The Bishop S.F. Makalani-MaHee comes from a steel and concrete building in the heart of the projects in the
Bronx. She has moved up in the world: Her current home has wooden floors, and a garden patio! Yeah!
The Bishop has been combining West African percussion with spoken word poetry, old-school-down-home-
preachifying and a Certain Musical Theater Something since she was introduced to the djembe by Sophie B.
Hawkins in 1989. The Bishop is profoundly loud, severely pierced, gay in ways that Harvey Fierstein can barely
imagine. She is deeply committed to civil rights, and providing a spiritual home for herself and like-minded
people in a world that is increasingly distracted by the profane.
The Minister:
The eldest child of Evangelist/Minister Of Music; she was the Founder/Pastor of Redefined Faith Worship Center
(formerly Redefined Faith Unity Fellowship Church); the first place of worship for African-American Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender people, not only in the city of Atlanta, but in the Southeast as a whole making her the
youngest commissioned Pastor in Unity Fellowship Church history.
The Right Reverend Makalani-MaHee is Founding and Presiding prelate of the International Fellowship Of
Independent Churches (I.F.O.I.C), making her the first known openly lesbian consecrated Bishop with apostolic
succession. She has also served as the initial presiding Bishop with U.C.M (United Christian Ministries).
The Bishop was the Senior Minister for The Great Congregation I.F.O.I.C. a place for spiritual growth. It is the
first place of worship in the tradition of the Black Church for the lesbigaytrans; and other liberated thinkers in the
city of Miami and South Florida as a whole. She was the founder/spokesperson for concerned clergy; an
organization dedicated to the social-spiritual support of the lesbigaytran communities and their allies. She is the
Founder/C.E.O for Gay Black Pride South Florida and Publisher of the new International Publication Holla
Magazine (an SGL quarterly). She answered the call to the pulpit of New Hope First Community Church in
July 2009.
The Artist:
"The Bishop" has had a long and successful career in the arts starting off as a classically trained Actor, Dancer,
Singer in musical theater starring in such musicals as Grease (as Miss Lynch) and in productions for Ujamma
Black theater ("The Gospel Of The Harlem Renaissance, Sun People”, and "We Got To Fight Apartheid").
She continued her theatrical pursuits in Christian theater in the ensemble piece "In White America, Fort Evil,
"The Lord Will Make A Way" at N.Y.s The Lambs Theater, and Hazel Smith's "Time For Coming Out". She made
her award winning dramatic debut as Toni in Dale Benjamin Drakeford's "Mind And Body.
Her collaborative experiences as a Writer/Performer includes her tenure with S.T.A.R Theater (doing
H.I.V./A.I.D.S education), "Queer Justice" at W.O.W Café, and the critically acclaimed "A Lady And A Womyn"
with her former partner Dr. Shirlene Holmes.
She also had the pleasure as a Director to Direct such productions as; Souls On Fire" at S.A.M.E Theater
(Produced with Silverfingers Productions), "No Detours Ahead" (a solo drama on the life of Billie Holiday as a
quest director for G.S.U.), "Current Events" (Both company and solo-drama projects).
She has been educated in such intuitions as The Church, Julia Richmond-Talent Unlimited Performing Arts
High School, Ujamma Black Theater, and American Folk theater's Youth theater. She also has the distinction
of being the frist private studentt of award-winning stage actor Ella Joyce (of TVs "Roc").
She has taught Theater classes and courses as well as lectured for Ujamma Black Theater, Georgia State
University, Soapstone Center For The Performing Arts, and Agnes Scott Collage. In addition she has lectured
at Spelman and Morehouse colleges; as well as presenting at numerous conferences and social conscious
gatherings such as "Earthday" for which she performed with rocker and old friend Sophie B. Hawkins.
A contributing columnist her articles have appeared in National and local publications. As a musician and
spoken word artist, she also plays venues from churches to taverns.
Bronx. She has moved up in the world: Her current home has wooden floors, and a garden patio! Yeah!
The Bishop has been combining West African percussion with spoken word poetry, old-school-down-home-
preachifying and a Certain Musical Theater Something since she was introduced to the djembe by Sophie B.
Hawkins in 1989. The Bishop is profoundly loud, severely pierced, gay in ways that Harvey Fierstein can barely
imagine. She is deeply committed to civil rights, and providing a spiritual home for herself and like-minded
people in a world that is increasingly distracted by the profane.
The Minister:
The eldest child of Evangelist/Minister Of Music; she was the Founder/Pastor of Redefined Faith Worship Center
(formerly Redefined Faith Unity Fellowship Church); the first place of worship for African-American Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender people, not only in the city of Atlanta, but in the Southeast as a whole making her the
youngest commissioned Pastor in Unity Fellowship Church history.
The Right Reverend Makalani-MaHee is Founding and Presiding prelate of the International Fellowship Of
Independent Churches (I.F.O.I.C), making her the first known openly lesbian consecrated Bishop with apostolic
succession. She has also served as the initial presiding Bishop with U.C.M (United Christian Ministries).
The Bishop was the Senior Minister for The Great Congregation I.F.O.I.C. a place for spiritual growth. It is the
first place of worship in the tradition of the Black Church for the lesbigaytrans; and other liberated thinkers in the
city of Miami and South Florida as a whole. She was the founder/spokesperson for concerned clergy; an
organization dedicated to the social-spiritual support of the lesbigaytran communities and their allies. She is the
Founder/C.E.O for Gay Black Pride South Florida and Publisher of the new International Publication Holla
Magazine (an SGL quarterly). She answered the call to the pulpit of New Hope First Community Church in
July 2009.
The Artist:
"The Bishop" has had a long and successful career in the arts starting off as a classically trained Actor, Dancer,
Singer in musical theater starring in such musicals as Grease (as Miss Lynch) and in productions for Ujamma
Black theater ("The Gospel Of The Harlem Renaissance, Sun People”, and "We Got To Fight Apartheid").
She continued her theatrical pursuits in Christian theater in the ensemble piece "In White America, Fort Evil,
"The Lord Will Make A Way" at N.Y.s The Lambs Theater, and Hazel Smith's "Time For Coming Out". She made
her award winning dramatic debut as Toni in Dale Benjamin Drakeford's "Mind And Body.
Her collaborative experiences as a Writer/Performer includes her tenure with S.T.A.R Theater (doing
H.I.V./A.I.D.S education), "Queer Justice" at W.O.W Café, and the critically acclaimed "A Lady And A Womyn"
with her former partner Dr. Shirlene Holmes.
She also had the pleasure as a Director to Direct such productions as; Souls On Fire" at S.A.M.E Theater
(Produced with Silverfingers Productions), "No Detours Ahead" (a solo drama on the life of Billie Holiday as a
quest director for G.S.U.), "Current Events" (Both company and solo-drama projects).
She has been educated in such intuitions as The Church, Julia Richmond-Talent Unlimited Performing Arts
High School, Ujamma Black Theater, and American Folk theater's Youth theater. She also has the distinction
of being the frist private studentt of award-winning stage actor Ella Joyce (of TVs "Roc").
She has taught Theater classes and courses as well as lectured for Ujamma Black Theater, Georgia State
University, Soapstone Center For The Performing Arts, and Agnes Scott Collage. In addition she has lectured
at Spelman and Morehouse colleges; as well as presenting at numerous conferences and social conscious
gatherings such as "Earthday" for which she performed with rocker and old friend Sophie B. Hawkins.
A contributing columnist her articles have appeared in National and local publications. As a musician and
spoken word artist, she also plays venues from churches to taverns.
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