Contact: Gordon Mayer, 312-307-0133; Ana Garcia-Ashley, 414-708-3777
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2013 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Interfaith leaders in religious attire will demand action to protect civil rights for African Americans, Latinos and all Americans on Thursday when they visit the Dr. Martin Luther King memorial, 1964 Independence Ave S.W., hold a vigil at the Republican National Committee, 310 First St SE., and meet elected officials of both parties on Capitol Hill.
About 100 leaders of faith-based institutions in the Gamaliel community organizing network, hailing from San Diego to Buffalo, will call on political leaders to continue the Civil Rights victories of the past 50 years by allowing immigration reform to go forward, and to roll back attacks on voting rights in the coming year that have already dismantled some of that movement's hard-fought gains.
"It has been a year of highs and lows, of celebrating and defending victories of movements past while seeking to extend those rights to our undocumented Americans," says Rev. John Welch, leader of Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network and Gamaliel board member.
Jobs and education will be on the group's agenda as they go on to meetings at the Labor and Education departments. Gamaliel leaders advocate for changes to federal contract regulations to ensure jobs at federally-funded public works sites get awarded fairly among other issues.
Schedule:
8 a.m. What makes a "good" job and how do we create more of them? Panelists: Gara LaMarche, President, The Democracy Alliance, George Kohl, Senior Director of Collective Bargaining & Technology, CWA, Rocio Saenz, Executive Vice President, SEIU, Scott Klinger, Dir of Revenue and Spending Policies, Center for Effective Government at Best Western Capitol Skyline, 10 I St SW, Washington, DC 20024
9:45 a.m. Gamaliel will arrive at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, 1964 Independence, S.W.
11 a.m. Gamaliel will arrive at Republican National Committee. 310 First St., S.E.
1 p.m. Meetings in and around Capitol Hill
Gamaliel (Gamaliel.org) is a grassroots network of non-partisan, faith-based organizations in 16 U.S. states, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Gamaliel organizes to empower ordinary people to effectively participate in the political, environmental, social and economic decisions affecting their lives. Gamaliel's diverse members apply their faith and values to the pursuit of equal opportunity for all, shared abundance, and stronger, more prosperous communities.
