At the heart of Black religious discourses and praxes are existential questions about the meanings of Blackness as it relates to humanity. These questions often manifest in the development and evaluation of prospects of liberation, healing, justice, and transformations of concepts of race. It is self-evident that such work cannot be done outside of full consideration of ability, class, geography, gender, and sexuality. Through this series scholars and practitioners, authors and activists, creators and artists, community elders and younger scholars take up these existential questions with special attention to quare (i.e., Blackqueer, womanist oriented) subjects – and the linguistic option of “quare” for this discourse.
The first conversation in this series asks Queer Black Buddhist contributors to address the following question: In what ways does quare resonate in your religious discourses and praxes? To what extent is it a helpful – or unhelpful – linguistic option? Why?
In this discussion are:
Aishah Shahidah Simmons - Moderator
Rod Owens - Panelist
Ayo Yetunde - Panelist
Shanté Smalls - Panelist