Speaker Series: Michelle Reed
November 18 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Join in Conversations about Immigration in Hampton Roads, Virginia Indian History & Contemporary Education and Being an Ally to Members of the LGBTQ Community
Grace Episcopal Church Yorktown continues its service to the community by offering a third year of its free speaker series this fall featuring three diverse and compelling presentations with community leaders who are experts in their fields. The speakers will explore three distinct and timely topics, starting with current immigration issues and their impact in the Hampton Roads area. Later speakers willdeepen our understanding of Virginia tribal history and considerhow truth-telling contributes to healing and reconciliation, and leada family–friendly discussion about how to bea better ally to the LGBTQ community.
Presentations will take place on Wednesdays, September 16, October 21, and November 18 in Grace Church’s Parish Hall, 111 Church Street, Yorktown, VA 23690. Admission is free and no reservations are required. Visit 
gracechurchyorktown.org for more details.
November 18, 6:30 p.m.: Michelle Reed – Director of Client Engagement, LGBT Life Center
Michelle Reed is the Director of Client Engagement at LGBT Life Center, where she has served in various roles for the past 20 years. She earned a BA in Psychology from North Carolina State University and an MA in Urban Affairs from Norfolk State University. Passionate about community engagement, wellness, and health equity, Ms. Reed is dedicated to advancing equitable healthcare access and creating spaces where individuals can live authentically and thrive.
Past Speakers:
September 16, 6:30 p.m.: Meghan McNamara – Community and Labor Organizer, Virginia Organizing
Meghan McNamara is a community and labor organizer who joined Virginia Organizing in January 2016 and became the Co-Director of Organizing in 2024. Prior to joining the organization, Meghan worked on various social justice campaigns in Washington, D.C., Richmond, Chicago, and Hampton Roads. They began their career as Richmond Canvass Director for MoveOn.org in the 2008 elections. They also have experience as a union organizer, and as Executive Director and Lead Organizer of a small nonprofit on the south side of Chicago. In 2013, they returned to school to receive their Masters in Social Policy at the University of Maryland. Meghan has traditionally focused on immigrant and minority rights and economic equality. They were the previous organizer for the Norfolk Chapter, Eastern Shore, and Portsmouth Chapters, and are the current organizer of the Williamsburg Chapter. They are a founding board member for Immigrant Rights Organizing Network, or IRON.
October 21, 10 a.m.: Kerry W. Canaday – Board & Staff Liaison, Virginia Tribal Education Consortium
Kerry W. Canaday is an enrolled citizen of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe of Virginia. He currently serves as Project Director for the Native American Career and Technical Education Program (NACTEP) and as Board and Staff Liaison for the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (VTEC). Kerry is a proud graduate of Bacone Jr. College, Muskogee, Oklahoma, and Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. He serves on the Board of the Tribal Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA) and the Board of the Pocahontas Reframed Film Festival.
About Grace Episcopal Church Yorktown
Grace is part of the Episcopal Church, a branch of the Jesus Movement. It is a community of over 400 members who seek to walk in the way of love, loving God and our neighbors and growing strong in faith and purpose. The church has colonial-era roots in the first Yorke Parish Anglican church of 1634 and the current location in historic Yorktown was established in 1697. It has survived wars, fires and the ravages of more than three centuries. The current Grace community acknowledges historic injustices committed both individually and institutionally. Looking hopefully into the future, we will strive to practice reconciliation and transform injustice in our communities and institutions.
Grace Church holds regular worship services, Wednesdays at Noon, and Sundays at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. A livestream of the 10:30 a.m. service is available at 
graceyorktown.online.church. Grace is located at 111 Church Street, Yorktown, Va., in the historic village of Yorktown and near the Colonial Parkway. For more information, call (757) 898-3261 or visit gracechurchyorktown.org.
