New Year, New Moment – Building the Beloved Community
Isaiah 43:19
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
As we prepare to say farewell to 2020 and squarely look 2021 in the face, this is a true time of newness. This year, for many of us, we’ll celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and the New Year different than we have in years’ past.
We get to create new traditions as we find ways to safely connect and cherish one another. We get to make new intentions and commitments about what we want to do and who we want to be. We are nearing the end of four years of prophetic resistance and fights to defend the lives of our loved ones and neighbors. We are entering a new season, with new tools, wisdom and victories we’ve attained from wrestling together.
We don’t do this alone. Our Creator is shaping, transforming and moving with and for us all the time. As God moves to do new things – for all of our benefit – let us have the discernment to perceive it and get aligned with God.
Qu’ran Reflection 7:137
“And ‘so’ We made the oppressed people successors of the eastern and western lands, which We had showered with blessings. ‘In this way,’ the noble Word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel for what they had endured. And We destroyed what Pharaoh and his people constructed and what they established.”
In the Quran, it is revealed how in a moment the tides change. In a moment, the Pharaoh, who had oppressed the Children of Israel, drowned as the sea came crashing down all around him. In a moment, the tyrant and his legacy, everything he built, followed him to the bottom of the sea. And in that same moment, the oppressed found their promise of freedom fulfilled by the Creator. The Children of Israel who faced immense prosecution were granted justice.
As the year is coming to an end, we must reflect on how many moments of justice we have achieved, as well as the moments of injustice we must continue to fight against. This year has been nothing short of bittersweet, but we must remember the power a moment can have.
In a moment – with the hard work of you, me, and us – we can continue to make Minnesota into the state we love and know is possible. In a moment, legalization could be passed to better the lives of us all. However, in a moment, if we do not push forward, if we forget the power we have, or if we decide to step off the stage and back into the audience, in a moment, we could lose more than we gain.
In the fight for justice, for a fair democracy, and for a caring economy, a moment is all we need. Allah stands on the side of the righteous and the just, and all we need to do is take that step into the split sea and continue walking forward without looking back. This is our moment.
ISAIAH’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch!
Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021 | 2-5pm
Join us for our bi-annual ISAIAH-wide event! You and a few thousand of your closest and most powerful friends will get clear about how we will create the state we need to thrive and the steps we are taking in 2021 to get there!
ISAIAH’s We Make Minnesota Virtual Launch is your chance to build power with our elected leaders and provide your vision of a government #WhoCaresForUs.
Democracy Agenda Press Conference
Tuesday, Minnesotans across race & region met with state legislators to talk about creating a robust democracy where Minnesotans get a voice and have the freedom to decide what’s best for their families, communities and state.
Things like automatic voter registration, fair redistricting and making participation in our democracy easier, not harder, are not only popular things to do – they are the right things to do. Leaders from BBCC, the Young Adult Coalition, the Muslim Coalition of ISAIAH, and more shared their personal stakes in building communities where everyone can thrive. This is what democracy looks like!
COVID-19 outbreak at Kandiyohi County Jail threatens health of detained immigrants
We deserve the ability to be thriving and healthy regardless of our immigration status. As of December 11, 2020, ICE reports that nationally, nearly eight thousand people held in ICE detention facilities have tested positive for COVID-19, though there are reports that the true number of infections is much higher. Since Thanksgiving, there has been a severe COVID outbreak at the Kandiyohi ICE facility in Minnesota.
Please sign the petition supporting the many impacted by the evil of being put in cages, especially amid a pandemic.
Clergy and Faith Leaders Call for Robust COVID-19 Relief Bill
In this pandemic and beyond, we need a government #WhoCaresForUs. Over 240 ISAIAH & Jewish Community Action clergy and faith leaders representing Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities across Minnesota urged our state elected officials to support the passage of an Immediate COVID Relief Package.
This Tuesday, the Minnesota Legislature passed a relief bill with 2 out of the 4 immediate measures we urged leaders to act on (extending unemployment benefits and stimulus package for businesses and restaurants). This is a WIN!
*BUT* we still continue to work toward a government and leadership #WhoCaresForUs. We still need increased funding in the Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP); support for house-less, renters, and homeowners in Minnesota; longer-term solutions, like Paid Family and Medical Leave and access to quality, affordable housing and healthcare.
We know there are enough resources in Minnesota to fully #FundOurLives and our communities. While we’ve struggled and cared for each other during this pandemic, the richest 1% have been using it for their own profits. We are united to create a Minnesota that works for all of us, no exceptions. It’s time to our legislatures ensure the richest in our state are paying their part too.
We’re Hiring! Join Our Team
We are seeking a financial management leader who can help scale ISAIAH’s accounting practices with our growth while carrying out our values around racial justice and equity. We are also seeking a southern Minnesota associate organizer to energize and grow our base. Join us!
