Michael-Ray Mathews

Michael-Ray Mathews is a spiritually grounded leader, movement organizer, and prophetic voice rooted in the rich soil of Compton, California. With over 25 years of experience in pastoral ministry and nonprofit leadership, Michael-Ray has worked across faith traditions to nurture healing, justice, and cultural transformation. His leadership spans organizations like Faith in Action and The Prophetic Foundry, LLC—spaces where spirituality meets strategy to inspire sustainable social change.

Deeply committed to integrating ancestral wisdom, somatic awareness, and contemplative practice into movement-building, Michael-Ray has spent his career accompanying leaders as they reimagine what spiritually resourced leadership can look like. His work with multifaith and multicultural communities explores how sacred traditions can serve not only as a balm but also as a compass in turbulent times. Through podcasts, coaching, and public theology, he’s continually forging Sankofa—honoring the past to shape liberatory futures.

As a Fellow, Michael-Ray seeks to deepen his engagement with healing-centered frameworks and contribute to a spiritually resourced movement ecosystem. He brings to the cohort decades of lived wisdom, a passion for sacred resistance, and a vision for collective transformation rooted in cultural and emotional resilience. This Fellowship is a sacred container for him to refine, reflect, and reimagine the next evolution of his prophetic leadership.