jessica abell

From childhood, I was deeply involved in my Episcopal congregation, diocese, and regional bodies. Beginning in my early 20s, I worked as a youth minister in a variety of capacities; both as a volunteer and a paid staff person in suburban and urban, small and large, high and low church congregations. I have trained and mentored other youth ministers and lead multiple peer groups.

After a time of leadership at the Episcopal Cathedral & Diocese of Chicago, I went to seminary at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California as a postulant for Holy Orders in The Episcopal Church. After graduation, and a hospital chaplain residency, I became an American Baptist. I had discovered a renewed commitment to the Gospel of Jesus that required a new flexibility not possible in the church of my youth.

Currently I am part of the Spirituality Collective, work with TogetherColorado as part of the faith-based voice in issues of climate change, and run a small congregation in Denver, Living Waters Community Church. I also have a Master's Degree in City & Regional Planning to be able to know HOW to work for a more humane and sustainable world.

ian pirkey

My parents are both deeply spiritual people but nether identified or practiced any particular tradition in my childhood. They both went through their own faith transitions and did not attend church. However, I did have an early spiritual experience at a small Irish Catholic chapel where I had some extended family.

As I grew up, I would spend the night at friends houses on Saturday nights. Most of my friends didn't have a church either. However, my one friend who went to a UCC church in my old neighborhood brought me to his church one Sunday and it was there that I felt comfortable enough to begin to openly exploring my faith and spiritual life.

As an adult I have staffed youth events for the UCC for over 7 years, spent 2 years as a camp director, and 2 years as a youth minister for a small UCC church.

Vanessa Quintana

I am a Chicanx transformational leader from the Five Points. In the wake of the Manual High School closure during my freshman year, I discovered my passion for intersectional justice and a vision for liberatory change. With a relentless drive and being an ever-evolving leader, I became the first in my family to graduate high school, complete college, and earn a graduate degree -Master of Public Policy from UC-Berkeley. 

I tap into a wealth of knowledge working throughout government, political campaigns, and positive youth development organizations through writing, critical thinking, and facilitations striving to center the voice of community in decision making. After years of organizing at the intersection of poverty policy and electoral organizing for ballot initiatives and candidates of all levels of government, I have learned how power collides and where it intersects best for liberatory change. I lean into experiential learning to engage audiences in self-transformation work. A life of blazing trails as a first-generation student provides me a unique analysis of the hurdles of straddling poverty and the compounding impact of race, class, and gender on otherized students. My idealism, big-picture visions, systems thinking, and intersectional analyses invites a sound board for strategic system thinking that levers the brilliance of marginalizing communities to define progress and direct change.