CCDA Podcast

Roslyn Hernández is joined by Dewy Bill and Delaney Hornby from Mending Wings to reflect on the importance of Indigenous youth leadership development. They discuss some of Mending Wings’ programs, the power of faithful presence, and how they are seeing God move in their community.

Learn more about Mending Wings at mendingwings.net.

Connect with CCDA’s Indigenous Network at ccda.org/indigenous.

Hi! I'm Dewy Bill. I’m 23 years old and an enrolled Yakama Nation member. I serve as the Dancing Our Prayers Director with Mending Wings. I am grateful to follow where God is calling me to be, and who he is placing in my life. Remember to be who God made you to be. May He bless you and keep you.

I am Delaney Hornby, and I am the SLAM Trips director at Mending Wings in Washington State on the Yakama Nation Reservation. I have been serving with Mending Wings since 2024. My husband Erik and I also pastor a small church here on the reservation and have been here since 2023. I have 3 kids; the 2 oldest are married, and each has 2 children. Our youngest child is engaged to be married soon.

Roslyn M. Hernández is a Latina public theologian, researcher, creative, activist, and contemplative. Through her work with Chasing Justice, Fuller Youth Institute, Centro Latino de Fuller, Tenx10, and CCDA, she centers the holistic spiritual development, engagement, and empowerment of emerging generations. Across her roles, Roslyn cultivates healing spaces grounded in justice, holy listening, and embodied faith. She is especially called to support Indigenizing and intergenerational healing within the Latina church. Roslyn holds a B.A. in Film & Media Studies and Spanish from UC Santa Barbara and an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary, with an emphasis in Youth, Family, and Culture. She enjoys spending time in nature, traveling, ancestral wisdom, culinary traditions, and savoring solitude with a cup of herbal tea.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Alicia Eidson is joined by Dr. Amy Kenny to discuss Amy’s latest book, My Disability Is Divine: A Joyful Witness That Defies Ableist Nonsense. Amy shares what led her to write this book, how Scripture celebrates disabled bodyminds, and how the church can be more welcoming to those with disabilities.

Get a copy of My Disability is Divine wherever books are sold.

Amy Kenny, PhD, is a disabled scholar-practitioner and the founding director of the Disability Cultural Center at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., one of only a handful of such centers in the country. She is the award-winning author of My Body Is Not a Prayer Request, and her work on disability has appeared in Teen Vogue, Sojourners, HuffPost, Reader's Digest, and Shondaland. She also cofounded Jubilee Homes, a housing initiative for people experiencing homelessness.

Alicia Eidson has an Associate's degree in Human Services, a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development, and a Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. She and her husband started Renewing Hearts Inc. in 2005 and has had several years of Not-for-profit experience with many other DBA’s in the past.

She worked as a family and individual counselor for 13 years, a professor and instructor in California and Florida for almost 20 years, and is now running Ocean Waves Radio. Her heart and mind are passionate about being a place that can hire those with disabilities, especially those with visual impairment and total blindness. She herself is totally blind and has been for the past 45 years. She feels like she was so blessed to have had many who supported her physically and emotionally while she has traveled her journey. She has a heart for others who do not have the same opportunities due to different circumstances and backgrounds.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Rev. Rachel Pierce is joined by Susann Brown and Chief Adkins of the Chickahominy Indian tribe, and Chief Adams of the Upper Mattaponi Indian tribe. They share about their rich history, their relationship to the city and land of Richmond, and how they collaborate together to see their communities flourish.

The CCDA Conference is going to be in Richmond, VA from October 7-10, and we invite you to join us! Learn more at ccda.org/conference.

Visit chickahominytribe.org to learn more about Chickahominy Indian tribe.

Visit umitribe.org to learn more about the Upper Mattaponi Indian tribe.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

G. Tyler Burns is joined by Alethea Lamberson to share stories of hope and impact as young people encounter community building in their neighborhoods. They discuss Chasing Justice’s Pilgrimage Pop-Ups and how they are fostering imagination and connection with participants in their contexts.

Chasing Justice is going to be at the CCDA Conference this year! And you are invited to attend the Pilgrimage Pop-Up happening in Richmond! Visit chasingjustice.com to learn more and register.

G. Tyler Burns is a pastor, speaker, writer, and podcaster. He currently serves as the President of The Witness: A Black Christian Collective, an organization founded to educate, encourage, and empower Black Christians to be free in soul and in body. He also co-hosts the organization’s flagship podcast Pass the Mic.

Alethea Lamberson is the co-host of The Roll Down podcast. She has spent a decade training campus ministry staff and students in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her commitment to scripture and her thoughtful reflections on sociocultural learning have made her an amazing facilitator of the justice journey.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Dr. Lorenzo A. Watson is joined by Elizabeth Perkins to discuss the history of Christian Community Development and share stories of some of the people and experiences that helped shape this work. Elizabeth also reflects on how CCD has shaped her life and ministry, and how she is carrying her father’s legacy forward.

Want to learn more about Christian Community Development? Join Lorenzo and Elizabeth for a free online training on September 2nd on practicing CCD. Learn more at citycollectiveseries.com.

Elizabeth Perkins lives with a profound sense of calling shaped by her faith in Jesus Christ and a passion for justice, reconciliation, and discipleship. She often reflects on how God’s faithful hand has guided her steps, not simply for her journey, but to empower others to walk boldly in their purpose and become instruments of change in a broken world.

With over 25 years of ministry experience, Elizabeth has poured into the lives of both men and women, mentoring and guiding them in their spiritual, personal, and leadership development. She has a heart for equipping the next generation to rise with courage and conviction. As part of this work, she founded and led She-ciples, a discipleship group for teen girls focused on purity, purpose, and identity in Christ—demonstrating her commitment to nurturing young women with truth, grace, and love.

She aims to help future generations encounter and follow Jesus, becoming agents of hope, healing, and justice. Through her work at the John & Vera Mae Perkins Foundation, Elizabeth remains steadfast in her pursuit of biblical justice and reconciliation, believing that through Christ, lives—and communities—can be made whole.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Troy Jackson is joined by Rev. Traci Blackmon to discuss election protection, what it is and why it matters. They reflect on the importance of voting access and what a healthy, faithful culture of civic participation would look like in our communities.

Each August, we focus on civic engagement as a CCDA Family. Learn more about engaging with your local government at ccda.org/civic.

Learn more about The Faithful Witness Campaign at faithfulwitness.us.

The Rev. Traci Blackmon is the former associate general minister of justice and local church ministries for the United Church of Christ, a position she held for eight years. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Birmingham-Southern College and a master of divinity degree from Eden Theological Seminary.

Blackmon’s work focuses on communal resistance to systemic injustice through the redemptive power of love. Her response in Ferguson, Missouri, to the killing of Michael Brown resulted in national and international recognition.

She was appointed to the Ferguson Commission by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon and to the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships by President Barack Obama. She currently serves on the board of the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference and was named among 15 “Faith Leaders to Watch” in 2020 by the Center for American Progress.

Learn more about Rev. Blackmon and her work at faithoutloud.org.

Community organizer, pastor, leader and writer, Troy Jackson, has been with UNDIVIDED since its founding. He is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and earned his PH.D in U.S. history from the University of Kentucky.

Troy’s book Becoming King: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Making of a National Leader (The University Press of Kentucky, 2008) explores the critical role the grassroots Montgomery Movement played in the development of Dr. King. His other publications include his work as an editor on The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Volume VI: Advocate of the Social Gospel (September 1948-March 1963) (University of California Press, 2007). With their children grown, Troy and his wife moved to a cabin outside of Cincinnati, OH, with their two dogs, Pip and Pico.

Learn more about Troy and UNDIVIDED at undivided.us.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Lawson Wijesooriya is joined by Dr. Danny Avula, the mayor of the city of Richmond, to discuss Christian Community Development in their city. They reflect on their history with CCD, how they are listening to the community, and how Dr. Perkins' legacy has shaped their lives, families, and vocations.

Join us in Richmond this October 7-10 for the CCDA Conference! Visit ccda.org/conference to learn more.

Each August, we focus on civic engagement as a CCDA Family. Learn more about engaging with your local government at ccda.org/civic.

Dr. Danny Avula took office as the 81st Mayor of the City of Richmond on January 1, 2025.

Before his election to public office, Danny served the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts for 12 years, including 6 years as its Director. There, he championed efforts to increase access to care for the most vulnerable residents of our community, prioritized the voices of those with lived experience, lifted up the intersection of housing and health, and addressed the root causes that shape health outcomes-especially poverty and race.

Born in Hyderabad, India, he immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1979. A father of five, Danny and his wife, Mary Kay, have lived in Richmond's East End for over 20 years. Mary Kay is a teacher with Richmond Public Schools.

Click here to learn more about Danny.

Lawson Wijesooriya is the Chief of Staff for Richmond’s 81st Mayor, Dr. Danny Avula. Before leading his successful bid for mayor as campaign manager, Wijesooriya spent 15 years leading local non-profits—with a focus on strategy and community development—to serve some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. She graduated from the University of Virginia as a Phi Beta Kappa Jefferson Scholar and is a mother of two.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Sylvia Kamande is joined by Lisa Sharon Harper to discuss The Clearing. They reflect on this time of economic difficulty for many Black and Brown women, the toll that takes on their health and relationships, and the importance of moving forward in community. They also share about the preconference event The Clearing, happening on October 7, 2026, in Richmond, where women of color are invited to connect, learn, and grow together.

Click here to learn more about The Clearing and register for the CCDA Conference at ccda.org/conference.

Lisa Sharon Harper is the founder and president of Freedom Road, a groundbreaking consulting and communications group. Lisa is a theologian whose writing, speaking, activism, and training have sparked and fed the fires of re-formation in the church from Ferguson and Charlottesville to South Africa, Brazil, Australia, and Ireland. Having earned an MFA in playwriting from the University of Southern California and an MA in Human Rights from Columbia University, Lisa’s play An’ Push da Wind Down won the 1996 Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival Michael Kanin Award for Best Student Play and Best Production. Lisa’s book, Fortune: How Race Broke My Family And The World--And How To Repair It All was named 2022 “Book of the Year” by Word and Way. The Very Good Gospel was named 2016 “Book of the Year” by Englewood Review of Books. Lisa is host of the Freedom Road Podcast, cohost of The FOUR Podcast, and author of her Substack column, “The Truth Is…”  The Huffington Post identified Lisa as one of 50 Women Religious Leaders to Celebrate on International Women’s Day. Lisa is currently earning her PhD in womanist ethics at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and serving as Affiliate Faculty at St. Stephen’s University in Canada. Learn more at lisasharonharper.com.

Sylvia Kamande serves as Director of Family Ministry at Because Justice Matters, in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighbourhood. Originally from Kenya, she has spent more than 15 years in full-time ministry serving alongside diverse communities across Africa, Latin America, and the United States. She is a co-church planter with El Camino Covenant Church and co-leads the Women of Color Network within the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA). Sylvia is passionate about equipping leaders, cultivating belonging, and creating healing-centered spaces where children, families, and communities can experience restoration and abundant life in Jesus.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Daniel Yang is joined by Liliana Reza to discuss their work at World Relief, share stories of migration, and reflect on walking alongside immigrants, refugees, and displaced people.

Learn more about World Relief and their work around the globe at worldrelief.org. And check out the Faithful Witness Campaign at faithfulwitness.us for ways that you can get involved in your community.

Daniel Yang serves as the National Director of Churches of Welcome for World Relief. Prior to that, he was the director of the Church Multiplication Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. Daniel has been a pastor, church planter, engineer, and technology consultant. He has planted churches in Detroit, Dallas, Toronto, and Chicago, either as the lead planter or through recruiting, training, assessing, and mentoring church planters. Daniel is a sought-after conference speaker, missional strategist, consultant, and co-author of Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church (InterVarsity, May 2022) and Becoming a Future-Ready Church: 8 Shifts to Encourage and Empower the Next Generation of Leaders (Zondervan, October 2024).

Liliana Reza is the Director of Border Engagement at World Relief, where she advocates alongside refugees, immigrants, and displaced communities. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, she holds an M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Nazarene Theological Seminary. Based in the San Diego-Tijuana region, Liliana is passionate about building bridges through faith, justice and community — often found exploring the borderlands or training for her next marathon.

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.

Meghan Jackson is joined by Charles Cheek, Eddie Howard, and Meghann Cotter to share about the CCD work that is being done in Hampton Roads, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg. They also share about their Go & Sees they’re hosting in October and how they’re beholding God with and in their communities.

Don’t miss the CCDA Conference in Richmond, Virginia, this October. Get into town early and experience one of the full-day Go & Sees happening on October 7th!

Learn more about CCDA and how you can get involved at ccda.org. Connect with CCDA on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow CCDA on YouTube.