2016 Domestic U.S. Workshops

In the midst of rising Islamophobia and an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim incidents nationwide, exacerbated by inflammatory statements by public figures and candidates for office, debate over the resettlement of Syrian and Iraqi refugees, and acts of terrorism committed by Daesh (ISIS), there is a vital need for Christians and Muslims to build stronger relationships, working together to support and empower each other’s communities. In this workshop, we will hear from Muslims and Christians about how they are proactively creating opportunities for mutual dialog and then moving forward together to build a more resilient and welcoming nation.

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Our current immigration system is broken and biased toward class and race. We’ve heard the phrase “get in line” but what does the road to citizenship look like for immigrants? Where do our Presidential candidates stand on immigration issues? There are many misconceptions about immigrants in the US., but who are they really? Join us in learning about the people… 

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If voting is at the heart of the democratic process, the way in which each person has a voice in shaping the policies of our government, we face a time of serious challenge. In 2016, voters will face a pivotal presidential election year without the protections of the hard-fought 1965 Voting Rights Act, the largest rollback to voting rights in 50 years. Threats to voting rights and voter participation on multiple fronts are drowning out the voices of the many for the benefit of the few. This workshop will take a look at the history and context of the voting rights struggle in light of current obstacles to voting rights and voter participation, and consider why and how people of faith can respond.

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Each of us is challenged to look within ourselves and ask, “What am I doing to build up the human family?” “Am I called to be the “bridge”? This workshop will discuss the challenges we face as we engage in meaningful conversations to close the growing “racial divide.” It will explore the tools needed to effectively cross cultural boundaries to break the negative and destructive cycles that reinforce the divisions among and between our communities. The gospel mandates call us to see in each person we encounter the face of our “brother” or “sister”.

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Every community experiences divides—racial, socioeconomic, political, and more—in a unique way, but there are similarities among how we can encounter and understand these divides to create community. Join us for an interactive workshop sharing themes and stories from the 2015 Nuns on the Bus trip, as well as practical understanding of what we all can do to have this dialogue in our home churches and communities.

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This workshop will explore three main problem areas that food service workers experience. Wage theft, low wages and lack of fair scheduling. These all contribute to food service workers making so little and struggle to survive on their wages. We will also explore how the tax payers are subsidizing large corporations and the U.S. Federal government when their workers rely on public aid because of their low wages. We will discuss some solutions and how everyone at EAD can participate.

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The 2010 Citizens United decision has greatly impacted national legislation (or lack thereof) on a variety of issues that we advocate for in the faith community including poverty, immigration, and the environment. Due to this obstruction of democracy it is up to advocates to remove the roadblock of money in politics that exists on Capitol Hill. This workshop will focus on strategies that can help bring us together to fight one of the most pressing issues of our time: unchecked money in politics.

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One key to ending mass incarceration is improving how police interact with the communities they are charged with protecting. Positive police interactions can help short circuit the school to prison pipeline and enable communities to feel protected and valued. In this workshop you will be given an overview of the recommendations from the President’s Taskforce on 21stCentury Policing and how you can advocate for your community to access resources to help your local police department implement the best practices noted in the report.

“Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change: Toward Right Relationship with America’s Native Peoples” is a powerful interactive exercise. Through a participatory process, we trace the historic and ongoing impacts of the Doctrine of Discovery, the 15th-century justification for European subjugation of non-Christian peoples. Our goal is to raise our level of knowledge and concern about these impacts, recognize them in ourselves and our institutions, and explore how we can begin to take actions toward “right relationship.” In the Doctrine of Discovery, we find the roots of injustice. In the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we find the seeds of change. How can we nurture these seeds to bring forth the fruits of right relationship among all peoples?

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This 90 minute introductory workshop will guide participants into a deeper understanding of racism and white supremacy, how they were established and how they impact both people of color and white people. We will conclude by examining a story from the Gospel as a resource for understanding our positions relative to power and what Jesus has to say about that.

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Our country incarcerates more people than any other nation in the world, tearing down the dignity of individuals, families, and communities. As people of faith, we are called to walk in solidarity with those experiencing the effects of imprisonment and to work together towards a justice system that restores rather than destroys. Join us (National Religious Campaign Against Torture, National Council of Churches, Catholic Mobilizing Network, and United Methodist Women) in learning how to engage with the movement to end mass incarceration led by those most impacted by the criminal justice system.

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The #BlackLivesMatter Movement was founded in the wake of the killing of Trayvon Martin and burst to public consciousness after the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. It is a broad based movement of mostly young people who feel disenfranchised by institutional systems, including the institutional church. However, many of the young people on the frontlines are people of faith. This workshop will explore the role of the faith community and how “church” is defined on the front lines of an activist movement.