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Poor Peoples Campaign has grassroots organizers in the state

Bianca Davis-Lovelace, who became the executive director of Renton Ecumenical Association of Churches (REACH) on March 1, is one of tri-chairs of the Washington State Coordinating Committee for the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for a Moral Revival. 

Bianca, who previously was pastor at Eastgate UCC in Bellevue, said that the campaign’s 40 days of mass actions will begin May 13 and end in late June.

“We ask clergy to prepare sermons and worship services dedicated to themes of systematic racism, poverty, the war economy and ecological devastation,” she said. 

In Spokane, the tri-chair is Liz Moore, executive director  of the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane.  She is collaborating with Gen Heywood, pastor at Veradale UCC, who is helping coordinate the Leaders of Conscience for Eastern Washington and North Idaho.

The Poor People’s Campaign is an effort by Repairers of the Breach, founded in 2015 by the Rev. William Barber II, a Disciples of Christ pastor, in collaboration with the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice, the Education Project, and hundreds of local partners.  It is a multi-state movement to end systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, environmental destruction and other injustices.

Liz said there are plans for a Mothers Day protest in Olympia with people traveling there from around the state.  On Moral Mondays, groups will gather in their state capitals to call leaders to take moral actions regarding poverty, racism, militarism and the environment.

In Spokane, Faith Leaders and Leaders of Conscience, a diverse group of spiritual leaders, has come together, facilitated by Gen.

“We as a diverse group of spiritual leaders can model what it means to repair the breach.  We can model unity in the effort to overcome poverty, racism and militarism, and move toward developing the beloved community,” she said.

Gen is taking and posting 40 videos of people telling their stories to help build relationships and understanding.

She added that the Poor People’s Campaign will include voter registration and meditations about overcoming divisions.  The FLLC is discussing activities like visiting prisons and community service.

Repairers of the Breach state that the faith traditions are about how society treats the vulnerable and the need for equal protection under the law, the desire for peace among nations, dignity for all people and caring for the earth.

For information, visit poorpeoplescampaign.org.

 

Pacific Northwest United Church News © April-May 2018

 

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