Rev. Oby Ballinger is the founder and lead organizer for Prism. He’s done faith organizing for LGBTQ equality and other justice efforts for nearly twenty years, mostly alongside education and work as a local church pastor in the United Church of Christ (UCC). In 2008-2009 after graduating from Yale Divinity School, Oby worked full-time as a faith organizer for Love Makes a Family, educating and organizing in Connecticut faith communities for marriage equality and transgender inclusion. In 2012, while serving as a local church pastor, Oby also worked on the Minnesotans United for all Families campaign to organize UCC congregations across the state and defeat the marriage amendment. For the past twelve years, he has been a top leader with ISAIAH’s efforts to organize congregations and people of faith for racial, social, climate, and economic justice. After all the anti-queer rhetoric of the 2024 presidential campaign, Oby felt called to dedicate full-time energy to organizing for LGBTQ equality. Leaving his role as pastor of Morningside Hills United Church of Christ in Edina, Oby founded Prism in January 2025.

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