Doing Justice
When we first started dreaming about making poor and impacted people the center of a presidential forum and congressional hearing, we didn’t know it would get this big.
We had about a thousand people from more than 40 states. In just three days, we released our Moral Budget, hosted a presidential candidates forum in which Campaign members posed questions to nine 2020 candidates, held a National Freedom School and testified before the House Budget Committee on Capitol Hill. With so much at stake, we must keep the political spotlight on poverty. At the presidential candidates forum, we asked each candidate whether they would commit to a presidential debate on the five interlocking injustices. They all said yes. And then today the House Budget Committee acknowledged that poverty is a serious issue in this country. Let’s hold them—and every 2020 presidential candidate—to their word.
What we’ve done over the last three days proves that the poor are not a small, pigeonholed or easily ignored group. We are building the kind of power that, as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in 1967, could make the power structures of this country say yes—yes to voting rights, yes to health care, yes to good jobs and living wages, yes to welfare, housing, water and food, yes to peace—when they may be desirous of saying no. The Poor People’s Moral Action Congress was just the beginning. The Campaign will be returning to D.C. next June for a massive march on Washington and will be holding events all over the country to make sure we confront the unjust structures in our country and build something better in their place.
Forward together, not one step back,
Reverend Dr. William J. Barber II and Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis President of Repairers of the Breach & Director of the Kairos Center Co-Chairs of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
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About 200 people gathered on Public Square on August 13 for a peace rally in solidarity with Charlottesville, Virginia in the aftermath of the horrific events there the days previous. Several members of Heights Christian Church joined with others to sing, pray, listen to speakers and share signs proclaiming peace, justice, and resistance to hate and discrimination. More events are being planned. Stay tuned and consider joining us in speaking out!
Below are opportunities to follow Micah 6:8 (“Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God”). Please click on the names of events to learn more.
Events:
As people of faith, we remind Governor DeWine and Ohio lawmakers that a budget is a moral document. JOIN US ON APRIL 2 TO LEARN AND SPEAK OUT ABOUT THE BUDGET.
REGISTER HERE!
We will get a summary out soon on what is in and what is out of this budget proposal. But the proposal means nothing if our legislators don’t hear from us about OUR priorities. Be sure to register for advocacy day on the 2nd.
4 for FAIR FOOD TOUR MARCH at OSU
Join us on International Women’s Day, March 8th
12:00 PM, March commences at 1:00 PM
Goodale Park (120 W Goodale St, Columbus, OH)
JOIN THE MARCH: http://bit.ly/Register-4forFF
On Friday, March 8, the OSU Student/Farmworker Alliance, dozens of farmworkers, and hundreds of community allies will march to President Drake’s doorstep to call on the President to be, as he says, “a national leader in preventing and responding to sexual misconduct.”
Please join us at Goodale Park at 12:00 pm for the march to the OSU campus or at OSU’s Bricker Hall for the finale. (Parking at Ohio Union South for bus to Goodale Park or for the finale at OSU at 3:45 pm.)
Columbus R.S.V.P. at ohiofairfood@gmail.com.
Or sign up at: http://bit.ly/Register-4forFF
Read more about why we’re embarking on a tour here: http://www.boycott-wendys.org/4forfairfood/
Actions:
Tell the EPA: Do not repeal the Clean Water Rule. The Clean Water Act provides crucial pollution protection for our nation’s waters. Click the underlined link to submit a public comment.
Green America – Tell Darden Restaurants (parent company of Olive Garden) to make its food more healthy, sustainable and fair.
Trayvon Martin’s death 5 years ago sparked a movement. Join us in remembering him.
Link to the #TalkAboutTrayvon Toolkit for White People
Link to #TrayvonTaughtMe Toolkit, designed for people of color
Resources:
Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Resource Guide – Hate in America has become commonplace. What can we do to stop the hate?
Organizations:
Friends of the Earth – “Friends of the Earth is a bold and fearless voice for justice and the planet. We believe all people deserve to live in a healthy environment.”
Green America – “Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.”
The Injustice Boycott – “an organized resistance, driven by local people and activists, supported by passionate believers all over the country and around the world. Just as the Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted for 381 days, we are prepared for this boycott to last as it takes to make change happen. Indeed, we won’t stop until it does.” – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/injusticeboycott
Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ) – SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing White people for racial justice. – Local chapter, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/surjohio/
The Dream Corps – The Dream Corps brings people together to solve America’s toughest problems.
God Before Guns is a multi-faith coalition of individuals and faith communities working to reduce gun violence, through community engagement, education, and advocacy. We envision a nation in which our faith in God and each other elevates the sanctity of life above the fears that lead to a society armed against itself. Find them on Facebook or Twitter
Charter for Compassion – “Charter for Compassion International provides an umbrella for people to engage in collaborative partnerships worldwide. Our mission is to bring to life the principles articulated in the Charter for Compassion through concrete, practical action in a myriad of sectors.”
One.org – At ONE, we know that our voices, joined with the millions of other ONE members around the world, can change the realities of poverty, hunger, corruption, and disease that deprive too many of their God-given dignity.