Hi all!
Hoping you all had a wonderful summer and that you are settling into the rhythms of the new season! GBIO is preparing to enter a new stage of our Listening Campaign, where we will be meeting in small groups as a congregation to discern where we feel equipped and moved to act in this current moment. If you are interested in learning more about what that means, I encourage you to register to join for the upcoming GBIO Delegate’s Assembly on Sunday, October 5. See below for more details and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Want to get more involved in this work? Reach out to us at gbio@upbrookline.org if you’d like to meet and learn more about the work of GBIO and specific ways you can support our mission of building community power across the Boston region.
Best,
Connor I. and David R.
United Parish GBIO Liaisons
UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES
GBIO Delegates Assembly – Sunday, October 5, 7:00 PM
Gather for GBIO’s Fall Delegates Assembly where we will delve deeper into our Listening Campaign by preparing for House Meetings in the coming months. House meetings are a crucial step in the community organizing cycle that builds a winnable campaign and changes our communities for the better. These are times when people come together and share stories about what matters to them and why. They are facilitated to deepen relationships, identify leaders, and understand interests. In a turbulent political moment, these meetings help us get clarity about the pressures and priorities of our base.
GBIO Teen Dinner – Sunday, October 26, 6:30 PM
Join the UP community for a conversation with the youth of our congregation and their parents about GBIO and living out one’s faith through social justice. Rev. Amy Norton-Benfield and Ryan Van Slyke will be hosting a Parent/Teen dinner focused on GBIO and how youth can get involved with social/environmental justice efforts here in Boston. We’ll then have a brief overview of affordable housing from materials David Rockwell has put together, followed by a broader conversation about how UP Brookline and individuals can engage in this work (and why).
UPDATES
Clean Slate Action Summary
GBIO has joined Clean Slate MA’s campaign to support legislation that automatically seals eligible criminal offender record information (CORIs) after a certain amount of time. In support of their campaign, we organized a Lobby Day at the State House on Wednesday, September 17, where more than 50 GBIO members had conversations with our lawmakers about this critical initiative. Justice-involved GBIO members have identified Clean Slate as the most urgent issue facing returning citizens at this time. Passing this legislation would secure and streamline access to jobs, housing and opportunity, ultimately contributing to safer communities. Mark Jones represented United Parish at this action and shared the following summary:
“It was an energetic, focused action! The group started with a kick-off session to explain the bill features and the lobbying process, link our faith beliefs to our social justice cause, and, of course, feature several real-life “stories” that made it personal and real. Each of us then fanned out across the Statehouse to meet with the legislators from our respective districts. Mark (a JP’er) met with Senator Liz Miranda, and Representative Sam Montana and their respective staffs. Both legislators are already co-sponsors, so much of the discussion was spent on strategy and next steps to potentially push the bills through the process and onto the floor for a vote.”
New Lead Organizer – Matt McDermott
Earlier this month, GBIO was excited to welcome it’s new Lead Organizer, Matt McDermott to his role. Matt brings over 20 years of broad-based interfaith organizing experience to the table, with his most recent position being the Lead Organizer of Congregations Organized for a New Connecticut (CONECT), a sister organization of GBIO via the Just Power Alliance. For 12 years, Matt led CONECT through a number of successful state-level campaigns that have made an impact, including the passage of Clean Slate criminal justice legislation and in-state college tuition legislation.
Boston Mayoral Candidate Action
On Tuesday, September 2, GBIO hosted a Mayoral Candidate’s panel with all of the candidates for the upcoming mayoral election. 14 members of United Parish attended, either in person or online. The action was meant to uplift issues of particular interest to Black leaders and communities across GBIO. These actions are valuable ways for GBIO to build relationships with these candidates, establishing a line of communication to call upon throughout the term of whoever is elected.
TAKE ACTION
Stand Up for Immigrants Outside ICE Detention Center, 1000 District Ave., Burlington, MA
Join us to bear witness to ICE’s attacks on our immigrant neighbors and protest their attacks on due process. Wednesdays & Thursdays, 11 AM – 1 PM outside the Detention Center; Saturdays 11 AM – 1 PM at the corner of District Ave and Burlington Mall Road. Bring signs of solidarity, e.g. “Dignity Not Deportations,” “97% of Americans Were Immigrants,” “Stop ICE.” Park in the Macy’s overflow lot right off Burlington Mall Road before District Ave. Contact Carolyn Melbye at cmelbye15@gmail.com with questions.