Rev. Kelvin Sauls

Born and raised in the townships of Kliptown and Eldorado Park on the south side of Johannesburg in the Republic of South Africa, Rev. Kelvin Sauls is a compassionate and courageous, collaborative, and catalytic visionary leader for positive and transformative change in the areas of racial justice, economic equity, gender equality and environmental restoration. Intersectionality is his love language as he bridges streets and suites, pulpit and pavement through faith-rooted organizing for more healthier, equitable and thriving communities.

Rev. Sauls hosts a bi-weekly podcast, “Faith Without Borders”. Additionally, he writes an occasional column, “Faith UPfront,” for the Los Angeles Sentinel. These faith-rooted platforms are progressive and prophetic thought-provoking engagements for solutions-driven dialogue about wide-ranging issues facing marginalized and under-resourced communities - locally, nationally, and globally.

A Senior Fellow in racial equity with the Atlantic Institute, Rev. Sauls currently serves as the Director for Interfaith Initiatives at Community Health Councils in Los Angeles. Additionally he is collaborator and co-facilitator with AMPLIFY! and the African American Tobacco Control Council in California on the Faith Leaders Empowerment Cohort with Clergy from South Africa, Namibia, and California . He brings to these roles over 30 years of pastoral/ministerial and executive experience, faith-rooted community organizing, and movement building through the following organizations:
• Pastoral Leadership in the United Methodist Church (UMC): Holman UMC in Los Angeles, Downs Memorial UMC in Oakland, CA and Jones Memorial UMC in San Francisco, CA
• Executive Leadership in the UMC: Executive Director, New Ministries, California-Pacific Conference, Associate General Secretary, Racial Ethnic Ministries at Global Ministries and Director, Congregational Vitalization for Community Transformation, Discipleship Ministries
• Faith-based Organizer and Director, Clergy Formation, Pacific Institute for Community Organizing in California (PICO/Faith In Action)
• Community Safety Strategist in Healing Circles, Community Coalition in Southcentral Los Angeles
• Staff Development Consultant, Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights (CHIRLA) in Los Angeles

He is the Co-Founder of the following local, regional, national, and international organizations:
• The Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI)
• Priority Africa Network (PAN)
• Sanding Against Neighborhood Drilling in Los Angeles (STAND-LA)
• United Religions Initiative (URI)
• Clergy for Black Lives (C4BL)
• Beloved Community Coalition in the Republic of South Africa (BeCoCo)

He serves on the Board of Directors for the following organizations:
• Commissioner, Los Angeles Housing Services Authority (LAHSA)
• Black Cooperative Investment Fund (BCIF)
• AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)
• Interfaith Foundation for Community Organizing (IFCO)/Pastors for Peace
• Black Women for Wellness Action Fund (BWWAF)

He serves as Strategic Advisor and Community Collaborator with the following organizations:
• Dean’s Advisory Council for the School of Medicine at Charles Drew University for Health & Sciences (CDU)
• Othering and Belonging Institute at the University of California at Berkeley (OBI)
• International Society of Black Latinos (ISBL)