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From our Metro Caucuses meeting... Walking in Solidarity Metro caucuses came together at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in St. Paul. It was an inspiring and holy event. After beginning in song, we were treated to an amazing audio-visual experience highlighting our collective history and the unique role ISAIAH plays in the public arena. We saw images of our organizing and powerful public events, along with creative photos of the post-event ‘debris’; at the same time, we heard quotes from an impressive variety of public officials about our impact and our role. Then a handful of leaders shared personal stories their involvement in ISAIAH, as we viewed photographic portraits of others. We were able to see, hear and feel the power of who we are and what we have done together. Our president, Pastor Grant Stevensen, then challenged us with a description of the crucial crossroads where we find ourselves, and the choice we are making about our future. Our state and nation appear to be on a path to apartheid: disinvesting in infrastructure and the common good, deepening inequality and reinforcing the racial divide. We in ISAIAH believe that our faith demands a different path: the path of racial justice and equity. Three ISAIAH leaders (Jeanne Ayers, Pastor Paul Slack, and Guisela Dominguez) each shared some of their personal thoughts, including challenges they see for ISAIAH in walking the path of racial justice. Then in small groups, we had a chance to react to what we had seen and heard, and to do some wrestling of our own with the challenges of this path. After a reflective and uplifting worship, we met in our geographic caucuses. Each caucus clarified and committed to its own pathways to action on racial justice in 2008. Back in the sanctuary, we declared in song our willingness to walk together on an intentional racial justice path. We left the church feeling filled with light, sent forth by God to walk in solidarity in the world. |
From our St. Cloud Caucus (GRIP) meeting... “One finger alone cannot wash the face...” Or, if you prefer “Gacmo wadajirbay wax ku gooyaan... Far kaliyi fool ma dhaqdo,” the Somali translation of the ever-popular GRIP mantra “We do together... What we cannot do alone.” These words danced off the tongues of about a dozen new GRIP leaders, including Ismail Ali, Chairman of the Somali Elders Council, at the November issues assembly in St. Cloud. As GRIP leaders move forward on a racial equity agenda, these words have more significance than ever before. With diverse perspectives of a multi-cultural group, the GRIP caucus can hear the wisdom of the lived experience of racial injustice. Prior to the issues assembly, GRIP leaders organized two “bridging” events in October at which people gathered to gain deeper insights on how the issues that had surfaced in the “Faith in Democracy” conversations held throughout the fall in our congregations. For example, housing concerns included the need for: · More 3 and 4 bedroom apartments for large immigrant families who now struggle with the two unacceptable choices of risking eviction by overcrowding a two-bedroom apartment or the painful decision of sending some of the children to live with other people. · Revising the crime-free housing policies that keep people with criminal records permanently homeless within the city of St. Cloud – even when the felonies are over 20 years old. · Area banks and home loan companies to offer Islamic mortgage products so that Somali families can begin purchasing homes without violating religious beliefs that prevent them from paying interest. When the November 10th issues assembly finally arrived, leaders had been involved in thinking deeply about the community’s needs from various perspectives. But it didn’t make the choices any easier. In a gathering in which five of the seven issues were presented by people of color, GRIP leaders selected as their new issues education, health care and immigration. · Education: In the St. Cloud region, there are significant racial disparities in education. For example, while 93% of white students graduated in the 2004-05 school year, only 63% of black students graduated. Broad goals of the Education Taskforce will be to develop community supports for students of color to enable them to achieve their educational goals. Ideas include researching projects that have been successful in other communities and working with the school district to implement and evaluate the responsiveness of these projects to the needs of students of color. · Health Care: The Itasca Project reports that 31% of those who live in poverty have poor/fair health while only 4% of those in high income groups have poor/fair health. Issue cuts being considered by the Health Care Taskforce include increasing the number of dentists that accept medical assistance patients and/or working with the regional mental health center to expand access to mental health services. · Immigration: Since the 2000 census, an estimated 5,000 Somalis have arrived in the St. Cloud area and the Latino population is expected to increase by 41% by 2009. This is especially challenging for the St. Cloud region because it has been a predominantly white, Christian, rural-based community for the past 150 years. In 1990, only 3.3% of residents were people of color. St. Cloud has been in the top five for number of hate crimes in the state from 2002 to 2005. The Immigration Taskforce plans to resume the regular “pilgrimages” that were organized by GRIP leaders prior to the issues selection process to build the support needed for larger actions. The most difficult part of the day was limiting ourselves to three issues while other important concerns, including workforce development and re-entry for people with criminal records, await our attention.
In an effort to include people who work
nights or depend upon public transportation, GRIP leaders have chosen Saturday,
December 8th, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for the issue taskforce meetings.
Interpretation services and child care will be provided. For more information,
call the GRIP office at 656-9215. |
