{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Mais Al-Nima on Queer Muslim identity","description":"Mais Al-Nima was born in Baghdad, Iraq and spent her childhood there. Then she lived in Syria and Kuwait before coming to the United States for school. She grew up as a practicing Muslim, but when she came out as queer, she put aside her faith. But she longed for that sense of community that religion provides and wanted to reconnect with her Arab culture. She co-founded a group for queer Muslims and queer people from the North Africa and the Middle East. Her goal is to help people of all faiths find community, wholeness, and contentedness as they tread through their queer and spiritual journeys. She is also working on the You Are Welcome Here interfaith meeting to be held in Denver this October 2018. In this episode, we talk about her spiritual journey and how she came to understand that Islam will always have a place in her life. To engage with Mais, contact her by email at mais.alnima@gmail.com Instagram: mais_nema To learn more about her organization promoting an inclusive Muslim \/ Mena group, check out Salam of Denver  Instagram: SalamofDenver Facebook: Salam of Denver You Are Welcome Here: http:\/\/Welcomeyawh.org Facebook and Instagram: youarewelcomehereyawh\/ ","author_name":"Be the Bridge: Connecting the LGBTQIA+ Community and People of Faith","author_url":"http:\/\/www.brianpeytonjoyner.com","html":"