Dr. Maricela M. Luján Maffey works with the County of Orange Health Care Agency, California Children’s Services, a program for children with Special Healthcare needs such as Cerebral Palsy, Prematurity, Congenital Heart Disease. She holds an MD (1990) from the University of California Irvine School of Medicine, where she also completed her residency in 1993. A member of the American Board of Pediatrics, with a CA State Medical License since 1991, Dr. Luján Maffey has served as a pediatrician in Santa Ana, California and has been in practice for more than 30 years. Her specialties are in Pediatrics; she was trained to meet the unique needs of infants, children, and adolescents through all of their developmental stages. Dr. Luján Maffey grew up in Orange County, CA and attended Apostolic Assembly, a predominantly Latinx Pentecostal denomination in Santa Ana, CA.

Prof. Dr. Lenny Lopez is Chief of Hospital Medicine and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco. He is also Senior Faculty at the Disparities Solutions Center, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. López is an internist trained at the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), who completed the Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Minority Health Policy at the Harvard School of Public Health and a Hospital Medicine fellowship at BWH. Dr. López joined the Mongan Institute for Health Policy (MIHP) in 2008 after his research fellowship in General Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School until 2015. With an ultimate goal of reducing healthcare disparities in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, his current research addresses issues relating to patient safety and language barriers, optimizing primary care clinical services for Latinos with cultural and linguistic barriers, and using health information technology to decrease disparities. A second line of research is investigating the epidemiology of acculturation among Latinos in the US and its impact on the prevalence and development of cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes. This research will help inform how to better design clinical interventions for improving chronic disease management among Latinos. Finally, Dr. López also teaches medical students and residents, with lectures and preceptorships. Dr. López received his BA in Religious Studies (1994) and MD (2001) degrees from University of Pennsylvania, and completed his residency at Harvard Medical School, BWH (2004). He received MDiv (1999) and MPH (2005) degrees from Harvard University. With an ultimate goal of reducing healthcare disparities in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, Dr. Lopez's research addresses issues relating to patient safety and language barriers, optimizing primary care clinical services for Latinos with cultural and linguistic barriers, and using health information technology to decrease disparities. A second line of research is investigating the epidemiology of acculturation among Latinos in the US and its impact on the prevalence and development of cardiovascular disease and Type II diabetes. This research will help inform how to better design clinical interventions for improving chronic disease management among Latinos. Dr. Lopez's work is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIDDK) and the Harold Amos Faculty Development Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Past funders have included the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Aetna Foundation and the McKesson Foundation. Currently, Dr. Lopez serves as the Chief of Hospital Medicine at the UCSF - San Francisco VA Medical Center. In addition, he is a faculty member in the following research translational centers: The UCSF Center for the Study of Adversity and Cardiovascular Diseases (NURTURE Center) and the Kidney Health Research Collaborative. Dr. Lopez has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Heart Association and as a Senior Fellow of the Society of Hospital Medicine.

Alicia Sosa-Provencio is an artist born and raised in New Mexico. As a graduate of The University of New Mexico, she is a former primary grade and art educator, though currently the stay-at-home parent of her 3 young boys. She is a passionate believer in the power of arts’ healing abilities and an advocate for neutralizing color across gender expectations. She is known for her use of bright colors in playful abstracts and cultural connections to her native New Mexico roots. She also has a unique series of Breastfeeding Virgen De Guadalupe paintings portraying Our Lady cradling and feeding the infant Jesus at the breast. She currently sells her original acrylic paintings, print reproductions and greeting cards in her online Etsy Shop.

Felipe Emmanuel Agredano serves on the Academic Senate at East Los Angeles College, where he is faculty in Chicana/o Studies, Noncredit and Social Sciences Departments, and has lectured in the history of religion, political science, Chicana/o studies, LGBTQA+ courses and United States Citizenship. He holds a Master’s degree from Harvard University, dual Bachelor’s degrees from UC Berkeley in political science and ethnic studies, and is most proud of his Associates of Arts degree from East Los Angeles College. He often contributes to global stories on religion and politics for The Harvard Crimson, ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America, KCAL, including national networks like La Opinión, NBC/Telemundo, PBS, and Univision. A third-generation Apostolic Pentecostal, Agredano grew up and was formed in the Apostolic Church, where his family congregated at Templo Emmanuel, pastored by Bishop Rev. Benjamin Cantú in Highland Park, CA. When he was age 11, the Agredano family moved to Huntington Park and congregated at the Apostolic Church pastored by Rev. Hilario Gámez. There, Agredano directed the local children and youth choirs up until and during his attendance at East Los Angeles College. Later, as a transfer student at UC Berkeley, he was a member of the Union City Apostolic Church, pastored by Rev. Adam López, Jr. Agredano, and participated in the initial three productions of NorCal Mass Choir live-recordings, as well as the award-winning production team of “Nuestro Canto,” a history of the Apostolic Church in song. Agredano also attended the Apostolic Church of Oakland under Rev. Art Oceguera, directing the youth, church, and the ladies’ “Dorcas" choirs. Agredano attended Harvard Divinity School, where his advisor and greatest mentor was Rev. Dr. Cornel West. Agredano also joined the Harvard University Kuumba Singers and frequented various Apostolic congregations in the Boston area, such as the United Pentecostal Church (UPCI), Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW), and eventually congregated at Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After coming out, and coming back to California, Agredano founded an online community congregation of LGBTQ+ Apostolics/Pentecostals and attended Founders Metropolitan Community Church Los Angeles (MCC-LA), where he served on the Pentecostal praise team. In Los Angeles, he served on the Azusa Street Centennial Committee. In 2020, he founded Apostolics Pentecostals for President Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, creating a global platform for discussion of church, race, and politics. Agredano has presented at the Society for Pentecostal Studies and at the National Association for Chicana/Chicano Studies.

Dina Cervantes is Chief of Staff for Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, California State Legislature. Cervantes is the daughter of once Mexican-immigrant parents who worked the fields of Fresno, CA and came to the U.S. in pursuit of the American Dream. She was born in and attended El Buen Pastor, aka Culver City Apostolic Church, under Pastors Rev. Manuel Rangel and Felipe Rivas; there, she served the Youth Ministries as Sunday-school teacher and was a member of the City of Angels (COA) LA District Choir for many years. Having once been labeled an “at-risk” youth, Cervantes turned anger into activism, finding more value as an active participant in the political process and being part of the solution. She learned organizing in the church, and later found her way and voice by organizing students in California’s community colleges to fight for access, quality, and affordability in the state’s higher-education systems. An active Democrat, Cervantes chaired the 2014 CA Young Democrats Convention, the 2015 Young Democrats of America Convention, and most recently ran as a Democratic candidate for California State Assembly. In 2020, she served as an administrator of Apostolics Pentecostals for President Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, a national platform for discussion. Cervantes lives in Sacramento, CA. She is a proud of graduate of Santa Monica College and of California State University, Northridge.

Dr. Andrea Johnson is an Associate Professor of History at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She received her doctorate in History from the University of Missouri. Dr. Johnson is currently completing a book that compares the strategies and imagery used by Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with those of César Chávez and the farm labor movement. Her other research interests include the history of Pentecostalism, and she is currently co-editing a collection of essays on the multi-ethnic history of oneness Pentecostals in North America.

Rev. Evang Freda Morrison has occupied various roles at her local church, Pentecostal Faith Assembly Church (Philadelphia, PA), and at the Pentecostal Assemblies of World, Inc. (PAW), where she recently broke the “glass ceiling” as the first female President of the International Pentecostal Young People’s Union in its 85+ year history. Described as Anointed, Innovative, Gifted and Talented, she has a fresh approach to ministry that crosses denominational, cultural, and socioeconomic lines. Rev. Evang Morrison has made a lasting impact in youth ministry on the local, state, and international levels for close to 20 years. As a licensed Evangelist with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World Inc., she has travelled across the world, evangelizing and preaching the gospel in various countries, including Canada and Mexico, and throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America. She is an administrator for Apostolics Pentecostals for President Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris, a national platform for discussion. Also a gifted song writer and entrepreneur, Rev. Evang Morriso resides in Philadelphia with her husband, Derrick Morrison. Together, they enjoy serving the people of God through ministry and music.

Alexandra Zareth is a child of God, Board-Certified Chaplain, and the Associate for Leadership Development & Recruitment for Leaders of Color for the Presbyterian Mission Agency PC(USA). Previously, Alexandra served in PC(USA) as Field Staff for Racial Ethnic Young Women, as a trauma chaplain for Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, PA, and directed National Programs for Hispanic Clergy with Esperanza, Inc. These positions have all enabled her to partner with leaders all over the country to create and implement leadership institutes and experiential learning opportunities for clergy and lay leaders who have served diverse communities. Alexandra has worked with local community entities to co-found relevant programs and non-profits in multiple communities that serve to address emerging needs. Having also served in the violence prevention/intervention field for 17 years, she is committed to empowerment, education, leadership development, and healthy living. An alumna of Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton (M. Div) and St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX (BA in Psychology), Alexandra is finishing her PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy at Eastern University.

Born and raised in Brownsville, Texas, Dr. Felipe Hinojosa is the John and Nancy Jackson Endowed Chair in Latin America & Professor of History at Baylor University. Dr. Hinojosa was formerly on faculty at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where he also served as Director for the university's Carlos H. Cantu Hispanic Education & Opportunity Endowment. His research areas include Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, American Religion, Race and Ethnicity, and Social Movements. He co-edited Faith & Power: Latino Religious Politics Since 1945 (New York University Press, 2022) with Sergio M. González and Maggie Elmore. His recent book, Apostles of Change: Latino Radical Politics, Church Occupations, and the Fight to Save the Barrio (University of Texas Press, 2021) is set in four major cities (Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Houston), where, in 1969 and 1970, Latino radical activists clashed with religious leaders as they occupied churches to protest urban renewal, poverty, police brutality, and racism. Latino Mennonites: Civil Rights, Faith, and Evangelical Culture (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014) received the 2015 Américo Paredes Book Award for the best book in Mexican American and Latina/o Studies by the Center for Mexican American Studies at South Texas College. His work has appeared in Zócalo Public Square, Western Historical Quarterly, American Catholic Studies, Mennonite Quarterly Review, and Latina/o Studies collections. Dr. Hinojosa holds a PhD in History from the University of Houston, an MA in History from the University of Texas Pan American, and BA in English from Fresno Pacific University. He serves on the Advisory Board for the interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed, and online moderated forum Latinx Talk.

Dr. João Chaves is Assistant Professor of Evangelism and Mission at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary and Associate Director for Programming at the Hispanic Theological Initiative (HTI). He holds a PhD in Religion from Baylor University, and has presented and published his research broadly, both in English and in Portuguese. Dr. Chaves is the author of four books, including Migrational Religion: Context and Creativity in the Latinx Diaspora (Baylor University Press, 2021) and The Global Mission of the Jim Crow South: Southern Baptist Missions and the Shaping of Latin American Evangelicalism (Mercer University Press, 2022). His forthcoming book, co-written with Mikeal Parsons, is titled Remembering Antônia Teixeira: A Story if Missions, Violence, and Institutional Hypocrisy (Eerdmans, 2023). He has contributed to numerous book reviews, peer-reviewed articles, and chapters in larger works. His ongoing projects include editing “Christianity, Race, and Ethnicity: Latinx Critical Conversations on Identity Construction and Religious Participation” for Perspectives in Religious Studies (Winter 2022) and co-editing, with T. Laine Scales, the forthcoming book Baptists and the Kingdom of God (Baylor University Press, 2023). Dr. Chaves is also co-editor for the Perspectives on Baptist Identity book series, published by Mercer University Press, and works with the Editorial Board for the HTI Series on Religion and Theology En Conjunto, a book series published by Baylor University Press.

Dr. Hosffman Ospino is a native of Colombia, where he pursued undergraduate studies in Philosophy. He holds an MA in theology with concentration in Church History and a PhD in Theology and Education from Boston College. His research explores the dialogue between faith and culture, and the impact of this interchange upon Catholic theological education, catechesis, and ministry. He has served as the principal investigator for several nationally recognized studies on how the Hispanic Catholic presence is transforming parishes, schools and organizations. Dr. Ospino writes a bilingual monthly column for Catholic News Services (Journeying Together / Caminando juntos), and his writings have received several prizes from the Catholic Press Association. He has also authored and edited more than a dozen books, including Cultural Diversity and Paradigm Shifts in Catholic Congregations (Fordham University Press, forthcoming). An officer of the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States (ACHTUS), he is actively involved in ministry and faith-formation projects in various parts of the United States. Dr. Ospino has received many honors, among them the 2018 ACHTUS Virgilio Elizondo Award for his distinguished achievement in theology.

Dr. Rodrigo Serrão is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Hope College. His research focuses on the intersection of race/ethnicity, religion, and immigration in the United States. He also writes on political sociology, region, and race in Brazil. He has recently published an article on racism and regional bias in Brazil (published by Latin American Perspectives). With João Chaves, he wrote on the reactions and responses to COVID-19 by some Brazilian immigrant churches in Florida (published by the International Journal of Latin American Religions). In addition, Dr. Serrão has engaged in public sociology by writing essays on his experience as an international student in a theological seminary in the United States (posted on Good Faith Media) and on the issue of racial democracy and racism in Brazil (posted on The North American Congress on Latin America [NACLA]). Dr. Serrão was born and raised in Brazil and currently resides in Holland, Michigan, with his partner Adriana and their daughter Liz.

Dr. Gerardo Martí is Professor of Sociology at Davidson College. He is also President-Elect of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, and his book, The Deconstructed Church: Understanding Emerging Christianity (Oxford University Press, 2014), co-written with Gladys Ganiel, received the 2015 Distinguished Book Award from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion. Currently, Dr. Martí’s research is funded generously through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative and focused on churches actively confronting racial injustice. His most recent book is American Blindspot: Race, Class, Religion, and the Trump Presidency (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2020).

Dr. Santiago Slabodsky holds the Kaufman Chair in Jewish Studies at Hofstra University-New York. He is co-director of the trilingual journal Horizontes Decoloniales/ Decolonial Horizons and convener of the Liberation Theology and Decolonial Thought program at the Center for Global Dialogue. He served as convener of the PhD program in Religion, Ethics and Society at Claremont School of Theology and as associate director of the Center for Race, Culture and Social Justice at Hofstra University. Dr. Slabodsky holds a BA from Universidad de Buenos Aires, an MA from Duke University, and a PhD from University of Toronto. His book Decolonial Judaism: Triumphal Failures of Barbaric Thinking (Palgrave Macmillan, 2014) received the 2017 Frantz Fanon Outstanding book award by the Caribbean Philosophical Association.

Victoria Pérez Rivera is a PhD student at the University of Southern California and an adjunct Bible professor at Latin American Bible Institute College (LABI) College. She obtained her Associates degree from LABI College, Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Vanguard University, and her Master's Degree in Theological Studies from Duke University. Her areas of academic interest include reception history of Pauline literature, ancient Greco-Roman culture, race, ethnicity and gender. She teaches classes such as New Testament, Biblical Exegesis, and Gender Issues in the Church.

Dr. Matthew Pettway is Assistant Professor of Spanish at the University of South Alabama, where he teaches Afro-Latin American, Caribbean, and Spanish literatures, and is associated with the Africana Studies Program. A native of Detroit, MI, Dr. Pettway holds a PhD in Hispanic Cultural Studies and an MA in Spanish and Latin American Literatures from Michigan State University. His research examines race, slavery, and African ideas of spirit and cosmos in nineteenth-century black Cuban literature. Dr. Pettway has a keen interest in how Afro-Latin Americans who endured extreme trauma in the colonial era took hold of the aesthetic and spiritual tools available to them to conceive a poetics of emancipation. His research is part of a broader project of literary and historical recovery, akin to what Toni Morrison has termed “a kind of literary archaeology.” Dr. Pettway’s work has appeared in American Studies Journal, PALARA, The Zora Neale Hurston Forum, The Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography, the Cuban journal Del Caribe, and his article “The Altar, The Oath and the Body of Christ: Ritual Poetics and Cuban Racial Politics of 1844” is the inaugural chapter in Black Writing, Culture and the State in Latin America, edited by Jerome Branche (Vanderbilt University Press, 2015). Dr. Pettway’s first book, Cuban Literature in the Age of Black Insurrection: Manzano, Plácido and Afro-Latino Religion (2019), is part of the Caribbean Studies Series of the University Press of Mississippi.