear why Irene will not fall.   

Follow Irene on all platforms at @irenenmcho and follow The In Between at @theinbtw. 

Follow She Will Not Fall on IG at @shewillnotfallcollective  

Learn more Irene:  

Irene is a national speaker, writer, consultant, and advisor, having served over 28 years in youth ministry. Her passion is for the misfits of the world and to bring the gospel message of joy and hope to the least, the lost, and the last. After serving as the Program Director of Urban Leadership Training for the Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) at Fuller Theological Seminary for the last 11 years, Irene is embarking on a new venture of launching a leadership training and resourcing company for leaders serving on the margins. To find out more, go to FindingtheInBetween.com or follow @theinbtw. She speaks both nationally and internationally to youth and young adults, has written various curricula, and consults for churches and organizations on engaging youth, youth culture, and racial justice issues.

On this episode, I talk to Kia Speaks. Kia is  a writer, an award winning communications guru, a commentator and a seminarian student. She is dope and the conversation we had was dope. I know you will enjoy it! 

 Follow Kia on Twitter and IG @kiaspeaks

 Follow SWNF on IG @shewillnotfallcollective  

To support the podcast financially visit patreon.com/iammariellet 

 Learn more about Kia: 

An unapologetic agitator, Kia creates content that pushes the conversation forward. From digital campaigns and multimedia projects to thought-provoking articles, visuals and speeches, Kia tells stories that challenge, provoke, and move audiences into action.  With over 15 years of communications experience, Kia has created award-winning digital campaigns that produced national and international media coverage, interviewed New York Times best-selling authors, Grammy-award winning artists, and US ambassadors, and provided digital support for speeches and lectures by Oprah Winfrey, Angela Davis, and more.  When she’s not writing and tweeting, you can find Kia in front of the camera discussing media, culture, and society. She has been featured on NPR, BET, and TVOne.com discussing sex, gender, theology, and more.  Kia earned a B.A. in English from Spelman College and graduated from Kennesaw State University with an M.A. in Professional Writing. She is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary.