Author: Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

CLUE CA Announces New Name and Structure

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date April 9, 2015
No Comments on CLUE CA Announces New Name and Structure

CLUE CA Announces New Name and Structure

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

“Every Human Person Is Sacred Across All Borders”

After a year-long discernment process, CLUE CA has changed its name and structure. Our new name is Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. We will continue with the same staff in our current program areas, including immigrant rights, health and wellness, and leadership development with an aim to “engage the religious community in issues of human rights, social and economic justice based on our diverse faith traditions, and offer leadership through our congregations and communities to achieve a more just society.” [1]

We recognize our new name may require some explanation. We selected this language very intentionally because it captures a strategic direction that we believe is needed for transformative change in this country. Our name change and new structure reflect the core value that undergirds our work – to galvanize faith communities to action around the principle that all human life “is sacred across all borders.” In future years, we imagine “human integrity” as a concept and value as familiar in our sector as health and justice.

This change represents a positive and streamlined expression of our historical work that also led to a few key decisions for our future. Structurally, we are no longer the hub for a federation of six independent affiliates (CLUE-LA, EBASE, Working Partnerships, Interfaith Center for Worker Justice – San Diego, Pueblo de Fe Unido Para Justicia Para Los Trabajadores – Inland Valleys, and CLUE – Orange County). We are still allies and supporters of our former affiliates, but we agreed to make a clear delineation in our areas of work. Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity will not play a leadership role in worker activities as previously conducted in conjunction with the CLUE CA federation.

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity will focus on issues and aspects of life that promote the oneness of humanity and the wholeness of every human person. Much of nonprofit work today is performed in silos. Our communities and work are segregated by race, ethnicity, religion, issue, and other categories.

In order to solve the fundamental challenges of immigrant integration, healthy communities, and economic, racial, and social justice, we must adopt a new frame rooted in the fundamental connections and oneness of people across these categories and across all borders: racially, economically, and geographically.

Moving forward, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity will make a unique contribution to the broader immigrant rights and economic/racial/social justice movements by leading in California efforts that are rooted in a transnational and global perspective, while building relationships and coordinating strategies with global movements and organizations to protect individuals and families. As a result, we will see families and individuals living without fear and being recognized for their positive, productive contributions to improve the quality of life for themselves, their neighbors, and our society.

Our current staff works as a unified organization in three geographic areas of California: Inland Valleys (Riverside and San Bernardino counties), Los Angeles County, and the Greater San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties).

We will continue our programmatic work, including:
Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights

We work with religious leaders from diverse faith traditions to call together people of faith to promote the rights, fair treatment, and dignity of all immigrants, regardless of their immigration status. This encompasses Immigration Justice Advocacy, Accompaniment, Connection, Empowerment, and Immigrant Integration.
Community Wellness and Faith, Fellowship, and Fitness
We work with faith and community leaders to improve conditions that can help to reduce health disparities among highly at-risk populations. This includes providing physical activities and nutrition education, fitness training, and promoting workplace health and safety.

Leadership Development

We work to promote a new equitable economy rooted in our deepest faith commitments, where values influence policy and collaborative friendships are built to take concrete actions leading to change. We develop grassroots and faith leadership through travel and events, such as exhibits, workshops and “word-shops” to instill and inspire new understandings about systems, structures, practices and policies that affect quality of life. This includes Art and Cultural Expression, Civic Engagement, and Economic Literacy and Justice Training.

We tested our new name with numerous people, including communication coaches at Spitfire Strategies in Washington, DC; community leaders (East Los Angeles Community Corporation, Justice Not Jails, and California Calls); educators (at California State University at Northridge, University of Southern California, and Occidental College); and, funding partners (Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock, Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr Fund, Walter and Elise Haas Sr. Fund, San Francisco Foundation, Y&H Soda Foundation, and The California Endowment). Our board and staff collaborated to select our name through a day-long strategic planning session, electronic exchanges, and a formal vote to adopt it during a scheduled board meeting.

This organizational transition is being supported by the Flexible Leadership Awards (FLA) of the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund over the next three years. This support will help us strengthen our organization, achieve even greater clarity on our unique niche, and complete a successful transition.

We have received approval from the California Franchise Tax Board and the Internal Revenue Service to retain our Tax Exempt Status as a nonprofit organization with our same 501(c) 3 federal Tax Identification Number, Articles of Incorporation, and Bylaws – as Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.

IM4HumanIntegrity is grateful to you and all of our partners for your continuing support that has led us to achieve this milestone. We invite you to accompany us on our next steps by reaching out to our Senior Staff: Executive Director Rev. Dr. Art Cribbs and Senior Program Director Rev. Deborah Lee.

You can follow the ongoing engagement of our work at: Twitter.com/4humanintegrity, Facebook.com/im4humanintegrity, and our website: www.im4humanintegrity.org.

[1] Founding Document of CLUE CA 2005

-Updates-

Religious Leaders wash the feet of immigrants who fear deportation as Easter, Passover approach

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date April 2, 2015
No Comments on Religious Leaders wash the feet of immigrants who fear deportation as Easter, Passover approach

As immigrant communities await an appeals court hearing on President Obama’s deportation relief programs later this month (April 17 th) and as Easter and Passover approach, local religious leaders performed sacred Rituals of Foot-Washing to address the ongoing fear and discrimination which ongoing deportation operations have wrought for immigrant families.

The public action, took place in front of ICE, urging the agency to “open its heart” and turn away from harsh separation of families.

“The ritual of footwashing symbolizes the respect and genuine hospitality we are to have towards those who come to our country. We, the native born, are to display humility and servanthood towards the immigrant,” said Father Don McKinnon, a Redemptorist priest.

“During the eight days of Jewish Passover, the Jewish community re-tell the story of forced migration across a great desert in search of freedom. Our religious tradition teaches us to afford migrants in our midst the same legal rights of residency as the citizen,” said Rabbi Lynn Gottleib. “This year, we ask the US government to stop deporting and detaining immigrants in accord with these religious values.”

WATCH TV MEDIA COVERAGE FROM TODAY’S FOOTWASHING/PASSOVER

English: KTVU Channel 2
Spanish: Telemundo Channel 48 (with in depth interviews)
Spanish: Univisioannel 14

PHOTOS & QUOTES FROM THE FOOTWASHING/PASSOVER EVENT

Pastor Pablo Morataya washes the feet of a woman who fled violence in h er country. She is in deportation proceedings seeking protection and currently must wear a GPS ankle monitoring device. — Pastor Pablo Morataya washes the feet of a woman who fled violence in h er country.
She is in deportation proceedings seeking protection and currently must wear a GPS ankle monitoring device.

"Crossing the desert was hard, but living here for 14 years facing constant discrimination, going 9 years without seeing my children, has been even harder." — “Crossing the desert was hard, but living here for 14 years facing constant discrimination,
going 9 years without seeing my children, has been even harder.”

Rabbi Lynn Gottleib washes the feet of a little girl after sharing the traditional Jewish Passover elements of matzah, charoset and maror. "Detention is violence. Deportation is violence. Getting fired from your job is violence. We are for freedom from all forms of violence." - Rabbi Lynn — Rabbi Lynn Gottleib washes the feet of a little girl after sharing the
traditional Jewish Passover elements of matzah, charoset and maror.
“Detention is violence. Deportation is violence. Getting fired from your job is violence.
We are for freedom from all forms of violence.” – Rabbi Lynn

"We do not come here asking for anything. We come to here to make this country better. We are all human beings." — “We do not come here asking for anything. We come to here to make this country better.
We are all human beings.”

Rev. Stephanie Etzbach-Dale washes the feet of a member of SEIU. "Footwashing is a sacrament of love which tears down the barriers of privilege, hierarchy and separation- and uniting us."- Rev. Maria Eitz, Sophia Trinity — Rev. Stephanie Etzbach-Dale washes the feet of a member of SEIU.
“Footwashing is a sacrament of love which tears down the barriers of privilege, hierarchy and separation- and uniting us.”- Rev. Maria Eitz, Sophia Trinity

Updates

Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights – Honoring Rev. Deborah Lee for Women’s History Month

Post author By Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
Post date March 17, 2015

In celebration of Women’s History Month the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity honors Rev. Deborah Lee for her dedication to changing state laws on immigrant rights, deportation and the narrative on immigration. The Rev. Deborah “Debbie” Lee has worked at the intersection of faith and social justice for over 25 years, as an educator and organizer on issues of race, gender, anti-militarism, and economic, LBGTQ, and immigrant justice. Her work has consistently bridged different ethnic and economic communities, generations, and geographies in creative and transformational processes bringing about healing, solidarity and social change. She is a mother, married to popular educator Michael James, and an ordained minister with the Northern California Nevada Conference United Church of Christ.

Currently, Rev. Lee is the Director of the Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights, a project of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (formerly CLUE CA). She works to educate and organize congregations, clergy and lay leaders in Northern California to articulate their faith and impact public policy, reshape public perception and discourse, and engage in solidarity and support of the immigrant community. Recently, Rev. Lee organized the “Let My People Work” Immigration Conference along with countless vigils on behalf of the unaccompanied migrant children and detained immigrants. Rev. Lee has worked tirelessly to change the narrative and public perception of immigration and immigration reform.

From 2000-2009, Rev. Lee served as the Program Director of PANA, the Institute for Leadership Development and Study of Pacific Asian North American Religion, at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. She developed community education programs and played a key role in forging networks and community partnerships among seminary faculty, church leaders and spiritual activists in the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Deborah co-developed and co-led a series of community pilgrimages to the World War II Japanese-American internment camp at Manzanar, CA; the historic Sacramento River Delta; Angel Island Immigration Station; and various military sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. With her partner, Michael James, she mentored close to 200 youth and young adults in theological reflection, cross-racial, cross-class and cross-sexuality solidarity through the Represent-2-Witness Youth Leadership Program.

Since the mid-1990s, Deborah has helped found and develop a grassroots women’s project, Women for Genuine Security, and the International Women’s Network Against Militarism which shares transnational feminist strategies to expose and resist the negative impact of U.S. bases on local communities around the world. As part of this work, she co-produced with Gwyn Kirk and Lina Hoshino, the 2012 documentary Living Along the Fenceline. She is also a key founding member of the Network on Religion and Justice for Asian Pacific Islander Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender People (NRJ), and produced the ground-breaking 2006 film In God’s House: Asian American Lesbian & Gay Families in the Church.

Deborah previously served as the training director of the Center for Ethics and Economic Policy and she continues to teach about a faith-rooted economic order that sustains and supports equity, human life and the planet.

The Rev. Deborah Lee was cited by the Center for American Progress’s Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative as one of 13 innovative progressive faith leaders and activists to watch in 2013.