Parity 2024 Mid-Year Program Report - Executive Summary
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Parity 2023 Program Report - Executive Summary
With gratitude to our Parity board, friends, supporters, stakeholders and team for another year of impactful work in this beautiful world.
Executive Summary:
Parity heals LGBT and faith divides - from the grass tops to grassroots, we work in front of cameras and behind the scenes with homeless LGBT youth, with the most well-known faith leaders and governmental leaders from around the world. So much of what we do we can’t talk about - but if you see a news headline and wonder if we were involved, we probably were.
It is YOUR support, your prayers, your financial contributions, your volunteer hours, your encouragement - that makes these wins possible. They are our wins, together, because without you, Parity wouldn’t exist, and the forward movement we see every day would cease. On behalf of a grateful board of directors, volunteers, stakeholders, partners, and friends, we extend our deepest thanks.
Here are a very few highlights from 2023, and what we are excited about for 2024:
We launched the first ever International LGBT Religious Liberty Round Table, with honorary co-chairs Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett and The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Our growing devotional series now includes audio and a growing TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook audience
Parity has been invited to be part of the Faith in Media Initiative where we promote accurate and diverse representations of faith and religion that includes LGBT individuals and families.
We celebrated the one year anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act with our Congressional partners from both sides of the aisle.
Parity spoke internationally about the innovative and effective partnership of religious liberty and LGBT civil rights including at a special event with Dean Marcus Cole of the Notre Dame Law School Religious Liberty Initiative.
We are very excited to report that in 2024 we will:
Launch the Faith, Hope and Love Project with Fuller Seminary and Brigham Young University Law School, which trains student ambassadors to relate in love to LGBT individuals in their congregations, campuses and professional settings (January, 2024).
Launch the Faith-Based Training Series with our conserving colleagues who network religious foster care and adoption agencies and resource parents. This innovative program translates the peer-reviewed science into language and terms that resonate with the loving hearts of faith-based providers (February, 2024).
Parity partners with 60 LGBTQ young people in Kenya in two youth groups, including micro-grants, faith, and educational supports and a fellowship of dozens LGBTQ Christians that worship together each week.
For our full 2023 report, keep reading.
Please know how much your care for all of us at Parity means to me, our Board, our team, and treasured volunteers. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Marian
Rev. Dr. Marian Edmonds-Allen
Executive Director, Parity
A special bonus:
See two presentations created by our LGBT Christian Fellowship in Kenya:
1. Business Grants
2. Youth Fellowship
View these presentations in the PDF 2023 Parity Program Report. They are heartfelt and moving glimpses into a world of gratitude, blessings and fortitude. View or download the PDF 2023 Parity Program Report, here.
Parity 2023 Program Report
Care and Support
Youth
Parity’s Kenya LGBT Christian fellowship program has expanded to create youth groups in two counties. The youth are led by a member of the adult fellowship who provides group learning activities, community-building and business and educational opportunities. LGBT youth are denied access to schooling and employment - Parity provides micro-grants and financial support so that LGBT Christian Kenyan adults are able to offer educational supports and life-saving community to young people who otherwise would be forced to live on the streets and subsist through survival sex.
Emerging and New LGBTQ+ Pastors and Youth Ministers
Parity provides retreats and educational events and opportunities for seminarians and new pastors, BIPOC pastors and seminarians and LGBT people in discernment as well as mentoring, opportunities for compensated preaching, teaching and networking.
Adults
Parity provides spiritual direction, spiritual companioning and pastoral care as well as matching adults with appropriate pastors (Parity’s Virtual Pastor Network) and opportunities for worship (Parity’s Online Faith Collective), teaching, preaching and leadership opportunities. Parity also has six supportive groups available for LGBTQ+ adults:
• Conversion therapy survivors
• Christianity
• General faith and spirituality
• Converge international, lay led Bible studies
• Faith-based parent groups
Online and What’s App discussion forums
Elders
Parity has a specific pastoral care and end of life program for LGBTQ+ elders, as well as volunteer matching for hospice and volunteer chaplaincy.
Families
Parity provides peer to peer matching and pastoral care for LGBTQ+ families and families with LGBTQ+ children, spiritual companioning and supportive groups.
Church, School, Organization and Business
Parity provides strength-based educational programming and mentoring to churches, businesses and kindergarten-graduate level schools with LGBTQ+ members and families on a wide variety of LGBTQ+ concerns. See article on Parity’s work with the Mustard Seed School.
Advocacy and Activism
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness and Suicide
Parity educates and empowers faith communities, schools of all levels and individuals to learn more about LGBT youth homelessness and suicide and to advocate and address both in their communities and beyond through direct service, legislative change and advocacy.
International
Parity supports and coordinates with individuals and groups concerned with LGBTQ life and dignity worldwide through mini-grants and community organizing. Our new LGBT-FoRB Roundtable network extends the reach of civil society, governmental, faith and business groups to address the persecution faced by LGBT people worldwide.
Community, Church and Seminaries, College and Universities
Parity’s Glitter + Ash and Glitter Blessings projects are used throughout the Western world to showcase faith support for LGBTQ people and “coming out” for queer people of faith. Individuals directly impacted total over 50,000 each year. In addition, Parity’s Faith @ Pride helps churches and faith communities to publicize and engage with local Pride festivals as well as to connect LGBTQ people to faith activities in their community.
Conversion Therapy Survivors
Parity is the fiscal sponsor and mentor to the Conversion Therapy Survivors, an international advocacy and healing organization. Parity also provides a spiritual support group as well as financial and technical support for conversion therapy retreats.
Bridging and Healing Divides
Holy Dialogues and Blessed by Difference are Parity’s flagship programs for healing and bridging divides including all perspectives on faith and LGBT concerns. Holy Dialogues publishes a devotional series written by LGBT Christians and friends from around the world. Holy Dialogues includes a video series of frank discussions with LGBT people of faith and conserving pastors and faith leaders; Blessed by Difference is an educational program that teaches beginner to advanced curious, compassionate and even collaborative dialogue and civic friendships. Featured on the inaugural issue of Deseret Magazine, America Talks, Parliament of World Religions, Family Christian’s Walking through Samaria Program and Interfaith Alliance’s State of Belief.
Individual, Family, Church, Education, Organization and Business
Educational events and trainings for people of all ages, belief or non belief and SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression) status in a variety of public and private settings are trained to understand their own perspectives and beliefs and share them safely with others with the intended result of personal and community transformation.
Government and International
Parity works publicly and behind the scenes in local, state and federal government settings to bridge the divides on federal and global protections for LGBT people, transgender and LGBT youth health and safety and equality concerns, and at the intersection of LGBT and religious freedom.
Religious Freedom
Parity has been a presence at events including the National Prayer Breakfast, and invited speaker at the BYU Law School, the BYU Religious Freedom Annual Review, the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC, the London Freedom of Religion and Belief Ministerial, Notre Dame Law School in Indiana, London and Rome, United Nations Civil Society Conference, the Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Public Justice, First Amendment Partnership, and more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Parity has a number of opportunities for individuals, groups and faith communities:
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness / Suicide
~ Resource Fairs: Parity will connect your faith community or organization with local service providers to hold an annual or biannual research fair that showcases and networks faith-based and secular supports for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
~ Create or distribute care kits for LGBT youth experiencing homelessness as a volunteer activity. Kits include needed personal items and a caring note.
~ Create or distribute Turtle Shelter Vests to help keep homeless teens and adults alive to -10 degrees.
~ Become an LGBTQ+ youth advocate - receive training and mentoring to best address youth homelessness and suicide in your community.
Holy Dialogues
~ Become a Holy Dialogue trainer / facilitator. Receive education, resources, mentoring and cohort support to lead groups and bridge / heal divides one on one in your community.
Operation Safety Net
Be trained and networked in our international database of over 1,200 individuals who help LGBTQ+ youth and families in need.
LGBT Religious Liberty
Join our new International FoRB Round Table - share your concerns and collaborate with global partners.
Lastly: Please let me know how Parity can help YOU. We are stronger together, and grateful to you for your prayers, financial support and encouragement.
Thank you for being part of the Parity family!
Marian
Rev. Dr. Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director, Parity
marian@parity.nyc
About Parity
Parity is a New York City-based organization with global programs designed to create healing spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) persons to reconcile their identity and faith.
We were founded in 1997 (under the name Presbyterian Welcome) and have worked tirelessly for over two decades to move the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to ordain LGBTQ+ ministers and allow same-sex couples to be married. In 2014, we changed our name to Parity, and expanded our vision to include ecumenical ministries and multi faith ministries.
We believe that nurturing LGBTQ+ faith and faith-rooted social justice leadership strengthens not only faith communities, but also social justice efforts. Now we seek to respond to the call for civic engagement for faith-rooted LGBTQ+ young people. Parity is committed to this expansive concept, focused on:
Creating more open spaces where all of a person’s identity—race, sexuality, class, gender, nationality and faith—can find harmony and healing.
Building bridges across denominational lines by partnering with a broader diversity of Christian communities, now including traditionally rejecting religions.
Creating connections between the sacred and secular by partnering with more non-faith-based community organizations and to make inroads with LGBTQ+ organizations that are traditionally rejecting of faith.
By providing dynamic and ecumenical worship opportunities and education for large and small congregations, formational training and support for future pastors, vibrant youth leadership and engagement programs, and advocacy on a global scale through our affiliation with the United Nations, Parity advances LGBTQ+ equality both broadly and intimately inside and outside the Church.
We strive to make clear that faith traditions can be supportive of LGBTQ+ people, as well as healing and nurturing spaces. We know that in order to eradicate homophobia and transphobia in the world, we must continue to make changes in our religious institutions, equipping and empowering youth and adult leaders to advocate for faith that is available to everyone.
Parity is a 501(c)(3) organization funded by local partnering congregations, individuals, foundations and supportive churches from all over the country. Parity is grateful for their partnership, support, trust and encouragement.
2022 Program Report
With gratitude to our Parity friends, supporters, stakeholders and team for another year of impactful work in this beautiful world.
Executive Summary:
In addition to Parity’s supportive programs for LGBTQ youth and adults, parents and families and those who love them, the following highlights occurred in 2022:
Parity recruited and trained LGBTQ people and allies (in partnership with the Equality and Fairness Coalition and the ALL coalition) from all 50 states to advocate for federal civil rights and religious freedom protections with Senators in Washington, DC, resulting in the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.
Parity youth presented at the United Nations 1st International Academic Conference, speaking about LGBT and gender stereotypes, and LGBTQ youth homelessness.
Parity was a featured partner for America Talks: National Week of Conversations, the lead bridging event that highlights techniques for creating solutions to problems that divide.
Parity has become an official partner with USAID.
Parity provided multi-year training and mentoring to the Mustard Seed School as they worked to bring their community together in support of transgender students. See article.
Parity was invited to Parity was the first ever out LGBTQ presenter at the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC and was also invited to present and participate at religious freedom summits at the London Ministerial Conference, with Notre Dame Law School in Rome, and at the Brigham Young University International Religious Freedom Review.
Parity’s devotional series has become a staple with over 50 paid LGBTQ Christian authors and their friends from all over the world.
Parity was part of the Colors of Hope book and retreat with Alliance Q.
Parity organized donations to help LGBT 10 Christians evacuate Ukraine in early 2022.
Parity partners with 60 LGBTQ young people in Kenya in two youth groups, including micro-grants, faith, and educational supports and a fellowship of LGBTQ Christians that worships each week.
Parity had eight retreats in 2022, for: Conversion Therapy Survivors, LGBT Youth Pastors, multiple retreats for LGBT Youth, rural LGBTQ+ young people, and support for the Color Splash LGBTQ+ youth camp in rural Texas, and a resource fair/Pride gathering for LGBTQ+ members of plural (polygamous communities) in Warren Jeff’s former stronghold.
Please know how much your care for all of us at Parity means to me, our Board, our team, and treasured volunteers. Without you, none of this would be possible.
Marian
Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen
Executive Director, Parity
2022 Programs - Complete Report
Care and Support
Youth
Parity’s Kenya LGBT Christian fellowship program has expanded to create youth groups in two counties. The youth are led by a member of the adult fellowship who provides group learning activities, community-building and business and educational opportunities. LGBT youth are denied access to schooling and employment - these groups provide micro-grants, educational supports and life-saving community.
Emerging and New LGBTQ+ Pastors and Youth Ministers
Parity provides retreats and educational events and opportunities for seminarians and new pastors, BIPOC pastors and seminarians and LGBTQ+ people in discernment as well as mentoring, opportunities for compensated preaching, teaching and networking.
Adults
Parity provides spiritual direction, spiritual companioning and pastoral care as well as matching adults with appropriate pastors (Parity’s Virtual Pastor Network) and opportunities for worship (Parity’s Online Faith Collective), teaching, preaching and leadership opportunities. Parity also has six supportive groups available for LGBTQ+ adults:
Conversion therapy survivors
Christianity
General faith and spirituality
Converge international, lay led Bible studies
Faith-based parent groups
Online and What’s App discussion forums
Elders
Parity has a specific pastoral care and end of life program for LGBTQ+ elders, as well as volunteer matching for hospice and volunteer chaplaincy.
Families
Parity provides peer to peer matching and pastoral care for LGBTQ+ families and families with LGBTQ+ children, spiritual companioning and supportive groups.
Church, School, Organization and Business
Parity provides strength-based educational programming and mentoring to churches, businesses and kindergarten-graduate level schools with LGBTQ+ members and families on a wide variety of LGBTQ+ concerns. See article on Parity’s work with the Mustard Seed School.
Advocacy and Activism
Youth
Parity’s Intergalactic Pride youth group provides workshops and speaking to churches, schools and organizations, including presenting at the United Nations 1st International Academic Conference, speaking about LGBT and gender stereotypes, and LGBTQ youth homelessness.
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness and Suicide
Parity educates and empowers faith communities, schools of all levels and individuals to learn more about LGBT youth homelessness and suicide and to advocate and address both in their communities and beyond through direct service, legislative change and advocacy.
International
Parity partners with a fellowship of LGBT Christians in Kenya, including micro grants for new businesses and weekly business classes led by members of the fellowship and their two LGBT youth groups with young people in rural Kenya. Parity supports and coordinates with individuals and groups concerned with LGBTQ life and dignity worldwide through mini-grants and community organizing.
Community, Church and Seminaries, College and Universities
Parity’s Glitter + Ash and Glitter Blessings projects are used throughout the Western world to showcase faith support for LGBTQ people and “coming out” for queer people of faith. Individuals directly impacted total over 50,000 each year. In addition, Parity’s Faith @ Pride helps churches and faith communities to publicize and engage with local Pride festivals as well as to connect LGBTQ people to faith activities in their community.
Conversion Therapy Survivors
Parity is the fiscal sponsor and mentor to the Conversion Therapy Survivors, an international advocacy and healing organization. Parity also provides a spiritual support group as well as financial and technical support for conversion therapy retreats.
Bridging and Healing Divides
Holy Dialogues and Blessed by Difference are Parity’s flagship programs for healing and bridging divides including all perspectives on faith and LGBT concerns. Holy Dialogues publishes a devotional series written by LGBT Christians and friends from around the world. Holy Dialogues includes a video series of frank discussions with LGBT people of faith and conserving pastors and faith leaders; Blessed by Difference is an educational program that teaches beginner to advanced curious, compassionate and even collaborative dialogue and civic friendships. Featured on the inaugural issue of Deseret Magazine, America Talks, Parliament of World Religions, Family Christian’s Walking through Samaria Program and Interfaith Alliance’s State of Belief and various elected official events and the upcoming Blessed by Difference Corner at Family Christian.
Individual, Family, Church, Education, Organization and Business
Educational events and trainings for people of all ages, belief or non belief and SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression) status in a variety of public and private settings are trained to understand their own perspectives and beliefs and share them safely with others with the intended result of personal and community transformation.
Government and International
Parity works publicly and behind the scenes in local, state and federal government settings to bridge the divides on federal protections for LGBT people, transgender and LGBT youth health and safety and equality concerns, and at the intersection of LGBT and religious freedom.
Religious Freedom
Parity has been a presence at events including the National Prayer Breakfast, and invited speaker at the BYU Law School, the BYU Religious Freedom Annual Review, the International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC, the London Freedom of Religion and Belief Ministerial, Notre Dame Law School in Indiana and Rome, United Nations Civil Society, Conference, the Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Public Justice, First Amendment Partnership, and more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Parity has a number of opportunities for individuals, groups and faith communities:
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness / Suicide
~ Resource Fairs: Parity will connect your faith community or organization with local service providers to hold an annual or biannual research fair that showcases and networks faith-based and secular supports for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
~ Create or distribute care kits for LGBT youth experiencing homelessness as a volunteer activity. Kits include needed personal items and a caring note.
~ Create or distribute Turtle Shelter Vests to help keep homeless teens and adults alive to -10 degrees.
~ Become an LGBTQ+ youth advocate - receive training and mentoring to best address youth homelessness and suicide in your community.
Holy Dialogues
~ Become a Holy Dialogue trainer / facilitator. Receive education, resources, mentoring and cohort support to lead groups and bridge / heal divides one on one in your community.
Operation Safety Net
Be trained and networked in our international database of over 1,200 individuals who
help LGBTQ+ youth and families in need.
Lastly: Please let me know how Parity can help YOU. We are stronger together, and grateful to you for your prayers, financial support and encouragement.
Thank you for being part of the Parity family!
Marian
Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director, Parity
marian@parity.nyc
About Parity
Parity is a New York City-based organization with global programs designed to create healing spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) persons to reconcile their identity and faith.
We were founded in 1997 (under the name Presbyterian Welcome) and have worked tirelessly for over two decades to move the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to ordain LGBTQ+ ministers and allow same-sex couples to be married. In 2014, we changed our name to Parity, and expanded our vision to include ecumenical ministries and multi faith ministries.
We believe that nurturing LGBTQ+ faith and faith-rooted social justice leadership strengthens not only faith communities, but also social justice efforts. Now we seek to respond to the call for civic engagement for faith-rooted LGBTQ+ young people. Parity is committed to this expansive concept, focused on:
Creating more open spaces where all of a person’s identity—race, sexuality, class, gender, nationality and faith—can find harmony and healing.
Building bridges across denominational lines by partnering with a broader diversity of Christian communities, now including traditionally rejecting religions.
Creating connections between the sacred and secular by partnering with more non-faith-based community organizations and to make inroads with LGBTQ+ organizations that are traditionally rejecting of faith.
By providing dynamic and ecumenical worship opportunities and education for large and small congregations, formational training and support for future pastors, vibrant youth leadership and engagement programs, and advocacy on a global scale through our affiliation with the United Nations, Parity advances LGBTQ+ equality both broadly and intimately inside and outside the Church.
We strive to make clear that faith traditions can be supportive of LGBTQ+ people, as well as healing and nurturing spaces. We know that in order to eradicate homophobia and transphobia in the world, we must continue to make changes in our religious institutions, equipping and empowering youth and adult leaders to advocate for faith that is available to everyone.
Parity is a 501(c)(3) organization funded by local partnering congregations, individuals, foundations and supportive churches from all over the country. Parity is grateful for their partnership, support, trust and encouragement.
2021 End of Year Program Report
Executive Summary: Thanks to the generous and faithful support of our donors, volunteers, staff and board, Parity has had the most successful year in memory. We look forward to an even greater impact in 2022.
Our full report is below, here are the highlights to note:
Parity is supporting a new congregation of 24 LGBT Christians in Kenya, including micro grants (12 so far) and business classes every Monday, all led by our Kenyan LGBT Christian friends.
Our Holy Dialogues project continues to grow and released an Advent devotional with very diverse reflections and authors, including the pastor of the Kenyan fellowship. Holy Dialogues was an invited presenter at the Parliament of World Religions this year!
Parity supported four retreats this year, for Conversion Therapy Survivors, LGBT Youth Pastors, LGBT Youth and an Eastern European retreat for persecuted LGBT Christians.
Parity is a lead in forming a Human Rights Working Group and LGBT subgroup with the International Religious Freedom Roundtables. This has been a year-long project to raise awareness for the circumstances of LGBT people worldwide, and we are thrilled that it is inching closer to launching.
Parity is partnering with a diverse coalition to pass federal nondiscrimination legislation. You will be hearing more about that as our efforts become public. It’s been a lot of behind-the-scenes work to date.
Our youth organization, the Intergalactic Pride Center, presented to the UN at a side event and also sent a representative to Copenhagen for World Pride. They now are working to publish their queer faith writing in partnership with Our Bible App.
We are affiliated with the United Nations! We are part of the 2022 planning team for the first international conference on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Parity has been invited to have a Blessed by Difference column and section of Family Christian to share supports and helps for LGBT Christians and families with LGBT members.
Parity 2021 Programs
Care and Support
Youth
Parity provides pastoral care and mentoring to LGBTQ+ youth and has four supportive groups available for youth:
General support
Poetry and writing focused support
Christianity
Faith and spirituality
New in 2022: Planning for a LGBT youth center in Kenya, led by our Kenyan fellowship of LGBT Christians.
Emerging and New LGBTQ+ Pastors and Youth Ministers
Parity provides retreats and educational events and opportunities for seminarians and new pastors, BIPOC pastors and seminarians and LGBTQ+ people in discernment as well as mentoring, opportunities for compensated preaching, teaching and networking.
Adults
Parity provides spiritual direction, spiritual companioning and pastoral care as well as matching adults with appropriate pastors (Parity’s Virtual Pastor Network) and opportunities for worship (Parity’s Online Faith Collective), teaching, preaching and leadership opportunities. Parity also has three supportive groups available for LGBTQ+ adults:
Conversion therapy survivors
Christianity
General faith and spirituality
Retreats
Online discussion forums
Converge international, lay led Bible studies
Elders
Parity has a specific pastoral care and end of life program for LGBTQ+ elders, as well as volunteer matching for hospice and volunteer chaplaincy.
Families
Parity provides peer-to-peer matching and pastoral care for LGBTQ+ families and families with LGBTQ+ children, spiritual companioning and supportive groups.
Church, School, Organization and Business
Parity provides strength-based educational programming and mentoring to churches, businesses, and kindergarten-graduate level schools with LGBTQ+ members and families on a wide variety of LGBTQ+ concerns.
Activism
Youth
Parity’s Intergalactic Pride youth group is an activist group led by queer youth for queer youth and is focused on activism education, leadership development, arts and personal expression, scholarship and direct action. The group has an international focus and in March 2021, presented at an invited United Nations side event on gender-based violence to LGBTQ+ youth.
New in Dec. 2021: Publishing written works by Parity-affiliated youth and our Intergalactic Pride Center, which is by and for young people.
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness and Suicide
Parity educates and empowers faith communities, schools of all levels and individuals to learn more about LGBTQ+ youth homelessness and suicide and to advocate and address both in their communities and beyond through direct service, legislative change and advocacy. We work with churches and secular organizations all over the country to make and distribute care kits for LGBT youth experiencing homelessness.
International
New in 2021: Parity supports a fellowship of 24 (and growing) LGBT Christians in Kenya, including micro-grants for new businesses and weekly business classes led by members of the fellowship.
New in 2021: Parity is a lead organization in the creation of a Human Rights Roundtable with the International Religious Freedom Roundtables and is active on several committees, representing LGBT concerns worldwide.
Parity supports and coordinates with individuals and groups concerned with LGBTQ+ life and dignity worldwide through mini-grants and community organizing.
Community, Church and Seminaries, College and Universities
Parity’s Glitter + Ash and Glitter Blessings projects are used throughout the Western world to showcase faith support for LGBTQ+ people and “coming out” for queer people of faith. Individuals directly impacted total over 50,000 each year. In addition, Parity’s Faith @ Pride helps churches and faith communities to publicize and engage with local Pride festivals as well as to connect LGBTQ+ people to faith activities in their community.
Conversion Therapy Survivors
Parity is the fiscal sponsor and mentor to the Conversion Therapy Survivors, an international advocacy and healing organization.
New in 2021: Parity provides a spiritual support group as well as financial and technical support for conversion therapy retreats.
Research
In partnership with Harvard Medical School and Brigham Young University, Parity is working on research advocating for healthy spiritual expression as a means of flourishing for LGBTQ+ people.
Bridging and Healing Divides
Holy Dialogues and Blessed by Difference are Parity’s flagship programs for healing and bridging divides including all perspectives on faith and LGBTQ+ concerns. Holy Dialogues is a video series of frank discussions with LGBTQ+ people of faith and conserving pastors and faith leaders; Blessed by Difference is an educational program that teaches beginner to advanced curious, compassionate and even collaborative dialogue and civic friendships. Featured on the inaugural issue of Deseret Magazine, Parliament of World Religions, Family Christian’s Walking through Samaria Program and Interfaith Alliance’s State of Belief and various elected official events including U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D, NY), Rep. Chris Stewart (R, UT).
New in 2021: Holy Dialogues Advent Devotional and Blessed by Difference Corner at Family Christian.
Individual, Family, Church, Education, Organization and Business
Educational events and trainings for people of all ages, belief or non-belief and SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression) status in a variety of public and private settings are trained to understand their own perspectives and beliefs and share them safely with others with the intended result of personal and community transformation.
Government and International
Parity works behind the scenes in local, state and federal government settings to bridge the divides around the Equality Act, Fairness for All, transgender and LGBTQ+ youth health and safety and equality concerns especially at the intersection of LGBT and religious freedom.
Mapping with Auburn Seminary
Parity recently completed a multi-month project of mapping the LGBTQ+ and faith landscape with Auburn Seminary.
Religious Freedom
Parity has been a presence at events including the National Prayer Breakfast, the International Religious Freedom Summit, and invited speaker at the BYU Law School, Notre Dame Law School, United Nations Civil Society, the Bipartisan Policy Center and more.
Volunteer Opportunities
Parity has a number of opportunities for individuals, groups, and faith communities:
LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness / Suicide
Resource Fairs: Parity will connect your faith community or organization with local service providers to hold an annual or biannual research faith that showcases and networks faith-based and secular supports for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
Create or distribute care kits as a volunteer activity. Kits include needed personal items and a caring note.
Create or distribute Turtle Shelter Vests to help keep homeless teens and adults alive to -10 degrees.
Become an LGBTQ+ youth advocate - receive training and mentoring to best address youth homelessness and suicide in your community.
Holy Dialogues
Become a Holy Dialogue trainer / facilitator. Receive education, resources, mentoring and cohort support to lead groups and bridge / heal divides one on one in your community.
Be on a Holy Dialogues episode, sharing your perspective about LGBTQ+ and faith.
Write for our devotionals.
Operation Safety Net
Be trained and networked in our international database of over 1,000 individuals who help LGBTQ+ youth and families in need.
International Religious Freedom and Human Rights
Join our human rights working group and / or LGBT sub-working group.
Federal Nondiscrimination Legislation
Join the effort - email marian@parity.nyc to discuss various religions and national opportunities for engagement.
2020 Parity Program Report
December, 2020: Parity is doing work that we hadn’t planned to do! And yet it is the work God has put before us, and it has brought new blessings and connections and insights for our LGBTQ+ and faith work. We have had to postpone many in-person events, including our retreats and Parity Awards, but we have added new programs to meet the needs we have seen.
Our first large change was to two invited workshops at the United Nations in mid-March, which very suddenly were changed to Zoom workshops - a crash course in Zoom that our guest speakers pulled off with aplomb. From there we pivoted to finding and promoting LGBTQ affirming online worship opportunities (the Online Faith Collective, https://onlinefaithcollective.org/) and the creation of the Virtual Pastor Network (https://www.virtualpastors.org/), meant to connect front line workers and people experiencing COVID-19 with pastors - which it has done, but also has connected closeted LGBTQ people from all over the world with affirming faith leaders all over the world. These two initiatives continue to grow.
In our new, virtual world with canceled in-person Pride festivals, we launched Pride Faith, a listing of virtual Pride worship and faith events, and began supporting a group of LGBTQ young people to create “programming by LGBTQ youth, for LGBTQ youth.”
This turned into a vibrant and growing group of creative young people who hold support groups, workshops and monthly creative and expressive contests, with winners receiving gift cards to Black-owned queer small businesses, and a yearly scholarship and micro-grant competition. These youth now create and publish workshops, books and submit proposals to speak at United Nations events! They share through social media and online their “Views from the Rainbow Couch” talk show, “Queer Youth Theology” stream on Twitch and are involved with InterPride. When I worry about the world, I think about these youth!
Parity has expanded our group of organizations that we are mentoring and helping become their own independent nonprofits, particularly those led by BIPOC, trans and LGBT people of faith.
One of these groups has also become partners with Parity, the Conversion Therapy Survivors. We provide a monthly spiritual exploration group for CT survivors and are planning what we hope will be a retreat together for 2021 that highlights forgiveness and (re)connection to self, family and faith.
Parity has also been asked to co-lead the Religious Freedom and Interfaith Solutions Lab for YOUnify, an international bridging collective comprised of grassroots organizers and grasstops leaders.
We are working with Auburn Seminary to continue Blessed by Difference bridging divides work, including 2021 virtual groups as well as mapping the terrific LGBT and faith bridging efforts happening throughout the country and world.
Our bridging work continues to grow with various community, denominational and legislative projects, including collaborative interfaith bridging outreach for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness, religious liberty bridging and LGBTQ+ and faith bridging for educational and faith institutions. We consult, share workshops, and speak in both conserving and progressive spaces including teaching bridging with diverse constituents using our Blessed by Difference model of compassionate and curious conversation and collaboration.
Parity is partnered with Convergence on Campus to convene unlikely and even surprising partners to promote religious accommodations on college and university campuses. This state by state and national work is designed to ensure inclusive freedom of religious belief and non-belief as well as to create bi-partisan coalitions that can continue to collaborate for inclusive faith work nationally and internationally.
Parity is also working with United Nations NGOs and international religious freedom organizations to support Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change [their] religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest [their] religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” We are working behind the scenes to create an initiative to advance Article 18 domestically and internationally in ways that promote LGBTQ+ equality and faith for all people.
Our Compassionate Christian Network is moving forward with additional partners from traditionally rejecting faiths - something we have prayed and waited for, as this allows us to continue to network behind the scenes to provide support and hope for LGBT members in conserving denominations, as well as education for traditional Christian faith leaders.
We are working with Dr. Michael Ferguson and Harvard Medical School on a trauma recovery program development research study consisting of a 6-week self-forgiveness recovery curriculum that will be deployed in tandem with once-weekly meetings, facilitated by a trauma-trained mental health professional.
Lastly, we are tremendously excited to partner with Dr. Louis Freddy Molano to provide needed food and supplies to our transgender siblings who are houseless in New York City. This December we provided supplies for 33 individuals and are planning for expanding this outreach in 2021.
- Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen, December, 2020
2019 Parity Program Report
Parity by the numbers 2019
In 2019 Parity was blessed by the generosity of our grantors and donors with the opportunity to continue to minister in the world.
As a result of these gifts, over 500,000 lives were impacted in the United States and beyond:
Direct Education and Outreach: 3,500
(An increase of 2,500 over 2018)Ministry in Partnership: 30,000
(An increase of 20,000 over 2018)Awareness and General Education: 500,000
(An increase of 300,000 over 2018)
2019 Parity Program Report: Advocacy and Activism
The annual Parity Awards recognizes the unique contributions of LGBTQ+ and allied people of faith and amplifies the messages of countless new and seasoned LGBTQ+ leaders through in-person and social media campaigns to provide role models and to share the message that LGBTQ+ people have invaluable spiritual gifts and talents. The 2019 Parity Awards were held November 21 at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, honoring Dr. Wilhelmina Perry, Logan Rozos and Dr. Luis Freddy Molano.
Glitter Ash Wednesday reached hundreds of churches and faith communities and public actions with an impact in the hundreds of thousands throughout North America and the United Kingdom, this year particularly in Methodist churches and in red states.
Parity’s Blessed by Difference program provides story-based negotiating towards legislative and denominational changes publicly and behind the scenes, resulting in new laws and policies that promote equality and health for LGBTQ people as well as outreach by traditionally rejecting faith leaders have a reach in the thousands throughout the United States and internationally. Events include: United Nations Civil Society Conference; with U.S. Rep. Curtis and Sutherland Institute; with U.S. Representative Stewart, Utah Gov. Herbert introducing the FFA.
Parity is engaged in promoting LGBTQ inclusive religious liberty and had its first national inclusive religious liberty summit on May 14, 2019 at the Utah State Capitol with a keynote by Tim Schultz of the 1st Amendment
Partnership and an afternoon workshop that provided training and a framework for collaborative Blessed by Difference partnerships for change.
Parity Trans Youth Squad does LGBTQ-affirming faith research, messaging and outreach to trans and gender exceptional youth through social media and in person outlets, impacting youth with learning and networking opportunities as well as critical support in times of need for hundreds of youth worldwide.
Parity partners with The Turtle Shelter Project to provide volunteer and educational opportunities for churches and faith communities to promote wellness for LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness.
New in 2019: Interfaith street outreach to LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness connects faith communities with LGBTQ youth to provide needed hygiene kits and supplies.
New in 2019: Glitter Blessings provides opportunity for people of faith to show support and love for LGBTQ+
people at Pride events and other ministry settings, worldwide, distributing 25,000 blessings.
New in 2020: LGBTQ+ Theology Project
New in 2020: Inclusive Religious Liberty Project
2019 Parity Program Report: Nurture and Education
Parity’s retreats for emerging LGBTQ pastors attract seminarians from all over the United States. Cohorts receive mentoring and help seeking a call or other ministerial employment. Hundreds of new pastors have benefitted from Parity’s retreat programs.
Parity staff and volunteers hold in-person and online sensitivity trainings for denominational leaders, clergy, seminarians, colleges and universities and the general public as well as topical programs including conversion therapy, religious freedom and LGBTQ rights, family acceptance and supports, faith community engagement, faith-based social justice, LGBTQ youth homelessness, and faith-based LGBTQ youth and adult suicide prevention with partners such as San Francisco Theological Seminary, Eden Seminary, the Family Acceptance Project, Sutherland Institute, Auburn Seminary, the Applied Wisdom Institute, Living Room Conversations, BYU Center for Conflict Resolution, and more, reaching thousands worldwide.
Parity’s Safety Net database of over 1,000 LGBTQ and allied community volunteers provides as-needed peer support, youth homelessness and suicide prevention, family strengthening, community education and social supports in communities throughout North America, benefitting thousands of youth, adults and families.
Parity trains and mentors faith leaders to integrate LGBTQ affirming programs within their churches and faith communities to benefit their cities and neighborhoods, including programs for transgender people, families, plural communities, refugee and asylum seekers, LGBTQ youth including those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, suicide prevention, and pastoral care for LGBTQ elders and those at the end of life.
New in 2019: Parity worked with Holmes Camp and the Family Equality Council to create and co-lead Camp Q, a faith and LGBTQ affirming camp for high school youth, held July 7-13, 2019.
New in 2019: Parity is partnered with Dr. Michael Ferguson of Harvard Medical School to create a three part workshop series on the neuroscience of spirituality, beginning with a Soul and Brain Workshop, held at Harvard Medical School on Aug. 3, 2019.
New in October, 2019: Partnership with The Family Acceptance Project and The Applied Wisdom Institute to distribute and promote new LGBTQ family acceptance educational materials for churches and faith communities.
New in 2019: Partnership with Cherish Families to create and provide LGBTQ-affirming education and trainings to faith leaders and families within plural (polygamous) families and communities.
New in 2019: sponsorship of a retreat for LGBTQ Evangelical Leaders w/ Amber Cantorna.
New in Fall, 2019, an invitation to affiliate with the United Nations as a faith NGO to provide LGBTQ faith programming to international constituents.
New in 2020, with the Applied Wisdom Institute, a certificate program in LGBTQ Leadership.
New in 2020, workshops at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, NYC:
March 17: Faith-based Techniques for Preventing and Addressing LGBTQ+ Youth Homelessness
March 18: Bridging the LGBTQ+ and Faith Divide