Tyson-Lord Gray

Tyson-Lord J. Gray is a PhD student at Vanderbilt University in Ethics and Society with a minor in Law and Public Policy. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Trinity International University (2002), a Master of Divinity Degree in Practical Theology from Morehouse School of Religion and the Interdenominational Theological Center (2007) and a Masters of Sacred Theology in Philosophy, Theology and Ethics from Boston University School of Theology (2008). He also studied Buddhism at Harvard University (2007) and Pragmatism and Public Religion at Harvard Divinity School (2008).

A highly sought after lecturer, Tyson-Lord has presented over a dozen public lectures spanning four of the seven continents and is quickly becoming a leading voice in the environmental movement. His research interests are in the areas of global warming and climate change, the impacts of globalization and neo-liberalism on indigenous populations in developing countries, the exploitation of nature and natural resources and the role of religion/spirituality as a source of ecological awareness.

He is currently published in Holy Ground: A Gathering of Voices on Caring for Creation (2008), an anthology by Lyndsay Moseley and has several forthcoming publications, namely: Environmentalism Goes Blue: Examining Race, Religion and Globalization in the movie Avatar (2011), Beauty or Bane: Advancing an Aesthetic Appreciation of Wind Turbine Farms (2011), Eco-protest Music and the U.S. Environmental Movement (2012) and Reclaiming the ‘pagan’: an African Model of Environmental Awareness (2012).

In 2000, Tyson-Lord served as the first African American Student Chaplain of his undergraduate institution, Trinity International University, and established a university wide mentoring program with the local juvenile detention center. In 2002 he began teaching in the English department at Plantation High School where he developed and taught a course in African American Literature. During this time he also founded DWDC (the Dubois Wholistic Development Center) a 501(c) (3) organization aimed at educating and empowering the minority community in the areas of education, politics, economics and health. In 2005, desiring to return to school, Tyson-Lord moved to Atlanta to pursue his first master’s degree and subsequently, to Boston in 2007 where he completed his second master’s degree.

Today, in addition to working on a PhD, Tyson-Lord is the 2011 Visiting Professor of Ethics at Seoul Christian University in Seoul, Korea. He also taught Religion and the Environment at Emmanuel College in Boston (2010) and received an honorably discharged from the United States Navy (USN) in 2011 after serving six years as a Chaplain Candidate (CCPO). He is a former Finger Lakes Environmental Film Fellow (2009) and was recently honored with the Gradate Scholar Award by the International Conference on Climate Change (2011). Tyson-Lord’s home is in Harlem, New York where he is a consultant for West Harlem Environmental Action (WEACT) and attends the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church. In the words of his doctoral advisor Victor Anderson, “T.L. exhibits the best of what Josiah Royce would have called intellectual entrepreneurship.”

"2012 Events - Coming Soon"

2011 Events
Society of Christian Ethic Annual Meeting January 6th– 9th, 2011 \| New Orleans, LA
Independent Research: Beijing, China April 16th–24th, 2011 \| Beijing, China Buddhism in China
International Student Seminar - Seoul Christian University April 25th, 2011 \| Seoul, Korea The International Scholar in the Age of Global Ethics
University Lecture - Seoul Christian University May 16th, 2011 \| Seoul, Korea Human Responsibility and the Environment
8th Annual Meeting of the International Society for Environmental Ethics June 14th-17th, 2011 \| Nijmegen, The Netherlands Beauty or Bane: Advancing an Aesthetic Appreciation for Wind Farms
International Conf. on Sustainable Urban Transport and Environment June 28th-29th, 2011 \| Paris, France
Third International Conference on Climate Change July 21st-22nd, 2011 \| Rio De Janeiro, Brazil The Case of Palm Oil Plantations in Southeast Asia
The Caribbean: Aesthetics, Ecology, Politics September 23rd–25th, 2011 \| University of Warwick / Coventry, United Kingdom Dewey’s Aesthetics, Environmental Justice and the Responsibility of the Artist as Activist
American Academy of Religion & Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting November 19th–21st, 2011 \| San Francisco, CA

As global awareness concerning climate change, renewable energy, household toxins and sustainability continues to increase, there is a growing constituency of businesses, churches and organizations beginning to understand the importance of GOING GREEN. Greening one’s home or business is not only a socially conscious decision but it can also result in hundreds of dollars in savings on monthly utility bills and in household products/office supplies. Unfortunately, many organizations and individuals are unsure of how and where to begin.

Some common questions include:
•Is it expensive to GO GREEN?
•What are some immediate changes that I can make to save on my monthly energy bill?
•How do I find out if my household products are toxic?
•What type of paint should I use in the children’s bedroom?
•How do I incorporate green theology into my congregation?
•How can I green my business travel?
•Everything in stores today says “green”, how do I distinguish between products which are truly environmental?

As a consultant, Tyson-Lord Gray offers a wealth of research and education. He has organized showings of “An Inconvenient Truth,” and “Kilowatt Ours,” to various organizations and currently serves as a consultant to (WE ACT) West Harlem Environmental Action. Tyson-Lord has also presented a variety of lectures on energy conservation and participated in trainings on household toxins, carbon footprints and waste reduction.

Workshops/Services Include:
★ On-site assessment/consultation (includes itemized print-out of environmental findings/suggestions)
★ The Ethics of Going Green - Presentation
★ How to Green Your Home (energy/water conservation, water purity, toxic-free living, waste reduction/recycling, indoor air quality and energy efficient lighting)
★ How to Green Your Business (fiscally sound green practices, toxic-free workplace, sustainable travel options, energy/water conservation, waste reduction/recycling and energy efficient lighting)
★ How to Green Your Church (preaching/teaching creation care, green stewardship, toxic-free daycare, energy/water conservation, waste reduction/recycling)
★ Green Theology for your Ministerial Staff – Workshop