Cedric Harmon facts for kids

Reverend Cedric A. Harmon (born in 1966) is a leader who works for fairness and understanding for all people. He is the Executive Director of an organization called Many Voices: A Black Church Movement for LGBT Justice. He is known for helping people of faith support equal rights for everyone. His work was even mentioned in a report by the National Park Service about LGBTQ history in America. He has also written articles for well-known publications like the Huffington Post and Advocate.

Early Life and Calling

Cedric Harmon grew up in Centreville, Illinois, a small town near St. Louis, Missouri. He was the youngest of nine children. His family lived a simple life, without indoor plumbing, pumping their own water and using an outhouse. Even though schools were no longer separated by race, he went to what was considered the white school district. There, he was part of a program for smart students and enjoyed being involved in student government and Model United Nations.

Church was a very important part of his childhood. He started going to church when he was five years old. When he was eight, he felt a special calling to become a minister. His family was Baptist, but later he and his mother joined a Missionary Baptist church. In 1994, when he was 28, he shared that he was gay. After this, he began working to help churches, especially historically black churches, be more welcoming to all people, including those who are gay.

Education Journey

Cedric Harmon went to Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned a degree in Media Management. Later, he continued his studies at Wesley Seminary in Washington, D.C..

Working for Fairness

Cedric Harmon started preaching in his church when he was a child. After finishing seminary, he worked for 13 years at an organization called Americans United for Separation of Church and State. In this role, he helped find and train religious leaders who could speak to lawmakers about important issues related to religion and government.

In 2008, he started volunteering to help people gain the right to marry who they loved in Washington, D.C. He was part of a special committee and also started a church that welcomed everyone. He then helped start Many Voices with Ann Thompson Cook. He first worked as the Minister of Welcoming Resources, then became a co-director, and now he is the Executive Director.

In 2011, Harmon gave a talk called "Understanding and Welcoming Everyone" at a conference in Corpus Christi, Texas. In 2013, he spoke at the University of Maryland about the Civil War and civil rights, giving a presentation called "Creating a More Perfect Union."

In 2014, Harmon spoke at a workshop about helping black LGBTQ communities. He also joined many faith and government leaders, including the mayor of San Francisco, to ask an Archbishop to cancel his appearance at a rally held by a group that did not support equal rights for all families. He also got involved with SAGE Story, a program that helps older LGBT community members share their stories and feel less alone.

In 2015, Harmon and Ann Thompson Cook published a book called And God Loves Each One: A Black Church Guide to Sexual Orientation.

In 2016, Harmon was part of a discussion at Fordham University about race, religion, and identity. He also spoke at a screening of a documentary about young people who felt left out by their families or churches because of who they are. He also traveled to Liberia to train Christian leaders on how to make their churches and communities welcoming to all people.

In 2017, Harmon spoke at a conference for Christian leaders who support fairness for all. He was also named one of "12 Faith Leaders to Watch in 2017" by the Center for American Progress. He received an Arcus Leadership Fellowship and an award from the Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington, D.C.

In 2018, Harmon helped lead a workshop for faith leaders about social justice. He also spoke at a conference about faith and fairness for all people. He led a workshop called "Being in Relationship" at the Wild Goose Festival, which celebrates spirit, justice, music, and arts. That same year, he and other members of the Union of Affirming Christians spoke out against the government changing rules that helped all people feel included. He also gave a lecture in Washington, D.C., about "Becoming a Spiritual Force." In March 2018, a church in New York honored Harmon at their Easter Awards Banquet.

In 2019, Harmon helped train leaders for a program called "Our Whole Lives Matter," which helps people understand and welcome everyone. In 2020, he helped lead a seminar for a program that trains leaders who support fairness for all.

Podcast Appearances

Awards and Special Recognition

• GLAA Distinguished Service Award (2017)
• Honored by Metropolitan Community Church of New York (2018)
• Arcus Leadership Fellowship (2017)
• Listed as one of "12 Faith Leaders to Watch in 2017"
• Listed as one of "10 Black Religious Leaders Advancing LGBTQ Justice"