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Executive Members:

  • 1 Internal Chair: Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley
  • 2 President: Reverend A.R. Bernard (Christian Cultural Center - New School of Biblical Theology)
  • 3 Jennifer Jones Austin (CEO Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies)
  • 4 Rabbi Deborah Bravo. (Founder, Rabbi Makom NY)
  • 5 Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum. (Senior Rabbi Congregation Beit Simchat Torah)
  • 6 Maury Litwack. (Managing Director Orthodox Union)
  • 7 Monsignor Kevin Sullivan (Executive Director Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese. of New York)
  • 8 Pastor Darius Pridgen (Senior Servant True Bethel Baptist Church)
  • 9 Reverend Dr. Kia Chalice Brooks Assistant Professor of Professional Practice Director, Bachelor of Arts in Community Youth Development Nazareth University
  • 10 Reverend Dr. Franklyn Richardson (Senior Pastor Grace Baptist Church Mount Vernon , New York)
  • 11 Bishop Frank White (Zion Cathedral COGIC)
  • 12 Reverend John Carter. (Abundant Life Christian Church)
  • 13 Imam Mansoor Rafiq Umar (CEO & President Halal Watch World, President of Muslim Community of Bethlehem)
  • 14 Bishop Raymond Rivera (President/Founder of the Latino Pastoral Action Center, and the Council of Holistic Christian Churches and Ministries)
  • 15 Reverend Dr. Malcolm J. Byrd
  • 16 Pastor Carl Washington, Jr. (Dr Carl L Washington Jr. Pastor New Mount Zion BC, Harlem New York Dean National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, NBC USA INC)
  • 17 Reverend Dr. Johnnie Green (Senior Pastor of Mount Neboh BC - Harlem President of MPAC-NYC)
  • 18 Guruji H.H. Dileepkumar Thankappan (Global Chairman, CEO and Guru of the World Yoga Community Main NGO Representative of WYC to the United Nations ECOSOC & DGC)
  • 19 Carolynn Barbara Sozen (Board President of R.A.H.A.M.A.- Resources and Help Against Marital Abuse, and Executive Board Member of ISNF- Islamic Society of Northern Frontier)
  • 20 Reverend Doyeon Park
(Deputy Director, Won Buddhism UN/Interfaith
President, Buddhist Council of New York)

Now that the Office of Faith & Nonprofit Development Services has been successfully established, with Reverend Caura Richardson at the helm as Director, we turn our attention to the work of the Interfaith Council.

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Vision, Mission, Purpose

Vision Statement

A New York where people of every faith and worldview engage one another with courage, compassion, and curiosity, transforming difference into dialogue, and dialogue into collective action for the common good.

We envision a state where faith communities lead by example: creating safe spaces for honest conversation, building personal relationships that transcend prejudice, empowering the next generation, and using every available platform, from sanctuaries to social media, to model what it means to “do faith together” in the service of peace, justice, and human dignity.

Mission Statement

To unite faith leaders and communities across New York State in building relationships, advancing understanding, and serving together for the good of all.

Purpose Statement

The New York State Interfaith Council exists to:

1. Create Safe Spaces for Dialogue and Debate – Hosting forums, roundtables, and online platforms where differences can be explored respectfully and constructively.

2. Focus on Shared Values – Highlighting the moral and ethical principles that unite our diverse faith traditions — compassion, justice, peace, and service.

3. Build Personal Relationships – Encouraging trust, friendship, and collaboration among clergy, lay leaders, and community members across religious and cultural lines.

4. Educate and Inform through Technology – Using digital media, podcasts, and social platforms to promote accurate understanding, amplify voices of goodwill, and counter misinformation.

5. Engage in Joint Service Projects – “Doing faith together” through community service initiatives addressing hunger, housing, environmental stewardship, and crisis response.

6. Empower Youth Involvement – Equipping young leaders to bridge divides, use technology for interfaith engagement, and carry forward the legacy of peacebuilding.

7. Use Our Collective Voice to Confront Hate – Speaking with unity and conviction against antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and all forms of prejudice, while modeling collaboration as a public witness

Support for State Grant Opportunities

The Governor has committed over $1 million for technical support and services to assist our houses of worship and non-profit organizations in obtaining state grants. With the collaboration of the Interfaith Council and Faith Office, we will work together to identify grant opportunities, connect state agencies to communities in need and provide the technical support for those new and old to the RFP and grant process. The State provides an array of grants in areas including but not limited to affordable housing and development, responding to bias and prevention of hate crimes, access to quality health and mental care, tackling maternal and infant mortality, agriculture and public safety.