Rev. Dr. Patricia Coleman Burns has been a dedicated member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church for over twenty years, investing her intellect, wisdom, and love to the community. She has served the community with her dedication to advocacy, social justice, working within the AME church, ushering programs for women’s ministry, cultural recognition and celebration, and the Beloved Community Initiative.

Rev. Dr. Patricia Coleman Burns is an esteemed Assistant Professor Emerita of Nursing and Black Studies at the University of Michigan. She has been a passionate advocate for combating gender oppression, sexism, racism, and violence. Her professional career has been focused on Black ideology, social justice, mitigating health disparities, and Women’s rights. She has served as the co-chairperson of the Violence against Women task force at U-M, as well as worked on several committees on diversity, multicultural and women’s issues. She also served on the executive board of Safehouse Center, which provides services for those impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault. She created the first women’s studies course in the Detroit Movement, focusing on Black Women in America, in 1974 and co-founded the Detroit Chapter of the National Black Feminist Organization in 1976. Rev. Dr. Coleman Burns served as the President and Vice-president of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Justice Center, Detroit, Michigan from 1991 until 1996.

Rev. Dr. Coleman Burns has served the AME church for years, serving under Rev. Dr. Robert Brumfield from 2002-2009 at Oak Grove AME in Detroit, as well as Rev. Dr. Joseph Cousin from 2009-2011 at Bethel AME in Ann Arbor. She was anointed at St. Matthew AME from 2011-2014 in Lansing, until going to Gregg Memorial AME in Detroit in 2015. She also coordinated the Sister Summit: God’s Daughter’s United Together to Pray for Change, in 2009 for the Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant. Rev. Dr. Coleman Burns, as well as the late Rev. John H Burns II, were a part of several mission trips, including to the kingdom of Lesotho, in Sub-Saharan Africa, in 2010; to Kigali, Gisenyi, and Mohoko, Rwanda in 2013; and to Hyderabad, India, in 2015. First AME church began in 2015, when Rev. John Burns II and Rev. Dr. Particia Coleman-Burns began ministering in Farmington Hills. 

Rev. Dr. Patricia Coleman Burns has two sons, Seve John Burns and Dr. Robert S Burns, as well as a daughter in law, Dr. Jade burns, three granddaughters, Taiya Lanea, Madison Marie, and Angela Nicole, and two grandsons, Robert Burns II, and Cade Burns. She is also a proud and active member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Rev. Dr. Coleman-Burns’ favorite biblical scripture is:  

“I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.”   Jeremiah 29:11