“I will never tell you what to think.

 I will always give you something to think about.”                                                                       

Rev. Freda LaNoix

Los Angeles, CA

I have been a constant supporter and advocate for my community. I have over 30 years of working in the Black queer community. I spent many of those years working in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, surrounded by death and dying and creating programs to empower and educate the Black queer community in Los Angeles, when no one else would. All the attention and funds went to white communities while ours was being devastated by this awful disease. This work intersected with my work in the ministry, and I eventually rose to the rank of Reverend Elder in a Black queer Christian based church. As a Pastor, however, I was struggling. The biblically based Christian ideology that I was offering to the congregation every Sunday was leaving me feeling increasingly unfulfilled, and ultimately like a hypocrite and imposter. In 2002, I resigned my ministerial position, freeing myself from what I describe as the restrictive “walls of religion” and the “hell of ministry.” A temporary relocation to Seattle, Washington followed, forcing a period of painful self-examination that ultimately led me back to Los Angeles to begin what I call a “spiritual movement.”

That led me to create Love@Work in 2007, a gathering that was equal parts group therapy session, metaphysical lecture, social get-together and new school revival, which, by design, was blurring the lines between race, religion, spirituality and sexuality. Although I no longer hold official gatherings, the connections and community created in those spaces are still holding strong and making a difference.

As for today, I am a Black queer artist still based in Los Angeles, CA. I specialize in abstract art that derives from life experience. My work embraces the intersection of love, spirituality, trauma, and healing. Although I never picked up or brush or worked with paint before the age of 64, painting has become a refuge for me. Now, at 68 years old, it’s become the primary way I commune with my community. My art is so full of the riches I’ve lived, the pain I’ve endured and the JOY I’ve experienced. My art is healing and holds space for others to heal. I am driven by the all-ness of love. My art has felt racism, it’s raw, yet beautiful. Life is beautifully beautiful in spite of it all and my art is a reminder to me and to others of that.

While some pieces tackle some complex topics, the intent is for my art to elicit reflection and create peace. There’s an energy in my work that’s rich and emotive. My hope is that people find delight in the work and form their own connections and interpretations.