U.S. Agency for International Development

The U.S. Agency for International Development is an independent federal government agency whose mission includes improving the health of citizens in foreign countries while advancing U.S. foreign policy goals. That includes family planning and HIV/AIDS. It frequently works with religious leaders in other countries.

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Marilyn J. Keefe

Marilyn J. Keefe is deputy assistant secretary for population affairs in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and directs the Office of Population Affairs in Rockville, Md.

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Claude AnShin Thomas

Claude AnShin Thomas is an author, peace activist, Zen monk and Vietnam veteran. In 1994, he founded the Zaltho Foundation, a spiritually based nonprofit committed to ending violence. The foundation, which is based in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., offers mindfulness meditation retreats to veterans and their families to help them deal with the emotional, psychological and […]

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“The Public Influences of African-American Churches: Contexts and Capacities”

The Public Influences of African-American Churches Project conducted focus groups and surveyed black congregations and church leaders over three years to learn about congregational involvement in elections and setting public policy since the civil rights era. Despite the existence of 8,000 black elected officials and dozens of black civic and lobbying organizations, the survey found that black churches […]

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