Unity Fellowship Church

Denise Hinds

Denise Hinds is the Chief Program Officer for Youth and Family Wellbeing at Good Shepherd Services, where she oversees the agency’s foster care programs, child welfare, and juvenile justice residential programs, supportive housing and other programs for young adults.

In 38 years at Good Shepherd Services, Denise has developed many innovative youth development-driven programs. Most notably, in 2002, she played a significant role in the development and implementation of the Chelsea Foyer, the agency’s first supportive housing program for young adults experiencing homelessness and...

Donald Ransom

Since arriving in Newark in the early 1980s, Rev. Don Ransom has worked in the fields of substance abuse and recovery, as well as HIV prevention and education. A central figure in Newark AIDS activism, he was involved with James Credle and others in the pioneering Fire Ball programs of the early 1990s, a member of the city’s first HIV planning council, and remains active with NJCRI and other organizations. As well, he serves as senior reverend at the Unity Fellowship Church NewArk. 

In his oral history interviews, Rev. Ransom talks about queer Newark nightlife, AIDS activism, his...

Beatrice Simpkins

Beatrice Dolores Simpkins is an alum of Rutgers University-Newark. 

In 2016, Ms. Simpkins became a Rutgers University 250 Fellow – receiving a medal at the “A Day of Revolutionary Thinking”, the culminating event of Rutgers’ 250Th birthday celebration.

She serves as the pro-bono Executive Director of the Newark LGBTQ Community Center and is the Chief Program Officer for The Partnership for the Homeless, located in New York City. In 2021, Ms. Simpkins received the Equality Leadership Award from Garden State Equality and the LGBTQ-Police Community Partnership Award...

Kevin E. Taylor

Kevin E. Taylor is working on his greatness while he inspires you to walk in yours! He’s a noted author (JADED, UNCLUTTER, BECAUSE HE LIVES, IT’S TIME FOR SOME ACTION, ENVY: the darkest shade of green, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO SOMETHING and MEET THE HENDERSONS). He’s a pastor (Senior Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church NewArk now and Unity Fellowship Church New Brunswick for 12 years). He’s a writer and producer for television (22 years in television and more than 20 years running TaylorMadeMultiMedia (TM3), his own video production company. He is a lecturer/empowerment speaker, who has...

Aaron Frazier

38 years living with the virus, a poet and writer, self-published two chap books, write for La Raine Magazine and several other local and nationally. I have a BS From Saint Peters College in Jersey City Urban Studies Public Policies, an Associate in Liberal Arts Social Science from Essex County College, The Mother of the House of Divine of Greater Newark, a volunteer for the LBGTQ Center, previous Coordinator of Project Fire II of El Club Del Barrio, currently an active member of Hyacinth Cab and Thrive Role Model Story, a long term non progressor study participant with the National...

Peggie Miller

My name is Peggie Miller. Living the majority of my life as a butch woman, I noticed how we tend to live in the shadows, usually among our own exclusively. Gay Men have been at the forefront of the Gay Liberation movement, honored in all types of media  & have been more or less accepted into the  mainstream of society for decades. Except for a few power lesbians, we the African American & other lesbians of color, particularly butch identified women tend to take a back seat. Until now! We are mothers, deacons, professionals, designers, artists, reverends, doctors, attorneys & more...

Anita Dickens

Anita Dickens was born and raised in  Newark, NJ 1972. She graduated from West Side High School and went on to receive an Associate’s in Science from Essex County College, a BA in Science from New Jersey City University and a Masters in Public Affairs and Administration from Rutgers-Newark. 
In addition to her many accomplishments Anita volunteered her services in the community and elected as a Board member of a local LGBT organization.  

Anita Dickens is the founder and Owner of ANĒ formally known as A Girl&Guy Thing that started in 2013. CoOwner of a Fashion and Home...

Janyce Jackson Jones

Reverend Janyce Jackson Jones, a prominent and respected leader in the community retired after 21 years of dedicated service to her church and to social justice in the city of Newark.
 
Janyce L. Jackson Jones served as Co-Pastor of Unity Fellowship Church located in Newark, NJ.  UFC Newark, is a member of the non-denominational Unity Fellowship Church Movement, a Social Justice Ministry that seeks to minister to all people, regardless of race, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.
 
Prior to Co-Pastoring at UFC Newark, Reverend Jackson served...

Burley Tuggle

Burley Tuggle completed her Masters in Urban Policy Analysis and Management in 1997 and officially began her professional career.  She has nearly 20 years of experience in the fields of Public Policy and Financial Management.  Over this period, Ms. Tuggle has held research, lobbying and fiscal management positions in private, government and not-for-profit organizations.  In her former position as a Budget Analyst with the New York City Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Ms. Tuggle worked on the team in charge of planning and monitoring the $1 billion expense budget for the New York City...

Alicia Heath-Toby

C. Alicia Heath-Toby resides in Newark, NJ with her wife, Saundra ‘Honei’. She is the current board president of the Newark LGBTQ Community Center Board of Directors. In 1984 she received her Bachelor of Arts from the College of the Holy Cross. After leaving college, she was given the opportunity to work with a team of black doctors and community activists on addressing the HIV and AIDS crisis for Black Americans; this organization became known as the Black Leadership Commission on AIDS. In 1997, she joined Liberation In Truth Unity Fellowship Church (LITUFC) in Newark, NJ; a local church of...

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