• Age: 11 to 15
• Grade: 6 to 10

Growing up in an evangelical Christian household isn’t easy. For Joel Kelly it means isolation from his peers because his family’s faith calls for separation from the world. Worse yet is the door-to-door preaching on weekends when he hopes that none of his neighbours answer. As Joel begins to question his faith, religious doctrine intersects with family ties and brings everything he was ever taught further into question. Eventually the perceived unconditional love of his parents is ripped away from him when he’s disfellowshipped from his congregation. Disowned by his family, Joel struggles with depression and alcohol while finding his own path. On his journey he learns the true meaning of love and the powerful impact it has even in his darkest days. Twenty per cent of proceeds go toward Because I Am A Girl.

Joel Kelly is a writer and marketer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was born and raised in its once-sister city, Dartmouth. His upbringing, in a fundamentalist Christian sect, influences much of his writing and perspective. Cults, community and their intersection with culture figure heavily in his work. He currently works in advertising in a firm in downtown Halifax. He writes on his website JoelKelly.ca and co-hosts a podcast about marketing at NotaRealJob.com.

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