"In the church I come from—which is not at all the same church to which white Americans belong—we were counseled, from time to time, to do our first works over... Go back to where you started, or as far back as you can, examine all of it, travel your road again and tell the truth about it. Sing or shout or testify or keep it to yourself, but know whence you came.”  
- James Baldwin, The Price of the Ticket.

Doing first works over means to reexamine everything from its onset

and tell the truth about it, as best we can. 

Responding to James Baldwin’s charge to “do our first works over,” our All School Conference at Yale Divinity School will convene this fall to reexamine how theologians and students can “make our words more adequate to our realities and imaginations of life, death, and God" (Armstrong 9).
 
Through work inspired by Black Thought, Queerist Belongings, and Atheological Intersections, we entreat the entire YDS community to reflect on the relevant applications of multi-faith practices through the hermeneutics of black queer theology. Our keynote speakers represent various journeys including atheological, Buddhist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Jewish, and Orisa/Lucumi traditions.
 
The conference will be Friday, November 8th (2pm-6pm) to Saturday, November 9th (9:30am-5:30pm).  The Community Life Committee of YDS will sponsor a dance party on Friday night at Gryphon (8pm-11pm)We encourage all YDS students to register by October 31st so that we may plan accordingly.
 
Our Keynote Speakers will be:
Dr. Amaryah Shaye Armstrong, Assistant Professor of Race in American Religion and Culture, Virginia Tech
   Keynote: "Hagar's Children: Anti-blackness and the Reproduction of Christian Order"
Dr. Craig A. Ford, Assistant Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. Norbert College; YDS Alumnus
   Keynote: "Doing Our First Works Over: Sketches of a Black Queer Ethics"
Dr. Renée L. Hill, Columbia University Community Scholar, Columbia University 
   Keynote: "Which 'Me' Will Survive All These Liberations?" 
We have invited dozens of YDS alumni to join this conversation with us and to facilitate our small groups. We anticipate a time of powerful sharing and networking.

All School Conference Committee

Dawn Jefferson

Dawn Jefferson

MDiv Candidate, 2021

Conference Coordinator dawn.jefferson@yale.edu

JaQuan Beachem

JaQuan Beachem

MDiv Candidate, 2021

Student and Administrative Liaison

Geronimo D. Desumala, III

Geronimo D. Desumala, III

MDiv Candidate, 2021

Communications & Logistics Coordinator

Dr. Linn Tonstad

Dr. Linn Tonstad

Associate Professor of Systematic Theology

Faculty Sponsor

Ryan Joslin-Dirk

Ryan Joslin-Dirk

MDiv Candidate, 2021

Operations Coordinator

Dr. Jeanne Peloso

Dr. Jeanne Peloso

Associate Dean of Student Affairs

Conference Advisor

ASC HOST COMMITTEE:

JaQuan Beachem
Katie Campbell-Morrison
Jessica Church
Joseph Cundiff
Geronimo Desumala
Essence Ellis
Stephen Erich
Alicia Fowler
Phoenix Gonzalez
Haven Herrin
Josh Huber
Dawn Jefferson
Ryan Joslin-Dirk
Samuel King
Nathan Leach
Zachary Ludwig
Michael Macalintal
Jathan Martin
Molli Mitchell
Claire Repsholdt
Matthew Roberts
Victoria Slabinski
Jenna Van Donselaar
Jalen Ware-Parks
Jessica Yu

All School Conference Sponsors

We would like to thank the following co-sponsors for their generous contributions:
Header Art Designed by Gabrielle Muller, MAR 2020 - gabriellemuller.com