| | | |  | Season of Action Victory: De-escalation Bill Goes to Governor’s Desk Hoosiers believe in a government that protects our health and our lives. That’s why from Gary to Fort Wayne, South Bend to Indianapolis we’ve joined together to make sure this legislative season our budgets and policies reflect our shared values. And it’s paying off! Faith in Indiana, along with our many partners, celebrated the passage of HB 1006 a bill that codified requirements for police officers to undergo de-escalation training in Indiana, is now headed to the governor's desk. United, we beat back with a set of bills designed to limit democracy and stop local communities from choosing how we work with law enforcement. At every turn, we’ve rejected attempts by some politicians to divide us -- even as they tried to silence the voices of Black legislators. Instead, we locked arm in arm -- Black, Latino, Asian, White - and our call grew stronger for a government that funds our lives. Our families deserve to stay in our homes, get the care we need when we fall ill, and move safely through our communities. Already over 150 changemakers have equipped themselves and their congregations and are well on our way to meet with 50 elected officials across the state to advocate for our Faith Agenda. We’ve showed up alongside the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, Indiana Muslim Alliance Network, the Indiana Minority Health Coalition, the Indiana Poor People’s Campaign, Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, the African American Coalition of Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Ministerium, Hoosier Action, and so many organizations committed to build a just and equitable Indiana. |
| | Legislation we're tracking |
|  | |  | New Season of Action Leader Toolkit Want to meet with your elected leaders but don’t know where to start? Unsure of which bills could impact your family this legislative session? Need just a little inspiration this Season of Acton? We’ve got you covered! Download the Season of Action Leader Toolkit today to get started. |
| | |  | Join Us: Faith at the Capitol! Tuesday, April 6, 2021 | 12 pm ET On Tuesday, April 6, faith leaders from across the state will converge on the capitol to talk to legislators about our Faith Agenda and advocate for a safer, more just Indiana. This year, there are two ways you can join us for our annual Faith at the Capitol -- in person or online! Faith at the Capitol is your chance to build power with our elected leaders and provide your vision of a government #WhoCaresForUs. RSVP now, and we’ll send details of how you can attend in person or follow along online |
| | |  | We Keep Us Safe: Stop Deadly Force in South Bend Earlier this month, nearly 250 Faith in Indiana leaders in St. Joseph County took action to demand a stronger law enforcement use-of-force policy from South Bend Mayor James Mueller. They made it clear: South Bend’s existing use-of-force policy fails to set a high enough bar for the use of deadly force. Thanks to their efforts, the South Bend Board of Public Safety directed Mayor Mueller to work with Faith in Indiana and the South Bend community to bring back a more robust policy within the next 60 days. “Eric Logan, Rodney Applewhite, George Floyd are brothers, fathers, and sons whose families’ lives have been forever altered,” says Rev. Gilbert Washington one of the Faith in Indiana delegates meeting regularly with Mayor Mueller and his team on policy revisions “Our community has waited too long, and lost too many lives not to get this right.” Take action now -- add your name to the growing list of Faith in Indiana leaders saying that deadly force should be a last resort, no exceptions: |
| | | |  | Violence Reduction Report in Indianapolis Last May, Faith in Indiana worked closely with Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s office to strengthen the city’s effort to reduce gun violence. Thanks in large part to the hard work of faith leaders in Indianapolis, the city invested more than $125,000 to partner with the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform, the nations’ leading experts, to learn what we can do to save lives. Read the Indianapolis Violence Reduction Report with recommendations and next steps. Last month, the report was released to the public. We’re thrilled to report that Mayor Hogsett and his team have already taken steps to advance many of the report’s recommendations and have committed to fully implement Group Violence Intervention -- the nation’s most effective method for reducing gun violence. You can read the full report here: |
| | | | WATCH: Horacio calls for a Government #WhoCaresforUs; a permanent pathway for essential workers |
|  | “I consider myself an essential worker because we are part of the economy. When we fix up a house, when a house is sold, we contribute to the economy, not just the state economy but also the country’s economy and the economy of different people.” - Horacio |
| |  | We believe that every person deserves to live free of fear for their lives or the safety of their families because of the color of their skin or place of origin. The violent murders of eight people in Atlanta this Tuesday, including six women of Asian descent, was despicable and cowardly. It was also the result of racist rhetoric in our nation, often from the very people elected to serve us. When those in office refuse to demonstrate basic decency and respect for people of color -- whether spreading anti-Asian rhetoric from the bully pulpit of the presidency or booing legislators of color on the floor of the Indiana house -- they can hardly act surprised when violent extremists turn their words into action. Time and time again, violent white supremacists have made it clear that they found comfort and inspiration in the hateful rhetoric of certain elected officials and political pundits. When do we finally say enough is enough, and hold those politicians accountable for their own fear-mongering and racist actions? In the aftermath of yet another preventable tragedy in our nation, it can be easy to become lost in the despair of it all. However, we refuse to stop fighting for a nation where everyone is safe and welcome. We will continue to set aside our differences and unite with one another to hold our elected representatives accountable for their racist, misogynistic, and xenophobic rhetoric. As people of faith, we know that diversity makes our communities more vibrant and welcoming, and we will continue to keep each other safe. |
| | President Biden Signs COVID Relief Bill |
|  | | | READ: Thriving in the Fight by Denise Padín Collazo  Social justice work is more crucial than ever, but it can be physically and emotionally draining. Faith in Action’s own Denise Collazo offers three keys to help Hispanic women keep their focus, morale, and energy high.
Doing the work of social change is hard. Waking up every day to take on the biggest challenges of our time can be overwhelming, and sometimes progress is hard to see. She understands that Latina and all women of color activists do their best work when they are thriving, not simply surviving.
Denise Padín Collazo has been there. She is the first Latina, the first woman of color, and the first woman period to raise a family and stay in the work of community organizing at Faith in Action, an international progressive network of 3,000 congregations and 2 million members. Drawing on her own experiences of triumph and failure, and those of other Latina activists, Collazo lays out three keys to thriving in the movement for social change: leading into your vision, living into the fullest version of yourself, and loving past negatives that hold you back. She also warns about the three signs that you may be surrendering: wishing for a future reality to emerge, wondering where your limits are, and waiting for permission and answers to come from others. Using this framework, Collazo offers wise and compassionate advice on some of the most important leadership challenges facing Latina activists. She explains how you can integrate family and work, step out of the background and claim your leadership potential, confront anti-Blackness in your own culture, keep focused on your ultimate purpose, and raise the necessary resources to keep fighting for justice. This honest, practical, and inspirational book will help Latina activists to burn bright, not burn out. |
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