Nobody Cries When We Die

When the screams of innocents dying engulf you, how do you hear God's voice? Will God and God's people call you to life when your breath is being strangled out of you? For people of color living each day surrounded by violence, for whom survival is not a given, vocational discernment is more than "finding your purpose" - it's a matter of life and death. Patrick Reyes shares his story of how the community around him - his grandmother, robed clergy, educators, friends, and neighbors - saved him from gang life, abuse, and the economic and racial oppression that threatened to kill him before he ever reached adulthood. A story balancing the tension between pain and healing, Nobody Cries When We Die takes you to the places that make American society flinch, redefines what you are called to do with your life, and gives you strength to save lives and lead in your own community.

Part of the FTE (Forum for Theological Exploration) Series

Dr. Patrick B. Reyes is a Latinx practical theologian, educator, administrator, and institutional strategist. He currently serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for Doctoral Initiatives at the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE).

Informed by his experience with gang-affiliated, marginalized Latinx farm-working communities, and administration in higher education and private industry, Patrick consults, speaks, and advises leaders on institutional capacity building for faith communities seeking to embody their vision of justice and peace. Informed by his home community of Salinas, California, Patrick has published research focusing on the intersection of religious practice, community capacity building, social action, and theological education.

Patrick holds a Doctorate from Claremont School of Theology, a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology, a Master of Arts from Claremont School of Theology, and a Bachelors of Arts from University of California, Sacramento.

Patrick directs FTE's Doctoral Initiatives, carrying the work forward of Dr. Charles Shelby Rooks (Revolution in Zion, 1990), Dr. Sharon Watson Fluker, and Matthew Wesley Williams. His portfolio includes oversight of the process and awarding of Fellowships for Doctoral students of African, Latino/a, Asian, and First Nations decent. Patrick directs the design and process of mentorship, student support, and professional development opportunities for FTE's Fellows. He also leads the development of strategic partnerships with organizational and institutional leaders who will advance the mission of supporting scholars of color. In his work with partners, Patrick convenes the Mentoring Consortium. This collaboration of executives from partner organizations who support scholars of color provides a platform to build and strengthen collaborative relationships, share knowledge and learning from partner organizational contexts, and collectively address many emerging trends and issues for our respective communities and theological education. This work is in service to FTE's mission to cultivate diverse young adults to be faithful, wise and courageous leaders for the church and academy.