Washington, D.C. — People For the American Way is pleased to announce that former President of the Alliance of Baptists Board of Directors and former Deputy Director and Chief Faith Officer for Faith in Action (formerly known as PICO National Network) Reverend Michael-Ray Mathews has joined our organization as a Senior Fellow.
For more than three decades, Rev. Mathews has been an inspirational voice in the movement to affirm diverse spiritual traditions and grow multi-faith solidarity as a catalyst for inclusive democracy and community. At People For, Rev. Mathews will be deeply involved in getting out the vote this fall as part of People For the American Way Foundation’s Defend the Black Vote campaign, and will work to strengthen People For’s faith-based networks and organizing efforts.
Rev. Mathews served with the Alliance of Baptists from 2018 through 2024 and was the first African American named to the position of board of directors’ president. During his 16 years at Faith in Action from 2008 to 2024, Rev. Mathews, who also served as director of clergy organizing and director of outreach and recruitment, designed and implemented a strategy to redefine the multi-faith narrative that clarifies the power of faith in the work of social change.
He is the co-creator and co-host of two podcasts, “Prophetic Resistance” and “The Four.” He is also co-editor of Trouble the Waters: A Christian Resource for the Work of Racial Justice. From 2000 to 2008, Rev. Mathews led Grace Baptist Church as senior pastor in San Jose, California, where he currently lives, and was also a visiting professor of public theology at Berkeley School of Theology in Berkeley, California, and an inaugural member of the Auburn Senior Fellows Program founded by Auburn Seminary.
“I am honored to continue the work of making justice and cultivating prophetic resistance as a Senior Fellow with People For the American Way,” said Rev. Mathews. “We live in an increasingly polarized world and faith has something to say about embracing human dignity and standing in solidarity with people of diverse spiritual traditions and political backgrounds. I’m excited to support People For’s multi-faith relationship building at the intersections of social justice and the sacred.”
“People For the American Way has decades-long traditions of working with faith leaders and congregations across the country,” said People For Vice of President of Campaigns and Programs Raquel Jones. “Communities are facing new levels of hateful rhetoric, and the support and partnership of faith leaders like Rev. Mathews is essential to fighting for equality and justice for everyone.”
“People For the American Way’s mission is to defend freedom, justice and democracy, and one way we do that is by collaborating across faith traditions,” said People For President Svante Myrick. “Rev. Mathews is a passionate and empathetic faith leader who understands what it takes to fulfill this mission with allies of all faiths, especially at a time when there is a rise in White Christian Nationalism and attacks from the religious right on the freedoms that are vital to all of us.”
About Us People For the American Way is a national progressive advocacy organization that inspires and mobilizes Americans to defend freedom, justice, and democracy from those who threaten to take them away. For more than four decades, we have been dedicated to making the promise of America real for everyone and have worked toward a vision of a vibrant America where basic rights and freedoms are upheld for all, not just the wealthy and the powerful. Learn more: http://www.peoplefor.org
