Rev. Dr. Sandra L. Barnes is an ordained minister, C.V. Starr Professor, and Chair of the Dept. of Sociology at Brown University. Her areas of research and teaching include sociology of religion; inequality, as it pertains to race, class, and gender; urban sociology; statistics; and African American studies. Dr. Barnes’ most recent book, From Jesus to J-Setting: Religious and Sexual Fluidity among Black Young People (University of Georgia Press 2023) chronicles the religious experiences of young Black people with diverse sexual identities. The book examines how the intersection of racial, sexual, gender, and religious identities influence self-expression and lifestyle modalities. Narratives illumine a continuum of decisions – from more traditional (i.e., Black Church participation) to non-traditional (i.e., dancing known as J-Setting and spirituality) – and the corresponding beliefs, values, and experiences that emerge under the ever-present specter of racism, homophobia, heterosexism, and for many, ageism. This mixed-methodological study considers the experiences of 236 young persons who describe efforts to negotiate racially- and sexually-charged spaces in search of security, stability, and safety.