Found Family with MaryB. Safrit

We're taking a break from interviews for the month of July. But don't worry, we have some solo episodes lined up for you! The first is the story of the Sunday I left my former church for the last time and attended Pride for the first time. If you like this episode, you should sign up for my Substack and get a free message like this one delivered to your inbox on the last Tuesday of every...

Today's episode is the complex and very personal story of navigating and leaving non-affirming spaces after coming out.  Moriah Conant (they/she) is a psychologist-in-training who specializes in working with LGBTQIA+ individuals, young adults, and healing from trauma. They utilize a relational psychodynamic approach to therapy, along with feminist psychology and LGBTQIA+ affirming psychology....

Today's episode is the story of an autistic Black and Indigenous femme creative powerhouse who wants to help us center rest, pleasure, and abundance in our actual lives.  Sara Elise (she/her) is a multidisciplinary creative, splitting her time between Brooklyn and The Catskills, New York. She works primarily in the hospitality, well-being, and food industries and is the cofounder and designer...

Today's episode is the story of a woman who moved beyond ethnic loneliness by embracing her ethnic identity and finding belonging.  Prasanta Verma (MBA, MPH) (she/her) was born under an Asian sun, raised in the Appalachian foothills in the South, and now resides in the Upper Midwest. Her essays and poetry have been published in Sojourners, Propel Women, (in)courage, Inheritance Magazine, the...

Today's episode is the story of how to find your people and create safety when building community online.  Jenna DeWitt (she/her) is a sapphic aromantic asexual writer, editor, and resource curator. She is also an advocate, community builder, and Californian.  In this episode, you'll hear Jenna and I discuss Finding resources that work for you, and sharing that oasis of resources with ot...

This episode is the story of everything we've misunderstood about anarchy (and how it gels with Christianity) from the most delightful anarchist theologian.  Terry J. Stokes (he/they) is a director of a youth development nonprofit organization on Lenape land now known as Trenton, NJ. He is also an anarchist theologian who seeks to support folks’ political and spiritual radicalization through...

Today's episode is the story of an author and advocate working to uproot systemic racism so we can create commmunities that are better for everyone.  Latasha Morrison (she/her) is a distinguished author and nonprofit founder widely known for her transformative work in fostering racial reconciliation and unity. As a New York Times best-selling author, she has captured the hearts and minds of r...

Today's episode is the story of a guncle finding family and finding himself through the imagination-expanding power of relationships.  Jonathan Merritt (he/him) is an award-winning columnist and commentator on politics, spirituality, and culture. He is a contributing editor for The Week and has been featured on prominent national outlets including The New York Times , USA Today , The Washingt...

Today's episode is the story of an expert in all things story who is obsessed with helping you unearth your inner wisdom and connect with your people by teaching you to write your story.  Allison Fallon (she/her) is an author, speaker, and founder of Find Your Voice, a community that supports anyone who wants to write anything. In addition to her books The Power of Writing It Down , Packing L...

Today's episode is the story of a woman who survived and escaped the Christian Patriarchy movement and created a new life of agency, advocacy, and unconditional love.  Cait West is a writer and editor based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her work has been published in The Revealer , Religion Dispatches , Fourth Genre and Hawai`i Pacific Review , among others. As an advocate and a survivor of the...

Today's episode is the story of a celibate gay man who finds family through committed friendship and embracing clarity and different convictions in the LGBTQ+ Christian community.  Art Pereira (he/him) was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and immigrated to the United States at the age of four. Having navigated marginalization from a young age both as an immigrant and a gay man, Art has a heart f...

Today's episode is the story of a 40-year-old intentional community in San Francisco, as told by a self-professed granny queer who's seen the LGBTQ Christian scene evolve since she came out in her thirties.  Lin Melone (she/her) is a member of the Church of the Sojourners, an intentional Christian community in San Francisco, California. She has spoken at LGBTQ Christian conferences such...

Welcome to our very first episode as Found Family! I can't think of a better conversation to kick things off. Today, I'm talking to Nia and Katie Chiaramonte. Nia Chiaramonte holds a BA in psychology from the University of Northern Iowa and an MBA in Human Resources from Northwest Missouri State. She is currently the Executive Director of Human Resources for a non-profit near Washington...

Many of us have been sold the idea that family is a matter of blood and legally binding agreements. But something in you knows that can't be all there is. But what is the alternative to the model we've been given?  Welcome to Found Family. Every Tuesday, I have honest conversations with our dynamite guests, celebrating the creative ways they make community in their actual lives and provi...

After 11 seasons, 127 episodes, and 99 interviews with single Christians, Unsuitable is evolving. I use the word "evolve" very intentionally here. While we will be operating under a new name and fresh branding, our beating heart will remain the same. All existing episodes will stay up and available. If you're following us on your fav podcast app, you won't have to re-follow us...

Meg Baatz is the co-founder of Kaleidoscope, a New York–based organization helping provide LGBTQ+ people with tangible expressions of Jesus. Meg is a bridge-builder and ministry educator whose desire is to see people grow personally and engage locally in diverse communities – particularly at the intersection of sexuality, gender, and spiritual life with Jesus. Prior to launching Kaleidoscope, Meg...

Originally from Kenya and currently based in Fort Worth, Texas, Henry is a Christian man who writes on Faith, Friendships, Sexuality, Race, Jesus and a host of other topics.  He loves hosting dinner parties, running, live music, deep friendships, red wine, Beyonce, and all things Texas. In today's episode, you'll hear Henry and I talk about:  holding our married friends accountable the v...

Bridget Eileen Rivera provides support to churches and ministries seeking to improve their relationship with the LGBTQ community. A leading voice on gay celibacy in the church, Bridget helps Christians better grapple with gender and sexuality in a divided culture. She has worked with a number of faith-based organizations, including Revoice, Christians for Social Action, and Preston Sprinkle's...

Dr. David Bennett is from Sydney, Australia. He recently completed his doctorate (DPhil) in theology at Oxford University where he now works as a postdoctoral research fellow in the Theology and Religion Faculty. He specialises in the relationship between the Trinity, Christian ethics, patristics, queer theology, discipleship and contemporary Anglican theology, especially the role of desire in kno...

TW: sexual assault and abuse OK you know I love all my podcast guests and conversations equally, but this one was a particularly special one. Back in Season 8, our pal Matt Linden acted as guest host and had a fantastic conversation with Anna Primrose about non-sexual touch and y'all--they have RECEIPTS.  In today’s episode, you’ll hear Matt and Anna talk about  the cost of touch deprivation...

Today we are running it back to my conversation at the beginning of Season 8 with Ekemini Uwan. Ekemini is a public theologian and co-author of Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation. She is the co-host of the award-winning podcast, Truth's Table and Get In The Word With Truth’s Table. Ekemini is also a contributing writer for Hallmark Mahogany and Christianity Tod...

Today, we're dipping into the archives to share the extended cut of my conversation with Obi Okolo from Season 4, which we recorded in June 2020. Obiekwe "Obi" Okolo is a Nigerian American photographer, multimedia artist, and reluctant writer. He's also Creative Director at BitterSweet Creative and the Arts & Culture Editor for BitterSweet Monthly . Raised in Lagos, Nigeria...

Today you'll hear my full conversation with the inimitable Katelyn Beaty from Season 8, specifically, December 2022. Katelyn Beaty is a Midwest native living in New York City, and editorial director for Brazos Press. But the most important thing you should know about her is that she loves words and believes they can change the world. Katelyn served as Christianity Today magazine's younge...

It's our final episode of the holiday mini-season. Fear not, pals, we have some fun stuff planned for between the seasons! This week, we're ending the season with an episode on change. It's New Year Resolution season, and in this episode, you'll hear about the key to sustainable growth. Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite single pal--or for a holiday treat for yourse...

It's almost Christmas, which means we are almost at the end of our holiday mini-season! Today, you'll hear about why I hate using the word "waiting" when talking about singleness, how to reframe the narrative around "waiting," and why our big feelings actually make us primed to celebrate Christmas.  Here’s a thing about me—I hate using the word “waiting” in conjunctio...