Faith-Rooted Organizing
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE-CA)
Organizing is bringing people together to create change. Faith-rooted organizing is bringing people together to create change in a way that is shaped and guided in every way by the deepest beliefs of our faith. Faith-rooted organizing is designed to enable people of faith to contribute our unique gifts to the broader movement for social and economic justice.
Faith-rooted organizing is not “faith-based” organizing, which typically uses the same model of organizing commonly used in neighborhoods, schools and workplaces with the “base” of congregations. Faith-rooted organizing does not draw inspiration and concepts from Saul Alinsky; we relate more closely to Gandhi’s theory and practice of non-violence as developed in the civil rights movement.
Faith-rooted organizing begins by identifying the core components of organizing and the gifts of faith – and then explores all of the potential connections. We ask how faith can guide, support, shape and enrich organizing, with the ultimate purpose of fulfilling God’s will for our communities. The following grid gives us a starting place for the exploration:
Gifts of Faith
Components of Organizing
Visions
Goals
Values
Analysis
Scriptures & other Inspirational Texts
Strategies
Music, Symbols, Rituals
Recruitment
Prayer and other faith practices
Leadership Development
Spiritual Community
Sustaining Leaders
The Faith-Rooted Organizing model was developed by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice of California, alliance of organizations of faith leaders in California who have come together to build a faith-rooted movement for economic justice throughout the state. national leadership in the arena of immigration reform and immigrant integration.NY Faith & Justice is working in partnership with Alexia Salvatierra (former executive director of CLUE-CA) and Lisa Sharon Harper (former executive director for NYFJ and current director of mobilizing for Sojourners) to bring Faith Rooted Organizing to New York City!
http://www.nycharities.org/events/EventLevels.aspx?ETID=3783
CLUE-CA has been providing training to organizations around the country since Spring of 2010. We offer introductory workshops, one or two-day training sessions, and five-day intensives. Our website is www.faithrooted.org. For further information, contact Rev. Alexia Salvatierra, asalvatierra@cluela.org , 213-219-2449