Black LGBT History Day 9: Elder Joseph W. Tolton
09 Feb 08 12:00 AM CST
NBJC Black History LGBT Profiles: Day 9
Elder Joseph W. Tolton
Elder Tolton enjoys a three-faceted career serving the gay and lesbian community as a voice for spiritual freedom, social justice and economic empowerment.
As a professional man of faith, Tolton is the founder and pastor of Rehoboth Temple Christ Conscious Church in Harlem. His affirming ministry seeks to empower all people with the transformative power of the Gospel and to nurture disciples of Christ in the Pentecostal Apostolic tradition.
As a public advocate, Tolton serves as director of the Revival Initiative, a spiritual forum established to advance gay and lesbian civil rights in the African diaspora. The Revival Initiative is endorsed by Gay Men of African Descent, the New York State Black Gay Network, Empire State Pride Agenda, and Soulforce.
As an entrepreneur, he is the managing director of Blur Advertising, a full-service brand development and marketing communications firm. Since its inception in 2001, Blur has been engaged by a long list of clients including the Fashion Institute of Technology, the Turks & Caicos Board of Tourism, Hewlett-Packard, the Episcopal Church, the Vera Institute of Justice, B&B Cognac Liqueur, the Cayman Islands, the Evans Food Group, Diageo USA, Culture Hair Products, Carver Federal Savings Bank, Tanqueray, and Harlem Lanes.
Elder Tolton received his BA in religion from Vassar College and MBA in management from Columbia Business School.
