Light of Pride: an individual or religious organization that is recognized for their persistent and sustained support of the San Diego LGBT Community and that are making significant contributions to the LGBT Community through their time, actions, talents and dedication.
Pastor, preacher, scholar, cultural critic, public theologian, social justice activist, husband and father are just a few words that describe the life, work and ministry of the Reverend Doctor J. Lee Hill, Jr., who believes in exploring ministry at the intersection of the spiritual and social, the secular and sacred.
Dr. Hill has been involved in ministry for more than fifteen years, and is a licensed and ordained Baptist minister with full standing in both the Alliance of Baptists and the United Church of Christ. He has served, for nearly 20 years, in a variety of ministerial capacities in Virginia, North Carolina, and New York City before moving to San Diego to serve as the Senior Pastor of the Christian Fellowship Congregational Church (United Church of Christ) in Emerald Hills.
In 2017, as Senior Pastor at the Christian Fellowship Congregational Church, Dr. Hill lead the efforts to have Christian Fellowship Congregational Church become an open, affirming, and accessible to all church, welcoming persons who are differently-abled, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender into full participation, leadership and ministry of our growing congregation.
Dr. Hill attended Florida A&M and received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Integrative Studies from George Mason. He earned the Master of Divinity degree with honors from Wake Forest, and the Doctor of Ministry from Emory University. Additionally, Dr. Hill has studied at the Howard University School of Divinity and the Princeton Theological Seminary.
Dr. Hill also leads the San Diego Interfaith Justice Coalition, a moral movement grounded in faith and social justice, committed to shared values to create a San Diego County where all people can achieve their full potential in an environment of harmony, safety, equality, and justice. He served as the Past President of the San Diego County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance and was the Past Co-President of the Interfaith Center for Worker Justice in San Diego.
Civically Dr. Hill is active in the San Diego community as a lifetime member of the NAACP and a Life-Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and serves as the Chaplain of the Zeta Sigma Lambda chapter of the fraternity, that sponsors San Diego’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade.
Dr. Hill is a native of the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is married to the former Christie N. Love of San Diego who in addition to being a wife and mother is the Deputy Director of Policy for the San Diego ACLU. Together Dr. and Mrs. Hill share their home and lives with their young sons.
Dr. Hill will be honored at the virtual Spirit of Stonewall Rally on Friday, July 17. Learn more about the rally, the other awardees, and the virtual event here.
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
