WASHINGTON – Following the announcement that Wade Henderson would be stepping down as the president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the end of next year, Rabbi Jack Moline, executive director of Interfaith Alliance, released this statement:

“In his twenty years at the helm of the Leadership Conference, Wade has been an inspiration for all those who work for civil rights and religious freedom. As a inveterate defender of the Constitution, Wade’s legacy has powerfully demonstrated the importance of religious communities and religious freedom to the ongoing struggle for civil rights. He has built on the legacy religious engagement in the civil rights movement, bringing new and diverse religious voices into the work for equality. He has been a champion for the rights of Muslims, Jews, Sikhs and other religious minorities that are too often the targets of bigotry and discrimination. And he has recognized the importance of safeguarding the freedom of conscience and the freedom to worship to building a freer and more equal America.

“There is a paradox that those who most deserve retirement are those we can least afford to lose. Wade will be sorely missed, though he and LCCHR will surely continue to be pillars of the civil rights movement.”

Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.