Last weekend, people started reaching out to me because they were afraid, and they didn’t want to stay that way. They didn’t want to rage or burn things down; they wanted to find a way to contribute to their community, to help others overcome fear. So with the help of a PHENOMENALLY gifted intern, theContinue reading “Could your church help your community find hope in the wake of the election?”
Category Archives: labor
¡Ya basta! Fasting to end Rape on the Night Shift
I’m in my second day of a five day fast with night janitors for a cause most people don’t even realize is a cause: many immigrant women cleaning buildings across our country live in fear of sexual assault by predatory managers who know they are working alone and need to keep their jobs. It’s stuffContinue reading “¡Ya basta! Fasting to end Rape on the Night Shift”
In honor of May Day, an excerpt from Pre-Post-Racial America
Today is a day that historically acknowledges workers and the struggle for basic human dignity for low-wage workers. Since around 2006, it has particularly lifted up the ways in which immigrant workers deserve greater dignity than our society affords them. In honor of workers, here is an excerpt from chapter two of Pre-Post-Racial America: SpiritualContinue reading “In honor of May Day, an excerpt from Pre-Post-Racial America”
Upon receiving the Christian Church of Northern CA-NV’s annual MLK Award
This award was given to me on January 11, 2015 at Lafayette Christian Church during the CCNC-N’s annual MLK service. Following are my remarks upon receiving the award. I find myself thinking a lot about the previous recipients of this award, because they have all deeply shaped me. I’m in the land of Pacific SchoolContinue reading “Upon receiving the Christian Church of Northern CA-NV’s annual MLK Award”
Oakland, you’re the hot chick now:
Stop letting your boyfriends treat you like you’re lucky to be with them! Please forgive the heteronormative nature of the following piece. If you read my blog posts regularly, you know a few things about me: I’ve been the fat chick and I’ve been the hot chick. I’ve been with guys who treat me wellContinue reading “Oakland, you’re the hot chick now:”
Are we getting played? Workers and small business owners are not enemies
Reflections on the Lift Up Oakland campaign for a fair wage (and its alternative) It was hard not to be fired up at the rally last Tuesday for a $12.25 minimum wage in the city of Oakland. Courageous workers stood at the podium and shared their struggles to care for a family on a minimumContinue reading “Are we getting played? Workers and small business owners are not enemies”
The case against “rent a collar:” religion and workers’ rights
Workers Prayer Lord Jesus, We offer you this day our works, Our hopes and struggles, Our joys and sorrows. Give us and all workers of the world The grace to work as you did So that everything we do May benefit our fellowmen and Glorify GOD, our Father. Your Kingdom come Into allContinue reading “The case against “rent a collar:” religion and workers’ rights”
Finding home (or, A million different Occupies)
I attended my very first Occupy the Hood meeting tonight. It’s not like I was unaware of the movement–my co-pastor and I expressed enthusiasm and concern about Occupy Oakland almost simultaneously almost from the beginning, and when we read this article http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/10/occupy_the_hood.php in October, we were pretty sure this was where we belonged. But thenContinue reading “Finding home (or, A million different Occupies)”