Religious Action Center :: RACBlog

Gulf Update: 5 years post-Katrina, 5 months of oil

2010-09-02T13:27:57Z

Last Sunday marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating landfall on the Gulf Coast. Nearly five months ago, the Deepwater Horizon exploded, killing eleven men, beginning the release of millions of barrels of oil, and adding endless complication to the recovery and restoration process across the Gulf Coast region. As these challenges continue, and as faith communities continue to respond, the Gulf Coast remains in the national spotlight - and remains a priority for all those who care about economic and environmental justice.

Gulf Coast communities commemorated the Katrina anniversary with rallies, religious services, and a whole host of other events. The President spoke at Xavier University and restated his commitment to long-term restoration and recovery in the Gulf, and to building a stronger and more resilient region than ever. His words - "Just as we have sought to ensure that we are doing what it takes to recover from Katrina, my administration has worked hard to match our efforts on the spill to what you need on the ground" - are encouraging but beg the question: what do we do to move forward?

Securing the Right of Religious Freedom and Safety

2010-08-31T22:15:54Z

The recent wave of hate crimes against American Muslims and nationwide protests against the construction of mosques is alarming to say the least. From coast to coast, mosques are being vandalized, Muslims are being attacked, and families fear for their safety. The RAC and Reform Movement have come out in strong support of religious freedom and condemned this kind of bigotry.

In response to this recent influx of Islamophobia, Rabbi David Saperstein, accompanied by a coalition of faith groups and advocacy organizations, met with senior Obama Administration officials in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to discuss what could be done to uphold religious freedom and protect millions of American Muslims.

Get Out the Vote!

2010-08-31T17:09:27Z

It's that time of year again, fellow voters, so don your election caps and start reading! This year's 2010 midterm elections, taking place Tuesday, November 2, are sure to promise some exciting races, controversial ballot questions, and unpredictable results and we want you to be in the know. To help keep you informed about this year's candidates and ballot measures, and boost your enthusiasm for civic participation in its most quintessential form, we've created a Voting Information Center with tons of resources and links to ensure you cast an educated vote this November.

On this site you can find Jewish resources, programming recommendations, sample publicity materials and the RAC's top ten election movies! You can also research the candidates in your federal, state and local elections, find out about important ballot measures in your state, and how to register to vote or submit an absentee ballot. This information and so much more is available on our Voting portal so make sure you check it out!

Remembering Katrina: A Reflection

2010-08-26T17:21:02Z

Leslie G. Woods serves as the Representative for Domestic Poverty & Environmental Issues in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness in Washington, D.C.

[Editor's Note: for more on the Reform Movement's Gulf response efforts in the five years since Hurricane Katrina, visit our Katrina & New Orleans: 5 years later resource page.]

I arrived in the faith-based advocacy community in Washington, DC, fresh out of divinity school. I had moved to Washington to take an internship in the Public Life and Social Policy Office of the United Church of Christ - a public policy ministry that I was excited to join after three years of study and preparation. I had been told that I would be working on issues of domestic poverty and economic justice. My first day in the office was August 29, 2005.

The first day of a new job is always nerve-wracking, but this day was also tinged with the collective sadness of watching a tragedy unfold. The 24-hour news cycle blared the news of recent and impending hurricane landfalls and of inadequate evacuation plans. I remember sitting with my new colleagues that morning discussing the domestic poverty policy agenda for the coming session of Congress, when Hurricane Katrina came up. In that Monday morning meeting, a collective intake of breath seemed to still the room as we all contemplated what was happening at that very moment.