“Our collective was named En Conjunto because the name demands something of us. The mere fact that it is in Spanish and not English requires an acknowledgement of something outside of dominant culture. It compels one to turn their gaze to those on the margins. It may mean having to take the time to let one’s mouth get used to the words and adapt to and appreciate something new. It is unapologetic. We have a wonderful group of people that have come together to offer service, wisdom, and guidance to the members of our collective. Names like steering committee or leadership team struck us as too hierarchical and not true to who we are. We needed something that continued this new tradition of redirecting gazes and honoring the people and cultures we come from. Here is Kwame Pitts to explain why we are now named the Ile team and what that means for us.”
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– AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez, En Conjunto Founder
AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez
En Conjunto Founder, Ile Team Member
Born in Venezuela, AnaYelsi Velasco-Sanchez (she/her/hers) is an IndoLatinx mujerista working to create and agitate her way through the Latin diaspora. Having worked as a faith-based community organizer for a decade, AnaYelsi is now a consultant, educator, writer, and visual artist. She provides education and consultation in both sacred and secular spaces – helping people to pursue justice in an intersectional and holistic way. Her column, Brown Eyed Amazon, can be found at Patheos’ Progressive Christian channel.
AnaYelsi lives in Washington, D.C. You can follow her on twitter at @brwneyedamzn and on Facebook (/browneyedamazon).
To learn more about AnaYelsi visit http://www.browneyedamazon.com
Alicia T. Crosby
Ile Team Member
Alicia T. Crosby (she/her/hers) is a justice educator, activist, and (sometimes reluctant) minister whose work addresses the spiritual, systemic, and interpersonal harm people experience. Through her teaching, writing, speaking, consulting, and space curation, Alicia helps individuals, communities, and institutions explore and unpack topics related to identity, inclusivity, journey, and intersectional equity.
To learn more about Alicia by visit aliciatcrosby.com or on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram via @aliciatcrosby.
Roberto Che Espinoza, PhD
Ile Team Member
Roberto (they/them/their) is a PhD Queer Activist, latinx scholar, and public theologian.
They are the founder of the Activist Theology Project and a visiting scholar at Vanderbilt University Divinity School in Nashville, TN.
Twitter: @irobyn Web: https://irobyn.com/http://activistheology.com/
Activist Theology Trailer: http://bit.ly/activistheologytrailer
Calendar: https://calendly.com/bookdrrobyn
Leanette Pokuwaah
Ile Team Member
Leanette Pokuwaah (she/her/hers) is a justice seeker and my faith is ever so intertwined with the work I do. She is a writer, teacher, and coach. Leanette wants to share with a little bit about who she is and why this platform exists:
“As a first-generation Ghanaian woman, I wanted to be able to create and teach Enneagram content that sought to center the stories and voices of people of color and others that are traditionally placed at the margins. The Enneagram is a powerful pathway toward spiritual growth and for personal and professional development. I have been able to write, teach and coach through an intersectional lens. My unique intersectional approach centering queer people of color is deeply transformative. The opening of spaces for folks to uncover their whole selves through the recollection, reflection, and retracing of their stories is so powerful and healing.”
To learn more about Leanette visit www.enneastories.com
Rev. Kwame Pitts
Ile Team Member
Kwame (she/her/hers), has embraced her identity and journey as interfaith; an ordained and practicing clergy in the Christian tradition she is also an initiate into Ifa and member of the Orisha IIe Ifa under the guidance of her Padrino, Babalwo Victor Guzman. Kwame’s gift, is working with rituals through both Ifa and through Vodoun towards healing from trauma especially from systemic racism, oppression and the stress of fighting for liberation.
Blog: https://medium.com/@TravelingPastor
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TrybalDaughter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrybalDaughter
IG: https://www.instagram.com/trybalpastor15/
Enrique Cintrón
Ile Team Member
Enrique Cintrón (they/them/theirs) is a queer nonbinary Latinx writer and a self-described “femme-ologian” doing theology at the intersections of faith, race, sexuality and gender. Enrique was raised Roman Catholic, and after coming out, left the church for nearly a decade before finding a spiritual home in the Episcopal Church. As a former youth minister, Enrique is passionate about radical faith formation for all ages and developing decolonized followers of Christ. In their spare time, Enrique enjoys learning new languages, embroidering, cooking, and spending entirely too much time in used bookstores.
You can follow Enrique on Twitter/Instagram @enriquecint.
enconjuntocollective.org 