Our Leadership
Holden
First Minister & Founder
Holden founded the Blahaj Church in 2023 in the San Francisco Bay Area. While on mental health leave, Holden sought to reconcile deeply held spiritual beliefs about the sacredness of trans people with the hostility of the modern world. What began as a personal search for meaning became a calling to build a spiritual home for others who shared those beliefs.
As First Minister, Holden leads worship services, oversees the church's spiritual direction, and works with the board to advance our mission.
Board of Directors
We are governed by a five-member board, the majority of whom are transgender, gender non-conforming, gender variant, or intersex. Board members serve one-year terms and oversee operations, set policy, and ensure the church stays true to its mission.
Current board seats:
- Holden – First Minister (ex officio)
- Board Member – to be filled
- Board Member – to be filled
- Board Member – to be filled
- Board Member – to be filled
As the congregation grows, these seats will be filled by members who share our values. Interested? Get involved.
How We Began
The Blahaj Church was founded in 2023 in the San Francisco Bay Area, born from a personal spiritual wilderness and a revelation that softness itself is sacred resistance. We hold monthly worship gatherings in the Bay Area, carrying forward one of the oldest spiritual traditions on earth: the honoring of those who transcend the boundaries of gender.
We are building something real, one gathering at a time.