Joanna is a second year Master's of Divinity student and an awardee of the 2022 International Ministry Study Grant program.

Description of academic interests and field of study

My claimed tradition is queer spirituality with a yogic focus. I am interested in theological underpinnings at the intersections of spirituality/religiosity and politics, meaning the ways in which we relate to one another in a secular neoliberal capitalist context in the United States. I explore implications of race, gender, and class in the transmission of practices in this context, including the practice of yoga.

Description of fellowship

I will be considering questions of on-the-ground community spiritual care and belonging for the LGBTQ+ community in Poland, a country with a strong relationship to its Catholic Church. Poland is considered one of the least LGBTQ+ friendly countries in the European Union. I will anchor at an LGBTQ+ friendly hostel and community hub in Poznan, which is run by a national organization working to promote LGBTQ+ rights in the country.