PALO ALTO COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES REV. KALOMA SMITH, PASTOR, UNIVERSITY A.M.E. ZION CHURCH 

Photo courtesy of Palo Alto News Online

 On April 17, 2025, Rev. Kaloma Smith, Pastor at University A.M.E. Zion Church in Palo Alto, California, received the Tall Tree Outstanding Professional Award. The Tall Tree Awards, sponsored by the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce and the Palo Alto Weekly, recognize outstanding contributions by local civic and business leaders.  Over 200 people filled the auditorium of The Oshman Family Jewish Community Center to honor Pastor Smith for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the community.

Pastor Smith is committed to social justice.  In 2017, he was appointed Commissioner of the Human Relations Commission for the City of Palo Alto. As a commissioner, he has been heavily involved in addressing issues such as police reform, renter protections, and funding for social services. He also helped to facilitate the city’s initiative known as 100 Community Conversations on Race, which brought residents into small groups to discuss race and belonging in the community.

In accepting the award, Pastor Smith acknowledged the many public officials, nonprofit leaders, and other “elder statesmen” who fought to make the community better. “I realize that the Tall Tree Awards is not just a punctuation, it is simply a comma, because there’s more work to be done… there’s a better world to live in. The rules have changed, the work is harder, but we have to do more.”

Pastor Smith said, “The one thing that is encouraging to me is that even as we face more difficult times right now, as our services are being cut, budgets change, issues of the world, I feel as I look around this room that we have the capacity to make the world better.” 

Pastor Smith has served as the pastor at University A.M.E. Zion since 2013.  The church is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, and the congregation is a composite of the community: young, multicultural, and well-educated.  Pastor Smith has embraced the mantle and embarked on a mission to utilize his God-given talents to nurture a vibrant, wholesome church community.

“Always get to know the mayor, police commissioner, and funeral director,” was valuable advice Pastor Smith received from the late Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Hubbard, the former pastor of the Martin Temple A.M.E. Zion Church and Presiding Elder Emeritus. Pastor Smith has followed this sage advice.

“Redream: Seeing Your Life Through God’s Eyes.”  Under Pastor Smith’s stewardship over the past ten years, the University has entered an era of unprecedented revitalization and growth. The congregation has not only expanded in numbers but has also rejuvenated with a younger demographic. The church facilities have been significantly updated and modified to meet the evolving needs of the ministry.

Pastor Smith’s unique communication style resonates profoundly with younger generations, including Gen Z and Millennials. His welcoming demeanor has fostered a multicultural congregation, uniting individuals from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. This multiculturalism has become a hallmark of the church, creating a rich, inclusive community where everyone can authentically engage with God’s profound and nuanced message. To further this mission, Pastor Smith and the congregation are boldly relaunching University in the fall of 2025. 

Under his visionary leadership, University is celebrated for its vibrant worship and innovative ministries. Community engagement has been a pivotal focus, with the church earnestly reaching out to the most vulnerable in the community through various initiatives and partnerships.

Pastor Smith is a much sought-after preacher and speaker, known for his powerful, practical, relatable, and biblically based preaching style. He is married to Larin Smith, Associate Director of Major Gifts at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and they have two beautiful sons.