Pip's Perspective October 28, 2022

Hello Broadway Family! 

Thank you to everybody who participated in the Social Justice Brainstorm! Here is everything you wrote:

• Housing
• Restorative Justice
• Police Reform
• Ever-widening wealth gap
• Equal access to all forms of reproductive healthcare in all states
• Practicing Cultural Humility
• Encourage everyone to vote/ Voter registration & turn-out*
• Environmental Justice
• We need safer, braver places for folks to be/hangout
• Educational outcome disparity
• Returning Citizens
• Place of safe speech and thought for the younger generations
• Food sovereignty
• Ageism
• Sexism
• Heterosexism
• The ending of cash bail (against)
• Connecting Mission Minutes each month with causes/actions we can do
• A mini-conference with local organizations to educate congregation on work being done so that we can identify gaps

You all took me seriously in writing down topics on your heart and minds, and not being afraid to think big! I appreciate it. It really warmed my heart to see so many entries. Now we will begin the process of narrowing the topics down to one (or max, two) social justice issues that we will address. This is not to diminish any of the ideas you've shared, but is because we need to focus our efforts to best use our energy and resources. 

Our next task is to convene a group of folks to narrow down the topics to one issue, and then plan what we will do about that issue. Once we have a group of people who are interested in participating, we will figure out what day and time we will meet! If you are at all interested in planning Broadway's deepened work in the world outside our walls, please contact me.

*Regarding voter turnout - the midterm is coming up so fast (11/8), that unfortunately the newly forming social justice committee will not have time to convene and plan a "get out the vote" campaign this year. That said, I'm very glad that it was listed as a congregational priority. It is very important to vote! We can offer this:

1. I'd love to help coordinate rides for anyone in the congregation who needs help getting to their local polling location. So, if you are needing transportation on 11/8 to the polls, or you have a car and can help transport people, please email me and I'll connect you.
2. As individuals, here is an opportunity to participate in phone banking through ONE Northside.

So, thanks again for your participation, and I look forward to a further continuation of the process. As we do the work of living out God's love in the world, may it also grow our love for one another within and without our community.