CUTTING AGAINST THE GRAIN OF AN ENTIRE CULTURE, KNOWING ALL THAT HE MIGHT LOSE, BENJAMIN MADE THE BRAVE DECISION TO COME OUT AS A GAY MINISTER.
IF YOU BELIEVE IN GOD BUT HAVE STRUGGLED WITH YOUR IDENTITY SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY, THIS BOOK WILL HELP YOU FIND ANSWERS AND HOPE.
As a proud Black gay minister, Benjamin Carlton gives you a firsthand account of the difficult lived experiences of the intersections of race, faith, and sexual orientation. Sparking national debate, Benjamin’s story resonated with millions who struggle to accept who they are because of society’s prejudices. For years he prayed earnestly in hopes of God “delivering” him from homosexuality, not realizing that his being gay was all a part of God’s perfect design. This spellbinding book shatters the myth of the petty, vengeful, fault-finding God and reveals a God who is loving, compassionate, and wants you to win. Through riveting stories of triumph and defeat, Benjamin uses his wit and unfailing humor to take you on his journey of resurrecting unconditional love.
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The book is written to help those who are struggling to accept themselves or struggling to except those who are different from them. Benjamin intends to empower that precious soul that is looking for a path forward that speaks to their identity.
Benjamin Carlton is an activist and social entrepreneur from Philadelphia, Pa. He received his MBA from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University before moving to Miami to pursue a career in accounting. In 2013, while in Miami he co-founded the iconic BMe Community, a national movement of community builders that are led and inspired by Black people. BMe Community was founded on the principles of valuing all members of the human family, recognizing black males as assets, and building more caring and prosperous communities together. Under his leadership, BMe has influenced national policy, and committed millions of dollars to local community leaders around the nation. BMe’s 400+ Fellows have raised over $400 million, earned 67 major national awards and helped over 2 million families secure educational, economic, human rights, health and wellness opportunities.
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Benjamin along with the BMe team has trained the world’s leading authorities about asset-framing, storytelling, and narrative change. Some of these entities include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CBS Viacom, FOCUS Features, The Obama Administration, GM Financial, Comcast Universal, JP Morgan Chase, Deloitte, and Stanford Social Innovation Review. The central premise of asset-framing is to identify people by their contributions rather than their costs and then engage them in living out their aspirational identity for themselves and society.
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In 2016, Benjamin decided to practice what he preached and came out as a gay minister in TheRoot.com that generated national discussion. The TEDx speaker took his message of authenticity on the road and encourages his audiences to live their best authentic lives every day. Benjamin has more than 10 years of experience in social innovation, public relations, equity and inclusion and as an executive director. He advocates for a better America and fights for the rights and fair treatment of the black and LGBTQ communities.
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As an activist, founder, and social entrepreneur, Benjamin has been featured in a myriad of publications and platforms including, ABC, CBS, NBC, TBN, BBC London, Vogue Magazine, The Miami Herald, and The Huffington Post. His life changing impact has touched millions of lives and his pioneering work in community building earned him a Miami Fellows Fellowship with the Miami Foundation and AT&T Emerging Leaders Fellowship and recognition from the National LGBTQ Task Force. Benjamin resides in Los Angeles.
WHAT THE MEDIA IS SAYING ABOUT BENJAMIN CARLTON
