Age36 years old years old

Hometown Richmond, VA

Claim to Fame Pastor, Mt. Ennon Baptist Church, Clinton, MD

Bio Under his pastorship, the congregation of Clinton, Maryland's Mt. Ennon Baptist Church has ballooned to 5,000 members. But the Richmond, Virginia-born pastor—who holds master's degrees from Harvard and Columbia—gained even more attention for launching the Enough is Enough Campaign for Corporate Responsibility in Entertainment, which protested media images that participants felt were degrading to black people or glorified violence. Not content to preach from the pulpit, Rev. Coates and his congregation encouraged advertiser boycotts and even took their message to the homes of top entertainment executives. The initiative has since broadened its objectives, holding rallies in Washington and pressing lawmakers to pass legislation that expands health care coverage.

Quote "The most important lesson I have ever learned is to love your neighbor as yourself."