It Takes Faith is a multidisciplinary project centered on the intersections of queer identity and faith. The first chapter, “It Takes Faith,” is a series of vignettes documenting the lives of trans and nonbinary faith leaders, through documentary photography. “Divine Identity,” another chapter, celebrates the sacredness of queer folks of faith by transforming their photographic portraits into mixed media religious icons.
Photo 1: Rev. Yadi Martínez-Reyna takes a quiet moment of prayer before presiding over a chapel service to honor Transgender Day of Remembrance at the Brite Divinity School chapel in Ft. Worth, Texas in November 2024. Rev. Yadi Martínez-Reyna is a nonbinary, Latinx, United Church of Christ pastor based in North Texas. As the founder of Color Splash Out, their ministry is dedicated to creating safe and brave spaces for LGBTQ+ youth.
Photo 2: Since 2014, Pastor AmunDayo Edwards has been leading a congregation he founded called the Integrated Praise Spiritual Center. It is a spiritual home he created to serve people like himself: Christians who don’t feel welcome elsewhere because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Photographer Credit: Salgu Wissmath