Advocacy
"Advocacy for me is a deeply personal journey that recognizes the intersectionality of our struggles. It is not simply about isolated issues, but about the interconnectedness of all people and creation. Advocacy calls me to stand in solidarity with our entire human family, working to create a world where every person can live with dignity, respect and the freedom to be wholly themselves. It challenges me to see beyond our differences and to recognize our shared humanity - that what impacts one impacts us all. For me, advocacy is a commitment to co-creating a future of justice, compassion and true belonging for every member of our global family and for the planet we share."
A Journey of Solidarity
My life has been a constant negotiation of identity—a work in progress, navigating the complex landscapes of sexuality, faith, immigration, and personal truth. Growing up in South Africa as part of the small group of people who are white who oppressed the majority of people of color, I learned early how systems of power can strip away human dignity, how racism destroys community, and crucially, how oppression damages both the oppressed and the oppressor.
As a white gay man who came out later in life, as a pastor living with HIV, as an immigrant, I recognize my own privileges while committed to understanding and challenging systemic racism and injustice. My advocacy is not a theoretical exercise, but a deeply personal journey of learning, listening, and working to create spaces of true belonging.
Each of these commitments—to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, HIV advocacy, Palestinian human rights, reproductive justice, environmental justice, immigrant rights, and racism—is interconnected. They are different expressions of the same fundamental belief: that every human being deserves dignity, respect, and the opportunity to live fully and authentically.
My work is about bearing witness, about using whatever platforms and privileges I have to amplify marginalized voices and challenge systems of oppression.
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
As a gay man who came out later in life, I intimately understand the complexity of embracing one's true identity. My journey of self-acceptance has taught me the profound importance of creating spaces where LGBTQIA+ individuals can find belonging, dignity, and authentic love. As an ordained pastor of the Presbyterian Church (USA), I am committed to challenging systems of exclusion and celebrating the full diversity of human experience.
Advocacy through visibility, understanding, and compassion, rooted in lived experience.
HIV
As a pastor living with HIV, I am committed to breaking the silence, challenging criminalization, and advocating for the dignity of people living with HIV. Drawing from my lived experience, I understand that isolation deeply harms our communities, diminishing authentic relationships when we are compelled to hide parts of ourselves. As a member of the Presbyterian HIV Network, I work to create spaces where people living with HIV can find true belonging, challenge stigma, and embrace their sacred worth.
Advocacy through visibility, education, and compassion, rooted in lived experience.
Rasicim
As a white South African who grew up during apartheid as part of the small minority who oppressed the majority of people of color, I learned early how systems of power strip away human dignity and destroy community. While racism grievously harms the oppressed, it also diminishes the humanity of the oppressor in ways that, though not equivalent, still carry consequences. Shaped by this history and encounters with the same forces of white supremacy and Christian nationalism in the USA, I am committed to challenging racist ideologies, policies and structures. As an ordained pastor recognized with awards from the Wooster/Orrville NAACP, I work to amplify marginalized voices and build diverse coalitions to pursue racial justice.
Advocacy through solidarity, education, and dismantling systemic racism.
Reproductive Justice
I actively advocate for reproductive freedom. Access to comprehensive and affordable reproductive health services, including abortion, is a fundamental human right. As a faith leader, I support the full bodily autonomy of people who can become pregnant, challenging systems that seek to control or limit reproductive choices.
Reproductive justice means dismantling barriers to healthcare, fighting stigma, and ensuring that every individual has the power to make informed decisions about their own body and future.
Advocacy through action, solidarity, and unwavering support for reproductive rights.
Palestinian Human Rights
As a South African who grew up during apartheid, I intimately understand the dehumanizing impact of systemic oppression. As a member of the Palestine Justice Network (PJN) of the Presbyterian Church (USA), I am committed to advocating for Palestinian human rights, drawing parallels to South Africa's journey toward justice and reconciliation.
As Nelson Mandela said, it "behoves all South Africans, themselves erstwhile beneficiaries of generous international support, to stand up and be counted among those contributing actively to the cause of freedom and justice."
Peacemaking through partnerships, education, and advocacy.
Immigration
As an immigrant to the United States who acknowledges my own privilege, I am committed to advocating for the human rights of all migrants. I recognize that immigration is not a simple issue of legality, but a complex human journey of seeking safety, opportunity, and dignity.
Migrants are persons created in the image of God, whose basic human rights to live in safety and with dignity must be protected. We are called to challenge systems that criminalize human movement and to see the humanity in every person, regardless of their place of origin.
Advocacy through understanding, solidarity, and dismantling unjust border policies.