We are honored that the following leaders in the North Carolina equality movement are supporters of the case.
Mitchell Gold, Founder, Faith in America, Hudson, N.C.
“Anti-gay legislation like Amendment One have a devastating effect on young gay teens because it can make them feel broken, ‘less than’ and have devastating psychological consequences. We need to end legalized religion-based discrimination against the gay community. Teens deserve to know that they CAN be with the person they love….that they can have the companionship and intimacy that is a natural part of a human’s being. Marriage is a wonderful part of life and builds stable societies for all, regardless of sexual orientation.”
In 1989, Mitchell Gold and his business partner, Bob Williams, created a furniture company in Taylorsville, North Carolina, which has grown to national recognition. He is the founding director of Faith in America, a North Carolina-based non-profit that works nationally to end the harms to LGBT youth and families caused by religious teachings that condemn homosexuality. Beyond this, Mitchell’s advocacy work for LGBT equality has been recognized by numerous organizations, including: The Human Rights Campaign: Board of Directors for seven years and Nov. 2007 Equality Honoree, Palm Springs. National Black Justice Coalition: April 2008 Leadership Award. Out magazine: April 2007, “Top 50 Most Powerful Gay People in America” list. Gay Men’s Health Crisis: March 2007 25th Anniversary Dinner Honoree. The Advocate magazine: 2006 “People of the Year Award” for Faith in America. Vox Vodka + Out: 2004 Vox/Out Voices of Style + Design Award. Mitchell’s work for gay rights led to his creating his recently released book entitled “Crisis: 40 Stories Revealing the Personal, Social, and Religious Pain & Trauma of Growing Up Gay in America.”
Rev. Douglas S. Long, Minister, Umstead Park United Church of Christ, Raleigh, N.C.
“… The Emancipation Proclamation, Women’s Suffrage, Loving vs. Virginia… the ground of history is covered with the glass of shattered ceilings … and we’ve arrived at the momentous point in human history when another unacceptable ceiling will soon rightly fall. Progress has been incremental but clear for many years. Full and equal acceptance of the LGBTQ community is but a matter of time. For North Carolina to intentionally write discrimination into our State constitution in 2012 was a huge step into the past … but you cannot legislate love, or who someone can love…. And love will prevail.” — Rev. Douglas S. Long
Doug was born in Raleigh and has pastored in Burlington, NC, and Oberlin, Ohio. He has served on numerous committees and boards of the Southern and Ohio Conferences of the United Church of Christ. Doug began laying the groundwork for UPUCC (formerly North Raleigh United Church) in the fall of 1998.
Rev. Julie Peeples, Senior Pastor, Congregational United Church of Christ, Greensboro, N.C.
“I support this action because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the US Constitution. The one proclaims love and acceptance of all, the other, equal rights under the law. Amendment One sought to deny all of that and must be overturned.” –Rev. Peeples
Rev. Julie Peeples came to Congregational in late September of 1991, having served with her husband, the Rev. Paul Davis, as chaplains for Habitat for Humanity International at Habitat headquarters in Americus, Georgia. They have two daughters, Meghan and Hannah. Julie grew up in Charleston, SC, graduated from Furman University in ’79 and from Andover Newton Seminary in ’83. Her ministerial experience includes working with homeless women in Boston, campus ministry at St. Vincent College near Pittsburgh, serving as a Minister of Christian Education and Family Life in a large UCC church near Boston, and the Habitat work. She enjoys pottery, reading and camping.
Bishop Tonyia Rawls, Founding director of Freedom Center for Social Justice; founding pastor of Sacred Souls Community Church, Charlotte, N.C.
“I stand in support of this effort because I believe every citizen of our state deserves access to the protections and benefits all others receive. Nowhere is this more true than in the areas of marriage and family.” –Bishop Rawls
Read Bishop Rawls’ op-ed in The Charlotte Observer about why she supports the case.
A native of Newark, New Jersey, Bishop Rawls grew up attending a Baptist church with her mother, grandmother, and younger sisters. In her 20′s, she was in her first relationship with a woman while simultaneously attending a Church of God in Christ (COGIC) church. It was there that she encountered her first sermon condemning LGBT relationships. She then decided to become celibate and remained so for seven years while pursuing her dream to become an evangelic missionary. After years of significant interpersonal struggle, scriptural study and self-transformation, Bishop Rawls heard the message of Archbishop Carl Bean, founder of the Unity Fellowship Church Movement, an out, gay man, who said, “God is love and love is for everyone.” She gravitated toward his ministry of love, compassion, liberation, HIV/AIDS advocacy and social justice work, and later became the founding pastor at Unity Fellowship Church Charlotte. Rawls is also the founder and executive director of the Freedom Center for Social Justice, located in Charlotte.
Chris Sgro, Executive Director, Equality NC, Raleigh, N.C.
“I am excited to see this challenge to Amendment One move forward. At Equality North Carolina, we fought hard to defeat Amendment One, and I am glad to see the harms it has caused highlighted. This suit will bring an important point to light – many religious North Carolinians feel strongly about the moral need to recognize same-sex marriages.” — Chris Sgro
As an organizer and finance director for state- and federal-level campaigns, Chris most recently was Director of Economic Development for U.S. Senator Kay Hagan. He was a founding member of LGBT Democrats of North Carolina and has served as treasurer for the LGBT Democrats of Guilford County. Following roles with nonprofits like America Votes, an issue advocacy group, and CARE, a national anti-poverty organization, Chris worked in management positions with two winning political campaigns, Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate and Don Vaughan for North Carolina State Senate. Sgro is a graduate of American University in Washington, D.C. and lives in Greensboro, N.C. with his partner, Ryan.
Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman, Clinton Tabernacle AME Zion Church, Hickory, N.C.
“We have come by faith in love and with purpose to contradict the public perception that people of faith do not support the sacred worth of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning sisters and brothers.” –Rev. Dr. Spearman
Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman is married to Janice Brunson Spearman and they have three children and five grandchildren. Since June 2005, he has been serving the Clinton Tabernacle AME Zion Church in Hickory. In just a few short years, he has organized a major building campaign for the church and founded Clinton’s Corner of Catawba, a nonprofit organization to assist the church in carrying out its mission in the community. Reverend Spearman has pounded the pavement every year but one at the Historic Thousands on Jones Street rally since its inception in 2007, and was jailed earlier this year for protesting the state budget. Dr. Spearman is the immediate past president of the Hickory branch of NAACP North Carolina and the religious affairs chairman for NAACP North Carolina.