A Servant Leader Committed to the People

I am Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, Ph.D., a faith-rooted servant leader and senior pastor, community advocate, and coalition-builder committed to justice, opportunity, accountability, and the people.

For more than four decades, I have served Dallas as Senior Pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, helping grow a small congregation of fewer than 100 members into more than 13,000, making it one of the most influential faith-based institutions not only in North Texas but also in the country. Friendship-West is not only a place of worship but also a hub for civic engagement, economic empowerment, voter education, workforce development, and social change. We don’t just preach hope, we organize it, fund it, and put it to work through action that transforms lives and strengthens our community.

From the neighborhood block to policy conversations, I have partnered with leaders at every level of government to fight predatory lending, protect civil and voting rights, expand opportunity for working families, and invest in our young people. My work has focused on delivering real results for individuals and working families, launching programs that paid and trained youth, investing millions in education, and demanding accountability from institutions that impact our lives. I have partnered with local, state, and national leaders to combat predatory lending, protect voting rights, address domestic violence, and confront economic inequity.

Through collaboration with the Center for Responsible Lending, we challenged exploitative financial practices harming working families. Through advocacy and organizing, we have held institutions accountable and pushed for policies that serve the public good.

During the Obama administration, I was invited to the White House to provide input on economic justice, civil rights, and voting access. I was honored to receive national recognition for founding the THRIVE Intern and Leadership Program, which has provided young people with paid employment, job training, and leadership development, investing in talent, dignity, and the future of our communities.

Education is essential to sustainable progress. As a lifelong learner and educator, I have earned degrees from Bishop College, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, the Graduate Theological Foundation, and Christian Theological Seminary. Under my leadership, Friendship-West has invested more than $3 million in Historically Black Colleges and Universities and in students from across the Dallas community attending colleges and universities nationwide because access to education fuels economic mobility and strengthens civic participation.

I serve in leadership roles with organizations committed to social progress and democratic engagement, including the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, the Conference of National Black Churches, the National Action Network, and the IC3 Church Conference. I also serve on the Board of Trustees of Paul Quinn College, an HBCU that models innovation, accountability, and community-centered leadership.

I am a proud husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and nephew. My family keeps me grounded in the values of responsibility, compassion, and accountability that guide how I lead and serve. This campaign is about people over politics, service over slogans, and results over rhetoric. I believe leadership means listening, building coalitions, and acting with courage. Leadership matters, and my life’s work has prepared me to lead with courage and a relentless commitment to the people. I am ready to serve because our community deserves leadership that shows up and delivers.