Our guest on this episode is Marian Edmonds-Allen, the Executive Director of Parity NYC. Parity is a faith-based organization headquartered in NYC that builds bridges across the LGBTQ+ and faith divide. Parity partners with diverse faith communities to foster understanding between traditionally rejecting faiths and LGBTQ+ people and their families. They create connections between the sacred and the secular by partnering with non-religious community-based organizations.

Marian's work is focused on suicide prevention and homelessness in the LGBTQI+ youth population. She was instrumental in turning indifferent legislators into fierce advocates who ultimately fought for the new 988 national suicide prevention hotline, and insuring that the was equipped to handle the needs of the LGBTQI+ community, who are more than four times more likely to contemplate suicide than their heterosexual peers.

Mentioned in the episode:

Learn more about Marian and her work at Parity: https://parity.nyc/

The Salt Lake Tribune's story about Marian's interaction with Laura, the legislator turned advocate: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2021/11/24/marian-edmonds-allen/

The 988 crisis Line:

https://www.samhsa.gov/resource/dbhis/988-suicide-crisis-lifeline?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1rqkBhCTARIsAAHz7K02LGHGOj3iCfblIuD3E6wPn0BJ3VL1LnlLw_DxePuX-OAxqGO6SIIaAqHdEALw_wcB