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For Release: IMMEDIATE                       Media Contact: Dan Curran 770-658-9586 or DanCurran@CurranPR.com 

Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center Appoints        Wesley E. Myrick as Executive Director                  Former City of Atlanta Official Takes Helm

 ATLANTA, GA (September 4th, 2024) — Seeking to expand its outreach, advocacy, and  volunteer engagement efforts, the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center’s (GIPPC) board  of directors, a community of Georgia lay and ordained faith leaders, has appointed Wesley  E. Myrick as executive director. Founded in 2019, GIPPC is an ecumenical advocacy  nonprofit that strives to unite Georgia’s people of faith to educate, empower, and advocate  for the common good. It identifies issues of interest to people of faith, magnifies their  voices, and mobilizes concerned citizens around common values of love, justice, mercy,  and hospitality. 

A nonprofit leader with nearly two decades of experience specializing in strategy and  nonprofit financial operations, Myrick most recently served as a senior policy analyst in the  City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office. While there, he led the development of city-wide initiatives  such as the Mayor’s Faith-based Development Initiative which engaged faith leaders to  create a pipeline of more than 2,000 affordable housing units. Additionally, he led  engagements with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Treasury. He further supported other critical initiatives such as the Rapid  Housing Initiative, the Mayor’s Town Hall series, and the Mayor’s Summit on  Neighborhoods.  

With family origins in Monroe County, Ga., Myrick is an alumnus of Georgia State  University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Arizona State University Sandra Day  O’Connor College of Law. Myrick also serves as vice-chair of the board of trustees for the  Interdenominational Theological Center, chair of the board of directors for the Common  Market Southeast, and board treasurer for the LB Legacy Network, Inc. 

“The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center enables Georgians to put their values of love,  justice, mercy, and hospitality into action,” said the Reverend John R. Moeller, Jr., GIPPC  board chair and president & CEO of Inspiritus. “We are excited to have Wesley Myrick join  us as executive director and look forward to the leadership he will bring to the Center.” 

As executive director, Myrick will be responsible for the organization’s overall  management, strategic direction, and growth. He will work closely with the board of  directors to advance the GIPPC mission and strategic plan. He will work to inspire and 

mobilize constituents, policymakers, coalition partners, and the public about issues  important to the faith community and the organization’s mission. 

“The state’s faith community has so much to contribute to conversations about issues of  most impact to the future of all Georgians,” said Wesley E. Myrick, executive director of the  Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center. “I look forward to using my experience in  government and expertise in managing strategic partnerships to build impactful coalitions  that amplify the voice of Georgia’s community of the faithful through the work of the  Center.” 

Currently, the Center is an active ally in coalitions to expand healthcare access, provide  second chances to the previously incarcerated, provide alternatives to the death penalty,  make housing safe and affordable, and other issues of justice and mercy. 

Myrick succeeds The Venerable Carole Maddux, Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of  Atlanta, a co-founder of the Center.  

“The Center owes a debt of gratitude to Carole for her pioneering and sacrificial leadership  that poised it to make this move,” said Moeller. “We appreciate her years of service and  commitment to spreading the word about the mission of the organization.”  

Information about volunteer opportunities with the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center is available at https://gippc.org/volunteer-form/.

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About the Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center 

The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center’s mission is to “Educate, empower, and  advocate for the common good by uniting Georgia’s people of faith.” The Center is led by  faith leaders from across the state of Georgia. Learn more at www.gippc.org

Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center
Statement Against Racism and Violence

ATLANTA — The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center condemns racial violence and racism in all forms.

We bear witness to the profound outrage, horror, and trauma following the inhumane murder of George Floyd by members of the Minneapolis Police Department on May 25, 2020, the killing of Breonna Taylor on March 13, 2020, the murder of Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick on February 23, 2020, and the violence sustained by our brothers and sisters of color throughout the history of this state and country rooted in systemic racism.

Whereas, we recognize that these acts stem from centuries of racial violence against innocent, unarmed black and brown men, women, and children in this country to uphold systems of white supremacy.

Now Therefore, we specifically call for the passage, without amendment, of Georgia House Bill 426, also known as The Hate Crimes Bill.

We recognize that the violence of white supremacy became institutionalized with the enslavement and exploitation of Africans and people of African descent. We believe the chronicity of this violence is located in the institution of slavery which demeaned those made in the image of God to property.

We further recognize that the violence of white supremacy continues to be perpetuated in policies and practices that inflict undue suffering and harm to communities of color.

We recognize that the violence of white supremacy stretches back to the founding of this country. We recognize that the violence of white supremacy began with the genocide of Indigenous Nations inhabiting this land.

We believe this is a defining moment when we, as people of faith and good will, cannot stand by in silence. We must stand up and speak out. We pray for all individuals, families, and communities enduring pain, sorrow, rage, and shock due to the impact of racial violence. We believe that faith leaders have a unique responsibility and a sacred mandate to lift up the dignity and value of all human beings.

We recognize that all faiths believe in justice and therefore we call on people of all faiths and good will to join us in advocating systemic changes to dismantle institutionalized racism. This tragedy makes it even more urgent for us to draw closer together as partners across all religions, races, and ethnicities to fight for justice and equality.

Further, we condemn the use of violence against peaceful protesters and the misuse of the symbols of any faith, not for justice or peace, but for propaganda and partisan posturing.
We declare our commitment to achieving racial justice and equity in the State of Georgia.

Signed by:

• Hilton M. Austin, Jr., Chair of the Board of Directors
• Rabbi Peter Berg, Chief Rabbi, The Temple, Director
• Ann Cramer,  Board Secretary
• Robert B. Currey, Founder, Currey & Company, Inc., Director
• Chester Fontenot, Jr., PhD, Baptist Professor of English and Director of the African American Studies, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, Director
• Soumaya Khalifa, Executive Director, Islamic Speakers Bureau, Director
• The Reverend Shelli Latham, Pastor, Druid Hills Presbyterian Church, Director
• The Venerable Carole Maddux, Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, and Executive Director, Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center
• John Moeller, Executive Director, Inspiritus, Director
• David Marmins, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, Director
• Howard Mosby, Senior Vice President, Grady Healthcare System, Atlanta, Director
• Brenda Joyce Smith, Independent Scholar, Director
• The Reverend Kevin Strickland, Bishop, Southeastern Synod, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Director
• The Reverend Taryn Strauss, Senior Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, Director
• The Right Reverend Robert C. Wright, Bishop, The Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta, Director

The Georgia Interfaith Public Policy Center is focused on “Uniting Georgia’s people of faith to educate, empower and advocate for the common good.” The Center is led by faith leaders from across the state of Georgia. Learn more at www.gippc.org

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