Frederick Bowers, 2024 Candidate Statement

Voting members of Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families & Friends have the opportunity to elect a president every two years. The president serves as both the executive of the organization and provides leadership to the board of directors in consultation with their vice presidents, collectively called the executive committee. While there was a special election earlier this year to fill the term of a president who resigned, the upcoming election is a regular election. The winner will serve from January 1, 2025, until December 31, 2026.

The filing deadline for candidates was October 11, 2024. Two candidates filed by this deadline, Frederick Bowers and Luis Alberto Rincón de la Cruz. These candidates were announced during the plenary session of the 2024 Affirmation International Conference on October 12.

This is the candidate statement submitted by Frederick Bowers. Frederick also nominated David Widdison and Dominick Morales to serve as senior vice president and vice president. View more information about this election.

For seven months, I have had the honor of serving as the elected president of Affirmation. During this period, I learned that Affirmation’s mission is simple and complex. I’ve also learned that the people of Affirmation and its allies appreciate and support the organization because it welcomes people across the spectrum of LGBTQ Mormon Life. Working with the Affirmation board and leadership group as Senior Vice President and Acting President has been a wonderful experience I will never forget.

I have also learned that the talents and dedication of Affirmation’s senior vice president, Joel McDonald, and Affirmation’s vice president, David Doyle, are immense. They have passionately supported Affirmation’s mission. They have done an excellent job supporting Affirmation during this period of change and growth. As we approach the election of a new president and executive committee, Joel and David will move on to other activities. I see their love and support for Affirmation daily, and neither I nor the Affirmation community will ever forget it. I feel tremendous gratitude and respect for them and their work, and I thank them for joining me on the journey of serving the people of Affirmation as part of the Executive Committee.

This March, the executive committee presented several key objectives we planned to pursue. The new executive committee will continue to pursue these objectives. We have listed them below, along with our progress for each.

The objectives are:

We plan to intensify our leadership training and mentoring efforts worldwide.

• Progress to Date: the Executive Committee and Board created the following initiatives to date:
  • Created committee charters, which will provide guidance and direction to our committees.
  • Revised the board selection process to focus on recruiting board talent to reflect the diversity of professional skills needed to help Affirmation thrive.
  • Created a board onboarding and training process emphasizing ensuring the board has a solid understanding of their responsibilities.

We will continue internal and external knowledge-sharing and training for international chapters to take advantage of NGO grants and other funding sources and continue to organize Affirmation in other countries.

• Progress to date:

• • Our Latin American chapters are interested in this process, and there has been movement and progress in this area
    • One chapter has completed this process, and
    • One has recently begun the process.

We plan to foster more interpersonal connections and communication in Affirmation, both online and in person, to battle a worldwide epidemic of loneliness. 

• Progress to date:
  • The Executive Committee has determined, based on a chapter and affinity group survey, that increased support, training, and development at the chapter and affinity group leader level will be critical to our work. We are working on plans to enhance the experience of our chapter and affinity group leaders.
  • Affirmation is an all-volunteer staffed organization, and we have created a volunteer website for Affirmation members to apply to assist others in helping us foster more interpersonal connections and communication. Our next step will be to create a volunteer onboarding and training process emphasizing ensuring volunteers have a solid understanding of their responsibilities and the mission of the Affirmation.
  • The Executive Committee plans to conduct a community survey to reassess the Affirmation community’s needs. This assessment should help us revamp our community communication needs.

We plan to identify potential organizations to partner with and include them in online activities, conferences, and in-person events.

• Progress to date:
  • We have worked with other LGBTQ Mormon communities, such as NorthStar and the Gather communities, to create a space where all LGBTQ Mormons can find a place to land when they need support. LGBTQ Mormons in crisis need a place to land and begin their journey toward being “Joyfully Authentic” in their own way.
  • We have partnered with several Utah—and nationally-based therapy groups and practitioners to assist us with emergency mental health needs. Thanks to them, we have helped several individuals with their care. A special thanks to Flourish Therapy for assisting us with the Circle of Support we convened after the LDS’s Church’s changes to the Handbook concerning transgender members of the Church.
  • We will re-establish relationships with fellow LGBTQ communities and organizations in the Intermountain West and nationally.

We plan to continue encouraging individuals to become Affirmation members by making financial contributions.

• Progress to date:
  • Last fall, we participated in Giving Tuesday as the kickoff to our end-of-year fundraising campaign.
  • The Executive Committee and Board thank our donors for their ongoing support during the campaign.
  • Affirmation will kick off another fundraising campaign later this fall. We are in the planning stages of this effort.

Now that you know about some of our many plans as an executive committee and how we’ve executed them so far, here’s my story and why I want to become your next Affirmation President.

Personal Background

• I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, where faith, education, the arts, and public service were important. I attended the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church during my youth.
• I live in Maryland, United States, with my husband, Ed, and dog, Duke.
• I joined the LDS Church in 1985 while stationed with the United States Air Force (USAF) in Fairbanks, AK. I also served as a Ward Chorister and Youth Sunday School Teacher while stationed in Washington, DC.
• Upon relocating to Washington, DC, in 1988, I came out as a gay man and began my involvement with Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families, and Friends International.

Educational Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree work in Music Composition and Mechanical Engineering: Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), TX
• Undergraduate degree work and awarding of Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from John Brown University, AR
• Master’s degree work and awarding of dual degree in Masters of Arts in Public Administration and Management, John Brown University, MO
• Certificate in Nonprofit Management, MindEdge Learning.

Nonprofit Leadership Experience

• See Affiliations and Memberships and Community Involvement for other examples.
• Affirmation: LGBTQ Mormons, Families, and Friends International – 1988 to present
  • Roles: Chapter Director, Washington, DC; Chapter-at-Large Director; Special Assistant to the Executive Committee on Strategic and Business Affairs; Assistant Vice President for Strategy and Development; 2012 International Conference Chairperson; Board of Directors from 2011-2017; Director, Affirmation’s People of the Global Majority (PGM)/Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
• Deloitte and KPMG Consulting: 2008 to present
  • Local office Co-Chair (Deloitte and KPMG); local office Senior Sponsor(KPMG); firm National Committee Member (Deloitte and KPMG).
  • Out and Equal’s Workplace Advocates People of Color Advisory Committee (Deloitte Representative)
• Founded Affirmation’s PGM/BIPOC and Affirmation Pioneers groups.

Professional Experience

• United States Air Force (USAF). Retirement after 21 years of service culminating at the rank of Master Sergeant.
• Federal program management, financial management, and Department of Defense (DoD) information technology acquisition practitioner
  • Deloitte Consulting, Special Master
  • KPMG Consulting, Senior Consultant

Awards and Recognitions

• 2012 Recipient of Affirmation’s Mortensen Leadership Award

Community Involvement

• I served the local Washington DC LGBTQ community from 2010-2016 through my board leadership and non-profit work with Brother Help Thyself (BHT) as the Grant Chair and Director for Defenders Washington.
• I served as President for Defenders Washington (associated with Dignity USA – LGBTQ Catholics).

Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

• Developed and gave presentations about LGBT Mormon People of Color, such as:
  • Riding Our Rainbows to Heaven: Experiences of LGBT Mormons in the Modern World – Sunstone,
  • Unity in Diversity – Affirmation, and
  • LGBT POC in White Institutional Faith Spaces – Creating Change 2018
• See Nonprofit Leadership Experience for other examples

Affiliations and Memberships

• I am a life member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national band fraternity, and a member of the Delta Psi Alumni Association. I served on the fraternity’s national Program Committee for two bienniums. I also served as President in my undergraduate years.

I am looking to continue to use the knowledge I’ve gained to make Affirmation a place where LGBTQIA LDS/Mormons find a refuge to land, heal, share, and be authentic.

I am grateful that David Widdison and Dominick Morales accepted my request to join me as Affirmation’s potential senior vice president and vice president in our campaign to become Affirmation’s next leaders.

David and Dominick have lived exciting lives, and it’s time to hear about their lives of service to Affirmation and other organizations.

David Widdison

David Widdison (he/him), nominee for Senior Vice President.

I grew up in Southeastern Idaho in a strong Mormon family.  I was very active in Scouting and the L.D.S. church.  I served a mission on the Navajo Indian Reservation.  I graduated from Ricks College and BYU.  I was married to my wife for 28 years and have a wonderful daughter, son and daughter-in-law, and will become a grandpa later this year.  I have spent my career working in positive youth development programs in non-profit organizations in Washington, Idaho and Utah.  I have worked closely with Executive Boards and Executive Committees for over 20 years.  I have served in the Fathers in Affirmation Leadership since 2020.  I also serve on a couple of State and National 4-H Access, Equity and Belonging committees and enjoy teaching and training youth and adults.   I married my husband Ken in 2023 after being together for four years.  We met at an Affirmation Father’s Conference.

I am humbled to have been asked to serve in the leadership in Affirmation.  I believe strongly in the organization and I look forward to working with Fredrick and Dominick and sharing my talents and abilities to help Affirmation grow.  I believe that Affirmation should be a place where everyone can feel a sense of belonging and purpose and healing.

Dominick Morales

Dominick Morales (he/him), nominee for Vice President.

I’m excited to have been asked to put my name forward as a candidate for Vice President of Affirmation. My journey to this point has been anything but conventional, and I believe that’s what makes me uniquely suited for this role. In 2023, I took a leap of faith and converted to the LDS Church. The warmth and acceptance I found in the community led me to quickly embrace a senior service mission. This experience opened my eyes to both the beauty and the challenges within our faith, especially for those of us in the LGBTQ+ community. My professional life has been dedicated to bringing people together and fostering understanding. From my early days as an undergraduate Phonathon Student Supervisor to my current role as a Development Assistant at a San Antonio based university, I’ve always been passionate about connecting individuals to causes they care about. But it’s not just about fundraising or development. It’s about creating spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. During my time working with vulnerable youth, I helped them build the skills they needed for independent living. This experience taught me the importance of compassion, patience, and the power of a supportive community – values that I see reflected in Affirmation’s mission. As a recent convert and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I bring a fresh perspective to the table. I understand the complexities of navigating faith and identity, and I’m committed to creating bridges of understanding and acceptance. If chosen as Vice President, I promise to:

1. Listen with an open heart to the diverse experiences within our community.
2. Use my skills in development and communication to amplify Affirmation’s voice.
3. Work tirelessly to create more inclusive spaces within the LDS community.
4. Bring innovative ideas to the table, drawing from my academic background in leadership studies.

I may be new to Affirmation, but I’m not new to the challenges and joys of being LGBTQ+ in a faith-based community. I’m excited about the possibility of serving you, learning from you, and growing with you. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to this wonderful organization and to support our vibrant, diverse community.

We seek to make Affirmation a place where not only LGBTQIA LDS/Mormons find a refuge to land, heal, share, and be authentic but can do so in a joyful and thriving way.

Frederick Bowers, Presidential Candidate

David Widdison, Senior Vice Presidential Candidate

Dominick Morales, Vice Presidential Candidate