Biography
Early Life
Pamela Ayo Yetunde was born in Indianapolis in 1961. She grew up in a lower-middle-class, mostly Black neighborhood. She was raised with one younger brother and two cousins nearby. Her early life was shaped by family and community ties. Tragically, Pamela’s father passed away when she was only eight years old. This loss deeply affected her childhood. Her upbringing was rooted in traditional values. This included attending the United Methodist Church every week. She vividly recalls being taught to recite the Lord’s Prayer. She was taught to follow moral guidelines. These included honesty and modesty. They also included “girl values” like being demure and reserved.
Pamela attended a local school in her early years. In the early 1970s, she was bussed to an all-white school for a year. This was part of an integration initiative. This brief experience exposed her to racial issues for the first time. She saw protests from white parents. She returned to her former school after a year. The memory of this racial tension stayed with her. During high school, Pamela was bussed again. This time, more Black students were enrolled. Police were present on campus to prevent riots. It was a tense environment. Pamela remained active in school. She excelled in tennis and became popular among her peers.
Religious Faith & Activism
Pamela Ayo Yetunde earned her law degree from Indiana University School of Law, Bloomington. It was after this that her journey into spiritual care and activism began. Her experiences as a Naturalization and Immigration Political Asylum officer shifted her focus. The passing of her cousin Roderick from AIDS also profoundly shifted her focus. Watching Roderick’s final months sparked Pamela’s interest in counseling and hospice care. She later came out to her family. Because of this, her family shunned her. This difficult experience brought her to Glide Memorial United Methodist Church. This was her first experience of an LGBT-affirming religious community. This solidified her connection to spiritual care and counseling.
Pamela sought deeper spiritual grounding. She pursued training at the Zen Hospice Project in San Francisco around 2002. She was new to Zen and Buddhism. She completed the year-long program. It introduced her to Buddhist teachings, particularly through the works of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She continued her Buddhist chaplaincy training at the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies. She completed her Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Alta Bates Summit Medical Center. These experiences laid the foundation for her career as a hospice chaplain.
Pamela’s work integrates diverse religious and spiritual practices. She earned an M.A. in Culture and Spirituality from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA. Then she earned a Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) in Pastoral Counseling from Columbia Theological Seminary. It is in Decatur, GA. She completed postdoctoral work at Harvard Divinity School. Her background in law, combined with her religious studies, shaped her approach to spiritual care and activism. Her work blends legal, ethical, and spiritual insights.
Pamela’s is a Community Dharma Leader, certified by Spirit Rock Meditation Center. This work highlights her leadership within the Buddhist community. Her interfaith approach is evident in her writings. There she explores themes of womanist theology, Buddhism, and Christian dialogue. In 2020, she co-founded the Center of the Heart. It is a wellness practice focused on offering spiritual and emotional healing through a variety of programs and services. Her work in pastoral care has been in private practice, hospital, and hospice settings. Through it she provides compassionate support for those in need, especially in marginalized communities.
Pamela is also a prolific writer and academic. She has written multiple books. She has written about Womanist Practical Theology. She has also written about African American women and finance, and Buddhist-Christian dialogue. Her research has been published in various journals. These include Casting Indra’s Nest: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community. She has also written for Buddhist Christian Dialogue. She has written for U.S. Law Womanist Theology for Transgender Spiritual Care. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Pastoral and Spiritual Care at United Theological Seminary. There she directs the Interreligious Chaplaincy program. She continues to inspire others through both her scholarship and her activism.
