For Immediate Release: November 6, 2024
Contact: Heather Cabral, hcabral@faithinaction.org, 202-550-6880
Faith in Action laments division, and hate; recommits to organizing working people for a new America that works for everyone
WASHINGTON – Following President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, leaders with Faith in Action, the largest faith-based organizing network, moved to protect communities targeted throughout the campaign season. In statements following the election, Faith in Action lamented the level of division and hate stirred up by the campaign and recommitted to multi-faith, multi-racial organizing for real change that improves the lives of struggling families.
Bishop Dwayne Royster, executive director of Faith in Action, offered words of comfort and called for courageous action: “We awake this morning with prayers of lament in our hearts, but not without hope. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors as we follow God’s command to seek justice and protect the most vulnerable. We commit to organizing with all our power to confront and blunt white Christian nationalism, hate, and the promised authoritarianism to come. We rest in the confidence of the people of faith and moral courage who have opposed authoritarians since biblical times. Now is no different. Faith without action is hollow; this is the belief at the crux of our mission to build a new America rooted in justice and equity in which all people are afforded dignity and self-determination.
“Our organizing extends far beyond the ballot box. In the coming days and weeks, we will fight to protect our families from being torn apart and our children orphaned by inhumane immigration policies. We will defend the progress we have made in reducing incarceration, holding police accountable, and making our economy work for working people. We will continue to organize to lower rents and make childcare affordable. We will step forward to stop Black women and other people from being threatened and targeted. We will protect our schools and health care and oppose dangerous and reckless policies in Project 2025 and other proposals. Our democracy’s strength lies in its people; it is us, not just politicians, who form the foundation of our democratic systems. I urge everyone to remember our shared commitment to organize for justice and, in the words of the late great John Lewis, to ‘make good trouble’.”
Faith in Action has worked with clergy and faith leaders from multiple religious traditions across the United States to educate people about the threat of white Christian Nationalism and prepare for threats and violence against vulnerable families and communities through rapid response, de-escalation and know-your-rights training.
Omar Angel Perez, Faith in Action’s immigrant justice director, who led scenario planning and rapid response preparation efforts, said: “This moment calls us to take immediate action to protect the communities targeted throughout this campaign and during the prior Trump administration. We recognize the fear and uncertainty many are feeling and pray that we can channel that energy into solidarity and resilience. We remain committed to providing resources, support, and training to empower people to know their rights and stand firm against attempts to undermine their power. Together, we will transform our grief into a force for change that will build a more just, equitable society that respects the dignity of all people.
Throughout the election cycle, Faith in Action’s grassroots leaders and organizers spoke with more than one million voters in communities and congregations across the country, especially Black and Brown voters and those in mixed-status immigrant families.
The Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, Faith in Action’s managing director of power building, stated, “Dr. King posed the question, ‘Where do we go from here: chaos or community?’ Sadly, political leaders without moral compass have chosen chaos. Yet through our people-centered organizing, we will continue to choose community. America must grapple with the stronghold that anti-blackness and xenophobia have on every aspect of our lives. Through organizing, we are committed to building the world we need. Fascism, false promises, and the fraudulent notion of white supremacy will not have the last word!”
The Rev. Nicole Barnes, Faith in Action’s director of civic education, said: “In this critical moment in our democracy, people of faith are called to action. We cannot afford to be passive or complacent in the face of authoritarianism and Christian nationalism. Together, we must be relentless in organizing to combat the hateful forces that threaten our safety, our dignity and our democratic institutions. We must continue fighting for real change that improves the lives of our families and communities.
“Going forward, Faith in Action’s entire network will remain grounded in our faith and unwavering in our commitment to love and justice. Fear will not dictate our actions. Instead, we will continue our work to build a better, more equitable future. I am confident that our shared values of compassion and justice will prevail in the face of adversity.”
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