
@aubreygemini
Just, entirely too much info if you want it.
I am a Storyteller and Artist at heart.
This is, like, all the stuff you take off your adult resume.
My journey began as a bossy 10-year-old writer in the DMV-- that's the immediate Dc, Maryland, Virginia area cluster that only includes select parts of each state, which we are very specific about for no logical reason.
Fast-forward to my teen years and I was an art student at St. John's College High School in Dc, making found-object sculptures and poetry. My time was divided between volleyball, swim instruction, and art until I graduated college.
In my 20s, I was a Communications student at Cheyney University of PA ( the first HBCU) -- which is incidentally where I met my husband).
Graduating 7th in my class of 200, I skipped off with a Bachelor of Arts, lots of honor cords, and awards. Re-collected my husband about 10 years later but as we say, "you, too, can find your boo at CU".
Anyway, after college, I worked as a live-in counselor at a really posh group home before going to graduate school. No seriously--it was a mini-mansion built by that extreme home makeover show... Digress.
I dabbled in anthropology, neuroscience research, and first amendment law at American University and the Newseum's Religious Freedom Institute, respectively.
I eventually graduated from Wesley Seminary with a Masters's of Theological Studies. My thesis was an ethnography on the God-brain and the religiosity of Black women. I can be found on file in Wesley's library and I pray it made a lot of sense. Ask me about it.
I spent my 3 years in seminary as an organizer-activist-minister at The Sanctuaries, Dc which was an interfaith non-profit for social justice, arts, and spirituality. This picture <-- is at a laid-back church type of event I led with my partners and was eventually filmed by CBS in a special called Faith, Spirituality, and the Future. I had to give up my spot to be interviewed in the special because of a time crunch and when it was finally over it was too late. I'm still super sad about that and its been at least 5 years. I should talk to someone about this...
Anywhoo-- now I am an itinerant minister in the Unitarian Universalist faith which is a big group of seekers that is united by commitment instead of doctrines.
I specifically am agnostic and practice Buddhism, while people surrounding me can be anything from Orthodox Jewish to Atheist. We celebrate everyone's faith together. I really dig this new online world because I am generally barefoot and eating something.
I consult across various disciplines most of the year
(check out my long-term client/company that I run Lumbricina.org) and do seasonal work as a recreation specialty instructor for the Parks & Rec Dept because pool is life.
I have three kiddos and one husband, which remains my favorite ministry.
Let me help you tell your story.




Amanda Swiger Photography



