The Rev. Kaji S. Douša

The Rev. Kaji S. Douša is Senior Pastor of the Park Avenue Christian Church in New York City. In the congregation’s 210 year history, she is the first woman to serve in this role. A prolific writer and speaker on issues of Christian ethics and the need for a radical, sacrificial moral awakening in this country, Pastor Dousa is known for her work to inspire and activate movement leadership.

Pastor Dousa has served as co-chair of the immigrant-led New Sanctuary Coalition for the better part of 10 years. This organization is known for stopping deportations and successfully advocating to make New York City & state places of “sanctuary” – immigrant welcoming and resistant to policies that criminalize migrants.

With increasing numbers of migrants at the US’ southern border, Pastor Dousa’s ministry with New Sanctuary brought her and hundreds of faith leaders to Tijuana, Mexico to start a “sanctuary caravan” – to meet, witness and accompany migrants at the border. For her work praying with migrants, a federal judge has confirmed that the U.S. government has surveilled and targeted her and placed her on a secret watchlist of 50 journalists, activists and humanitarian workers subjected to surveillance and interrogation. In Dousa v. DHS et al, recently advanced to the discovery stage, she is seeking injunctive relief to stop the government from carrying out this infringement on her First Amendment and Religious Freedom rights.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University, Pastor Dousa is the President of the Yale Divinity School Alumni Board, is a Trustee for Andover Newton Seminary, and is a member of Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Clergy Advocacy Board.