Center for Continuous Learning

Anna and Michael are a married clergy couple who co-founded Challenging Islamophobia Together Chicagoland, an interfaith solidarity initiative dedicated to confronting anti-Muslim hate. Both ordained American Baptist pastors, they are deeply rooted in the Christian tradition yet believe that learning from other religions enriches and deepens their own faith. Together, they serve as Co-Associate Regional Ministers for the American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago. Anna is also a Senior Writer with the American Baptist Home Mission Societies, and Michael serves as Senior Minister of Lake Street Church of Evanston, IL. Equal parts pastor, activist, and theologian, they bring faith to life through public witness and interreligious collaboration.

Angelica Acosta Garnett was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and immigrated to the United States at the age of 17. Her personal journey has given her deep insight into the immigrant experience and the challenges of navigating the U.S. immigration system. She holds bachelor’s degrees in history and religion and a graduate degree in social studies education from the University of Florida. Throughout her career, Angelica has been dedicated to education, advocacy, and immigrant support. She has worked as a U.S. government teacher, a Communities in Schools site coordinator, an immigration law paralegal, and an interpreter/translator. Currently, she serves as the Director of the Asylum Narrative Translation Project at Abara, a program designed to provide asylum seekers with a safe space to share their stories of departure and transform them into legal narratives that can be used in immigration court, in legal consultations, or wherever they need to be heard. She understands the power of storytelling in the immigration process and believes that sharing personal experiences in a supportive environment fosters healing, dignity, and solidarity. In addition to her work with asylum seekers, Angelica is a speaker and trainer, leading workshops for groups and organizations that seek to better understand and support immigrant communities. She is also part of the hospitality team at Abara, where she helps connect individuals and groups from across the country to the realities of the U.S.-Mexico borderlands. Her work reflects a deep commitment to justice, education, and the empowerment of immigrant voices.

Rev. Dr. Easten Law is an ordained pastor in the American Baptist Churches, USA, serving at NextGen Church in West Windsor, NJ.  After completing his Ph.D. from Georgetown University, he served as the Associate Director of the Overseas Ministries Study Center at Princeton Theological Seminary.  His research and ministry are focused on lived theologies of migration and diaspora experience, especially among Asians and Asian Americans navigating trans-Pacific and trans-national senses of belonging and calling.