TW: Death of a parent at a young age

Jess (she/her) grew up where church wasn’t just on Sundays, it was in the air. In this conversation, the ex–Southern Missionary Baptist, queer mom, grad student, and aspiring horror novelist traces a path from small-town indoctrination to hard-won clarity. We talk about the rumor-mill “witch hunt” that trailed her as a teen, losing her dad and carrying adult grief too early, and why deconstruction sometimes happens in two waves. Jess wrestles the pull between compassion and boundaries with family, parenting without heaven/hell shortcuts, and shifting from “atheist missionary” energy to an ethical critique of the church that leaves room for people who still need faith.