Changes of “policy and practice infused with love, hope, equity and abundance”! (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words describing the Beloved Community.)  At the ISAAC 2020 Public Meeting on Thursday, October 22, at 6:30 pm, public officials, candidates, and community leaders will publicly pledge to work with us on policies and practices that help build the Beloved Community.  We hope YOU will join us then on Facebook.com/isaackalamazoo or Youtube.com/user/ISAAC4Kalamazoo.

Our task forces on Anti-Racism, Housing, and Community Violence Prevention have been listening to community members all year to discern specific changes of policy and practice that would build the Beloved Community.  On October 22, they will present the changes they have chosen and ask all of us to help make their vision real.  Come see what “policies and practices infused with love, hope, equity and abundance” our three task forces have chosen!

 

Please REGISTER and invite your congregation, organizations, and everyone you know who might like to see what changes our Anti-Racism, Housing, and Community Violence Prevention Task Forces advocate!  It’s our first-ever virtual public meeting, so we need your help to spread the word.

Have you seen our 20-foot-long banner yet, and our large purple yard signs? THANKS to Westwood United Methodist on West Main at Nichols, Greater Faith Empowerment on Oakland near I-94, Mount Zion Baptist on North Burdick across from the Family Health Center, and First United Methodist on South Park St. across from Bronson Park, for each giving us their great locations for a week for that long banner! And THANKS to Steve Barber and Chris Roberts for putting it up then taking it down and moving it every week since early September, and for taking it soon to the sign company that will put it up on the Westnedge Overpass!  THANKS also to ALL of our member congregations and many partners as well, for saying “yes, of course” to having our large purple yard signs in front of your buildings.

If you’re new to ISAAC, you might wonder what happens after the commitments are made at our once- every-two-years Public Meeting.  Here are some examples from our media advisory:

• “The Housing Equity ordinance that was recently adopted unanimously by the Kalamazoo City Commission is a good example of a policy change advocated by ISAAC,” said Elder Doug King, ISAAC President. “Two years ago, ISAAC asked City Commissioners at our 2018 Public Meeting to support our work to end housing discrimination. Then ISAAC and Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT), City staff and the City Commissioners, particularly Vice Mayor Patrese Griffin, the catalyst of this ordinance, all worked together to bring the vision of a Housing Equity ordinance to fruition.”
• “Sunday buses and late night buses are another example of a change that ISAAC advocated and championed, in partnership with Metro Kalamazoo,” Elder King added.
• “And KC Ready 4s, the work to make high-quality pre-K programs available for all Kalamazoo County 3 and 4 year-olds–which is celebrating its 10th anniversary right now–is a good example of a vision and a partnership that ISAAC catalyzed.”

Don’t miss out on being part of our new work together!  Go to ISAAC Kalamazoo on Facebook Live or YouTube Live, on October 22 at 6:30 pm!  Your presence will help us build the Beloved Community with new “policies and practices infused with love, hope, equity and abundance!”