For the first time, a cohort of six young adult Episcopal Ecojustice Fellows have been hired for a five-month fellowship, supported by the Episcopal Church Task Force on the Care of Creation and Environmental Racism. The fellows were selected through an open application process, and represent six different dioceses from around the Church. Focusing on issues of climate change, environmental justice, and eco-theology, the fellows have engaged in formation and training, attending the It’s All About Love conference in Baltimore, MD in July 2023, and are developing ecojustice projects in their local Episcopal communities.
Troy Collazo, Diocese of Southern Virginia:
Troy Collazo is a Virginia Beach Native and former Episcopal Service Corp Member. He was first introduced to the Episcopal Church during his Sophomore year of college and was once discerning the priesthood. He recently completed a Master’s of Public Policy and works in content creation and DEI Education. Troy practices yoga, paints, and has the occasional photo shoot in his free time.
Logan Crews, Diocese of Missouri:
Logan Crews (he/him/she/her) is a recent graduate of Trinity University and an incoming MDiv student at Yale Divinity School. He serves on the World Student Christian Federation-United States student leadership team, organizing global opportunities for Christian students and youth to learn about and carry out justice work. As a journalist and geoscientist, Logan is also passionate about science communication and connecting LGBTQ+ people to nature. Her online ministry, Queer Prayer, can be found on Instagram at @queer_prayer.
Esther Matthieu, Diocese of Utah:
Esther Mathieu is a queer writer and artist from New York City, currently living in Salt Lake City and pursuing a Masters in Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah. Coming from the East Coast, Utah has offered Esther new perspectives on art and the environment, new opportunities to find meaning both indoors and out, and a renewed connection to the Church. Esther’s work explores intersections of art, design, faith, identity, and the environment, and she is excited to have the chance to explore ecojustice questions within a strong faith community.
Dustin Nguyen, Diocese of Los Angeles:
Dustin Vuong Nguyen is on the leadership team of The Gathering: A Space For Asian Pacific American Spirituality, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles that provides opportunities for Asian Pacific Americans (APAs) to gather together to tell their stories, learn from one another, engage in initiatives for peace and social justice, and talk about spirituality in the APA context. His story is unique in that he became an Episcopalian thanks to the late Zen master, Thich Nhat Hanh, whose writings harmonize Buddhism with Christianity.
Stephanie Peramas, Diocese of North Carolina
During her study of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in college, Stephanie was introduced to the issue of domestic food insecurity and all of its different components. She became involved in her local food systems’ accessibility, sustainability (both environmentally and systematically), nutrition, and culturally-appropriate diversity. Today, she serves populations experiencing food insecurity as a resident of The Friendship Table, an Episcopal intentional community in High Point, NC, that is based on the Benedictine model of work and prayer life. She understands that increasing the availability, accessibility, and quality of foods necessary to embody God’s vision for us is an environmental, racial, economic, and social justice issue to which we are called to respond.
Matthew Strange, Diocese of Lexington:
Matt Strange serves as Intern for Mission and Outreach with Christ Church Cathedral and is an aspirant for Holy Orders in the Diocese of Lexington. A native of Owingsville, Kentucky, Matt has lived at the intersection of coal country, the Bible Belt, and a looming climate crisis. Seeing how the Bible has been misused to minimize the importance of our environment and the effects of climate change, Matt is passionate about allowing the Gospel to do what it was always meant to: change the world.