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looking back....looking forward!

12/19/2020

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Dear Friends,
 
This long, strange, year, with all its many challenges, sorrows, and frustrations, is nearly at an end. Through it all, we have persevered, we have found ways to create joy, and we have discovered new ways to stay connected with friends and family. 
 
As with most organizations, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice faced the challenge of moving all our programs and events online and keeping all of you, our friends and supporters, engaged and activated.  We are deeply grateful to all of you for staying involved, volunteering with us, taking action when alerted to pressing issues, participating in webinars and other online events, and supporting our work through your generous donations. We are proud of the work we have done this year, and we could not have done it without you!
 
We want to give a special Thank You to the Peter and Drusilla Mazur Fund, PACE (Philanthropy in Civic Engagement), the Evjue Foundation, and all of you, for your generous support which makes our work possible!
 
With your help, in 2020 we:
  • Organized nearly 500 volunteers around the state and 20 partner organizations and congregations to educate, register, and empower people to vote through our WI Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign, in partnership with the Wisconsin Council of Churches. See some of our webinars and other videos here:
  • Brought together a coalition of clergy and faith leaders for Faithful Actions for a Healthy Wisconsin, to educate our communities on keeping safe during this pandemic and to urge our elected officials to enact meaningful policies to stop the spread of the virus and help struggling Wisconsin families during this health and economic crisis. 
  • Presented an online interfaith service of healing: Together in Mourning and Hope: Faith in the Time of COVID-19 .
  • Advocated with Dane County leaders and health officials to create a poster designed to inform workers of their rights in the workplace during the pandemic through our Dignity at Work Coalition
  • Worked with Dignity at Work Coalition members Worker Justice Wisconsin and Voces de la Frontera to create videos in Spanish and English to spread information on workers’ rights across the state. 
  • Spoke out against racism in our policing system and provided resources for white allies to begin the work of becoming anti-racist .
  • Sponsored a series of webinars through the Dane Sanctuary Coalition to educate our community on the devastating impact of our country’s immigration policies on our immigrant friends and neighbors. .
  • Partnered with the US Census Bureau to promote the 2020 Census.
  • And so much more! 
 
We are excited to continue to partner with you in 2021, where some of our priorities will include:
 
  • Advocating for a just biennium state budget that will include: expanding Badger Care; legal drivers licenses for undocumented people; in-state tuition for DACA students; affordable housing; increased funding for early childhood education for low-income families and increased pay for childcare workers; raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour and eliminating tipped wages; paid sick leave and paid family leave; a fund for legal services for undocumented immigrants to prevent deportation; transferring funding from police and prisons to education and mental health service and other community-based initiatives; expanded access to SNAP and other nutrition programs; and moving funding from highway expansion to public transportation, walkable and bike-able cities, and transportation between cities.
  • Continuing the work of the WI Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign, to focus on promoting trust in the election process, protecting access to the ballot, expanding access to DMVs for voter IDs, promoting better access to jail voting and voting after incarceration, advocating for fair maps, and voter registration and get out the vote efforts
  • Continuing our advocacy on behalf of our undocumented siblings in Dane County and throughout the state
  • Educating our communities that racism is a public health care crisis
  • Providing trainings and educational opportunities on anti-racism and community organizing
  • Building on our successful Sacred Site Visit program and revamping this and other interfaith education and community-building programs for an online world
  • Building faith and confidence in the COVID vaccine in our communities .
  • And more….
 
2021 will be a year of new challenges and new opportunities.  Whatever happens, we know we will be stronger and more resilient than ever and that we will be able to face whatever comes, because we are all of us facing it together.
 
Happy holidays and a joyous and hopeful New Year to all!

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FAITHFUL ADVOCACY FOR A HEALTHY WISCONSIN ACTION ALERT

12/15/2020

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Background:
As people of faith, dedicated to protecting life and caring for those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession, we are deeply concerned about the continued spread of the virus and the resulting economic hardship on the most vulnerable among us. 

Along with the health care organizations in the “STOP the COVID SPREAD” campaign[1], we are grateful to Speaker Robin Vos and Congressman Mark Pocan for coming together to encourage all people to follow the guidelines for physical distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks.  This is an encouraging step, but more needs to be done. A coalition of faith leaders and faith-based organizations have come together to plan a series of lobby visits during the week of December 13th to key legislators in leadership positions in the 2021 session. Please help us amplify our voices by taking action with your legislator.

Action:
The week of December 13, please call, email, tweet, or write a letter to your legislator to urge them to take action to stem the spread of COVID-19 and address the economic impact.
​
From all elected officials on both sides of the aisle, we want one clear public message: “Stop the COVID Spread.” Beyond messages, we want to see bipartisan efforts that are aimed at stopping the spread of the disease.  Specifically:
  1. We call for hazard pay and paid sick leave for health care providers, improved equipment and PPE gear, as well as additional testing supplies. These people have been doing an extraordinary job under nearly impossible circumstances and are reaching the breaking point. Wisconsin must make their well-being a number one priority!
 
  1. We ask for increased funding and support to local governments and municipalities to expand testing and contact tracing, provide food and housing security, and provide free COVID-19 testing and treatment.
 
  1. Wisconsinites continue to struggle through a deepening recession and pandemic. The state must make access to unemployment benefits easier and expand eligibility for unemployment benefits. Not only will expanded benefits assist families desperately in need, but it will also boost the economy as people become able to shop for necessities and pay bills.
 
  1. Action is needed to stop the spread of the virus as well as respond to its health and economic impacts. Therefore, we urge the legislature to refrain from prohibiting DHS or local health departments from making determinations regarding closing or limiting capacity of schools, businesses, house of worship and other public accommodations. These measures would only serve to increase the spread of the virus.
 
  1. Instead, Wisconsin needs a statewide mandate on masks. That is the one simple measure which we know is effective in slowing the spread of the virus.
 
To find your legislator and their contact information, go to https://legis.wisconsin.gov/.
You can also send a message directly through our friends at the Wisconsin Council of Churches here.
 
 
 


[1]https://www.wha.org/stopthecovidspread#:~:text=%E2%80%9CStop%20the%20Covid%20Spread!%E2%80%9D,safely%20participate%20in%20Wisconsin's%20economy
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urgent alert: tell legislators to protect the integrity of our election!

12/10/2020

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Background
 
This election, Wisconsinites voted in record numbers. Local election officials counted and verified every vote, and the results were validated by independent election experts. The voters decided and now, the election is over.
 
But some State Legislators are making baseless claims about the election and are refusing to lead during this pandemic. Tomorrow, Friday December 11, the Senate and Assembly will hold a Joint Committee on Campaigns and Elections hearing to review the 2020 general election. Please tell WI legislators to stop undermining public confidence in the integrity of our elections and instead get back to work and pass meaningful legislation to address COVID-19. 
 
The hearing will take place between 10:00am and 6:00pm.  It will be live-streamed on WisconsinEye. 
 
Only invited speakers will be heard, so the only way to share your views will be through direct contact with members of the committee.  Please watch as much of the hearing as you are able, and during the hearing, reach out to members of the Senate and Assembly Committees through text messages, twitter, email, or phone calls, to let them know you want them to stop focusing on false allegations about the integrity of our elections and focus instead on addressing the pandemic and the economic fallout. Your voice is important! Please take action using the talking points below:
 
Talking points:
This was a free and fair election
  • Many Wisconsinites went to great effort to vote safely in this pandemic.  Their votes should not be discarded or dismissed because of baseless allegations of systematic and widespread fraud.
  • The will of the people should prevail; efforts to overturn the will of the people are undemocratic and should stop. 
  • In this election, we had candidates from both parties win hard fought races up and down the ballot, including some of the lawmakers on this committee. We owe the candidates and the voters to stay focused on getting the job done. 
  • You have an obligation to the people of Wisconsin to devote your energy and resources toward upholding the will of the voters.
  • We need you to get back to work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and help Wisconsinites who are struggling during the pandemic to keep food on their tables and a roof over their heads.
 
If you are reaching out on Twitter or Facebook, please tag the legislators using these twitter handles:
Members - Senate Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rural Issues
Senator Bernier (Chair, R): @kmbernier1
Senator Darling (Vice-Chair, R): @SenDarling
Senator Stroebel (R): @SenStroebel
Senator Miller (D): @WISenatorMiller
Senator Smith (D): @sensmithwi
 
Members - Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections
Representative Tusler (Chair, R)): @Ron_Tusler
Representative Sanfelippo (Vice-Chair, R): @RepSanfelippo
Representative Brandtjen (R):@RepJanel
Representative Macco (R): @RepMacco
Representative Sortwell (R): @shaesortwell, 
Representative Murphy (R): https://www.facebook.com/RepDaveMurphy (couldn't find Twitter)
Representative Zamarripa (D): @repjocasta
Representative Subeck (D): @LisaSubeck
Representative Spreitzer (D): @RepSpreitzer
 
Click on the names below to get to the legislators’ pages for phone numbers and email addresses.
Members - Senate Committee on Elections, Ethics and Rural IssuesSenator Bernier (Chair)
Senator Darling (Vice-Chair)
Senator Stroebel
Senator Miller
Senator Smith
Members - Assembly Committee on Campaigns and ElectionsRepresentative Tusler (Chair)
Representative Sanfelippo (Vice-Chair)
Representative Brandtjen
Representative Macco
Representative Sortwell
Representative Murphy
Representative Zamarripa
Representative Subeck
Representative Spreitzer
 
 
 
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