Soulforce Announces New Executive Director and Renewed Dedication to Ending Homophobia at its Source

This week Soulforce, the national justice organization founded by Rev. Dr. Mel White, announced expansion plans by naming Jeff Lutes of Austin, Texas as their new executive director. In addition, Rev. Dr. Mel White was named President of the Board, freeing him to expand his visibility and that of Soulforce. The once ghostwriter for evangelists Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, White will soon be embarking on a speaking tour for his fall book release, Religion Gone Bad: A Call to Resist Fundamentalism (working title).

As an internationally recognized cleric and activist, White will continue as primary spokesperson and fundraiser in Soulforce's mission to halt homophobia at its source. White asserts that "The evil intent of fundamentalist Christianity is to impose their worldview on all Americans, a worldview that would deny rights and dignity to all gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender people. Our new infrastructure will equip us to better equip activists for the critical work of stopping this form of religious violence. Under Jeff's leadership, we'll be taking this to the streets like never before."

As Soulforce's new Executive Director, Jeff Lutes, MS, LPC, will oversee the day-to-day operations of Soulforce. In accepting the position, Jeff said, "I believe the message of Soulforce is visionary in that it has become clear we can not win this battle with legislative actions alone. We must create a critical mass of people who are fed up with bigotry, prejudice and discrimination and who are willing to speak out in the media and engage in other forms of nonviolent resistance. We must be on the offensive in confronting the religious and political assault on our civil rights, and not just in the defensive position of fighting the next anti-gay piece of legislation."

Soulforce also adds two new members to our Board of Directors, prominent civil rights activists Dr. Rodney Powell. M.D. and Rev. Phil Lawson. Powell commented, "I believe Soulforce is the most promising GLBT organization to influence and redirect the enormous energy, intellectual capacity, resources and power that exist among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, allied persons, organizations, and institutions to resist, oppose and stop the threat of Christian fundamentalism."

Soulforce's next action includes the Equality Ride, a seven-week bus tour taking 35 GLBT youth to nineteen colleges that have anti-gay enrollment policies.

Soulforce is a movement; an organization of activists committed to ending homophobia caused by religious bigotry. For more information go to www.soulforce.org or www.equalityride.com.

Bios:

Jeff Lutes is a licensed professional counselor in Austin, Texas who has supervised over 100 therapists and directed several inpatient and outpatient psychiatric-treatment programs in a variety of clinical settings, including hospitals and nonprofit counseling centers. He has been in private practice for many years, specializing in couples and family therapy. He has written numerous newspaper articles on the issues facing LGBT people and same-gender families and presents research-based workshops on strengthening relationships. He is a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC), and the Council on Contemporary Families (CCF). He is a lay worship leader in his church and a community leader able to organize sustained nonviolent resistance to religious and political assaults on LGBT people and their families. He has been a volunteer for Soulforce since the first direct action in 1999. He and his partner, Gary Stein, are the proud parents of a 9-year-old son.

Rev. Phil Lawson is a United Methodist Minister and veteran of the 1960’s civil rights movement. Over 40 years ago, it was the Rev. Phil Lawson’s brother, Rev. Jim Lawson, who trained the Freedom Riders in nonviolence prior to their journey to justice for civil rights. Rev. Lawson is courageously outspoken in his support of LGBT equality and has participated in several Soulforce actions over the years. He is currently the Interfaith Program Director for East Bay Housing Organizations (EBHO) where he leads the Interfaith Action in Housing Program. He remains active with Richmond Vision 2000, Northern California Inter-Religious Conference, Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP), Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights and California Council of Churches.
(Photo courtesy of East Bay Housing Organizations, EBHO.)

Rodney N. Powell, MD is a Pediatrician, International Health Specialist and former Professor of Pediatrics and Health Services Administration at University of Minnesota School of Medicine, and Professor of Family Practice and Community Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. Rodney is a gay, African American, who has lived in Hawaii since 1976 with his partner of 30 years, C. Robert Eddinger, PhD. While a medical student at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee during the years 1957-61, as a student protest leader in the African American Civil Rights Movement, Rodney had the privilege and honor to learn and apply the philosophy and strategies of love and nonviolence under the guidance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other dedicated ministers of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.