New York, NY, March 8, 2016— As a growing number of anti-LGBTQ Religious Freedom Restoration Acts ( RFRA ) and religion based anti-LGBTQ legislation are being introduced, Faith In America is excited to welcome noted activist and faith organizer Eliel Cruz to lead our organization into the next chapter.
"Eliel Cruz joins the Faith In America team as we enter our second decade of working tirelessly to end religious bigotry towards LGBTQ individuals, especially LGBTQ youth who arguably receive the most damage from this condemning rhetoric," Mitchell Gold, Board Chair of Faith In America said. "As the LGBTQ movement remains aghast as to how to counter religious based legislation, Faith In America is poised to fill that gap with a team well versed in effective faith messaging."
Cruz brings five years of faith organizing work to Faith In America, having led a nationwide non-profit creating unofficial gay-straight alliances on Christian campuses organizing student leaders to mobilize on their perspective campuses. Cruz brings his wealth of experience working with clergy and Christian leaders to move the needle forward on LGBTQ equality to Faith In America.
Additionally, Cruz has written prolifically on the intersections of religion and sexuality. His work has been published in publications like The Advocate, Washington Post, and Rolling Stone. He also penned the FaithfullyLGBT blog for Religion News Service for a year garnering much criticism from the religious right.
"Outdated and ill-informed religious teachings have long been at the core of anti-LGBTQ efforts. Faith in America had the vision and understanding to recognize it over a decade ago. We are in a pivotal time in the LGBTQ movement, one in which religion is more recognized to be at the center of the ostracization LGBTQ people face," said Eliel Cruz, Executive Director of Faith In America.
"It is very exciting to be with an organization that has been on the forefront to work to end these harmful teachings," Cruz said. "Too many LGBTQ persons receive a condemning message, which says for being born LGBTQ they are lesser human beings, which has tangible, and sometimes deadly, results. It is imperative that we counter this message by highlighting LGBTQ voices of faith and our Christian allies to end, once and for all, this false narrative."
Faith In America has also hired Joe Ward III as a communications consultant. Ward's resume boasts positions at Believe Out Loud, an online community focused on empowering Christians to work toward LGBT equality, and the Human Rights Campaign. His experience in communications coupled with his passion for faith organizing produces exponential affirming faith media messages.
"I am thrilled with the choice of Eliel Cruz as the Executive Director for Faith In America," Rev. Rodney Mckenzie Jr, Director of Academy for Leadership and Action at the National LGBTQ Task Force. "Eliel's unwavering commitment to LGBTQ people of faith and his uncanny ability to tell the untold stories of who LGBTQ people are as people of faith makes him the perfect person for the job! I am looking forward to his creativity and leadership as he takes the realm of Faith in America."
Well known evangelical ethicist and reverend David Gushee went on to tell Gold upon learning of Cruz's new appointment, "Fascinatingly up to the minute choice, and a very gifted person."
