Reverend Stephen A. Green

Activist, Pastor & Thought Leader

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Biography

The Rev. Stephen A. Green is a global thought leader at the intersection of faith and social justice. He leads with radical love in action through his ministry at St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church in New York City and as Chair of Faith for Black Lives, a faith-based social justice organization. Read More >

He is also the creator and host of the podcast, “Sacred Desk with Rev. Stephen A. Green,” which features conversations with thought leaders and change agents focused on the latest headlines.

His commitment to social justice and peacebuilding through love seems like it was predestined for one of the youngest leading civil rights activists in the country. Rev. Green’s parents met in college while protesting against apartheid. He comes from a family of liberationists, he says. His father is a bishop of a social justice leaning church, and his mother, an educator, and his brothers are also deeply involved in fighting for social justice.

Rev. Green’s passion to help others and fight the good fight started early. He grew up helping at his father’s church. He began organizing against police brutality and gun violence while in high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. While studying at Morehouse College, the alma mater of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., he learned of the deaths of Troy Davis and Trayvon Martin and became a student organizer.

Before joining St. Luke, Rev. Green was the National Director of the Youth and College Division of the NAACP, the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely respected grassroots civil rights organization. In this role, he oversaw an army of more than 30,000 young activists across 800 active youth councils and college chapters throughout the nation.

Previously, Rev. Green served as Pastor of Heard AME Church, Roselle, N.J., “The Community Church.” He led this ministry in spiritual and fiscal growth through prophetic preaching, passionate worship, and community empowerment. Additionally, Rev. Green led the congregation in hosting the inaugural God is Woke Festival to empower the community in faith and freedom through the arts.

Rev. Green holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Morehouse College and a Master of Divinity from The University of Chicago. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

On Social Justice Movement

Lesson from Richard Allen and Martin Luther King Jr.

Speech Topics

Good Trouble: Beloved Community Through Love in Action

Inspired by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s beloved community, a radical vision of love and justice, the Rev. Stephen A. Green has spent the majority of his young life fighting to improve the lives of the marginalized. In this stirring talk, the Rev. Green motivates participants to join the fight for social change and community transformation and shares why it’s so critical for the future of our country. With a decade of experience as an activist, Rev. Green helps leaders find their own voice and purpose through love in action to end the triple evils of poverty, militarism and racism.

Say It Loud: From Renaissance to Revolution

Singer-songwriter, Activist, and Philanthropist Bono said it best: “Music can change the world because it can change people.” And there is no one who agrees more than the Rev. Stephen A. Green. The activist, thought leader and pastor has seen it work its magic and truly believes that art and activism are essential to transforming our culture. In this inspiring keynote, Rev. Green traces the impact of music in the movement to empower leaders to cultivate their own sound, which will inspire change and start courageous conversations.

#Blackout: Social Media for Social Change

From TikTok to trending topics, social media has influenced society. You hear about its power every day. But that is not always a bad thing. In this talk, the Rev. Stephen A. Green shares how social media can be used for good—helping improve the lives of those who are marginalized. He’ll show how Generation Z and Alpha can utilize their social media for social change in their communities to counter racism, violence and inequality.

For the Soul: Health Equity in the Age of COVID-19

With the fight against COVID-19 still far from over, it’s more important than ever to get shots in the arms of those who are still unvaccinated or need a booster. But that isn’t happening in many communities—especially those of color. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans, Latinx and Hispanics are less likely to get vaccinated and have less access to healthcare. They are also more likely to get seriously ill or die from the disease. For the Rev. Stephen A. Green, these stats are incredibly unacceptable and he’s on a mission to change them. In this keynote, the COVID-19 vaccine equity activist dives into the problem, discusses access to quality health and how communities can work together towards health equity on the grassroots level.

Resurrect the Dream: Democracy for All

Recent actions taken by governors, state legislators and judges all the way up to the Supreme Court have put our democracy in danger of failing and it will require all of us to counter the threats of authoritarianism that continue to be on the rise. In this talk, the Rev. Stephen Green explores strategies to protect and expand our democracy by building a culture of civic engagement that can redeem the soul of America.

God is Woke: Faith and Freedom on the Frontline

Is there a way to counter the threats of the new Christian nationalism, white supremacy and the anti-woke movement? Absolutely yes, says the Rev. Stephen A. Green. And it all starts by focusing on the teachings and life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In this powerful talk, Rev. Green shares the story of Dr. King and lessons we can learn from him. Participants will discover the confluence of faith and freedom to transform society through radical love in action and how it can contribute to social change grounded in the love ethic found in world religious traditions.

Abolitionist Academy: Countering Critical Race Theory

In today’s culture wars, there is one battle being fought that actually isn’t even an issue. And yet some governors, state legislators and many school boards and parents have entered the fray of preventing Critical Race Theory (CRT) from being taught in schools—when this type of course is nearly non-existent for kids in K-12. For schools and administrators, it’s resulted in chaos at every level. There are physical fights, interruptions and arrests at school board meetings. School board members are being forced out for speaking up and parents and teachers who fight back are being hassled. So how do you handle being accused of indoctrinating students by teaching CRT? In this keynote, the Rev. Stephen Green trains administrators, educators and school professionals on a pedagogy of social justice to counter attacks on CRT. These are tools that you can start using today.