Asylum Sessions
Supporting LGBTQ+ Asylum Seekers
During this session, participants will learn about efforts in the United States to welcome and support LGBTQ+ asylum seekers. Specific examples of faith and community welcome of LGBTQ+ community members will be explored . We will also discuss how to provide affirming and safe spaces for newcomers.
Following this session, participants will:
Understand the factors causing vulnerability to LGBTQ+ community members
Understand efforts by faith leaders at the US/Mexico boarder to aid LGBTQ+ asylum seekers
Understand best practices in support of LGBTQ+ asylum seekers as they settle into a new community within the United States
Presenters
Rev. Tiffany Curtis, Pastor, The Open Circle
Rev. Tiffany Curtis has a B.A. from Chapman University in Peace Studies and Latin American Studies, and an M.Div. from Harvard University. Rev. Tiffany is also trained as a clinical chaplain, spiritual director, and group facilitator, and has worked extensively as a community organizer and in prison settings. She has ongoing commitments to grassroots community work in the U.S., Ecuador, and Honduras. Rev. Tiffany grew up in a bilingual family and in an immigrant congregation in southern California, and moved to New Mexico in 2016 to serve as the founding minister of a church community that is now called The Open Circle. Tiffany is also the co-founder and a lead organizer of the Santa Fe Faith Network for Immigrant Justice, a grassroots collaborative of people of faith.
Al Green, Ministry Director, LGBT Asylum Task Force
Al Green is the Ministry Director of the LGBT Asylum Task Force. As a gay asylum seeker from Jamaica and a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA), he has a unique perspective on the differences and similarities between the LGBTQ communities in both countries. He is also an avid swimmer and a lover of all things food.
Watch Session
Click the play arrow in the lower lefthand corner of the video player, below, to watch the session.