Welcome new Trans Seminarian Cohort faculty member, Nicole Garcia

By Rev. Jakob Hero-Shaw, Coordinator, CLGS Transgender Roundtable

The Trans Seminarian Cohort is a joint project of CLGS, the National LGBTQ Task Force, and the Freedom Center for Social Justice. The Cohort is a year-long program that runs from September through August. This month we will be welcoming our sixth Cohort to the program! We are also welcoming a new faculty member, Nicole Garcia, who will be joining the current faculty, Angel Collie and Jakob Hero-Shaw, in providing a year of mentorship, educational opportunities, spiritual support, and guidance to the incoming Cohort.

The faculty for the Trans Seminarian Cohort are all trans faith leaders. Nicole Garcia lives in Colorado, she is a therapist in private practice. She is a graduate of Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN. Nicole was a member of the second cohort (2014-2015), as a seminary student. She is currently in the ordination process in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA). Angel Collie lives in Durham, North Carolina. He is the Assistant Director for the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity at Duke University, Angel is a graduate of Yale Divinity School. He joined the cohort faculty in 2014. Jakob Hero-Shaw lives in Tampa, Florida. He is the coordinator of the Trans Roundtable at CLGS and was a founding faculty member of the cohort. He is the Senior Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa and a graduate of the Pacific School of Religion.

The Trans Seminarian Cohort is open to students who identify as transgender, nonbinary, or gender nonconforming. Cohort members must currently be enrolled in a seminary, divinity school, or graduate program geared toward religious leadership. This year we will welcome six students from across the US. This year’s Cohort represents a variety of faith traditions, including the Alliance of Baptists, United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and Zion Temple. During the year the Cohort will journey together, explore theological ideas, form bonds of mutual support, be introduced to faith leaders and networking opportunities, and attend conferences as a group.

Please join us in welcoming the 2018 – 2019 Trans Seminarian Cohort, and our new faculty member! This program is a unique opportunity for students to gain leadership experience and experience community that is centered on trans, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary people of faith. If you are interested in applying for this program, applications for the 2019 – 2020 cohort will be available in the Spring 2019, please visit the CLGS website for more information.