As agents of God’s justice, healing, and love the Mission and Social Justice Commission of The Riverside Church in the City of New York seeks to transform individuals, communities, and systems of racial, economic, social, and environmental oppression.
Rev. VanHook addresses Justice for Ahmaud Arbery:
Join in with our partners at JusticeAid for their Voices to Protect the Vote, an at-home concert with an amazing line-up of talent in support of JusticeAid’s work. Features performances by musical artists Paula Cole, David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Leyla McCalla, Kandace Springs, David Shaw and Zack Feinberg of The Revivalists, and Paine the Poet.
Live Justice Now is an ongoing initiative of Riverside’s Mission & Social Justice ministries as we take action in response to the great need for truth, justice, and compassion in our world. Many of our opportunities to take action arise in real time, with recent news and updates listed here:
March 31, 2020:
As jails become the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, join a united front of legislators and advocates to demand a budget with no bail reform rollbacks! We’re asking that everyone take a few minutes TODAY to make phone calls to their Assemblymember and Senator to urge them to oppose any rollbacks to bail, especially in light of the current public health crisis. You can find a sample call script below.
Script for YOUR Assemblymember & Senator
Call: Find your Senator and Assembly Member at openstates.org. Their office phone number will be listed on their Assembly/Senate page under “contact.”
“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m a constituent. I strongly support the new bail and discovery laws, which are already making New York fairer, safer, and more just — especially for people of color. We have witnessed the positive impact that bail reform has already had on New Yorkers to reunite people with family, continue medical treatment, and keep their housing.
As new studies have shown, bail reform rollbacks will increase pretrial incarceration and disproportionately harm Black New Yorkers. Now, more than ever, is not the time to make changes to the bail law, subjecting thousands more people to jail. Coronavirus is rapidly spreading and it is widely known that jails are incubators for infectious disease due to overcrowding, severely limited medical care, unsanitary conditions, and lack of access to hand washing.
This is a matter of life and death. I’m asking you, as my representative, to commit to stand up for what is right and publicly commit to not pushing for rollbacks or changes to the bail and discovery laws, particularly in the budget. Will you [call me back/email me] with that commitment? Thank you.”
Maranatha is committed to serving God by fostering greater understanding and promoting equity for the LGBTQ community.
Learn MoreEmpowers men and women returning to the community from incarceration by providing facilitators, mentors, and other support.
Learn MoreOur environmental justice ministry is dedicated to helping our community be good stewards of our resources and God’s creation.
Learn MoreArranges and participates in worship services in New York State prisons, supports prisoners in struggles to obtain justice and to re-engage life in community.
Learn MoreWorks with people currently held in detention centers in the U.S., while petitioning for asylum and providing support to those recently released.
Learn MoreRiverside pledges 10% its annual offering from its members to grassroots and Native American projects locally, nationally, and internationally.
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