{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/gf0ms3mf5x/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Daniel Bell, October 20, 2023"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/255/original/Aviary_TRL_Header.png?1704389184","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eDaniel Bell is the Protestant chaplain at Tufts University. He was born in 1986 and grew up in what he describes as a loving family in the suburb of Setauket, Long Island, NY. Reverend Bell is a graduate of Gordon College, where he studied history, biblical studies, and theology and completed a divinity degree at Yale University. In 2015, Daniel helped start a youth community group at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church supporting LGBTQ+ teens known as “Be You.” His October 2023 interview speaks about his faith community, reconciling his faith with his queer identity, coming out, finding support, community organizing, Be You, generational changes, and liberation for all.\u003c/p\u003e"]}}],"summary":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eDaniel Bell is the Protestant chaplain at Tufts University. He was born in 1986 and grew up in what he describes as a loving family in the suburb of Setauket, Long Island, NY. Reverend Bell is a graduate of Gordon College, where he studied history, biblical studies, and theology and completed a divinity degree at Yale University. In 2015, Daniel helped start a youth community group at St. Stephen\u0026rsquo;s Episcopal Church supporting LGBTQ+ teens known as \u0026ldquo;Be You.\u0026rdquo; His October 2023 interview speaks about his faith community, reconciling his faith with his queer identity, coming out, finding support, community organizing, Be You, generational changes, and liberation for all.\u003c/p\u003e"]},"provider":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Through A Rainbow Lens"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Through A Rainbow Lens"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/255/original/Aviary_TRL_Header.png?1704389184","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/216/932/small/open-uri20231118-486-5t57ky_1700312428.jpg?1700294432","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 1 - open-uri20231118-486-5t57ky.mp4"]},"duration":3064.722,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/collection_resource_files/thumbnails/000/216/932/small/open-uri20231118-486-5t57ky_1700312428.jpg?1700294432","type":"Image","format":"image/jpeg"}],"items":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-unitedlynnpride.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/216/932/original/open-uri20231118-486-5t57ky.mp4?1700294423","type":"Video","format":"video/mp4","duration":3064.722,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Daniel Bell transcript 4-24-24 [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nToday's date is October 20th, 2023. My name is Andrew Darien. I'm a professor of history at Salem State University, and I'm conducting this interview as part of the Mass Humanities funded project Through a Rainbow Lens, a Reflection on Lynn's LGBTQ+ History. I have the honor of being joined today by the Reverend Daniel Bell, who is the Protestant chaplain at Tufts University. Reverend Bell is a graduate of Gordon College, where he studied history, biblical studies, and theology and would go on to complete a divinity degree at Yale University. In 2015, Dan helped start a youth community group, supporting LGBTQ+ teens known as B[E] YOU. I'm grateful for that initiative and also for you taking the time to speak with me this morning. Welcome.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1.0,63.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nThank you, Drew. Yes, really happy to have the opportunity to do this today.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=63.0,69.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/3","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nThanks. And can I just confirm your permission to record this conversation?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=69.0,76.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/4","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYes.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=76.0,79.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/5","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nThanks. So, you were born in Port Jefferson and attended high school at Ward Melville in Setauket. Can you tell me a little bit about what it was like growing up in that part of Long Island in the 1990s?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=79.0,98.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/6","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYes, so, like, I grew up in a loving family in suburban New York, and I was very close with my grandparents, my mom's parents. And so a lot of my childhood revolved around playing with them in their house. And part of that was growing up with them, bringing me to church on Sundays. So that was a big part of my life and a big part of my social life as well. I attended public schools and I had some good friends there, but most of my important friendships were through my faith community that I belonged to up through senior year of high school. Yeah, I had a good childhood overall. My parents got divorced in high school, so that was a difficult time for me, as it is for many children of divorced parents. And I found that in that difficult moment that my faith community and the friends that I had made along the way were really important to give me the support that I needed to get through that time. Yeah, overall, very, you know, a happy childhood.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=98.0,174.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/7","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd what was the church you belonged to? And can you maybe describe that faith community a bit?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=174.0,182.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/8","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYes, so I grew up attending a church called New Life Community Church. It is a member of a denomination called the Reformed Church in America, which actually is the oldest Protestant denomination in North America, I believe, part of the Dutch Reformed tradition. So that's sort of the historical background, but really it was a fairly friendly, suburban, evangelical community church, where, as I said, I made good friends and got to know the pastors pretty well and got very involved with their children's and youth programming as a kid. So that was where I grew up. It was where I was baptized and where I really had a lot of formative moments in my own life.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=182.0,236.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/9","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd was your home very political, or did you grow up with a sense of politics or social justice, or is that something that would develop later?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=236.0,246.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/10","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nThat definitely developed later. Yeah, growing up, my family was certainly not very political. You know, there was not much in the way of political conversations around the dinner table. I think there was an awareness of current events, and I had that through my education in school. I had great teachers who helped to engage me in current events, including politics of that time. But it was not something that became really part of my own, a sense of my own worldview and values until college.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=246.0,289.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/11","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nIf I'm doing the math moderately correctly, it looks like perhaps you were a freshman in high school during the 9/11 attacks. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing at the time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=289.0,301.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/12","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI do. Yeah, so I was, I guess I was actually a sophomore. I remember sitting, I believe it was in math class, when the announcement came over the PA system from the principal that something had happened. You know, and, of course, the early details were fuzzy and no one quite knew what was happening until later that day. But I have a distinct memory of being in the common area outside the cafeteria in my high school and watching on TV as the second plane crashed with the World Trade Center. And, you know, just sort of that collective horror that everyone experienced in watching the attacks. And I have other vivid memories from that day being with my mom and my grandfather. In fact, I remember being in the car traveling to the youth group. We had Tuesday night youth group. And I remember having a conversation with my mom about, you know, is this the end of the world? You know, it certainly had an apocalyptic feel to it at that point. So, yes, I have, like many people, I have several vivid memories of 9/11.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=301.0,374.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/13","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd do you remember what your faith community was saying about this, you know, potential clash between Islam and Christianity or how they were asking that you think about it from a religious point of view?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=374.0,412.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/14","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI don't remember exactly, but in my recollection, there was not the kind of reaction that one heard from other local members of the evangelical community in the U[nited] S[tates]. There weren't kind of falls to blame Muslims or blame gay people or anything like that. So I was, I think fortunate in that regard. I heard that messaging on the news and other places, but not directly from my church. So, I think the main response was one of care and of prayer for those affected. Especially because we were, you know, just out a few miles from New York City and that, you know, some people commuted into the city for work, or they had parents that did. So, it definitely hit close to home. And so I remember there being a sense of care. I remember the pastor saying that in the creed it talked about Christ ascending into hell and that sort of offering that word of assurance that God was present in the depths of that horrific place, in Manhattan, on that day. So, it was definitely, it was a caring pastoral response, mainly that I received in my church.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=412.0,503.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/15","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd do you think living through that episode as a resident of New York, it changed your perspective on the world at all?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=503.0,516.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/16","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYeah, I think if I was under any impression that the world was a safe place for everyone that certainly, was taken away by that. You know, I was not directly affected, but I knew people who were. And so that really, I think that really did leave a lasting impression on me and then all that came in the aftermath of 9/11, as far as, the United States' involvement in the Middle East and, just kind of seeing so many, so much death and suffering that was unleashed following that horrific day. So, yeah, I've been, you know, I've been living in the wake of 9/11 and so many other tragedies since then. And I think it's also given me a wider global perspective to know that, this country is so intimately connected, interrelated, with the rest of the world. And that we, one, can't pretend that the United States is somehow off on its own, not affected by global events, and is, in fact, you know, very much shaping global events as well, for good and for ill.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=516.0,613.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/17","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWhat made you decide to go from Long Island to Gordon College?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=613.0,620.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/18","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI had a friend from my church who was attending there and so it got on my radar screen, thanks to that person. I was clear that I wanted to attend a Christian college and I was clear that I wanted to stay in the Northeast. And so there are only so many options when you have those as your criteria. I think I applied to 3 colleges altogether. And Gordon was the one that offered me the best package, I received a great scholarship. And again, having that personal connection to the school through my friend helped as well. And Massachusetts look like a cool place to move to. You know, having grown up near the ocean, near the water, I was happy to stay by the water for my college years.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=620.0,674.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/19","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nHow did it feel being a New Yorker transplanted to New England?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=674.0,682.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/20","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI don't think there was much culture shock. I mean, certainly the Boston accent is a bit different from the New York one, but not very much so. And of course, the friends that I came to know in college were from all over, including several international students. So, for me, it was not so jolting to be in a different state in the Boston area. I think the biggest adjustment was just learning to be a college student and growing into young adulthood and understanding what that meant as far as having more time on my hands and learning to navigate what it means to kind of be an adult for the first time in many ways.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=682.0,732.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/21","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWould you say that your time at Gordon College is when you had your first, kind of, significant political awakening?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=732.0,745.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/22","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI would say so, yes, I remember writing a, kind of, essay where we had to take a side, I think it was related to just war theory. And, so I, talking about the war in Iraq and had a very critical stance in relation to it. God is not justifiable war, not in line with this understanding of just war theory that comes from St. Augustine. And a friend of mine was surprised, she thought that, for whatever reason, she had the perception of me as being more politically conservative and was surprised that I thought the way that I did. So that's an early memory of where I was sort of engaging more politically with the issues of my day. And I think I was just more exposed to things in the classroom and out of the classroom talking about issues like war and issues of the American military and torture, that whole question. And then global disaster questions, I was involved with the disaster relief organization that a friend of mine from Sri Lanka started. And so, again, my, I think my eyes were opened even wider to the global scene, you know, and perspectives and experiences outside of my own white, suburban, cisgender, you know, all of those things, you know, experience. But still very much within a Christian, and evangelical Christian, bubble. So, yeah.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=745.0,861.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/23","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nHow much did that bubble allow for conversations either in the classroom, or informally among your peers, about gay and lesbian identity.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=861.0,877.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/24","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI would say for most of my time in college, those conversations were not had at all. And there was no, I would say for me at least, I'm sure they were taking [inaudible]. But in the circle of friends that I was part of, and in the classes I was taking those things just did not come up. And I think there was sort of this assumed heteronormative perspective that pervaded Christian college environment like that, as one might expect. And so I certainly fell in line with that and never really questioned others' sexuality or gender identity or my own. I really was not in touch with that part of myself and did not ask those questions of others. It wasn't until, I think senior year, that I remember there being more questions about Gordon's policy in relation to same sex relationships. This was elicited thanks to the visit of an organization called Soul Force. And Soul Force was a group, I'm not sure if they're still active, but they would visit different Christian colleges and universities to try to have dialogue regarding LGBTQ+ issues and to try to have a more open forum to talk about them. And they were welcomed at Gordon, unlike they were at some other Christian institutions. Just again, in the spirit of dialogue, and then in the wake of that, there were conversations I remember among my peers. But the sentiment was certainly not a very supportive one.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=877.0,998.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/25","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWere there private moments when you contemplated that or was it simply not on your radar at the time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=998.0,1011.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/26","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI think there were those moments. I did not give myself the permission to think that being queer or a member of the LGBTQ+ community was any way reconcilable with being a Christian. That simply was, just seemed like an impossibility to me because of the teachings that I was exposed to growing up and continued to hear in college. So yeah, I really did not have the kind of the mental or the spiritual space for that in my life [un]til after college.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1011.0,1062.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/27","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWell, that perhaps provides a good transition. Do you remember when or why you were able to do that more significantly for the first time?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1062.0,1075.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/28","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nSo, after graduating from Gordon, I, as you mentioned at the beginning, moved down to New Haven, Connecticut to attend Yale Divinity School. And as you may know, a place like Yale Divinity is certainly a much more progressive culture and institution, than a place like Gordon, and theologically, socially, politically and so on. And so I was exposed to ideas and worldviews that were very different from the ones that I had come to be familiar with and count as my own life at that point. And I came to know many queer people in that space who identified as Christian or otherwise religious and many of whom were pursuing a call to ordain ministry. And this really was scandalous to me, I think that's probably the right word. It, I was shocked, and I initially went to Yale to study the history of Christianity because I was there very much for academic reasons and not to go into the ministry, that was what brought me there initially. So, I kind of stayed out of those spaces for a while, and I remained within the evangelical orbit and focused on my academic studies at Yale, but didn't get involved otherwise so much with things. And then in the course of my time there, I would say by the time I finished my M.A. in Church History, in 2010, I had a greater awareness of myself and I think, in a way, it was thanks to the mirror that was put before me through other people's experiences hearing their life stories, that I came to better understand my own, and came to a recognition that I am gay. And for me, that very much was an existential crisis. Because as I said, I had this understanding that the two were completely irreconcilable, being a faithful Christian, being a gay person, or being someone who was somehow okay with non-heterosexual relationships. So, it was very much a struggle for me on many levels personally. Spiritually, theologically, in relation to my understanding of the Bible. And so, in that time, 2010, 2011, 2012, those years were times of a great struggle in my life as I tried to make sense of my own identity and also make sense of my, where my life was heading and realizing that I was not called to an academic path as far as becoming a PhD and a professor, with all due respect to you, Drew, but that I really did feel a call to ministry and the church in some way. And so it was also discerning what kind of church to belong to. I had discovered the Episcopal church and this was in the wake of that denomination's own struggle to accept LGBTQ folks, which led to great heartache and division in that denomination as it has in many other denominations. So, for me, that struggle that was kind of playing out on the world stage for many religious bodies was also playing out in my own mind and heart.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1075.0,1311.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/29","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWhat resources, friendships or associations, did you have that helped you to navigate that existential crisis?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1311.0,1329.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/30","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI was very fortunate to have many resources in my time as a member of the Yale community. Friends who, some of whom certainly came from more traditional or conservative theological perspectives and friends who came from more progressive or liberal perspectives. Both groups being very supportive of me as a human being and wanting my best interests. And so I was in constant dialogue with them trying to sort things out and talk through things and just kind of spill my guts out, if you will, trying to wrestle with all these questions. I also had mentors, the faculty that I came to know and trust there, staff who were there to support students pastorally, and then the clergy that I came to know in the [inaudible] many of whom were were Episcopal, because I was getting more and more involved with the Episcopal faith. And so, I also began seeing a therapist and so I realized that it was not only question of theology and religion, but also thinking about my own mental well being. And so I sought out many resources and I'm proud of myself for doing that. I'm so grateful to know that I was not alone and that I could reach out to others for guidance, support, and for accompaniment. To know that I could maybe not have all the answers figured out, but that I would have people to help me with those questions along the way.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1329.0,1451.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/31","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd how did you end up at St. Stephens?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1451.0,1456.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/32","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYeah, so fast forward a few years, I went back to Yale divinity school, completed a Master of Divinity degree, began more formally discerning a call to the priesthood and the Episcopal church. And as a next step, I applied to and was accepted into the Episcopal Service Core program in the Boston area, which is called Life Together. Life Together brings young adults together to live in intentional community, to learn about practices such as community organizing and other important leadership skills. Going in a contemplative direction, learning about prayer practices and contemplative ways of being, if you will, and then also focusing on the active life of addressing the needs [inaudible] world, in a community, through a community organizing lens. All that to say, I entered into that program with the intention of serving in a church setting and I got my wish, so I was assigned to St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Lynn. It is the beautiful large church on the Lynn Common. And I was there as their diocesan intern for 2 years from 2013 through 2015. So, I was in the program for 2 years altogether. It was a time of formation for me and also a service to the Lynn community through St. [inaudible].","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1456.0,1564.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/33","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nHad you known much about Lynn before doing that internship?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1564.0,1571.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/34","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nNot really, to be honest, I, you know, having attended college on the North Shore I had been to Lynn a handful of times, I think, I recall in my first year in college, doing a service opportunity where we went to Lynn to have ESL classes, to work with immigrants on English as a second language and that was my only real exposure to Lynn. So I knew that it was, it was an urban context, a multi-ethnic context, economically challenged area, in comparison to where Gordon is located in Hamilton-Wenham and certainly also in comparison where I grew up on Long Island. So, yeah, in many ways it was, it stretched my, it stretched me as far as my comfort zone and getting to know people from different walks of life and trying to best serve that community, given the gifts and the talents and skills that I was able to offer them.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1571.0,1654.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/35","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWas that an intimidating or an exhilarating prospect or perhaps both?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1654.0,1662.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/36","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI think it was a little bit of both. I was excited to step further into my sense of call to ministry formation in a [inaudible] setting and was given that opportunity thanks to the guidance and mentoring of the rector of St. Stephens at that time, the Reverend Jane Gould, and Reverend Jane was very much a powerhouse of a person in, not only being a leader within the church, but within the Lynn community and beyond. Thanks to her, I really got a vision for what it means to be a leader and a servant within the church who is not simply focused on the \"religious aspects,\" like bringing people communion or preaching or Sunday school, but also the kinds of community work and advocacy that is also vitally important to what it means to be a community of faith that is part of the neighborhood. So that was where I really came to this understanding that there's a much more porous boundary between the world of the church and the world at large than I had ever known before.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1662.0,1756.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/37","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd where exactly were you at in your own coming out narrative relative to the time that you were at St. Stephens?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1756.0,1769.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/38","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nYeah, so I began coming out really just maybe 2 years before I began at St. Stephens, 2 or 3 years, it's a bit murky. But by the time that I arrived in Boston and Lynn I had a much more intact and positive perception of myself as a gay person and really had a much stronger sense of reconciling my faith and my sexual identity. And, I was able to be out in a way that that felt good to me and in an environment that was supportive of me as a gay person and as a person of faith, and I certainly found that to be true at St. Stephens, as well as in the Episcopal diocese at large in Massachusetts.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1769.0,1830.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/39","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd whose idea was it to start the BE YOU group?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1830.0,1836.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/40","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nSo I worked closely with the youth minister at St. Stephens at the time, Jason Cruise. And Jason was very involved in not only, youth and young adult ministry in the church, but also in supporting youth and young adults in the Lynn community in the city and, so very much an inspiring person to be around. And, someone vastly different from myself as far as personality. Jason being an artist and being someone who kind of thinks in a nonlinear way and myself who's not either of those things at all. And so it was challenging, you know, as we work together to think about how to create programming for youth and young adults at St. Stephens and again, beyond St. Stephens in the community, and it stretched me in the ways that I think I needed to be stretched. And so with him alongside Reverend Jane and another clergy person who was assisting at St. Stephens at that time, the Reverend Sarah Van Goulden, we came up with this vision for a community youth group for LGBTQ youth. I think the credit belongs to Jason for coming up with the name Be You, not the university, but B-E Y-O-U, with of course the message that you can be your whole self, bring your whole self into this space, where people of all identities can be celebrated for who they are.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1836.0,1944.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/41","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd how did you identify potential teens to be part of the group?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1944.0,1952.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/42","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nSo, at first, it was sort of a shot in the dark where, you know, we had an initial pizza party gathering that February of 2015. And we distributed flyers all around town and tried to distribute them in the schools. It was challenging because the school administrators were weary of any kind of religious group being involved in a public school setting, even though we were very explicit that this was a nonsectarian group and that we were also, of course, a very LGBTQ+ affirming group. But they were still, I think, hesitant because of concerns related to church and state, which I could understand but it did lead to some some obstacles in getting the word out. And so that initial February gathering, we had no, no youth attended. I think it was also because there was a major snowstorm that day. So, we decided to, as one might expect in February in Massachusetts, so we decided to hold off for a few months and try to do some more of the work to connect with students who were already involved with gay straight alliances with other LGBTQ groups or clubs in the schools nearby. And to connect with the teachers or staff who were involved with those groups. So it was, we, you know, had more of a grassroots approach, and trying to learn more about what resources were already available in the Lynn community for LGBTQ+ youth and what what might this group be able to offer in that context. And so we tried again in April, where we were fairly certain there would not be another snowstorm to deal with. And we had another gathering at the church, with pizza and and had, got the invitations out and we had a handful of youth that arrived there. Certainly, it certainly was not a crowd, but we had, if I recall, maybe 5 or 6 students who came, I think they were all high school students. I think we also tried to get the message out to middle school, but I think they were all high schoolers. And there was an art project that Jason led them in and time just to socialize and hang out. And I think the gift of that time was that students got to connect with each other outside of their own milieus, that they were beyond just their own schools and neighborhoods, but getting to meet as part of a wider Lynn gathering. So that was really an exciting start and then the group had weekly meetings from there on out. And we also had a trip into Boston for the youth pride event and march and I brought high school students in, and we marched on that really special day, went down to government center and there was the youth festival. That's a really special memory for me from that time.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1952.0,2166.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/43","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAnd what would you say were the primary issues of concern to the teens who are a part of this group?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2166.0,2179.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/44","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI think, not surprisingly, there is the desire to be accepted for who they were. I think also just recognizing that for them the Q in LGBTQ might be questioning and not necessarily that they have a clear understanding of their gender or sexual orientation. That is very much a fluid time, a time of discernment, as I would say. So being supportive of them in that and to say that no matter how you understand yourself and certainly, if that understanding of yourself is not pinned down completely, but that is okay that you were loved and cared for exactly for who you are, no matter where you are in life's journey. And so that was, I think a very important aspect to this ministry, this initiative that we had. They're also as young people, wanting to make a difference in the world and so this led us to think about, okay, what's an issue that we could address that would be, you know, would be in keeping with the spirit of a group like, BE YOU. And the issue we landed on was addressing youth homelessness. And with the recognition that many of the youth who experience homelessness in this country are queer and that they may be homeless because they have been shunned by their family because of who they are. And so that led to an art project thanks to Jason's vision and creativity where we had a small house structure on the church property facing the Lynn Common. And, there, I think there are photos of this that I might be able to share with you. Where there was a sign that was raising awareness to the issue of LGBTQ youth homelessness and the need to advocate for them. And so we painted the house, there was, I remember a great sunny day being out there, painting the house in rainbow colors and just enjoying each other's company while doing something.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2179.0,2326.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/45","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nThat's great. And do you know roughly how many members there were? I'm sure it was pretty fluid and it would change from week to week, but what was roughly the size of the group when you were there?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2326.0,2344.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/46","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nWell, that's exactly right. Different people showed up on different weeks, but I would say there was a core group of 4 to 5 students you know, there was I remember 2 students who came almost every week and then there were other students that were in and out. So, you know, this was not numerically significant if you will, but I think it was very much significant as far as what we were doing as a unique way of supporting the youth in Lynn at that time.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2344.0,2381.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/47","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nAre you still in touch with any of the members of the group?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2381.0,2385.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/48","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI am not, you know, I think part of being in church ministry requires setting some boundaries when when one leaves a certain ministry or church community. And so after I finished my time at St. Stephens in the spring of 2015, or more like the summer. I said my goodbyes and I think maybe I had some contact in the months after that, but I had moved on to other pursuits. So, no, I don't think I really have. I may have some social media connections with them still and I certainly, I hope that they're all doing well.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2385.0,2441.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/49","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nYou, as you mentioned, went on to serve in Christian education programs for youth at St. Mark's Episcopal church in Burlington and Good Shepherd in Newton. How similar was that to the work of organizing youth that you did at St. Stephens?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2441.0,2462.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/50","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nVery different in that in those settings, my focus was really more internal on supporting church families and running Sunday school programs. So the focus was not so much on reaching out to the community, but supporting the community that already existed in those parishes and the focus was not at all on LGBTQ youth. That's something that does still remain near and dear to me now as a college chaplain, but has not been made manifest as much in my role as a parish priest. But I certainly have had interactions with youth and young adults who are queer in the churches I've served and a blessing to be able to reflect back on my time in Lynn, to know that my experience there has served me well and in my future ministries that I've had.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2462.0,2528.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/51","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nNow that you're serving as the Protestant chaplain at Tufts University you're working with students who are kind of transitioning from the youth teen stage to adulthood. And then, in addition to that, so the population of students is a little bit older than those you worked with at St. Stephen's. And in addition to that, of course, the political landscape has changed quite a bit over the last 7 years, particularly with the Trump and now Biden administrations, as we become increasingly more polarized. And so I'm wondering if you're seeing the same kinds of concerns for LGBTQ+ college students as you did for teens in the youth program, and whether or not that, or how that has been changed by the more recent political landscape?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2528.0,2595.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/52","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nI would say in relation to questions of religious identity, one still can't take for granted, even in a progressive space, that a religious expression, such as Christianity and in particular Liberal Protestant expression of Christianity, like my own, that that would even would be accepting of LGBTQ folk without being explicit about it. I think there remains very much a need to be explicit about being in solidarity with, and standing with, the LGBTQ+ community as is true in other regards. In regards to the BIPOC community and those who have experienced marginalization and [inaudible] in their identity and other ways. So, I think, churches and other institutions continue to need to be explicit and maybe even more so given recent developments, as you said, in our our political life and our common life in American society where there is so much polarization. And where there is some messaging coming out that to be a faithful person, particularly a Christian person of faith, means certain things that I very much disagree with as far as my understanding of gender, sexuality, outlook on care for the earth and our environment. There's so many things where people think that to be a Christian means you have to subscribe to certain worldviews that I think are, actually very much, run counter to the message of the scriptures and what God's will is, I think is for justice, for inclusion and for the well being of all people and of all beings, all creatures. Drew, I've lost your audio.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2595.0,2748.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/53","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nThank you, sorry about that. I was asking how you think this generation of LGBTQ+ students is similar to or different from your generation or other generations previous to your own?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2748.0,2773.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/54","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nSo, the current generation relation to previous ones? I think that there's a greater sense of freedom, of expression, and this awareness that one doesn't have to be one thing on the rainbow spectrum. That labels really don't count for much and that if one comes out, say, as lesbian, at one point that that doesn't mean that that is a concrete identity that has to be lifelong, that our understandings of ourselves evolve over time. I think current generation maybe understands that more and maybe that's more intuitive for them than it is for people of my generation and previous ones. So I think that's true. I think it's also true that there's this understanding that liberation for oneself as a queer person necessarily must mean liberation for others in their identities, whether they are black, whether they are undocumented, whether they are a refugee fleeing war. That being in solidarity with the queer community and being a member of the queer community also means being in solidarity with others who have faced persecution, who have faced oppression for other reasons.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2773.0,2876.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/55","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWell, that's certainly a very noble vision. I want to end with a final question, you might have to be a little bit speculative. 50 years from now, when future generations are listening to this oral history, what do you most want them to know or understand about this moment in LGBTQ+ history?","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2876.0,2913.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/56","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nWeighty question, I think for me it's important to recognize that the movement towards greater LGBTQ+ liberation, inclusion, freedom, is part of a wider movement for the liberation of all created beings, the liberation of all humanity. And that the more that we confine ourselves to our \"own issues,\" or our own concerns that relate only to our own identities and not the identities of others, the more diminished we are as people. And so I think the LGBTQ+ community has come to understand that better. Knowing that there is no longer this sense that it's at its core, you know, being held together by a group of gay white men, which I think was the perception for a long time. And that whiteness in general, being interrogated as far as questions of privilege and knowing that there's so much more work still to be done for the queer community and for queer folk to join hand in hand with others who are also seeking [inaudible]. So, I sound like a broken record in that regard, but I do feel like in this time where there is such great polarization and where it's so easily, easy to get siloed by what we feel is important in our own time and space, we have to keep the wider view on how we can join together to seek the common good of all people.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2913.0,3042.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/57","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Andrew Darien\n\nWell, thank you [inaduble] for that inspiring vision and thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=3042.0,3053.0"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/transcript/66627/annotation/58","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Daniel Bell\n\nThank you, Drew. This is really a wonderful honor to take part in this project.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=3053.0,3064.722"}]},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Daniel Bell index [Index]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/59","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Most of my important friendships were through my faith community. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=132.467,315.501"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/60","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"The collective horror that everyone experienced on 9/11.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=315.501,482.968"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/61","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"God was present in the horrific place, in Manhattan on that day. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=482.968,570.29"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/62","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":" It's given me a wider global perspective.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=570.29,709.323"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/63","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Learning to navigate what it means to be an adult for the first time.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=709.323,797.288"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/64","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":" I was engaging more politically with the issues of my day.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=797.288,890.121"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/65","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Gay and lesbian identity did not come up.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=890.121,953.8"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/66","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Soul Force would try to have dialogue regarding LGBTQ. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=953.8,1017.636"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/67","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Being queer was not reconcilable with being a Christian. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1017.636,1115.762"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/68","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I came to know many queer people who identified as Christian.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1115.762,1177.746"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/69","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"That very much was an existential crisis. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1177.746,1242.77751"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/70","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Times of a great struggle in my life.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1242.77751,1283.229"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/71","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"That struggle was playing out in my own mind and heart.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1283.229,1406.2"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/72","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":" I'm so grateful to know that I was not alone.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1406.2,1473.285"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/73","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":" Learning community organizing.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1473.285,1687.049"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/74","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"A community of faith that is part of the neighborhood.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1687.049,1781.882"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/75","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"I had a much stronger sense of reconciling my faith and my sexual identity.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1781.882,1910.928"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/76","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"You can be your whole self.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=1910.928,2118.42"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/77","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Youth Pride in Boston","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2118.42,2180.031"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/78","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"You were loved and cared for exactly for who you are. ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2180.031,2239.982"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/79","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Young people wanting to make a difference in the world ","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2239.982,2255.381"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/80","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Youth homelessness, especially queer youth.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2255.381,2595.23"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/81","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Be explicit about being in solidarity with LGBTQ folk.","format":"text/plain","label":{"en":["Title"]}}],"target":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932#t=2595.23,2708.27"},{"id":"https://througharainbowlens.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2385/collection_resources/114164/file/216932/index/81910/annotation/82","type":"Annotation","motivation":"supplementing","body":[{"type":"TextualBody","value":"God's will is for the well being of all people and of all beings. 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