Erin Beasley, co-author of “I’m Black, I’m Christian, I’m Methodist,” is an ordained elder in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. She currently serves as the pastor of The Vine United Methodist Church, a new hybrid church in the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference geared to offer spiritual guidance and pastoral care for United Methodists who have lost their church homes due to disaffiliations. Erin also serves as the chair of the Commission on Religion and Race for the Tennessee-Western Kentucky Conference. She has served various ministry settings in Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee for 12 years. Erin is a graduate of Millsaps College (2010) where she obtained a Bachelor of Accountancy degree, with a minor in Music. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology (2014) and received her Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in 2020. Racial segregation in the mainline church was her doctoral focus. Erin enjoys knitting and playing Animal Crossing in her spare time. She is the proud auntie of three nieces and one nephew.