Love First

The Need

According to many researchers and experts, homophobia in the African American community has been linked to drug addiction, the spread of HIV/AIDS and social issues that impact the lives of LGBT People of Color.  Study is still needed to find the source of this homophobia, however based on current literature, personal knowledge, and information provided by key informants, a key source of homophobia in the African American community can be contributed to religious teaching. 

This is significant because historically, religion and the “Black Church” have been key in lives of African Americans.  Religious based homophobia has led to many of those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender to be excommunicated from their church homes and many times disowned by their families; this excommunication, could be either physical, emotional or both.

The Call

Minister Gerald Palmer has heard the call of The Holy Spirit and answered by by founding Love First which is part of Word For The Soul Ministries. 

Project “Love First” will be used to provide homophobia education to Houses of Faith of African Descent and reconciliation services to families of African descent and their  LGBT family members who are estranged because religious based of their sexual orientation.

The main objective of Love First is to address and end homophobia in the African American community while addressing the social issues created by homophobia.  This objective will be met by addressing four areas of need

1. religious based homophobia

2. family relationships strained by religious based homophobia,

3. meet the reconciliation  needs of  individuals of Color in the LGBTQ community impacted negatively by religious based homophobia 

4. equip and assist mainstream and grass root LGBTQ organizations and associations to appropriately accommodate LGBTQ of Color who have been impacted by religious based homophobia.

How We Will Address Homophobia in the Black Church

We at “Love First” will develop education curriculum, round table discussions and other key interactive sessions to address homophobia in the African American community and its impact. These activities will be targeted and delivered to interested community agencies, organizations, families and individuals.  

Along with the one on one and group activities, a marketing campaign for the program will be created to increase the visibility of “Love First”, Word 4 the Soul Ministries and the message to end homophobia.  This campaign will consist of billboard, radio, internet, and newspaper advertisement as well as various public relations. Also as a recruitment tool this campaign will be edgy to attract attention and to spark discussion.

The final activity is the coordinating with agencies that meets the needs of the LGBTQ and allies.  This activity will create unduplicated services and cultural sensitive services and partnerships will be formed between the program and outside organizations and groups.

Please contact word4thesoul@yahoo.com for more information on Love First and Word For The Soul Ministries

 

WORD FOR THE SOUL MINISTRIES

Our Vision:

To be an authentic biblically functioning and social change seeking organization taking the city and touching the world through innovative, creative people building ministries.

Our Mission: To equip the children of GOD to handle in a positive light, everyday issues and problems we all encounter daily in life, through the use of media, mass communication and inspirational speaking.

Our Mission will be accomplished through the following broad-based tools and objectives:

	Outreach and Evangelism. To be a spiritually led social change agent that witnesses, carrying and spreading the Good News of God’s redeeming love.
	Website. To be a spiritually led social change agent that empowers others by the use of web support groups and other online resources found on the ministries website.
	Radio Broadcast. To be a spiritually led social change agent that empowers and educates others by the use of ministry produced radio productions.
	Seminars/Motivational Speaking. To be a spiritually led social change agent that uses public speaking that emphasizes spiritual, intellectual and relevant training, that fortifies minds with firm, pure principles, and lays the foundation for personal and social change.
	Christian Social Ministries. To be a spiritually led social change agent that uses its personal and collective resources to meet the physical and spiritual needs of humankind.