21Wilberforce Founder and President, Dr. Randel Everett, challenged those attending and watching via livestream yesterday’s powerful program, “Religious Persecution 75 Years after the Holocaust” to listen to stories of oppression and to speak out against the atrocities of persecution. Our organization partnered with the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum on a joint event whose goal was to encourage faith leaders …
Emerging Leaders Training was Life-changing
Shirley and Joyce Porto were born in Brazil. Their parents instilled the importance of Christian faith and education as a means to escape poverty. The twins faced difficulties and prejudices in their country, but that did not stop them. Although Shirley and Joyce spoke several languages, their English was poor and they viewed this as hindrance to their careers. They …
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS: A Look Back at 2019
In 2019 21Wilberforce advocated for, challenged and empowered people of faith to support persecuted communities, challenge religious repression and expand religious freedom globally. Local and international activists were empowered at the largest international religious freedom conference ever. Over a thousand leaders from more than 100 countries were able to build relationships, share resources, and collaborate on best practices because 21Wilberforce …
21Wilberforce Lauds Bipartisan Congressional Support for USCIRF Legislation
Yesterday, the U.S. Senate released updated amendments to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2019. Senators Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez, Jim Risch and Marco Rubio and their staffs worked diligently and collaboratively to resolve differences and complete the work before the pending deadline for expiration. The Commission was established as part of the 1998 IRF …
21Wilberforce Director of Policy& Coalitions Defends USCIRF Reauthorization
Three million Uighur Muslims are estimated to be detained in Chinese concentration camps. Thousands of Yazidis, Christians, and others live on the edge of extinction in their ancient homelands in Iraq and Syria after ISIS’s genocidal rampage against them. Prisoners of conscience around the world are incarcerated for their beliefs, actions, or peaceful advocacy in support of their faith. The …
21Wilberforce Joins #GivingTuesday Global Campaign
#GivingTuesday is a global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform the world on December 3, 2019 and every day. It was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past seven years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of …
Lebanon and Waco Church announce 21Wilberforce Global Impact Partnership
Christ Evangelical Baptist Church in Lebanon and First Baptist Church in Waco, Texas are now partners through the 21Wilberforce Global Impact program. FBWaco will have the opportunity to help fund some vocational training that Christ Evangelical Baptist church is doing with Syrian refugees. FBChurch Waco announced the partnership on November 3rd, the International Day of Prayer for the persecuted church. …
21Wilberforce DBU Chapter Co-chairs at DFW Summit for Religious Freedom
Joyce and Shirley Porto, two sisters enrolled in the Dallas Baptist University M.A. graduate program, serve as co-chairs of the 21Wilberforce student chapter at DBU. On October 24th they attended the DFW Alliance for Religious Freedom annual summit where they participated on a panel focused on international religious freedom. The one-day Summit was co-sponsored by the DFW Alliance for Religious …
21Wilberforce launches Freedom Center for IRF Advocacy
21Wilberforce unveiled The Freedom Center, an online advocacy hub, with tools and information that can be used to learn and engage in the defense and advancement of global freedom of religion or belief. Anyone ( passionate individuals, grassroots activists, faith groups, NGOs and networks) who wants to become more active in raising awareness and strengthening the voices of those persecuted …
VP Pence meets Randel Everett and religious freedom advocates to discuss China’s abuses
Vice President Mike Pence met with an interfaith coalition of religious freedom advocates recently that included 21Wilberforce President, Randel Everett, to discuss what the United States can do to hold China to account as it continues to persecute and abuse religious believers of all stripes. At the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., Pence and other administration officials met …