Michael Sobolik is a fellow in Indo-Pacific studies for the American Foreign Policy Council. He specializes in U.S.-China relations and has written about persecution of Uighur Muslims.

Cui Tiankai is the Chinese ambassador to the United States. He has defended the imprisonment of Muslims in China, arguing that it will help them better contribute to society.

Nury Turkel is the co-founder and chairman of the board for the Uighur Human Rights Project, which works to increase awareness of the plight of Uighur Muslims in China.

What will 2020 bring to the faith beat?

Ian Thompson is a senior legislative representative for the American Civil Liberties Union. He leads outreach to lawmakers on issues such as LGBTQ rights, HIV and sex education.

Rep. Chris D. Stewart is a Republican congressman from Utah. He is the lead sponsor of the Fairness for All Act, which tries to balance religious freedom protections with LGBTQ rights. Arrange an interview through Madison Shupe.

Tim Schultz is the president of the 1st Amendment Partnership, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization that works to expand religious freedom protections at the federal and state levels. Arrange an interview through Kerry Troup.

Tyler Deaton serves as senior adviser to the American Unity Fund, a politically conservative LGBTQ rights advocacy organization. He partners with Republican lawmakers to promote nondiscrimination protections.

Rep. David Cicilline is a Democratic congressman from Rhode Island. He is the lead sponsor of the Equality Act, which aims to add sexual orientation- and gender identity-based protections to federal civil rights law.