Anyra Cano has been named chair of the board of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, making her the first Latina chair in the group’s 87-year history.
At the same time, Sofi Hersher Andorsky has become the first Jewish vice chair of the historically Baptist advocacy group.
Cano is a Baptist minister from Fort Worth, Texas, who serves as programs and outreach director for Fellowship Southwest, a collaborative group working along the U.S.-Mexico border in interdenominational mission and ministry. She has a long history of advocating for vulnerable children, immigrant families and global communities.
“As the daughter of immigrants who care about democracy, I’m deeply honored and humbled to be elected to lead BJC,” she said. “This is a significant moment for both this organization and the broader Baptist community to expand our lens on religious liberty. I’ve witnessed BJC’s vital work safeguarding the institutional separation of church and state in my home state of Texas, which has become a hotbed of Christian nationalism. The BJC staff and board members work tirelessly to make our mission of faith freedom for all real in diverse communities across the country.”
Andorsky is an accomplished social change leader who currently serves as vice president for strategy and communications at A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy. A member of the 2017 class of BJC Fellows, she brings experience working at the intersection of religion, technology and civic life to help shape BJC’s work. She is currently relocating from Washington, D.C., to Denver.
“Religious liberty is a fundamental value that impacts people of all faiths and the nonreligious,” she said. “I have personally experienced the destructive and destabilizing impact of Christian nationalism, and I feel profound gratitude for the opportunity to support the Rev. Cano and the full BJC team as a Jewish woman and an organizer. You may be surprised to see a Jewish woman leading a Baptist organization, but I’ve found a home advocating for religious freedom in this unlikely place.”
Christopher The and Emily Hull McGee were elected to serve as the other two board officers, as secretary and treasurer, respectively.
“This marks a significant milestone in BJC’s history,” said Amanda Tyler, BJC executive director. “Our board leadership reflects the diversity of Baptist life and the reality that BJC’s work extends well beyond Baptist life. I welcome Anyra, Sofi, Christopher and Emily to their new roles.”
