Who we are

Drawing on the power of religions and human rights, the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice works to raise up generations of religious and community leaders committed to the unity and organization of the poor as the leading social force in the building of a broad transformative movement to end poverty.

We believe that we are living in a kairos moment: A moment of great change and transition, where the old ways of doing things are breaking down, new ones are trying to emerge, and decisive action is demanded. In this time of crisis, we’re faced with growing injustice and violence as the old powers try to maintain control. At the same time, we’re seeing around the world new movements springing up: families and communities fighting to defend themselves and put forward a vision of new and better ways of living together — a vision based on everyone’s human right to the things we need to survive.

A kairos moment brings serious dangers, and also rare opportunities. Realizing these opportunities requires connecting the struggles that are breaking out in response to intolerable conditions and violations of our most basic human rights. It requires uniting across and fighting against racism, sexism, and all the hatreds and fears used as weapons to attack and divide us.

From decades of work in a wide range of struggles for dignity and rights, we have seen the power of religious leaders and faith in building power, organization, and community. We’re continuing to build off of those experiences by creating religious and educational resources that draw from the historical and current struggles of the poor and others who have fought and continue to fight for human rights and dignity.

Learning from the example and the ministry of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who lived in another kairos moment, we are also working with a growing number of organizations, networks and movements to ignite a new Poor People’s Campaign for today.

Learn more about the Kairos Center

Meet our staff.

Learn about our central program, the Poverty Initiative.

See a timeline of the history of the Poverty Initiative/Kairos Center.

See a map and list of the groups we’ve worked with over the years.

See a list of our institutional supporters.

Get our contact information.