DALLAS, TX – Faith in Texas, a federation of Faith in Action, announces that executive director Akilah Wallace will be stepping down from her role on October 31. Taking on her position as interim executive director is Dr. Jaime Kowlessar, senior pastor at Dallas City Temple.
“I’m extremely grateful to Faith in Texas leaders and supporters for their trust in my leadership, and the opportunity to contribute to a powerful grassroots movement that is focusing on uplifting the lives of those most vulnerable here in Texas,” said Wallace, who is taking on the role as VP of Development of the youth organization Big Thought. “I’m honored to pass the torch to such a respected expert in multi-faith prophetic resistance, and am confident that Faith in Texas will continue to grow and change lives.”
Among her accomplishments during the five years she was with Faith in Texas, Wallace led the the organization through key legislative fights and wins including gaining control of tens of millions of dollars in ARP funding, and diverting those funds to re-entry services and housing in Dallas County; helping to secure a Dallas County-wide eviction moratorium and Dallas City ordinance establishing a right-to-cure for Dallas tenants immediately following COVID-19 stay at home orders; launching the Luke 4:18 Bail Fund, which has resulted in being able to bail out over 75 individuals since being launched in 2020; and, most recently, launching The Road to Liberation Campaign last summer and engaging hundreds of community members in a Listening Campaign to set goals for Faith in Texas’s next chapter and hold elected officials accountable.
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead Faith in Texas for this period of time, and am confident that we can continue to guide the community, support our current and formerly incarcerated/detained siblings, and find ways to dismantle systems of racism and white supremacy and advance our goals on The Road to Liberation,” said Dr. Kowlessar. “I am grateful to Akilah for the path she has created, and will work with the board and staff to make this an easy transition.”
Dr. Kowlessar earned his doctorate from Union Theological Seminary in 2017, and has served as the senior pastor at Dallas City Temple for five years. He is the author of two books,“Don’t Leave the Neighbor Out of the Hood” and “Justice or Just Us; Sermons and Reflections on the Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness,” and will be stepping up from his role as a clergy leader with Faith in Texas to fill this position.
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Faith in Action is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. The nonpartisan organization works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 46 local and state federations. For more information, visit www.faithinaction.org.
Faith in Action is a 501c(3). Faith in Action and its affiliates are non-partisan and are not aligned explicitly or implicitly with any candidate or party. We do not endorse or support candidates for office.
