Irene Monroe

The Reverend Irene Monroe is an ordained minister, religion columnist, public theologian, and motivational speaker. As an African American feminist theologian, she speaks for a sector of society that is frequently invisible. Monroe is a Visiting Scholar in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at Boston University School of Theology and a former coordinator of the African American Roundtable of the Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies in Religion and Ministry (CLGS) at the Pacific School of Religion. She is a graduate of Wellesley College and Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and served as a pastor at an African American church before coming to Harvard Divinity School for her doctorate as a Ford Fellow.

Rev. Monroe writes for the Huffington Post and is a syndicated religion columnist whose work appears in 23 cities across the U.S., and in the U.K, Ireland, and Canada. She conducts a weekly Monday segment, "All Revved Up!" on WGBH (89.7 FM), which is also available as a podcast. Additionally, Monroe is a weekly Friday commentator on New England Channel NEWS (NECN). Her writings also feature in the Boston home LGBTQ newspaper "Baywindows" and the "Cambridge Chronicle". Her focus extends to how religious intolerance and fundamentalism can perpetuate various forms of oppression such as racism, sexism, classism, and anti-Semitism.

One of Rev. Monroe's outreach ministries includes her numerous queer religion columns. As a nationally renowned African American lesbian activist, scholar, and public theologian, her writings have appeared in The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, The Bay State Banner, and Metro News. Her award-winning essay, "Louis Farrakhan's Ministry of Misogyny and Homophobia," was greeted with critical acclaim. Monroe sat on the advisory boards of several national LGBTQ organizations and has been recognized by MSNBC as "10 Black women you should know." Her archived papers are housed at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College's research library on the history of women in America.

Rev. Monroe is available to speak and give trainings on a variety of topics, including but not limited to diversity training; anti-racism workshops; African American issues; alliance building; moral leadership in the 21st century; systemic racism, sexism, and heterosexism within institutions; and the complex connections between spirituality, sexuality, racism, sexism, and homophobia. Her engaging and thought-provoking presentations have been praised at institutions like Indiana University Southeast and Bentley University, fostering a participatory and multicultural community.