Bishop Rainey Cheeks

Bishop Kwabena Albert Rainier “Rainey” Cheeks, founder and long-time pastor of Inner Light Ministries in Washington, D.C., as well as a prominent AIDS activist, was born in 1952 to a D.C. government worker and an Amtrak employee. At the age of 14, Cheeks began training in Taekwondo under Korean-born instructor Ki Whang Kim at the 12th Street YMCA. As his training progressed, he was rated in the top ten in the U.S. and won a silver and bronze medal in the first world championships in Seoul, Korea in May, 1973. In 2002, he was inducted into the Taekwondo International Hall of Fame and received the rank of Grand Master 9th Degree. In a 2006 interview with TheBody, Cheeks said one of the highlights of his competitive career was winning at Madison Square Garden. “Winning Madison Square Garden and hearing 20,000 people screaming at me, that was exciting,” Cheeks said.

During these early years, Cheeks also came to understand that he was a gay man. In a 2008 interview with Metro Weekly, Cheeks credited his mother with giving him the confidence to live openly after he came out. “‘You’re my child, I love you. Don’t do anything crazy,'” Cheeks recalled her telling him. “Once I was cool with my mother, the rest of the world could jump.”

When his partner encouraged him to take a break from taekwondo training to visit a gay bar, Cheeks soon realized that Black LGBTQ persons typically faced discrimination at predominantly white clubs. So in 1975, Cheeks and some colleagues founded The Clubhouse in the Petworth neighborhood. This alcohol and drug free social club drew hundreds of persons 16 years and old every Saturday night from midnight to 8:00am for community and spiritual refuge, dancing and celebration. The ClubHouse became the community center for the Black LGBTQ community in D.C. until it closed in 1990 and was the birthplace of other programs and services, like Black Gay Pride.

In 1985, Cheeks tested positive for HIV/AIDS. This diagnosis only spurred him to more activism. Later that year he founded Us Helping Us, People Into Living, which became the primary organization providing HIV/AIDS education and services for the Black LGBTQ community in the D.C metro area.

Spirituality was an important part of Cheek’s life. He studied at the National Spiritual Science Center in D.C. under Rev. Diane Nagorka, Ph.D. He graduated and was ordained in 1982. In 1993, Archbishop Carl Bean of Unity Fellowship reached out to Cheeks to encourage him to start a congregation in D.C. Cheeks overcame his initial hesitancy and gathered ten founding members for the initial worship service of Inner Light Ministries on July 4, 1993. Inner Light Ministries embodied Cheeks’ belief that the Light of God lives in everyone and emphasizes that “that spiritual growth begins within, and that each believer carries divine Light waiting to be awakened, nurtured, and expressed.” He served as senior pastor of this congregation with an outreach to the Black LGBTQ community until his retirement in 2018. He remained as Pastor Emeritus after that. In 2017, the congregation affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

In 1999, Cheeks earned a Doctorate of Divinity from the St. Andrews Theological Seminary of London, England. He also became a priest in the African Traditions of Akan and Ga. As part of his healing ministry, he became a licensed massage therapist. Cheeks is also certified in grief and bereavement counseling, teaches meditation, world religion, and Qabalah, and is certified in Prana healing techniques and Chakra balancing. He became an internationally prominent proponent of holistic healing.

Cheeks was in great demand as a public speaker and preached in many congregations and conferences and addressed many community groups and special events over the years. Articles by him and about him have been published in countless news and information services in D.C., the larger U.S. and around the world. He has been honored with numerous community awards. His book, Reclaiming Your Divine Birthright, was published in 2011.

Bishop Rainey Cheeks died on August 11, 2026 from complications following a kidney transplant. He had also been battling cancer. Us Helping Us, People Into Living memorialized Cheeks: “His leadership, courage, compassion, and commitment to our community helped lay the foundation for the work we carry forward. While we grieve the loss of the man who started it all, we also celebrate the extraordinary legacy he leaves behind.” A tribute from Inner Light Ministries stated that: “Bishop Cheeks was more than a religious leader…Bishop Cheeks was a builder of bridges, a voice for the voiceless, and a constant reminder that service is one of the highest callings…Through both word and deed, Bishop Cheeks inspired others to stand for equity, care for one another, and work tirelessly for a better tomorrow.”

(This biographical statement written by Mark Bowman from the sources below.)

Biography Date: August 2026

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