Tonight, LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent LGBT will host a book signing of RAW: A Poetic Journey: Finding a Way from Conflict to Revelation, a new book sharing the perspectives of gay and lesbian Christians. The book signing will be held at 6:30pm in New York City at Hue-Man Bookstore. The book aims to create a conversation about community, sexual orientation and tenacious faith, embracing the idea that being gay and being a person of faith are not mutually exclusive identities, drawing on spiritual values of love, inclusiveness and respect for all people.
RAW is edited by NuWine Press founder Aimee Maude Sims, with a foreword by two-time Grammy nominee and multiple Dove Award winner Jennifer Knapp. It is the first book published by NuWine Press, and it features diverse voices in terms of gender and race, including many from Black lesbian, gay and bisexual Christians.
LGBT Faith Leaders of African Descent is an "organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and same gender loving people of African descent and their allies formed to serve as ambassadors and educators against discrimination, exclusion, or intimidation of LGBT persons in society, and particularly in church communities." Dr. Wilhelmina Perry, the group's convener, recently spoke with Sims on a program by Danny Tisdale of Harlem World Radio. In the interview, Dr. Perry stated,
We want people to understand that we are open and out, and we also are people of faith...We believe that we are all God’s children, and God sees us equally as He does other people. And we also want people to know we are members of your community, we are active, we are volunteers. We may be your brother, your sister, your aunt, your uncle or your grandparents, and we want you to know that we are here, and we are proud and we are Christians.
More information about RAW can be found on the NuWine Press website. Readers can also download a free excerpt on the site.
RAW can be purchased directly from the publisher, or on amazon.com.
Hue-Man Bookstore and Cafe is located at 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd., between 124th and 125th Streets in Manhattan.