Crystal Cheatham
Biography
Crystal Cheatham grew up in Cochranville, Pennsylvania, in a Seventh-day Adventist environment and developed an early connection to music and church life. She later became a singer-songwriter and creative writer, graduating from Andrews University in 2009 with an English degree before earning an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles. Her experience of coming out as a lesbian within a conservative religious environment became an important influence on her subsequent work.
Beginning in the early 2010s, Cheatham combined writing with LGBTQ+ activism, working with organizations including Soulforce and The Attic Youth Center. She developed the IDentity Kit Project, which provided educational resources addressing gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and spirituality in religious environments. She also served as an editor on On The Couch With Dr. Angello: A Guide to Raising and Supporting Transgender Youth, published in 2013.
Cheatham expanded this work through Our Bible App, which officially launched in 2016 as a digital resource and community platform for people seeking alternatives to exclusionary Christian media. She later hosted Lord Have Mercy and co-edited The Deconstructionists Playbook and Queer Hands of God. She was included in ESSENCE's 2018 Woke 100 and the 2021 GMA Inspiration List. Her current professional record includes serving as Director of Communications at The Festival Center, while Our Bible identifies her as Founder and CEO.
BQW Impact
Cheatham's work is significant to Black queer communities because she has addressed the intersection of Black identity, lesbian identity, and Christian faith through advocacy and community infrastructure. She has publicly described herself as Black and lesbian and connected those identities directly to her motivation for creating resources that reflected people whose experiences were often absent from traditional Christian media.
Through the IDentity Kit, Our Bible App, and her publishing work, Cheatham has created resources and platforms centered on LGBTQ+ experiences within progressive faith communities. Her documented activism with organizations including Soulforce, the Human Rights Campaign, and Equality Pennsylvania further connects her work to LGBTQ+ inclusion, religious liberty, and efforts to create more affirming religious spaces.
Notable Works
The IDentity Kit: For Queer Christian Youth (2012)
A resource addressing gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and spirituality for LGBTQ+ young people.
On The Couch With Dr. Angello: A Guide to Raising and Supporting Transgender Youth (2013)
A guide by Dr. Michele Angello addressing support for transgender youth, with Cheatham credited as editor.
Best Piece of Me (2014)
An album documenting Cheatham's work as a singer-songwriter and an earlier stage of her creative career.
Our Bible App (2016)
A digital faith and community platform founded by Cheatham to provide affirming biblical, devotional, media, and community resources for people marginalized within traditional Christian spaces.
The Deconstructionists Playbook (2021)
An anthology co-edited by Cheatham and Theresa Ta that brings together devotional writing exploring faith deconstruction, reconstruction, social justice, and liberation.
Queer Hands of God (2021)
An anthology co-edited by Cheatham and Adam Evers featuring stories from LGBTQ+ people about faith, community, care, and belonging.
Learn More
Cheatham's official biography provides an overview of her activism, entrepreneurship, writing, podcasting, and major projects.
The official site provides information about the platform Cheatham founded and its approach to progressive Christian community and resources.
The organization's staff profile documents Cheatham's professional role and provides additional biographical context.
The profile provides background on Cheatham's upbringing, Philadelphia work, coming-out experience, and development of Our Bible App.