From the Director

We all knew that an onslaught was coming. I, for one, was certainly not prepared for the full depth and range of the onslaught we’ve experienced. The full array of Presidential proclamations is breath-taking. I am left feeling not only dizzy and overwhelmed, but also deeply motivated!

There is a LOT to process and respond to — much too much for me to get my brain and heart around. What I can do is respond to what I can, prepare to get more active and engaged, and lean into community. When facing such an onslaught of policies and directives that I know will cause harm, my tendency is to shrink within myself and avoid it all (to be fair, I did spend most of monday actively avoiding any news coverage). But shrinking within myself and engaging in avoidant activities also leaves me isolated. I’m not going to survive the next few years if I’m isolated, and I certainly can’t do good to those of you who are most targeted and impacted by being isolated

A part of my resistance to the inauguration, included reading Revolutional Love by Rabbi Michael Learner. In the introduction, he quotes Michelle Alexander:

“We need much more than a political revolution, we also need a moral, cultural and spiritual revolution — an awakening to the dignity and value of each and every one of us no matter who we are, where we came from, or what we’ve done… It is this revolutionary spirit — a revolutionary love for all people and for life itself — that will ultimately determine our collective fate.”

I didn’t realize how much I need to read this until I had read it. As I re-read it, I realized just how much I feel myself being called to hate — not just the policies and proclamations, but also the people. But my faith is not a faith of hate — it is a faith centered on love and loving. I am called to love and in these times to love out loud! Hating “them” not only is not effective, but it also is not my living my values. One of the most powerful ways that I can resist is to live my/our values. My hating in response to their hatred is not the answer!

As you’ll see below, there are lots of opportunities and invitations already for ways that we can work locally (and meaningfully) to counter some of the policies that are coming down. They are also ways that we can work to build and deepen our connection and sense of community with each other. I hope you find some inspiration and solace in what our community is offering!

“We are a Welcoming City!”

I shared last week that the Justice Center and All Peoples joined a coalition of congregations and community groups for the “We are a Welcoming City” rally. That rally was an important (if accidental) precursor to the work we have to do now.

As you all know, President Trump issued a slew of proclamations on Monday, many of them targeting our immigrant neighbors, friends and families. According to The Guardian newspaper, one of these overturns a long-standing policy of ICE to not go after immigrants in “sensitive areas” including schools and congregations. The press event last week called on all of us to remind our metro council, Mayor and the Louisville Metro Police Department of their 2017 ordinance that explicitly states that LMPD will not cooperate with ICE. Given these actions by President Trump, your phone calls and messages to the Mayor and our Metro Council are as important as ever.

See below for more actions you can take!

How we Resist

In response to the election, and now the inauguration, there is a need to continue and deepen our conversations about how we resist. As we saw on Monday, Jan 20, we will likely be called to resist in multiple ways. We need to prepare ourselves to engage in acts of resistance for the coming years.

Towards this end, I facilitated a conversation at All Peoples Congregation on Jan 19. This conversation had such a strong response. As a part of this conversation, I encouraged us all to consider a) how we resist from a foundation of love and compassion (rather than anger and judgement) and b) how we resist leaning on what we are for rather than what we are against.

I am looking to replicate this conversation, and encourage you all to create opportunities to engage in your own dialogues to explore what it means to resist, how we resist, and how we can resist in ways that build are sense of connection and solidarity with each other!

For more information contact the justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com.

Take Action!

Yes in My BackYard Bill

SB 59, the so called “yes in my backyard bill” has been filed in Frankfort by Sen Higdon. This bill would amend state law to ease the process by which religious institutions develop and offer affordable housing. It has been sent to the Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee, but as far as I know, no hearing has yet been set for it. This bill does, according to a couple of sources, have some momentum.

Across the state, and certainly in Metro Louisville, we are facing a severe housing shortage. This bill would create some pathways to begin filling this gap.

Help Protect our Immigrant Neighbors

As mentioned above, President Trump issues a proclamation on Jan 20 that effectively states that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is now able to go to congregations and schools in search of immigrants who do not have papers. This directly counters 2017 “Safe Haven” policy passed by the JCPS Board. This policy clarifies that:

a) JCPS staff, volunteers and contractors are prohibited from requiring that students disclose their immigration statues;

b) that unless compelled by a court order, JCPS staff volunteers and contractors are not to disclose a student’s immigration status (to ICE or anyone else); and

c) sets up clear parameters for when and how ICE can enter school property in search of immigrants (with enough notice to the Superintendent to allow her/him to provide for the safety and security of the students of that school).

We can expect JCPS to come under severe pressure (from both federal and state entities) to challenge this policy!

NOW is the time for JCPS to stand firm! Given the actions that the Trump administration has already taken, the immigrant community is feeling under threat — which is already likely undermining the health and well being of students. They and their families deserve to know that JCPS and we as a community have their backs!

You are urged to contact your school board member, remind them of the safe haven policy, and encourage them to act in accordance with this policy. Go here to find your School Board representative

Eviction Prevention

Unlike most cities our size and larger, Metro Louisville has no current policies or administrative office that helps prevent evictions. Metro Louisville does have an “eviction prevention working group” (which the Justice Center has joined and which is facilitated by Metro United Way). This working group is coordinating one ask to the Mayor and Metro Council for fund eviction prevention efforts out of this year’s budget.

In the coming weeks and months, we’ll be sharing information about ways you can help advocate for this budget request.

Interfaith Environmental Action Network

IEAN is planning an environmental action summit this for Late April. The purposes of this Summit are two fold: a) to deepen relationships amongst congregations, and between congregations and local environmental groups so that they can share lessons learned, resources, and information in their efforts to become more environmentally sustainable; and b) to begin developing a collective agenda in our efforts to make Louisville an environmentally just community.

More information will be coming soon so stay tuned!

Interfaith Resilience and Resistance

In Late November, the Justice Center started reaching out to area clergy and faith leaders to create a network of resilience and resistance. The main goal of this network will be to provide mutual support as well as engage in collective organizing and activism as we aim to reduce the worst of the harms that will be coming from the new Administration. We are planning our first meeting for early February.

If you’re interested and available to join us, contact justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Save Bernheim Coalition

Coordinated by Louisville Showing Up for Racial Justice (LSURJ), the Louisville Community Defense Network is a rapid response effort set up in response to requests from impacted communities, as we did in 2017 during the first Trump administration. People are trained in de-escalation, documentation, and Know Your Rights, with a focus on the VALUES that guide the work, including self-determination for those directly impacted, and nonviolence. Our approach is one of ACCOMPANIMENT developed in partnership with people from communities under attack. Teams of people will respond to ICE raids and other needs by documenting and connecting people to community services, including legal support.

We are offering a two-part training for those who are interested in being part of the Community Defense Network.

Monday, February 10 and Monday, February 24 from 6-8 PM. Please plan to attend both. EVERYONE planning to attend the trainings MUST register using this link: https://forms.gle/xJRJadWNJocq9Ted8
You will receive the location for the training after registering.

If you have any questions please email louisvillecommunitydefense@gmail.com.

Support the Justice Center

For more information about the Justice Center and our efforts,

contact Rus Funk, Director at justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com

ALL PEOPLES
a Unitarian Universalist Congregation
4936 Brownsboro Rd
Louisville KY 40222
office@allpeoplesuu.com
Phone: (502) 425-6943
Office Hours:		9 am – 4 pm M-Th
		9 am – 1 pm Fri

Contact Us

All Peoples

Sunday Service: 11:00am