I am Rev. Dr. Chynaah Maryoung-Cooke, a queer faith leader, educator, and equity advocate whose work centers on liberation, belonging, and transformative community. I serve as Library Associate for Circulation, Archives, and Outreach at Lancaster Theological Seminary, where I curate inclusive resources, support theological education, and create spaces where diverse voices are affirmed and engaged. My ministry is grounded in Ubuntu, an African philosophy expressed in the words, “I am because we are.” It shapes my commitment to collective healing and communal flourishing.
My doctoral dissertation at Pacific School of Religion, A Visionary Ubuntu Pedagogy, focuses on equitable access to education for first-generation college students of color. My academic journey was shaped by courses such as “Visions of Tomorrow: Howard Thurman, James Baldwin, Adrienne Marie Brown and Others” (HS-2550-1/SRC Prophetic Voice, Dr. Dorsey Blake); “Transformative Leadership” (FTRS 2973, Dr. Dorsey Blake); “DM6011: Harmonizing Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity: Exploring Ubuntu through Bob Marley’s One Love, One Heart Paradigm” (Dr. Jim Lawrence); and “Qualitative Research for Issues of DEI in College Admissions” (SU23 SRC, Dr. Jim Lawrence). I also learned a great deal during the DMin dissertation intensive with Dr. Blake, an experience that shaped my subsequent work.
As a member of the Alumnx Council, I remain actively engaged in the life of PSR and work to strengthen connections among alumnx across regions, identities, and vocations. PSR has shaped me profoundly, and I am committed to building bridges among alumnx, supporting current students, and contributing to the school’s continued impact.
I reflect the diversity of the PSR alumnx community through my lived experience as a Black queer woman, a first-generation scholar, and a leader whose ministry embodies intersectionality. My work centers people who have been historically marginalized and creates spaces of radical welcome and belonging.
My commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is both scholarly and embodied. Through my research, ministry, and leadership, I challenge systems of exclusion while cultivating spaces rooted in justice, care, and shared flourishing. I bring a collaborative spirit, a deep passion for equity, and a commitment to nurturing the vibrant, diverse community that defines PSR.
I am PSR—UNAFRAID—and I am fighting to help others reach the land of UNAFRAID!
