Faith in Texas is heading to Austin, where we will call on our lawmakers to help us create a more just and equitable community. We will spend the day visiting our representatives and senators, sharing with them our faithful platform. Don’t worry if you have never participated in a lobby day – you will get all the training you need en-route! Faith in Texas will provide snacks and water, meals will be on your own. RSVP here: http://bit.ly/FiTXLobbyDay Faith in Texas 86th Texas Legislative Session Platform Faith in Texas is a multi-faith, multiracial movement for economic and racial justice. We are more than 35 diverse faith communities, united in our commitment to creating communities where everyone can flourish. Faith in Texas believes that every person is created in the image of God and, therefore, is inherently worthy of dignity, care, and respect. We all benefit when people have equal access to adequate healthcare, housing, employment, and equal treatment in our justice system, regardless of race or income. Further, we are called to treat our documented and undocumented immigrant neighbors with the same love and protection as we would those who are native-born citizens. The prophet Zechariah says, “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’” (Zechariah 7:9-10). We call on the Texas Legislature to recognize the image of God within all people––especially those who are most vulnerable––and to work together with us for the common good. Protect Local Control Local control––the right for our cities to pass ordinances governing our community––should be preserved both broadly and on specific issues. Cities must be allowed to determine for themselves what types of policies are necessary to ensure their community can thrive. Faith in Texas opposes efforts to preempt city control broadly and on the following specific issues: Guaranteed paid sick leave Fair chance housing and hiring Payday lending regulation Policies separating ICE from local law enforcement efforts Affordable housing Bail reform In the event bills are considered affecting these areas, they should be for the purpose of setting statewide minimum standards while respecting the rights of cities to put in place stricter local standards as they see fit to address the needs of their unique communities. Faith in Texas supports legislation to ensure the civil rights of all people are respected and to eliminate discrimination on the basis of race, gender, faith, class, or sexual orientation, and the state should continue to establish minimum standards to protect these rights while allowing cities to enhance those standards if needed. Bail Reform Cash bail creates “debtors’ prisons” that imprison people not because they are a threat to society or a flight risk, but because they are poor. Any bail reform bill should establish a presumption of “no bail” unless the defendant can be shown to be a public safety threat or a flight risk, and should establish thorough procedures for assessing risk that prevent racial or other forms of bias. It should also establish robust accountability measures to ensure judges abide by new standards. Any new measure should not preempt counties and cities from establishing policies that further reduce the use of cash bail. Immigrant Driver’s Licenses In 2011, the legislature passed a law demanding that you must prove legal status in the U.S. in order to obtain a driver’s license. For communities with large immigrant populations, this creates difficulties beyond just being unable to legally drive– it increases insurance rates, creates obstacles to accessing services, and makes it more difficult for immigrants to prove their identity. We support bills that would reinstate the ability for people to get a form of driving permit regardless of their immigration status, which will increase our community safety and ensure everyone is able to move about our community and participate in our local economy.
Faith in Texas and Dallas City Temple Visit El Paso for Mission: Possible
On January 26, over 50 members of Dallas City Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church traveled to El Paso for Mission: Possible, an encounter coordinated by Faith in Texas and HOPE Border Institute. Members had the opportunity to meet with local community groups, participate in a march against the border wall, and help out at the Annunciation House shelter. City Temple wanted to give its members an opportunity to move beyond the headlines and experience the border for themselves, guided by the people who are directly impacted by border policy. “Being able to connect, to touch, to feel, to see––to get the news directly from the individuals who are on the front lines doing the work was super important,” said Pastor Jaime Kowlessar. City Temple members heard the stories of the women of La Mujer Obrera, a local independent organization dedicated to creating communities defined by women. Their organization was founded in 1981 by women who were both garment workers and Chicana activists. Over the years, La Mujer Obrera has been one of the leaders in the struggle against an “undeclared war” on marginalized women workers of Mexican heritage. One of their leaders told of their struggle to protect workers, ensure their children receive a fair and equitable education and define their own communities as large industrial entities seek to change their neighborhoods. City Temple also joined a march led by the Border Network for Human Rights to protest the expansion of the border wall in El Paso. As the march progressed, some members crossed the border to Ciudad Juárez to experience the border crossing for themselves and gain a better understanding of how the two communities exist together, separated by the border. The group finished the day by assisting volunteers at Annunciation House, which provides shelter to hundreds of undocumented people every week. Visitors learned that asylum seekers are often released from ICE custody with nothing but the clothes on their backs and nowhere to go for shelter or support. Annunciation House works with area churches to provide short-term shelter and support to migrants, including medical care, transportation, clothing, and food. Members met with the head of the shelter to hear stories of migrants, and to learn about Annunciation House’s mission. “We have so many groups of people that are being oppressed and marginalized, and with all the resources and privileges we have in America, we should be on the front lines to alleviate the pain and suffering that they are dealing with,” said Pastor Kowlessar after hearing the stories of asylum seekers from Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador. “Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Silence is betrayal.’ I don’t want to betray these individuals or myself by being silent.” Pastor Kowlessar and Dallas City Temple have pledged to return to the border to share the experience with more of their members, as well as other congregations in DFW. Until then, they are working with Faith in Texas’ LA RED Campaign to ensure that migrants in North Texas are seen, heard, and supported. Huge thanks to HOPE Border Institute, La Mujer Obrera, and Annunciation House for making Mission: Possible, possible!
Justice Seeker of the Year: Julio Acosta
Our newest organizer, Julio Acosta, was recently honored with the Justice Seeker of the Year award by the Dallas Peace and Justice Center (DPJC), and we could not be more proud!
