My love of a good story began as a young child around my grandmothers' kitchen tables and back porches. Their recollections of triumph, purpose, and belonging as Black women of their time ushered me into worlds of wonder and deep belonging. Since then, stories—on paper and in my soul— have been my lifeblood.

For the last twenty years, I've embodied this spirit in a variety of ways: as a copyeditor, boarding school chaplain, teacher, parish priest, and spiritual director. After earning my BA in History and Classics at Howard University (H-U! You, know!), I completed my Master of Divinity at Duke University. I went on to earn an MA and PhD in American History at William & Mary, where I dove deep into the intersection of American religious history, race, and sexuality. (Clearly, I like complicated questions that don't have easy answers.) I discovered a love for editing (and the Oxford comma) as a copyeditor at the Omohudro Institute for Early American History and Culture.

My spiritual journey began in the Missionary Baptist Church tradition and was shaped by Texas’ tried-and-true evangelical ethos. A combination of adolescent questioning, personal tragedy, and liturgical longing eventually led me to the Episcopal Church, where I discovered the power of life in community and was ordained as a priest. My desire and instinct to meet people where they are, especially those yearning to nurture their connection with God beyond traditional institutional structures, led me to undergo training as a spiritual director at the Shalem Institute. For the last decade, I have pastored a diverse and affirming parish south of Washington, D.C. This humble and big-hearted community has taught me the life-saving power of showing up, asking better questions, and dreaming bigger dreams.

Some of my greatest joys are reading, hiking, kayaking, cycling, seeing the world through my godchildren’s eyes, and laughing with my incredibly large and close-knit extended family.

I bring all of these experiences to bear in how I show up, so that everyone—especially those society tries to marginalize, dehumanize, or otherize—embraces the truth that they are a wonder to behold!