30 Days of Love Minister in Residence

A long-haul commitment to the work of collective liberation requires us to engage regularly in spiritual practice to feed our spirits. This year, we are thrilled to welcome Rev. Ali K.C. Bell as our 30 Days of Love Minister in Residence.

The Reverend Ali K.C. Bell

Rev. Ali K.C. Bell is a Black transmasculine genderqueer Unitarian Universalist Minister. His pronouns are he/they/Ali. Rev. Ali came out as a lesbian 32 years ago at 13 years old in the late 1980s/early 1990s. As many people who are living into the fullness of their truth, Rev. Ali has transitioned openly in the last four years to embrace the transman that he is while holding the queerness that he holds in all gender and sexuality.

Rev. Ali is currently a Chaplain Resident at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Grady Health Systems is one of the nation’s premiere public trauma centers and academic health care systems. He earned a Master of Divinity from Meadville Lombard Theological School and won The Charles Billings Prize in Preaching in 2021. Rev. Ali served as the Intern Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair and as a Senior Learning Fellow at the Church of the Larger Fellowship. He has been invited to preach at Unitarian Universalist Congregations across the United States. Rev. Ali serves as a chaplain for Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU).

Before he began his theological studies, Rev. Ali attended the University of Central Florida where he earned his Master of Social Work. He had an extensive career in social work, helping some of the most challenged and diversely in-need populations. His work ranged from individual and family clinical counseling to program and facility management and grant writing. He excelled in community outreach and the development of community relationships.

Rev. Ali has been a Unitarian Universalist for over twenty years. After moving to Delaware, First Unitarian Church of Wilmington became his home church. At First U, he found his voice to answer his call to ministry.

A foundational tenet of Rev. Ali’s faith is his belief that we are in covenant with each other to maintain interconnectedness and elevate humanity by working together towards our common betterment.

Rev. Ali has returned to his childhood home of Atlanta and enjoys the connection that he has with his family. He shares his daily life with a partner Lori, two children, and two dogs. Rev. Ali K.C. Bell is a member of the Church of the Larger Fellowship Unitarian Universalist, and he and his partner have made Abundant LUUv, an emerging UU congregation in the West End of Atlanta, their church home.