Posts Tagged ‘Family’
Documenting Angels: Why I Fight for DACA
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” Hebrews 13:2 When I was young, I would often ask my mother stories about why we came to America. I wondered why we didn’t stay in the Philippines with many of our other family members. I…
Read MorePainting Privilege: Queer Family Goes Tiny in Hawai’i
Depicted clockwise: Spirit of Maná, Spirit of Aloha, Poli’ahu, Pelé, Hina, NāMaka, Papahānoumoku It started with Pelé, the Hawai’ian Volcano Goddess who governs fire, lightning, volcanoes, and the flow of lava. When my little family set off on a big adventure in June 2015, I knew I’d research and paint her as a Holy Woman Icon.…
Read MoreFor Believers of All Stripes
I was 13 and sitting in the basement of my childhood home in the Amish-laden countryside of Pennsylvania. “Crystal, are you a lesbian?” A Twizzler stuck in my throat. What a pointed thing to ask. In my youth, I didn’t quite grasp the magnitude of the question, especially coming from a gaggle of church-schooled teenage…
Read MorePreguntas y posibilidades: Un año después de Pulse
Read In English ~ Lee en ingles Hace un año atrás, nuestras comunidades fueron estremecidas por la noticia de la masacre de 49 personas en una discoteca gay en Orlando, Florida. Este acto de violencia desacralizó uno de los santuarios más importantes de la comunidad LGBTQ+. Es en la discoteca donde nuestra comunidad se siente segura,…
Read MoreQuestions & Possibilities: One Year After Pulse
Lee en español ~ Read In Spanish A year ago, our communities were shaken. The news of the massacre of 49 individuals at a gay club in Orlando, Florida, took most of us by surprise. This horrendous act desecrated one of the most important sanctuaries of the LGBTQ+ community. It is at the club where…
Read MoreJesus Shows Up
“…then their eyes were opened and they recognized him.” –Luke 24:31 Jesus will find us anywhere. As soon as we give him permission, his quest for our hearts is endless. I remember when I first came out as queer—first to myself, next to my first girlfriend and friends, and lastly to family. I never thought…
Read MoreLoves Makes A Family: IDAHOT 2017
May 17 is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT). It is a worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities. IDAHOT was founded in 2004 to draw the attention of policymakers, opinion leaders, social movements, the public and media to the violence and discrimination experienced by LGBTI people around the world. This year IDAHOT…
Read MoreA Mother’s Journey To Affirmation
My daughter Kyndra Danyelle Frazier revealed to me that she was lesbian about 12 years ago. On that day, I was hurt but deep down in my soul I always knew that she was struggling with her sexuality. I always ignored it, simply too afraid to face the truth. I prayed daily for God to…
Read MorePainting Our Lady of Sorrows
The month of May finds those within the Christian tradition solidly within Easter season, reveling in the promise of resurrection, while simultaneously celebrating Mother’s Day. To be honest, I’d never seen much of a correlation between these two events in the past. But since my brother’s death in March, I’m viewing everything through the lens…
Read MoreWe Are Beloved
When was the last time you heard a sermon focusing on your belovedness, with no “but” attached to it? I mean, an entire Sunday service all about taking in and feeling how much God loves you and delights in you—with no mention of, or alluding to the need for you to be better than you…
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