Jé Hooper in Middle America: Anti-Racism Work at Ohio U

Our newest Ethical Culture Leader, Je Hooper, has done much work outside our congregational movement, such as in Athens, Ohio, during his PhD program. After conversations Ohio University’s Janai Lashon  and Wendy-Marie Martin  about Je’s campus work, I wanted to share with you some of what I learned.

-Hugh Taft-Morales

The first time Wendy-Marie Martin saw Jé, it was at a “meet & greet” for PhD students in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts at Ohio University. She was struck by how he stood out in an environment often dominated by traditional academics-types. She was intrigued by his unique style. He was garbed with a cape and covered by necklaces and bracelets. For Wendy-Marie it was a breath of fresh air.

Janai Lashon had a similar experience meeting Jé in the lobby of a campus theater. Having left her family’s Baptist congregation in search of a different kind of ministry outside traditional religion, she knew right away that Jé was anything but traditional – “Who the heck are you?” she thought. “I mean an openly queer clergy! I loved them.” Most people in the middle of rural Ohio might have dialed back their identity, but Jé’s proudly Afro-aesthetic impressed her. To Janai, that was a demonstration of faith she deeply respected.

She also appreciated the crucial support Jé offered her as she navigated a very racially-traumatized situation with an unsympathetic professor. Jé went with Janai as a support during conversations with this professor. Once, when the discussion triggered her trauma, Janai began shaking. Jé took a feather and gently brushed her leg, which calmed her and centered her. She was able to continue the discussion. Afterward, outside in the warmth of the sun, Jé helped her process and heal.  In further such difficult discussions, Jé did the same, or found another support person to accompany her. She is very thankful that Jé was such “a source of life, love, and practical support.” 

Janai witnessed Jé do the same interpersonal, relational work with others. She said they had “the heart of a giver” and could build “rapid fire trust” with people. Their ability to listen non-judgmentally, without emotive response, facilitated authentic storytelling by people who might otherwise be intimidated by Jé’s artistic persona. They didn’t come to dominate, but to facilitate. She saw Jé be true to the words he often shared: “I’m here to add to this space.”

Jé demonstrated their warmth, humility, and adaptability in the classroom. Janai shared the times when they met with resistance from many students in the primarily white student body. In working through issues of oppression and marginalization, students could become defensive. Janai was impressed that Jé remained his authentic self, paused, and brought in others to help the students better engage. Avoiding hierarchal power games, he sought creative ways to “help students come to the camera.” 

As his officemate, Wendy-Marie saw Jé do this work not just interpersonally, but in an institutional setting. After George Floyd was killed, with turmoil roiling through campus and the administration failing to respond appropriately, student-faculty teams were finally organized into a number of committees to seek constructive solutions. An Identity and Inclusion Taskflow Committee was created in the School of Theater Arts. Its goal was to redesign the traditionally white-male-centric curriculum to be more diverse and inclusive.  When Wendy-Marie found out that Jé stepped up to facilitate the “taskflow,” she said, “Put me on that committee too!”

In that institutional setting, Wendy-Marie was impressed by Jé’s deep engagement in equity and inclusion work in a predominantly white institution. He, along with a number of others, founded Vibrancy Theater, a student-run space for theater and the arts explicitly addressing the needs and voices of Black and Indigenous people.  Working with Faculty members Charles Smith and Brian Evans and others, Jé helped this new culturally diverse and vibrant home take root at Ohio University. 

Both in institutional and interpersonal ways, Jé’s approach to community ministry supported both the university and the people it served. Janai said that she feels that the richness that Jé gave her is something she can never repay.  She credits Jé for helping her follow this creative multicultural path of arts, advocacy and education. Wendy-Marie misses her officemate through the pandemic, particularly his ability to balance charisma with generosity.

The Ohio U. community benefited from Jé’s many gifts. As the Ohio U. website puts it, Jé brought “transdisciplinary approaches console and agitate communities in re-imagining and re-claiming narratives that honor the inherited worth and dignity within all people – a love-work that Jé is committed to!”  Personally, I’m glad Jé is committed to similar work in Ethical Culture. We will grow stronger thanks to his ability to console, agitate, and create.

Late Breaking: Congratulations to Je for just having been awarded the IARTS (interdisciplinary Arts) Dissertation Research Award from Ohio University!