In a recent conversation, I interviewed author and theoactivist Tamice Spencer-Helms, who shared the story behind their groundbreaking work Faith Unleavened: The Wilderness Between Trayvon Martin and George Floyd. First published in 2023, Lake Drive Books is pleased to re-release it at booksellers everywhere, while we also prepare for their new book, Light These Roots on Fire, coming in June 2026.
Faith Unleavened began as a powerful essay written during the years following Trayvon Martin’s murder—a period of profound reckoning for Spencer-Helms and many others disillusioned by the silence of the church amid racial injustice. That essay grew into a searing exploration of faith, identity, and liberation.
Spencer-Helms describes Faith Unleavened as a story “after collapse”—a chronicle of what happens when the faith structures you’ve trusted crumble under the weight of reality. Through raw honesty, they recount their journey from anguish and disillusionment toward a new spiritual clarity rooted in Black womanist thought and queer liberation. Central to the book is the metaphor of “leaven”—the unseen, pervasive influence of whiteness and anti-Blackness within Christian spaces. Like yeast in dough, these forces shape beliefs and relationships invisibly, yet pervasively.
A key theme Spencer-Helms conveys is authenticity without shame—the courage to question, unlearn, and rebuild faith on one’s own terms. Tamice envisions a spirituality unbound by hierarchy or colonial frameworks, where liberation is collective and personal healing is sacred work. As they put it, Faith Unleavened invites readers to recognize what has been baked into our beliefs—and to imagine bread that gives life, not oppression.
What we often don’t realize is that those in the minority or on the margins of our society see our world far more clearly than those of us in the majority. So if you want a clear view of Christianity in the US, and if you want a story that shows you just how deeply we need to reckon with our religion in the US, you won’t want to miss this. Read an EXCERPT and order your copy today.
Additionally, as a bonus, be sure to visit the Faith Unleavened detail page on lakedrivebooks.com to explore other books that Tamice recommends, which were influential in the writing of this current book.
Gratefully,
David Morris, Publisher, Lake Drive Books
Tamice Spencer-Helms (they/she) is the founder of The Black Modern Mystic, a theo-activist, speaker, pastor, and scholar-practitioner based in Richmond, Virginia. With two master’s degrees in theology and leadership and a doctorate in Social Transformation, Tamice’s work merges spiritual practice, cultural critique, and liberative theology. They lead public speaking, workshops, retreats, and spiritual direction rooted in womanist thought, soulful leadership, and queer liberation. Tamice is also the author of Faith Unleavened, a manifesto for those reimagining the sacred on their own terms. Follow Tamice on their Subtack: tamicenamaespeaks.substack.com.
