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WILLIAM E. PANNELL CENTER FOR BLACK CHURCH STUDIES | MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. CELEBRATION
Daughters of the Dream: Women Pushing for Change in Today’s Context
March 13, 2025
OVERVIEW
Join the William E. Pannell Center for Black Church Studies for an inspiring and empowering celebration honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a special focus on the remarkable women driving social change in today’s world. This year’s event will shed light on the vital role women play in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and progress. Women have always been at the heart of social change—let’s amplify their voices and recognize their contributions. Join us to honor the lives of women who, in the tradition of MLKJ, continue to push for change today.
PARTICIPANTS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Rev. Dr. Damali Najuma Smith serves as assistant director of community and public engagement with the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture, where she combines her experience as a pastor and expertise as a community leader to help faith leaders become full partners in social change. She leads programming for the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, which is housed at USC’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC).
In her nearly three decades of ministry, Rev. Dr. Smith has served as a deacon, elder, assistant pastor, or pastor of several churches throughout Southern California. In 2014, she launched Word of Encouragement Community Church in Los Angeles. She is a frequent speaker at churches and church conferences, the author of five books, and the founder of several companies and campaigns, including It’s Not Okay, a sexual violence awareness and training program.
Smith holds a BS in Management from Pepperdine University, a Bachelor of Theology degree from the Southern California School of Ministry, an MBA from Woodbury University, and a DMin from United Theological Seminary. She is an alum of the “Passing The Mantle” Civic Engagement and Community Development Institute at USC, the precursor to the USC Cecil Murray Center’s Faith Leaders Institute.
PANELISTS
Rev. Janna Louie is an American Baptist minister currently serving as chief of staff at the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. After completing her MDiv at Fuller Theological Seminary in 2014, she received the Parish Pulpit Fellowship and concentrated her studies in Southeast Asia, focusing on sociopolitical engagement through preaching in contexts without religious liberty. Also awarded the David Allan Hubbard Achievement Award, she continues to create integrated spaces for current seminarians by serving as a group facilitator. Louie has preaching experience throughout the United States, Indonesia, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Vietnam, and Thailand. She is a cofounder of the Coalition of AAPI Churches (CAAPIC), a network of local AAPI church coalitions committed to participating in God’s healing work in our cities and society as a whole. She currently helps to convene CAAPIC Los Angeles and also CAAPIC Cross-Section, a forum that engages Asian American racial identity, Christian faith, and politics. A daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, she was born and raised in Chicago but currently lives in Los Angeles.
Mayra Macedo-Nolan grew up in East Los Angeles before moving to Pasadena, where she recently served on the pastoral staff of Lake Avenue Church. With a love for the local and global church, she has spent the past 19 years leading in the local community and helping to cast vision for “kingdom-neighbor-loving.” Macedo-Nolan spends lots of time learning from and mentoring younger leaders in the community and is a champion for amplifying the voices and leadership of younger generations. She serves on various local and national committees and boards, including The Voices School for Liberation and Transformation, and is chair of the Board of Directors of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA).
Jewel Patterson is the director of organizing and programs at Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (C.O.P.E.), where she combines threads of art, activism, and community healing to create lasting change. In 2016, she worked as a youth organizer to pioneer the creation of R.E.A.L. (Race, Education, ARTivism, and Leadership), a program tailored for Black youth in the Inland Empire. The R.E.A.L. program, along with other engaging activities like the Youth Artivism Retreat, Black Youth Hangout, and Black Radical Unity Hub, show her commitment to training youth to believe in their power, art, and ability to make change.
Patterson was an honoree of the 30 Under 30 program presented by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes in 2020. As a pan-Africanist and newly appointed board member of the Garcia Center for Arts, she is committed to building spaces where healing, creativity, and collective empowerment come together to shape a more just and liberated future for her community, both locally and across the African diaspora. Beyond her professional work, Patterson embodies a holistic approach to community wellness, utilizing her background as a birth worker, counselor, and artist.
SPEAKERS
Khristi Lauren Adams is a speaker, author, youth advocate, and ordained Baptist minister. She is the author of Womanish Theology: Discovering God Through the Lens of Black Girlhood; Parable of the Brown Girl: The Sacred Lives of Girls of Color; Unbossed: How Black Girls Are Leading the Way; and Black Girls Unbossed: Young World Changers Leading the Way. Adams is executive director of community and belonging at St. Paul’s School for Girls, a family of independent schools in Baltimore County, Maryland. She previously worked as dean of spiritual life & equity and instructor of religious studies at The Hill School in Pennsylvania.
Adams earned her BA at Temple University and an MDiv at Princeton Theological Seminary. She is also a 2024 Alumni Service Awardee for Princeton Seminary, which highlights the outstanding efforts of alumni who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing the seminary’s mission and values.
Pastor Jean Burch is senior pastor of Community Bible Church of Greater Pasadena, where she has served for almost 25 years.
In addition to serving as senior pastor, she is also the president of the Community Bible Community Development Corporation (CBCDC), which provides affordable housing and social services to residents in Pasadena and the Greater Los Angeles area. Burch also serves on the Board of Trustees at Fuller Theological Seminary.
She earned her MA in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary and a BS in Organizational Leadership from Biola University.
Program
THURSDAY, MARCH 13
12:00–1:00 pm (PT): Bridging Her-story: A Intergenerational Conversation with Pastor Jean Burch and Khristi Lauren Adams
Join us for an intergenerational conversation between Rev. Dr. Jean Burch and Khristi Lauren Adams that highlights the powerful bond between women across generations who unite in their quest for social justice and change. The conversation will include ideas from Adams’s book, Womanish Theology and will honor the strength, wisdom, and contributions of women from different age groups who are working together to build a brighter future. Please join us for this momentous occasion as we honor the past, empower those in the present, and envision the future of social activism.
6:45–9:00 pm (PT): MLKJ Worship Night with the Word by Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith
This special evening is dedicated to honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by centering the vital contributions of women who are driving change in our society today. The event will commence with a reflective worship service, featuring music and readings that echo the themes of justice and equality. In the spirit of unity and progress, the night will conclude with a communal call to action, inviting all attendees to commit to tangible steps toward fostering change in their own communities.
Panel Discussion: Women on the Frontline of Change
Important: The panel discussion will happen at a later date.
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy, we are proud to shine a spotlight on the women who are at the forefront of enacting change in our modern world. This event will not only reflect on the historical achievements of women who have fought for justice and equality but also cast a light on the contemporary heroines who continue to lead the charge in various spheres of society. From grassroots activism to global advocacy, these women embody the spirit of progress that Dr. King championed. Through this panel discussion, we will engage with these trailblazers and gain insight into the challenges they face and the victories they secure. Join us in recognizing and supporting the vital role that women play in the ongoing fight for a more equitable and just society.
ABOUT THE PANNELL CENTER
The Pannell Center provides indispensable, formational education by building a body of Black leaders who believe in the power of the church, the community, and the culture.
We are the church. We are the community. We are the culture.
The William E. Pannell Center for Black Church Studies embraces a mission to proactively build and empower Black Christian leaders. By centering kingdom work, cultural enrichment, and academic rigor, the Pannell Center strives to cultivate a spirit of excellence through the development of global leaders on campus, in the church, and in our local communities.
Save the Date
Join us next year for the 2026 MLKJ Celebration, to be held January 21–23, 2026.