Building Bridges of Love and Compassion between Diverse Communities through the Power of Inspirational Entertainment.

 


 

Rev. Yolanda is a trans femme gender queer interfaith minister, singer songwriter, and performance artist, who prefers the pronoun “she” and the name Yolanda however she is dressed. Born as Roger Mapes in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Rev. Yolanda was raised in the Methodist Church, then became born again evangelical Jesus Freak from 74-81 when she lived in a commune called Jesus Manor. Rev. Yolanda left the Christian faith when she fell in love with a man in 1981, and left the commune, went to college as a Theater major, moved to NYC and met a group of Pagan Queer Goddess based people called Radical Faeries in the 90s and moved into a commune with them in Vermont in 1993.

The combination of Goddess and God perspective in the Radical Faeries helped her understand her own Gender Queer reality and she began living as Yolanda. In 2001, Yolanda moved back to NYC, met her husband, and decided to go to One Spirit Interfaith Seminary to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a music minister. In 2011, Yolanda graduated from One Spirit as Rev. Yolanda, and began her music ministry called “Rev. Yolanda's Old Time Gospel Hour”, which is performed all over the country in clubs, churches, spiritual centers, and LGBT centers.

Rev. Yolanda's Old Time Gospel Hour is a two time MAC award winner , a GLBT Hall of Fame award winner, and a Blues Hall of Fame award winner.

He/she has been called

" Dolly Parton plus Louise Hay, with a heapin helpin of Mrs. Doubtfire"

Rev.Yolanda's performances are celebratory experiences

of worship, praise and gratitude for Life !

- See more at: https://www.yolanda.net/press-menu

Join the email list!

Rev. Yolanda's Good News

Spotify