As people of faith we believe that we should be an undivided community. On August 28, 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial, along with 250,000 religious and labor leaders calling for an end to racism, segregation and poverty, and to call for guaranteed civil and economic liberties for all. On November 6th join us at 7 PM Elim Christian Fellowship (70 Chalmers Ave., Buffalo 14214) as we bring our community together with our public officials for the 2014 VOICE Buffalo Public Meeting! You may have already heard, but if not, we have had some major breakthroughs recently and this year’s public meeting is one you can’t miss! The Sheriff’s office, Erie County Legislature and County Executive have committed to work together with VOICE-Buffalo and the community to reinstate the Local Conditional Release Program in early 2015. The Sheriff’s office, members of the Erie County Legislature and the County Executive will be joining us on November 6th to discuss the benefit of the Local Conditional Release Program and to share their commitment to its reinstatement. We are also in dialogue with the Sheriff’s office about creating a Restorative Justice program at the Alden Correctional Facility to bring trained community leaders to work with youth through restorative conferences and peace circles. We will also highlight the work and commitment of the congregations who are becoming ‘Peace Hubs’ by training facilitators in peace circles, restorative practices and community organizing. Please RSVP to join us on November 6th at 7pm, to build a bridge over the river of injustice.

Arturo Hernández, married for 21 years, has two daughters, a 19-year-old in the DACA process and an 13-year-old U.S. citizen. He and his family have lived in Colorado for 19 years. Arturo is a small business owner and started his company as a subcontractor in the construction industry in 2008. He provides employment for an average of 8 or 9 people annually. Since leaving Sanctuary he has organized and advocated for better policies and educated thousands of citizens on the realities of our immigration system. Arturo has worked hard for himself and his family and has helped to employ others. ICE detained Arturo on April 26th, 2017, at his workplace despite a letter from ICE indicating he would not be deported. Community won his release and Senator Bennet introduced a private bill that gave Arturo a stay of deportation until March 15, 2019. Join us in asking immigration to extend his stay another year as his family's court case continues. The Metro Denver Sanctuary Coalition welcomed Arturo into sanctuary October 19th at First Unitarian Society of Denver. We continue to act on our commitment to welcome and accompany our immigrant neighbors into our community because we are called upon to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. Arturo is our neighbor, and his threat of deportation is a threat to our entire community. We do not accept anyone's right to tear apart loving families in our community. We chose to bring Arturo into sanctuary two years ago because it was just, and believed the injustice of our immigration policy is an offense against our community and our faith. Because of the significant suffering his deportation would cause his daughters, his wife and the families of his employees, we ask that his deportation be stopped immediately and that he be granted a stay of removal so he can stay with his family. We urge you to Sign and Share this petition asking Director Lynch to grant Arturo a stay of removal. Such action would not only be in line with the teaching of our faith traditions, but true to the values of our communities and nation. Please read the letter to Jeffrey Lynch, Deputy Field Office Director of the Denver ICE office below, sign your name, and press submit to add your name to Arturo’s petition requesting a stay of removal on his deportation! Help us keep up the momentum by sharing widely and asking your friends to do the same! Dear Mr. Lynch, I am writing to ask that you stop the deportation of Arturo Armando Hernandez Garcia A#087-952-389 and grant him a stay of removal so he can remain with his family. Arturo Hernández, married for 18 years, has two daughters, a 17-year-old in the DACA process and a 11-year-old U.S. citizen. He and his family have lived in Colorado for 17 years. Arturo is a small business owner and started his company as a subcontractor in the construction industry in 2008. He provides employment for an average of 8 or 9 people annually. In 2010, Arturo was arrested by the local police of the City of Lonetree, while working construction, where he was verbally assaulted and wrongly accused of threatening an American with a knife. He was arrested, and when he arrived at the jail, he was placed on an immigration "hold." He was detained by immigration without having been found guilty of the charges and having his day in court. He later proved his innocence in court, so in late 2010 they withdrew the criminal charges and he was acquitted. Although the courts found him innocent, deportation proceedings with ICE continued and on April 26th, 2017 he was detained at his workplace despite a letter from ICE indicating he would not be deported. Arturo has viable legal options to remain in the US, including an application his in-laws submitted in 2005 that is still pending and whose priority date is currently being challenges in court. Because of the significant suffering of his daughters, wife and the families of his employees, we ask that his deportation be stopped immediately and that he be granted a stay of removal so he can stay with his family while he awaits the court's decision.

We understand the anger in response to yet another young African-American man, Vonderrit Myers, shot by police October 7. It was two months almost to the day after Michael Brown's killing. Underneath the killings is a web of unjust laws in a patchwork of cities and towns. For example, in September the New York Times reported that municipal court fines have been Ferguson’s second-highest source of revenue. http://nyti.ms/1pJgndl The Washington Post found 71 percent of the people pulled over by Florissant police in 2013 were black. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/09/03/how-st-louis-county-missouri-profits-from-poverty/ St. Louis city and surrounding municipalities must work together to reform an archaic, unjust system of debtor's prison and institute appropriate community policing procedures that will help police/citizen relationships and help make our area a model for the nation. The new county executive was elected November 4 and we cannot imagine a more important priority than reforming policing and judicial practices across our 91 municipalities. Join us in asking our leaders to pledge action to change these policies as soon as they take office. -- Rev. Dr. Dietra Baker of Liberation Christian Church, Missouri Congregations United, St. Louis -- Laura Barrett, Gamaliel community organizing network, St. Louis

We are called to welcome the stranger, but Luis Lopez Acabal is not a stranger. Luis is our neighbor. He is a husband and a father, who came as a teenager to escape death threats from gangs and violence most of us can hardly imagine. He worked hard and made a life for himself and his family. He has fought his case through the immigration courts to no avail. We want him to stay. While ICE officials assure us he is a low priority and don’t intend to seek him out, they refuse to offer him the means to remain in the country legally. THE INJUSTICE A grave injustice is happening when people come to the U.S. to escape unimaginable violence but when every day more than 1,000 people are deported, many ripped away from spouses and children, as a result of a broken misguided immigration system. Despite President Obama’s promise to keep families together, Luis’s family is at risk. This is why we welcomed Luis into Sanctuary at our church on Sept. 4th. He will remain in the protection of this sacred space with the support of the community until his deportation order is removed. LUIS’ STORY Luis emigrated from Guatemala at the age of 17, fleeing gang violence in his country, arriving only a few months too late to be eligible for DACA (deferred action for childhood arrivals). He has made a life, fallen in love, and married Mayra Canales, a permanent legal resident on the path to citizenship and mother of two U.S. citizen children, one of whom has autism. Mayra has struggled with anxiety and depression for many years. Luis has taken in Mayra’s children as his own, and Kevin (5) and Kimberly (2) consider him their father. He is the sole breadwinner for the family, allowing Mayra to act as a full time caregiver for their children. Kevin has thrived in the new family setting and some of his autism related behaviors have been diminished. Kevin’s success and the support of a loving husband and parenting partner has made a huge difference in Mayra’s battles with depression and anxiety. This deportation threatens not only Luis’ life, as he faces deportation to a country with the 5th highest homicide rate in the world, but also Mayra’s mental health and Kevin’s recent progress. There is no value to our society in taking Luis away from his wife and children. PROVIDING SANCTUARY “God is our refuge,” the Psalmist writes, and the church is called upon to reflect God to the world. We invite people of faith and moral courage around the country to stand in solidarity with Luis and our church as we offer refuge from injustice. We call upon President Obama and Secretary Jeh Johnson of Homeland Security to do justice in the face of brokenness: * Secretary Jeh Johnson and those within Immigration and Customs Enforcement, grant a stay of removal or deferred action to Luis Lopez TODAY. * President Obama, keep your promise – stop tearing apart families like Luis’ and take administrative action to grant Deferred Action for All NOW. CAN WE HELP? Yes – ask Secretary Jeh Johnson to close Luis’ deportation order and encourage President Obama to take action and expand deferred action for all 11 million undocumented people who are already part of our congregations and communities. ICE officials have been directed to use "prosecutorial discretion" in cases like Luis’. Showing Secretary Johnson that Luis and his family have a community that supports and loves him will force them to review Luis’ case. You can also follow Luis’ story and help advocate for him by liking the page and sharing our updates and calls to action. Search “Luis Lopez Acabal Sanctuary” Call Jeh Johnson, Secretary of DHS, at 202-282-8495 and leave a message in support of Luis. It is an answering machine that fills up by the end of the day, so please fill it up with support for Luis: “Hello, my name is ___. I am calling to urge Secretary to Johnson to use the discretion available to him to stop the deportation of Mr. Luis Lopez Acabal, A#088-670-167. Mr. Lopez fits the category of a low priority for deportation and should not be removed from his family and his home in the United States.” Call President Obama and Cecilia Muñoz, Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, at 202-456-1111 leave a message urging them to take action and defer Luis' deportation. This is a live comment line that will be picked up by a real human being so please be very polite. “Hello, my name is ___. I am calling to urge Director Cecilia Munoz and President Barack Obama to act swiftly to stop the pending deportation of Mr. Luis Lopez Acabal, A#088-670-167. Mr. Lopez fits the category of a low priority for deportation and should not be removed from his family and his home in the United States. The administration, under advisement of the President and Director Munoz, should give guidance to the Department of Homeland Security to intervene in this case and act swiftly to halt the deportation of other parents like Mr. Lopez while they wait to take executive action.”

My name is Peggy Flanagan, I am a Native American person of faith, and a board member of Sojourners. I’m ready for the NFL to stop treating me like a mascot. I am not a mascot. My daughter is not a mascot. My people are not mascots. It’s time to sack the ‘Skins. For more than 80 years, Washington D.C.’s football team has been operating under public racism. To me, this is personal – as a Native American woman and mother, the word “Redsk*ns” offends me. Worse, it makes me fear that my young daughter will be hurt by seeing the racist images that degrade her people every day. Recently, we saw the NBA oust one of its owners for his private racism. But for more than 80 years, Washington, D.C.’s, football team has been operating under public racism. With renewed attention on racism in professional sports, now is the perfect time to get this slur out of the NFL. Join me, Jim Wallis, and people of faith around the country in calling on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to change the hurtful “Redsk*ns” name! Our faith tradition tells us that when one member suffers, we all suffer. We’re all created in God’s image. But, let me tell you, turning on a television and seeing a racist, derogatory word for my community does NOT make me feel respected. Some of my proudest moments have been marching and demonstrating against this hateful name, and now I’m ready to turn up the heat. Commissioner Goodell needs to take a hint and work to end racism in his league. Join me in standing against the racial slur “Redsk*ns.” The pressure against the Redsk*ns name is mounting – from sports fans, elected officials, media outlets, and more. As a faith community, let’s make sure Commissioner Goodell knows what side we stand on. Peggy Flanagan Sojourners board member, citizen of the White Earth Nation, executive director of Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota

UPDATE - Since clergy and faith leaders met with County Executive Mark Poloncarz on April 22nd he has expressed his support of reinstating the conditional release program and has committed to send representation to the June 10th VOICE-Buffalo public meeting. However, we still to convince the Erie County Legislature and Sheriff Tim Howard that this program must be reinstated. We must collectively show that as people of faith all across Western New York that we are called to address the horrendous conditions of our criminal justice system. We can no longer tolerate our neighbors – youth, young adults, veterans, elderly – suffering after being imprisoned for nonviolent offenses or because of treatable mental health or addiction issues. We call on our representatives to help heal our communities by: (1) Reinstating the Local Conditional Release Program for Erie County (1) Joining us in person at our public meeting on Tuesday, June 10th at 7PM at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church in Williamsville The conditional release program would give our neighbors a second chance at life – the opportunity to return to our communities and their families with the treatment and support they need. It's our vision of liberation and restorative justice in Erie County! How does it work? Under the Local Conditional Release Program, 25 non-violent offenders are selected for early release if they agree to a year of probation and participation in programs that provide mental health care, addiction treatment, job training or a variety of other needed services. Does it work? Yes, it restores lives while saving county tax dollars. The rate of recidivism (return to prison) for people who participated in the local conditional release program from 1992 to 2005 was 15% – compare that to 65% for those who were released without services and support. Take the inspiring story of Jacqueline Gerald. At a time in her life when she was struggling with addiction and financial pressures to support her family, Jacqueline was sentenced to serve time as a result of laundering charges. While in prison, Jackie applied for the early release program and was accepted. In Jackie’s own words about the program: “If you keep your eyes open and strive to do well, the Lord will make a way out of no way. For me the way the Lord provided me was through this program.” After being released Jackie was accepted to Nursing School with help from Rev. Eugene Pierce, who was the chair of the local conditional release commission, and Mr. Dolansky, who was her probation officer for that one year. Today, Jackie is a registered nurse. “I’ve learned that sometimes in life we think we are not good enough and we can’t pursue our dreams, but the Lord puts people in our lives who will support us.” Let's show County Executive Poloncarz and the Erie County Legislature we believe in liberation and redemption. Add your name to tell our public servants to reinstate the Conditional Release program. For more info, visit VOICE-Buffalo at http://www.voice-buffalo.org/ You can hear more in our coverage by Buffalo's NPR News http://news.wbfo.org/post/clergy-members-call-county-jail-release-program

On April 15, 2014, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted 66-27 to retain a state law that bans sexual relations between consenting adults. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that such laws are unconstitutional, and they cannot be legally enforced. During what is for many people one of the most sacred seasons of the year (Holy Week and Passover), Louisiana lawmakers decided that the best use of their time would be to make an official pronouncement against the 100,000+ Louisianans who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and the millions more who love them. Their vote means: "You are not welcome in Louisiana. If it were up to us, you would be fined thousands of dollars or put into jail for up to five years." Trying to extend the reach of government, they also said with their vote: "What you choose to do in your own bedroom is our business." This is in violation of a central tenet of all our faith traditions -- to "love your neighbor." It is especially damaging to LGBT children, who like all children need to know that they are loved and respected as God's unique creations. Louisiana lawmakers used their positions and taxpayer resources to express those intolerant and ignorant opinions, instead of focusing on the fact that Louisiana: > Ranks second in terms of state poverty rates > Has the nation's highest murder rate > Has the highest incarceration rate in the world > Stands to lose billions of dollars and refuse medical care to low income people by refusing to accept federal money to expand Medicaid > Is slipping into the Gulf of Mexico at the rate of one football field per hour The legislature's vote is not only mean spirited, it is also ironic: Many of these lawmakers are themselves guilty of the "sin of Sodom" as expressed in Ezekiel 16:49: "Sodom's sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door." As clergy and ordinary people of faith, we call on the Louisiana House of Representatives to repeal Louisiana code 14:89 - the "sodomy law" - and then move on to the real work that needs to be done so the state can live up to its full potential: > Help people to rise out of poverty > Make our streets safe > Keep people out of jail if they don't need to be there > Accept federal money to expand Medicaid > Save this beautiful land before it disappears into the sea.

We’ve seen the healing that’s possible when we come together to combat hate. This attack, pending the investigation, will at least be tracked and monitored as a hate crime by the US government. We did that together. In fact, Prabhjot – a Columbia university professor, doctor, and community health expert – helped make that possible. In the New York Times last year, he called upon the government “to vigorously combat bias and discrimination against all Americans." This is our moment to come together again -- to shine a spotlight on Prabhjot's brave leadership and help prevent future attacks with our action.

Twenty years ago, more than 100 global faith and spiritual leaders declared a shared vision of the world’s critical challenges, and what we can do in harmony to eradicate these problems. While we celebrate this pioneering global ethic, the work toward true interreligious and human harmony continues. Our generation lives in the face of the same struggles: Continuous war, division, poverty, hunger, violence, ecological danger, and political dysfunction toward achieving true, lasting harmony. And yet, the world is still populated by a groundswell of caring, collaborative, and eager people. The innovators of contemporary interfaith trailblazed; their declaration to fix a world languishing presented a CALL TO ACTION we as millennials are better equipped to accept than any generation before. It is time for a fundamental change of hearts and minds, to act harmoniously with one another and our earth, transcendent of boundary and creed. THE GROUNDSWELL FOR A BETTER FUTURE BEGINS WITH THIS PLEDGE. SIGN AND DECLARE: We are interdependent. We take individual responsibility for all we do. All our decisions, actions, and failures to act have consequences. We consider humankind our family. We commit ourselves to a culture of non-violence, respect, justice, and peace. We must strive for a just social and economic order in which everyone has an equal chance to reach full potential as a human being. Earth cannot be changed for the better unless the consciousness of individuals is changed first. We pledge to increase our awareness by disciplining our minds, by meditation, by prayer, or by positive thinking. Without risk and a readiness to sacrifice there can be no fundamental change in our situation. Therefore we commit ourselves to this global ethic, to understanding one another, and to socially beneficial, peace-fostering, and nature-friendly ways of life. WE INVITE ALL PEOPLE, RELIGIOUS, SPIRITUAL, AND ETHICAL, TO DO THE SAME. Signing is easy, but committing takes guts. Will you: 1) Commit to and sign the Global Ethic!* ( Full text of the Towards a Global Ethic declaration is downloadable by clicking on "Campaign website" on the left sidebar. 2) Share how you will live out the global ethic for a better future for all. 3) Start a conversation with your teachers, faith leaders, family partners, and especially those with whom you seek to find common ground: like your grandparents, co-workers, and in-laws! 4) Ask your neighbors to sign, too. Use Facebook, e-mail, and around the old-fashioned water cooler . Tip: If a debate erupts, steer the conversation toward your common core values. 5) Pick a partner, pick a common cause, and pick a time to act together. 6) Let go of hate. Live out the vision.

Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi is an American hero who served bravely in Afghanistan as a doctor, earning a bronze star. But he was only allowed in the military in the first place after petitioning for two years for a special accommodation. Today, in America, turbaned Sikhs are effectively barred from military service. Although the U.S. military technically permits soldiers to wear turbans, yarmulkes, and certain other articles of faith, they may only do so after requesting a special exemption from their commanding officer. This process is often long and laborious and essentially requires Sikhs and members of other religious traditions to choose between faith and military service. Major Kalsi is standing up to the military’s policy, and we, as people of many faiths and backgrounds, stand with him. President Obama, we respectfully call on your Administration to give turbaned Sikh American an equal opportunity to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. As people of faith and moral conscious, we speak out against the U.S. military’s policy hindering Sikh Americans and others from serving military duty. “[A]sking a person to choose between religion and country, that’s not who we are as a nation,” said Major Kalsi when he told his remarkable story to the New York Times. “We’re better than that. We can be Sikhs and soldiers at the same time.” African-Americans fought to desegregate military units. Women fought to overcome combat prohibitions. Under your leadership, LGBTQ people successfully fought the military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Now, we follow the lead of the Sikh Coalition and SIkh Americans across the nation –  to call for an end to the presumptive ban on devout Sikh soldiers in the U.S. Armed Forces. As the Sikh American community heals from Oak Creek – the largest hate-based mass shooting in recent U.S. history – now is the time to end a policy that undermines their status as equal Americans. May all patriotic Americans – regardless of race, gender, orientation, or religion – be able to serve the nation they love.

The verdict is out, but our fight for justice is far from over. As people of many faiths and beliefs, we stand with the NAACP to ask the Department of Justice to open a civil rights case for Trayvon Martin. Join us in building a groundswell of #Justice4Trayvon.

62 year old Vietnam Veteran and community activist Sylvester "Jahsyl" Smith has been a Rastafarian for nearly 40 years. After serving his country in the Vietnam War, he started religiously growing his hair and this year his dreadlocks were near his ankles. Shockingly and traumatically, in May, authorities at the Indiana Department of Corrections cut off Jahsyl's dreadlocks against his will. Knowing Jahsyl is a Rastafarian, authorities violated his First Amendment Right to Freedom of Religion. For many Rastafarians "shall no razor come upon his head...he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow." (Numbers 6:5). Now, Jahsyl is on a hunger strike for the cutting of his dreadlocks, but authorities in Indiana will not inform the family of his health status, and he is not allowed visitors. Jahsyl is a 62 year old man who went to college, served his country and his community. He was charged with criminal recklessness, but his crime was protecting his teen daughter and self on his property. What would justify authorities cutting his dreadlocks and degrading him, his religion, and his culture? After this traumatic experience and violation of his First Amendment rights, Jahsyl needs access to his family, clergy, and attorney. Please sign the petition to call on Warden Jim Wynn to give us peace and justice for Jahsyl.