Post-election 2020:
Where Do We Go From Here

The Guibord Center – Religion Inside Out brought Los Angeles faith leaders and community leaders together online following the 2020 election to ground us in the power of our values. From there, we went on to address the deep concerns for the most marginalized and vulnerable in the city.

Nirinjan Singh Khalsa and Dr. Rini Ghosh delivered prayers from the Sikh and Hindu communities. Imam Jihad Turk offered opening comments from the Muslim community. Special speakers included civil rights icon Connie Rice and Rabbi Sharon Brous, IKAR.

Presenters focused on four areas of concern in Los Angeles: The Streets. Politics and Public Safety; Families and Survival; Mental and Physical Health and Access to Services; and Legal Guidance and Resources.

Introduction

 

Overview of Breakout Sessions

 

The Streets – Politics and Public Safety

The Rev. James Lawson
Stephen Rohde, ICUJP
Guillermo Torres, CLUE
Moderator: Rev. Najuma Smith-Pollard

RESOURCES

Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace

https://icujp.org   
Stephen Rohde, Chair of the Board, rohdevictr@aol.com
“Religious Communities Must Stop Blessing War and Violence”  

Clergy and Laity United (CLUE)

https://cluejustice.org
Guillermo Torres, Immigration Program Director, gtorres@cluejustice.org  323-228-2753 

Remember in all your advocacy efforts to include the leaders (presence, voices, stories, etc), from the communities for which you are advocating.

Families in Crisis and in Need – Housing, Food, Survival

Celina Alvarez, Housing Works
Roland Palencia, LA Care
David Gist, Bread for the World
Brandy Muñiz, HopeNet
Moderator:  Tasneem Noor

 

RESOURCES

Housing Works

http://housingworksca.org
Celina Alvarez, Executive Director, calvarez@housingworksca.org   323-286-9483

Bread For The World

https://bread.org
David Gist (Regional Organizer, California) dgist@bread.org  626-394-3940

For urgent action:  

This link can be used to email our U.S. senators and representatives in Washington, DC, to urge them in the strongest terms to PRIORITIZE HUNGRY AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE in this time of COVID-19 and with the congressional responses/stimulus to the pandemic:

https://secure.bread.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=393&s_src=ActionAlert&s_subsrc=website-homepage-featured-action&_ga=2.148520567.1573705641.1605473345-336779412.1581040169

Let’s urge Congress to increase SNAP (food assistance) by 15% and to increase funding to global nutrition programs by $20 billion. That latter figure comes from the Interfaith Working Group on Foreign Assistance.  

At any time:

Call U.S. Congress to urge your elected leaders to prioritize vulnerable communities in stimulus packages.  You can phone the Capitol Switchboard toll free at 800-826-3688 and ask to be transferred to any office of Congress.  For other talking points on hunger advocacy, go to Bread For the World’s website and explore “Campaigns”

This graphic demonstrates how essential public food (via gov’t and public policy) is to preventing hunger: https://www.bread.org/sites/default/files/downloads/ol15_-_1_in_20_-_infographic.pdf

Bread’s report using a racial equity lens to assess hunger and poverty in the US:  https://www.bread.org/library/applying-racial-equity-lens-end-hunger

Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation!

Contact David Gist if you’d like to set up an opportunity for a group to do the Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation.  It’s an-eye-opening experience that can open up deeper conversation and action steps for both newcomers and experienced folks.  

LA Care Health Plan

https://www.lacare.org

Roland Palencia, Community Benefits Director,  RPalencia@lacare.org

 

As of November 2020, 1 in 5 LA residents is a member of LA Care Health Plan.  

 

HopeNet

https://hopenetla.org

Brandy Muñiz, Executive Director brandy@hopenetla.org   

 

Los Angeles Community College District  

Francisco Rodriguez, rodrigfc@laccd.edu

Fuel, economic and social mobility of our community through education. During COVID, enrollments at community colleges are going down considerably; these students are mostly poor, brown and black, and vulnerable to food and housing insecurities.

Health Issues – Physical and Mental Services

Rob Curry, Emanate Health
Jaime Garcia, Hospital Association of Southern California
Moderator:  Tahil Sharma

RESOURCES

Emanate Health

https://EmanateHealth.org
Rob Curry, President, rcurry@EmanateHealth.org

Hospital Association of Southern California

https://hasc.org
Jaime Garcia, Regional Vice-President (LA County), jgarcia@hasc.org

Department of Mental Health Helpline (24/7)  800-854-7771

National Suicide Prevention                            800-273-8255

Substance Abuse Treatment                           844-804-7500

 

Legal Issues and Resources

Gary Blasi, Professor Emeritus,
UCLA School of Law
Moderator:  Sable Manson

 

CREDITS

OPENING VIDEO

“Grounded in Faith”

Photographs: Jesse Kaplan Photography, www.jessekaplanphoto.com 
with permission

“Call to Prayer”

Adhan from Fez – Morocco
IslamiCity:  https://www.islamicity.org/covers/adhan-from-around-the-world/ 
with permission

“The President Sang Amazing Grace”

Written by Zoe Mulford, arranged by Jacob Garchik
Performed by Meklit and Kronos Quartet
Produced by StanfordLive https://youtu.be/lBQOQVsdzbE  
with permission

Video and Sound Editing

Steve Miller, courtesy of Emanate Health
Additional Editing: Yolie Carrillo

CLOSING SLIDES

With permission

Black Lives Matter, CLUE, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles,  Camp Stevens,
Laundry Love, IRIS, Prism, Sacred Resistance, Seeds of Hope,
Shower Program – St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Long Beach, West Valley Food Bank,
HopeNet, Housing Works, LA Voice

ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED

211 LA County, Bayan Islamic Graduate School, Temple Beth Shir Shalom, Bread for the World, CTY Housing, California Sikh Council, CLUE – Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, CMCCE – Cecil Murray Center, El Camino College, Emanate Health, The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, Hollywood Food Coalition, HASC – Hospital Association of Southern California, HopeNetLA, Housing Works, ICUJP – Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace, IKAR, Immaculate Heart Community, Institute for Ecological Civilization, Islamic Center of Southern California, Los Angeles Buddhist Union, L.A. Care Health Plan, LA County Emergency Medical Services Agency, LA Voice, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA, NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership For Change, Psyche & Salt, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, United Methodist/World Council of Churches, Urban Initiatives, Vedanta Society, WARD AME Church, Zarathushti (Zoroastrian) Community

SPECIAL THANKS

Event Moderator

Aziza Hasan

Prayers

Nirinjan Singh Khalsa
Dr. Rini Ghosh

Special Speakers

Connie Rice
Imam Jihad Turk
Rabbi Sharon Brous

Breakout Room Moderators

Rev. Dr. Najuma Smith-Pollard
Tasneem Noor
Tahil Sharma
Dr. Sable Manson

Breakout Room Leaders

Stephen Rohde – ICUJP, Rev. James Lawson  – Holman  United Methodist Church, Guillermo Torres – CLUE, Celina Alvarez – Housing Works, Roland Palencia – LA Care, David Gist – Bread for the World, Brandy Muñiz – HopeNet, Sherry Bonono – Hollywood Food Coalition, Rob Curry  – Emanate Health, Cathy Chidester – LA County Emergency Medical Services Agency, Jaime Garcia – Hospital Association of Southern California, Prof. Gary Blasi – UCLA

The Guibord Center Team

Christine Budzowski, Yolie Carrillo, Mary Kirchen, Daryn Kobata, Terry Opalek, Dr. Lisa Patriquin, Dr. Lo Sprague

Special Assistance

Lurelean Gaines, Dr. Rini Ghosh, Janet Kawamoto, Brenda Threatt, Bob Williams