Category: Updates

There are over 70 border walls across the globe. In 2017 Mexican and Palestinian activists called for a Global Movement for World Without Walls, uniting people worldwide to resist all walls of exclusion, expulsion and exploitation. The Bay Area World Without Walls Coalition formed in 2018, to expand the work of uniting organizations working for justice and liberation, and against walls of all types. Together we are building a world of freedom, respect and dignity for all. 

Coalition members include: Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, Friends of Sabeel North America, Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church, Jewish Voice for Peace, Arab Resource and Organizing Center, Middle East Children’s Alliance, and East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy / Faith Alliance for a Moral Economy. 

On November 9, 2020, the 31st anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, we are asking you to join the 4th Global Day Of InterAction For A World Without Walls by participating in the following:

1. Host a Watch Party of our Webinar “Abolition and Liberation: A conversation with Angela Davis and Jamal Juma’” using our study guides:
   • For a 1-hour discussion, click here. 
   • For a 2-hour discussion, click here.

2. Join an international webinar on November 9-26 led by the 4th Global Day Of InterAction For A World Without Walls 

3. For church communities, participate in Keep Awake: A Call to Preach Palestine on Nov. 29th, International Day of solidarity with the Palestinian people and the first Sunday of advent.  Check out the incredible collection of liturgies, sermons, prayers, children’s stories and more. Take action toward a free Palestine by sharing this Palestinian Letter to Congress calling for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel.  

4. Liberate people from incarceration! Sign on to a faith letter calling on Governor Gavin Newsom to release more people from incarceration during the pandemic: bit.ly/GovMoralCall 

As the voting season approaches, we understand the importance of our votes and voices. Together we can uplift our shared values of community investment, decarceration, and restoring democracy. I recorded a short video sharing why your vote matters and what’s at stake! All of us at Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity encourage you to participate in our upcoming voter education webinar, our vigil for elections, and to keep an eye out for IM4HI voter education messages. Your vote matters more than ever!

Sincerely,

Rev. Deborah Lee
Executive Director
Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

During our Oct 2, 2020 webinar we learned about important ballot measures that will impact our immigrant, low-income, incarcerated, and formerly incarcerated communities. By hearing from people directly impacted, we learned how these state propositions are moving us toward community investment, decarceration, and restoring democracy.

• View the Recording of the webinar
• View the Slides from the webinar

Since the start of the pandemic, the faith community has joined the broader movement to demand Gov Newsom stop ICE transfers and release more people! On Aug 28th, we submitted a letter signed by 600 faith organizers and 53 organizations demanding Gov Newsome use his executive authority to end ICE transfers.

Unfortunately, Gov Newsom’s office has been silent on this issue. When a reporter posed a question about transferring freed prisoners into ICE custody, this was his response: “It’s been done, historically. It’s been past precedent in previous administrations. We maintain it as the appropriate course for our administration.” You can see his response here (question begins at 53:36). This is unacceptable.

In response, we are calling on all sanctuary congregations and faith communities to join on 10/6/2020 the #FreeThemAll Banner Drop Statewide Day of Action. Essentially, gather 3-4 people from your community to create and hang a banner in front of your congregation, or at a nearby prominent location on Oct 6. Here’s the toolkit so you can read more about what this initiative entails: bit.ly/Oct6freethemall . 

We’ve brainstormed a few faith messages for the banner. Please include your congregation name or logo.

• Let Our People Go! #PrayingforNewsom 
• Release, Not Transfers! #PrayingforNewsom
• Reunite Families! #PrayingforNewsom
• Clemencies Now! #PrayingforNewsom
• Communities Not Cages #PrayingforNewsom

We would love to have every sanctuary congregation and faith community put up a banner as a part of this action! If you can join this action, please RSVP directly here so the organizers have an estimate on how many groups are participating, and let me know as well, gking@im4humanintegrity.org. We will follow up with you to help coordinate our faith communities.