Christopher White writes:

President Joe Biden will reestablish the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, an office he pledges will serve a critical role in addressing COVID-19 recovery and systemic racism.

Melissa Rogers, who previously led the office from 2013 to 2017 during President Barack Obama’s second term, will serve as its executive director, while Josh Dickson, who led faith outreach for Biden during the 2020 campaign, will serve as deputy director. Trey Baker, who led African American engagement during the campaign and is currently a White House senior advisor for public engagement, will serve as the office’s liaison to Black communities….

In announcing the reestablishment of the office, Biden sought to emphasize its history of bipartisan work and collaboration.

“There are not Democrats or Republicans dying from this pandemic, or losing their jobs, going hungry and facing eviction in this economic crisis, or facing the sting of systemic racism or the brunt of the climate crisis,” Biden said in a statement. “They are fellow human beings. They are fellow Americans. And this is not a nation that can, or will, simply stand by and watch the suffering around us. That is not who we are. That is not what faith calls us to be.”

In the statement, Biden said he was reestablishing the office “to work with leaders of different faiths and backgrounds who are the frontlines of their communities in crisis and who can help us heal, unite, and rebuild.”…

Following the announcement, Stephen Schneck, executive director of the Franciscan Action Network, praised the reestablishment of the office and its new appointments.

“I know both Melissa Rogers and Josh Dickson and they are utterly terrific appointments,” he told NCR via email. “Melissa is one more sure and professional hand at the reins in President Biden’s White House. Josh proved his mettle in managing the faith outreach of President Biden’s campaign. Faith outreach in a campaign is a trial by fire and Josh did a superb job.”