A three-part podcasting project that highlights the forgotten histories of feminist, antiracist, and queer-affirming activism of Black Harlem churches (particularly St. James Presbyterian and Grace Congregational Church), and places these histories in dialogue with New York City’s (Black & Latinx) Ballroom scene. The project weaves together stories of faith, ritual, marginalization, solidarity, loss, and desire, and foregrounds queer subcultures of spirituality and community-building, especially among trans and gay people of color who often “lose” the safety net of the church when they come out.
This project was funded by Humanities NY and Columbia University’s Public Humanities Fellowship, and produced by Aya Labanieh, Milan Terlunen, Colby Xzavier King, and Olivia Leigh Branscum. It will go live March, 2024.
Aya Labanieh 