For Immediate Release: March 24th, 2010
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Leading East Bay African-American Clergy Speak Out for Immigration Reform, In Prelude to Major SF March
Pastors: Reform would help "make the promise of America a reality" for both immigrant and African-American communities; Call for local dialogues, national action
What: Several prominent East Bay African-American Clergy will hold a press conference and lead prayers at Oakland's Federal Building to proclaim their support for humane immigration reform. Pastors will unveil a "Statement of Solidarity," hours before hundreds of immigrant rights advocates stage a 4:00 PM rally and march to Senator Feinstein's San Francisco office.
When: Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 10:30 AM
Where: Oakland Federal Building, 1301 Clay Street
Who: Confirmed speakers (updated)
- Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith Jr., Senior Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church
- Servant Brian K. Woodson, Pastor, Bay Area Christian Connection
- Rev. Phillip Lawson, East Bay Housing Organizations and retired Methodist Minister
- Rev. Clarence Johnson, Pastor of Mills Grove Christian Church, Oakland
- Father Jay Mathews, Pastor of St. Benedict Catholic Church, East Oakland
- Father Greg Chisolm, Pastor of St. Patrick Catholic Church, West Oakland
- A representative from the office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee will also attend the event.
Organizational sponsors: East Bay Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice, Black Alliance for a Just Immigration, and East Bay Housing Organizations
Media visuals: Illustrated placards representing and featuring quotes from the Bible and Declaration of Independence; Pastors speaking with backdrop of the Federal Building
Background: As demonstrations in support of fixing the US's broken immigration system sweep the nation, the leaders of some of the East Bay's most prominent African-American congregations will gather in front of Oakland's Federal Building and announce their strong support for humane reform.
"In the face of the worst economic crisis since the 1930's, African-American and immigrant communities share a common and compelling interest - survival," said Pastor Brian Woodson. "We believe that people who work to live ought to be able to live off their work. When unscrupulous employers exploit our immigrant sisters and brothers, that drives down wages for all of us. Immigration reform is a key ingredient to economic recovery, since it would strengthen the bargaining power of all workers and thus help all of God's children rise to shared prosperity."
Rev. Phillip Lawson, a veteran of the 1960's Civil Rights Movement, added: "This is about making the promise of America a reality for all who live here. Our ancestors, brought here violently, were long excluded from full citizenship, and we hold as a fundamental value that all who are living here should have access to citizenship, so they may participate fully and without fear in our society. The black community's struggle for justice has not ended, but it is deeply intertwined with that of African, Latino, Asian and other immigrants. A just reform this year would move all of our communities forward together."
The Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and the Black Alliance for a Just Immigration partnered last year to launch a process of faith-rooted dialogue in area congregations. The groups seek to build bridges and create solidarity between African-American and Immigrant - particularly African and Latino - communities.
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