We had the good fortune of connecting with Rev. Dr. Val Jackson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rev. Dr. Val, what principle do you value most?

The value/principle that matters most to me is liberation. Relative to my enslaved ancestors, I was born free. In addition, relative to my lgbtq ancestry, for the most part, I have the right to love whomever my heart loves. However, in my adult years, I have discovered over and over again that legal freedom alone is insufficient to experience the fullness of freedom. To fully experience or manifest freedom, we must also be liberated from the many bondages and oppressions that control our minds. From the moment, we entered this world, an indoctrination process was imposed upon us, and it is designed to prevent or diminish wholeness. It prevents us from living into the fullness of who we are as individuals and who we are, collectively, as human beings.

Tools such as white supremacy, patriarchy and misogyny, classism, toxic theology, language, etc under-gird this indoctrination process; and once we are indoctrinated, we perpetuate this insideous operation typically without realizing it. Therefore, since the age of 29, I have been on a conscious journey to liberate my mind from all that prevents me from unapologetically living into my power. Thus, as a result, much of my ministry or work is liberating and empowering others.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I am a visionary, prophetic faith and community leader; Womanist homiletician; author; and advocate for the sacred worth and potential of all human beings. I specialize in cross racial and cross cultural ministry and I am an ordained elder in full connection in the United Methodist Church, ordained in 2018 in Ogden, Utah.

I have a significant track record of breaking barriers as a “first.” Per the definition of preaching in the book, Purposes of Preaching, I am a disruptor. I disrupt sameness and status quos to educate and create or expand spaces for diversity, equality and justice. On July 1, 2022, I became the first woman lead pastor of the legendary Park Hill United Methodist Church in Denver. From January 2020 – June 2022, I was the first African American and Queer (LGBTQ) lead pastor of Cameron UMC in Denver and Congregational Resource Minister for the Mile High Metro District of the Mountain Sky Conference. of the United Methodist Church. From July 2016 – December 2019, I was the first Woman and African American senior pastor of University Park United Methodist Church in Denver. From September 2012 – June 2016, I was the first African American woman pastor of First United Methodist Church of Aurora. Finally, I was the first woman licensed to preach at the Beulah Grove Baptist Church in Augusta, GA.

I was born into the Black Baptist Church. My family has been Baptist for generations. So based on that, the historical and traditional theology of the Black Baptist church, pastoring was not supposed to be my vocation or career. That was reserved for men. Throughout my entire childhood, I never saw a woman preacher or pastor. Therefore, preaching or pastoring was not even a part of my consciousness. As a result, it took several years for me to comprehend my calling. In order to comprehend and respond to my calling as a preacher and pastor, I had to liberate my consciousness. This journey of liberation ultimately led to me leaving the Black Baptist Church and landing in United Methodism specializing in successful cross racial and cross cultural ministries.

I am very proud of my accomplishments as a compassionately prophetic faith leader, breaking oppressive barriers, mentoring and empowering the marginalized, preaching and leading to dismantle oppressive systems and structures in order to make space for justice and equality. I am proud of my ability to meet people in dominant cultures where they are, inspire and teach them to live into a higher potential of their humanity, to see and respect the humanity in all people. But it has not been easy. I have endured much harm. I have sacrificed a lot to be where I am. The cost was and is high to get here. Yet I have no regrets. Without doubt, I am living my purpose. I am a change agent, dismantling whiteness, patriarchy and heteronormativity, and transforming dominant cultures one person, one faith community at a time.

My education: BA – Tufts University, Medford, MA; Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Education – Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, GA; Doctor of Ministry – Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO.

“My souls work” (the language of the late Rev. Dr. Katie Cannon) is empowering persons and faith communities to get in touch with and live into the fullness of their humanity and unique identities through the disruption and dismantling of indoctrinations that overshadow individual and collective truths. For me, the greatest tragedy ever is to live our entire lives never knowing or acknowledging the power in who we are, and thereby never really showing up. I believe this adds a new and different dimension to suicide and homicide (murder). For more information about my thoughts regarding this premise, see the introduction of my doctoral work: A Critical Analysis of Preaching in the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.: The Social and Contextual Reality of Women. August 2014.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Pikes Peak and Vail

Dazzle Jazz and Dinner Club

A Dianne Reeves Concert
A Mary Louise Lee Concert
A play at the Denver Performing Center of the Arts or Aurora Fox Theatre

Visit organizations, hospitals, businesses led by Black Women

Blazing Chicken Soul Food Restaurant (owned by two Black Women, married for 25+ years)

Five Points – Historically Black but now gentrified community (Mimosas Restaurant, Welton Street Cafe, Blair-Caldwell Library, etc.)

The MLK Statute/City Park

Sweetz (Black owned; and the absolute best peach cobbler)

Park Meadows Mall or Castle Rock Outlet

Top Golf/Bowling

Taste of Colorado (if September)

Jazz Festival (if July)

and of course, the legendary, spirit-filled, justice-centered Park Hill United Methodist Church (where I am the lead pastor; and integrated and diverse since the 60s)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Shoutout to my daughter, the late Jacquelyn Noelle Bessellieu, who in just five weeks of life in the NICU, compelled me to go find my authentic life almost 34 years ago.

Shoutout to my mother, Deacon Lula L. Axson, who dared to set the example of voice and agency, demanding and commanding respect even when I, as a          child, did not understand or in the face of ridicule from family, peers or the public.

Shoutout to my partner, Dr. Andriette Jordan-Fields, who lives this journey of evolving liberation and freedom with me and in her own rite is a strong, resilient  Black woman, scholar, Womanist Ethicist, community leader and change agent, administrator and DEI expert.

Shoutout to ITC (Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, GA) who awakened me to realize that socially and theologically, I was oppressed based on my gender. In addition, ITC enlightened me to see the many ways I was indoctrinated to voluntarily participate in my own oppression and to perpetuate the oppression of other women. Also, Iliff School of Theology, who paradoxically creates the safe and brave space for me and so many others to align our lives with our truths and evolving values while still missing some significant marks with racial equality, equity and belonging for Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC).

Shoutout to practitioners and community leaders: Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Eleanor Roosevelt, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Bennie L. Williams, Shirley Chisolm, Angela Davis, Fannie Lou Hamer, MLK, Jr., Mandela, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfey, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Otis Moss III, the character of Celie in the play and movie, Color Purple, the character of Mackenzie Allen in tv show, Commander in Chief and the characters, Nanisca, Nawi and Izogie in the movie, Woman King.

Shout out to authors and scholars: I cannot name them all, but some are: Katie Geneva Cannon, Audre Lorde, Bell Hooks, Lucille Clifton, Alice Walker, Terry McMillan Delores Williams, Kelly Brown Douglas, Michelle E. Watkins, Melva Sampson, Teresa Fry Brown, Mitzi Smith, Phyllis Trible, James Cone, Miguel De La Torre, Cleophus J. LaRue, Maya Angelou, Evelyn Higgenbottham, Peter Gomes, Howard Thurman, Ralph Basui Watkins, Jacquelyn Grant, Renita Weems and Angela Sims.

Website: phumc.org

Instagram: @revdrjaxson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valerie.l.jackson.1

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.