Nico Van Ostrand

Full name: Nico Van Ostrand (they/them)

Youth and Emerging Adult Ministry Staff

Lifespan Faith Engagement in Ministries and Faith Development

Nico Van Ostrand, long dark hair medium skin tone, smiles at the camera

Nico (they/them) learned how to be Unitarian Universalist by volunteering in religious education classrooms as a teenager, exploring our theology alongside elementary kids. They served as a religious educator at Birmingham Unitarian Church outside of Detroit, MI for two years and White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church outside of St. Paul, MN for twelve. Nico is now a seminarian with a focus on BIPOC-centered UU ministry, excited about multigenerational community, storytelling, and the creative ways people around the world are living Unitarian Universalism out loud.

Nico is deeply grounded in the Filipinx and UU communities of the Twin Cities (MN), regularly co-organizing or participating in community education and activism events. They find spiritual grounding in tai chi and early morning walks or weekend hikes with their partner. Nico loves writing, doing puzzles, and caring for their two snuggly old cats.