It’s Decreed the People Rule with Adam Nicholas Phillips – Walk Talk Listen (Episode 219)

Adam Nicholas Phillips is Chief Executive Officer of Interfaith America, the nation’s largest bridge-building organization working across campus, corporate, and civic settings.

With two decades at the intersection of faith and public life, Adam previously served in the Biden–Harris Administration at USAID, where he led Faith-based and Localization efforts, shaped development policy, and supported democracy initiatives in nearly 100 countries. An ordained minister, he has also founded congregations, led national advocacy campaigns, collaborated with the White House and the State Department, and worked with global partners to expand interfaith cooperation.

 

In this conversation, Adam reflects on:

• how his upbringing shaped his calling to service and bridge-building
• the relationship between faith, democracy, belonging, and civic renewal
• what gives him hope in a polarized world
• youth and spirituality — and what the next generation is trying to build
• why Patti Smith’s People Have the Power still moves him
• and why remembering that “it’s decreed the people rule” matters now more than ever

This episode is a reminder that agency, compassion, and community are not abstract ideals — they’re everyday commitments.

 

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