Now is the time for Transformation
Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, we all felt a great sense of uncertainty and anxiety in the leadup to the US Presidential elections. This week, many are breathing a sigh of relief as they come to a close, and we now have a better sense of our work ahead.
This year alone has been incredibly taxing on many communities, individuals, and organizations seeking to advance inclusion and human dignity. The rise of hate and division in this era, including and beyond these last four years, revealed so much lurking just beneath the surface in American society. We must recognize the damage that has been done. We must deal with the fact that systemic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia have deep roots in our country. We must come to terms with the reality that many Americans, our communities and families, continue to be divided on these issues.
What we need now is not a rebuilding but a societal transformation.
Organizations like ours have worked to position ourselves against things like harmful rhetoric, racism, violence, and discriminatory policies targeting our Muslim neighbors. But the reason we’re really here is to fight for an America that values everyone who calls this place home. We’re here to work towards realizing our American ideals of respect, fairness, and dignity for all. And this applies to everyone — no matter your faith, your background, or who you voted for. As Bishop Curry reminded us in his November 1st sermon from the National Cathedral,
“Our ideals, values, principles and dreams of beloved community matter. They matter because they drive us beyond service of self alone, to commitment to the greater good of us all. They matter because they give us an actual picture of God’s reign of love, and a reason to struggle and make it real. They matter to our lives as people of faith. They matter to our life in civil society. They matter to our life as a nation and as a world. Our values matter!”
Shoulder to Shoulder is here for the long haul.
We address the root causes of anti-Muslim discrimination and violence, hate, and exclusion through our training, community-building, and mobilization. We amplify and support people across the nation who are making big and small concrete changes in their communities. We want to advance a society where communities of different faiths and backgrounds don’t just have seats at the table but are co-creating the table and the menu together because there is enough for all. Now is the time for transformation.
Here are some actions you can take today to support this positive transformation::
- Continue to listen to the voices of those most directly impacted by the racism, hate, and xenophobia that has surfaced so blatantly over the last several years.
- Attend one of our Faith Over Fear trainings. There is a virtual training starting next week!
- Join our Community & Congregational Membership Network to be in conversation and keep learning together with others working to create more inclusive communities across the country.
- Follow us on social media to stay updated on these issues, impact stories, and upcoming opportunities to engage.
- Support our work financially. We rely on the support of people like you to continue the transformative work we are leading and co-facilitating in partnership with communities and individuals across the nation.
