On and Off The Spectrum

I am the Pastor of God's Pueblo, an open bilingual (Eng, Span) and affirming congregational church of about 25 people in Boyle Heights. Our majority Latino, Hispanic, and Indigenous congregation is primarily non-neurotypical, navigating mental health challenges, or physically differently abled. True inclusion is our DNA; during worship, pacing, fidgets, noise-canceling headphones, dimmed lights, and drawing during sermons are entirely normalized. Outside the pulpit, I am a caregiver and family friend to twin adult brothers on the autism spectrum who are selectively mute. I also use puppetry during a section of our Sunday service called "Loving Matters,” where characters Doña Queja and Ms. Religiosa help our community process current news and real-world frustrations with radical empathy.