October is Clergy Appreciation Month and Let's Talk Month!
At Fact Forward, we are grateful for the unwavering support and guidance of our Adolescent Reproductive Health Faith and Clergy Advisory Council. These dedicated faith leaders play a crucial role in fostering open, honest conversations about love, relationships, and reproductive health, empowering young people and their families to make informed decisions.
Join us in celebrating their commitment to helping teens and families navigate these important topics with compassion, care, and understanding. Thank you to our clergy partners for being changemakers in the community!
Name | Organization | Quote |
Teria Bouknight | St. Andrews Christian Church | Community Outreach Ministry | I believe that we must embrace change by creating a foundation that is covered with love, hope and awareness. I believe the Faith and Clergy Council welcomes all people with a desire to build a solid foundation of knowledge and awareness. |
Cierra Bowers | Heyward AME Church | Young People Division (YPD) | President | As a member of the Faith and Clergy Council, I strive to cultivate safe spaces for multicultural and multigenerational conversations surrounding Adolescent Reproductive Health. It is vital that youth, young adults, adults, and families have adequate education and resources regarding Adolescent Reproductive Health. Fact Forward is an international community that empowers everyone to better understand adolescent health in a non-judgmental way that allows every person to be heard, respected, and valued. |
Dr. Ursula Cannon | Second Chance Internation House of Praise | Lead, Second Chance International House of Prayer | Being a part of the Adolescent Reproductive Health Faith and Clergy Advisory Council means a great deal to me. The desire to make a positive impact on those around me and those with whom I come in contact. |
Dr. Rodney Coles, Sr. | The Children in God Christ Church | Senior Pastor | One reason I wish to join the clergy advisory council is that they offer extensive resources that can aid me in my spiritual journey and in fulfilling my pastoral duties. The council's commitment to reform and sharing valuable insights aligns with my beliefs and mission statement. Having served as a pastor for 34 years, I have not yet had the privilege of such support. I am grateful for the chance to contribute to an organization that is driving positive change. I firmly believe we are here to impact others' lives meaningfully. |
Marian David | Trinity United Methodist Church | Church Lay Leader | Young Adult Ministry Chair | Founder of Tea Time for Teens | I am honored to serve as a member of the Fact Forward Faith and Clergy Council. This is giving me the opportunity to better serve teen girls in my program and offer support and resources in churches and communities. The fact that Fact Forward is recognizing that working with churches and the faith community can be "sensitive" and is taking special efforts to establish such a council, speaks volumes. |
Melanie Dees | Grace Cathedral Ministries | Associate Pastor of Outreach | Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.’ – Muhammad Ali. As an Associate Pastor in our local assembly, I am committed to serve as a member or Fact Forward’s Faith and Clergy Council |
Linda George | Darlington First Steps | As a Women’s Health Care provider for more than 30 years, education and reproductive rights have been central to my practice. Knowledge and resources are powerful tools and vital to helping individuals make their best choices. |
Thera Kinsler | Mt. Nebo Baptist Church | Lead, Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Partner | As a member of the Fact Forward Adolescent Reproductive Health Faith & Clergy Advisory Council, we can collaborate with parents and other caring adults to inspire and encourage youth. By having a diverse team of community leaders, we can educate, empower, and share in the role of responding to concerns. “We are the Village.” |
Dr. Kylie McBride | An Invitation to Prayer Ministries, Senior Pastor | It is my pleasure to serve my community in this capacity. As members of the clergy, it is important to keep our fingers on the pulse of the community and respond to needs as they present themselves. Fact Forward helps my organization toward this end. It is a blessing, and we are grateful for the partnership. |
Laresha McDaniel | Mt. Olive and Friendship AME Churches | Worship Leader, Local Minister, & Social Media | As a member of the faith council, I can blend two of my passions: the faith community and working with young people. It's amazing to see how we can educate our faith community members on supporting the growth and development of our youth. |
Dr. Shirley M. Motley | Refuge House of Prayer | Missionary President | I serve with a sense of pride alongside my colleagues. The Council is much needed in our state, and it has a membership of renown individuals from all levels of society. Of importance to me is that this group has undertaken an exercise centered on clarifying our individual values and integrating them into a core set of values. Ultimately, they will prove useful as we journey through the process of addressing the core set of values which will be incorporated in, and necessary for, the dissemination of a factual and common-sense tenet of adolescent reproductive health, not just in the church but in society-at-large because they are complementary and/or reciprocal |
Jeanie Smith | Holy Ghost Headquarters Church | Leader for the Youth Ministry and Youth Choir | "The Bible says write the vision and make it plain.... As a member of the Faith and Clergy council, I plan to do just that. The vision we have will educate, inform and leave a vision for others." |
Risa Strauss | Beth Shalom Synagogue | Director of Education | In the Talmud it says, " I found a fruitful world, because my ancestors planted it for me. Likewise, I am planting for my children." That beautiful quote encapsulates the need for us to mentor from "generation to generation." Our children's reproductive and emotional health depends upon strong leadership and a commitment to meeting the diverse and ever-changing needs of the youth in our communities. |
Angel Underwood | Greater St. John AMEZ | Lay Council President for the Spartanburg District of AMEZ Churches | “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve" and "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" Martin Luther King Jr. |
Kendra Miller | Journey United Methodist Church | Lead, House of Worship Partner | |
Rev. Kevin Dalton | Trinity/ Pleasant Hill UMC | Senior Pastor |