Nov 9, 2023
Rev. Dr.
Starsky Wilson is an activist, philanthropist, and public
theologian who pursues a vision of a community marked by justice,
peace, and love.
As the president & CEO of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and
CDF Action Council, he advocates for children's well-being at the
intersection of faith and justice. Previously, he pastored St. John’s Church (The Beloved
Community), a multiracial congregation in the city of St.Louis,
while also serving as the president & CEO of the Deaconess
Foundation.
In the wake of the killing of Michael Brown in 2014, Rev. Wilson
was appointed co-chair of the Ferguson Commission, which released
the report, ‘Forward
Through Ferguson: A Path Toward Racial Equity,’ calling for
sweeping changes in policing, the courts, child well-being, and
economic mobility.
In this episode, my colleague, Dr. Cassandra Gould, joins me in
this conversation with her seminary classmate. Together, we explore
lessons from Ferguson and the wisdom it cultivated for Dr. Wilson’s
current tenure with the Children’s Defense Fund. We discuss the
impact of Black institutions in shaping his vocation and approach
to social change leadership. We talk about his co-generational
vision that reveres elders and prioritizes children. And we wrap up
with reflections on how he finds rest amid the demands of the
movement.
Follow Rev. Dr. Starsky on Instagram @revdrstarsky @childdefender1973