Soulforce: Queer Feminist Latinx Faith

In this season finale, host Nadia Arellano, Associate Director at Soulforce, guides listeners through a year-in-review from 'Friday From the Archives,' highlighting the organization's steadfast commitment to ending religious and political oppression of LGBTQIA+ people. This episode features 12 reflections that encapsulate the highs and lows of 2025, including escalating state-sanctioned violence, ICE raids, and th...

In this Advent episode, Reverend Sex reframes joy as a form of sacred resistance—one that refuses the binary logic of white Christian Supremacy. Drawing from decolonial theology, queer Latina spirituality, and Marian devotion, the episode invites listeners to hold grief and joy together while recovering Mary—not as a symbol of submission, but as a protagonist in a long lineage of anti‑imperial resistance.

Key Themes

• Resi...

Rev. Alba welcomes CasSandra Calin,  a queer, feminist, Black-Cuban healer, who is passionate about spirit work, identity, divinity and pleasure. Together, they explore what it means to claim shamelessness as a spiritual, political, and embodied practice, especially for Black, queer, and diasporic people whose lives have been shaped by religion, race, gender, and colonial identity rubrics.

CasSandra reflects on growing up with m...

In this intimate “Love Letter,” Reverend Sex reflects on Advent’s theme of peace through a decolonial, justice-centered lens, challenging the idea that peace is simply the absence of conflict. Instead, this episode invites listeners into a deeper understanding of peace as integrity, sacred rest, and the spiritual discipline of doing the best we can amid injustice, exhaustion, and collective grief. From personal storytelling to glob...

What does it mean to create a church that includes everyone? From marginalized youth, to underprivileged families, all the way to the virtual realm where those who can't attend in person worship can find community online?

In this vibrant episode, host Reverend Sex and guest Yadi Martínez-Reyna explore unique facets of ministry with a focus on queer inclusion and creative solutions. The conversation dives into personal experience...

Reverend Sex invites listeners into an intimate reflection on sacred time, queer survival, and the fierce, embodied hope we carry into the Advent season. Coming to us in a moment of exhaustion, tenderness, and deep yearning for connection, Rev. Sex opens up about the loss many of us feel after leaving church spaces—particularly the loss of shared ritual, rhythm, and timekeeping that once gave shape to our lives.

As the community...

Reverend Sex and guest Jessica Vazquez Torres engage in a profound discussion about the complexities of identity, faith, and home within the context of the Puerto Rican diaspora. The conversation explores various personal experiences and reflections, spanning topics from the significance of familial and cultural terms, the challenges and transformative potential of diasporic existence, to the spiritual and political dimensions of c...

This episode is a heartfelt exploration of prayer, aimed at those who feel alienated by traditional religious practices or believe that God doesn't want to hear from them. With an emphasis on God's omnipresence and the concept of 'Imago Dei,' Reverend Sex shares their personal belief that every individual carries a spark of the divine within them. The episode offers guidance on how to rekindle the practice of prayer...

Host Rev. Alba Onofrio welcomes Arelis Figueroa, who discusses the day to day details of accompanying migrants to court dates and protecting them from ICE. Arelis also shares their journey from the Dominican Republic to New York. They discuss the importance of decolonial theology, the struggles of the immigrant community, and the essential work of organizing for justice. They dive into themes of mental health, resurrection, and the...

In this episode of Soulforce’s ‘Friday from the Archives,' host Nadia Arellano introduces a powerful sermon by Reverend Alba Onofrio, also known as Reverend Sex, delivered during the Episcopal Church's Gender Justice Jam in 2025. The sermon explores the concept of being made in the image of God beyond the gender binary, drawing from Soulforce's resource 'The Gender of God and Creation.' Reverend Alba challenges ...

In this episode of Love Letters, Reverend Sex introduces themself and discusses their background, the series' focus on queer and Latina identity, decolonial theology, faith, and gender justice. Rev. Sex explores the concept of the Gospel of the Erotic, inspired by Audre Lorde, as a deep life force and source of power for change. Reverend Sex shares her perspective on recognizing internal desires, dismantling patriarchal systems...

Host Reverend Sex (Rev. Alba Onofrio) welcomes Karla Perez, a licensed mental health therapist with a rich background in social justice and community wellness, to discuss queer and feminist theology. Karla shares her journey of embracing her identity as both a queer, non-binary person and an ally turned advocate. The conversation covers the founding of Ministerio Latino, challenges and revelations in her personal life, and the sign...

In this heartfelt episode, Reverend Sex delves into the pervasive and damaging effects of conversion therapy, addressing those who have experienced it firsthand. They explore the societal and religious pressures to conform to heteronormative standards and discuss the flawed theology of original sin that perpetuates these harmful practices. Offering a contrasting perspective, Reverend Sex champions the idea of original blessing, cel...

Reverend Sex welcomes guest ana g. lara lópez. They discuss their identification as a 'sinvergüenza' and their paths through gender identity, sexual identity, and overcoming intergenerational trauma. The guest shares a transformative moment of self-realization, choosing life amidst chronic pain and societal oppression. The conversation explores the guest's activism, including their involvement with the Freedom Church o...

In this intimate witching-hour love letter, Reverend Sex speaks to those who were once taught to fear their magic, distrust their ancestors, and turn away from ritual and remembrance. This episode arrives during the season of Halloween, Samhain, and Día de los Muertos in order to reclaim what was taken from us in the name of purity, control, and white Christian Supremacy.

In This Episode

Reverend Sex shares:

💫 A midnight med...

Host Rev. Sex engages in a profound conversation with Dr. Norma Ramirez, discussing the intersections of undocumented status, shame, gender, and spirituality within the context of their personal and professional life. The dialogue navigates the parallels between political and religious shame, the influence of harmful theological narratives, and the significance of reclaiming one's inherent worth. Emphasizing collective healing ...

In this Love Letter, Rev. Sex grapples with the traditional Christian belief that non-Christians and individuals who do not conform to certain religious norms are destined for hell. Reflecting on personal experiences and teachings within the queer and trans community, the speaker questions whether a loving God would condemn people to eternal damnation. The conclusion is to decolonize their faith by rejecting a controlling and punit...

Host Reverend Sex engages in an illuminating conversation with Belén Morales about the intersections of queer, trans, feminist, and faith identities within the context of Latin American theology. They explore the concept of living without shame, the challenges of growing up in fundamentalist communities, and the journey to reclaim self-trust and spiritual autonomy. Belén provides insights into their experiences of disentangling whi...

Today we bring you a conversation from the archives - Rev. Alba Onofrio, Nadia Arellano, Belén Morales, Maura Fernández Salas, Megan Sharkey, and Rev. Rhina Ramos discussing the spiritual violence of the ICE raids in Los Angeles and the ways that nonviolent resistance must be relentless, community-based, and founded on solidarity. They discuss the fragile nature of the regime's power and the overwhelming strength of Latine peop...