Vincent Cervantes, Queer Chicano Speaker on Religion, Theology, Race, Gender, and Sexuality, To Present at QPOC Conference

How do we create a decolonized theology of spirit and queerness? What are the social, existential, and embodied experiences of being queer and Chicano/a? National speaker and social activist Vincent Cervantes will help us think differently about traditional theological notions of spirituality and sexuality, and seek ways to overcome and disrupt normative boundaries, at the Queer People of Color Conference.

Vincent Cervantes is a queer Chicano writer, speaker, blogger, and social activist who works to educate and inform others through his words and performance. Inspired by storytelling, Vincent seeks to keep talking so that others too will share their stories.

As an out gay student at an Evangelical university, Vincent faced many obstacles with fellow students and the administration. In October 2006, Vincent was forced to withdraw from the university because his sexual orientation and identity as 'openly gay' conflicted with their policies that prohibited “homosexual acts or behaviors.”

In 2007, Vincent joined the Soulforce Equality Ride. Along with over 50 other young adults, he visited Christian colleges and universities that have policies that discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students, faculty, and staff, to share their stories and create dialogue about faith and sexuality, while challenging their discriminatory policies.

As a storyteller, Vincent has acted as a national voice to bring truth to spiritual violence of the ex-gay movement. He has been featured in various US media outlets including The Tyra Banks Show, The Detroit News, HDNet World Report, The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet on Fox, Logo TV, PBS In The Life, and DETAILS Magazine. He has also collaborated on other projects and has guest-written for other blogs, recently including The Bilerico Project.

Vincent is now a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School, concentrating his studies in the areas of theology, gender, sexuality, and religions of the Americas. His recent projects explore contemporary Evangelical Christianity, ex-gay movements, and theological Latinidad.

Learn more about Vincent Cervantes at http://www.vincentcervantes.com/