Statement on May 2023 DOI Grand Canyon Visit

On May 20, 2023, US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited the greater Grand Canyon landscape to meet with Tribal leaders, local elected officials, and community members to learn about their vision for conserving the natural and cultural resources in the greater Grand Canyon watershed. The following is a statement by Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood, AFN’s Executive Director.

"As a network representing thousands of interfaith leaders across Arizona, we express our deepest gratitude to Representative Grijalva and Secretary Deb Haaland for their exceptional commitment in support of protecting Arizona. The establishment of Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon as a national monument fills us with joy and hope.

As leaders from diverse faith traditions, we firmly believe that protecting sacred land is a fundamental mandate in all spiritual and religious practices. We recognize the profound significance of this land to the Hopi, Havasupai, and other Tribal communities who consider it sacred. We wholeheartedly support their voices, leadership, and tireless efforts to safeguard this magnificent sanctuary.

Through this act of preservation, we honor the rich cultural heritage, ancestral connections, and spiritual essence that resonate within these hallowed grounds. By listening to and respecting the wisdom of the Tribal leaders, we take an essential step toward acknowledging the interconnectedness of humanity and the natural world.

We extend our most profound appreciation to Representative Grijalva and Secretary Deb Haaland for their unwavering advocacy and vision in safeguarding this cherished landscape for future generations. Their commitment to environmental stewardship and cultural preservation is a beacon of inspiration, reminding us of our shared responsibility to protect our planet and honor the spiritual traditions that guide us.

May the creation of Baaj Nwaavjo I'tah Kukveni Grand Canyon as a national monument stand as a testament to the power of collaboration, respect, and unity. Together, we can ensure the enduring protection of sacred lands and foster a world where all faiths and cultures find solace in preserving our natural wonders."

More on the visit:

DOI: Secretary Haaland Highlights Locally Led Conservation Efforts in Visit to Grand Canyon Region

KJZZ: Interior Secretary meets with Grand Canyon tribal coalition over proposed monument

Secretary Haaland with leaders

Secretary Haaland and Rev. Sexton-Wood

Rep Grijalva and Rev. Sexton-Wood

Arizona Bi-Partisan Budget Efforts Help Create Vital Security Grant for the State’s Most Vulnerable Faith Communities

PHOENIX, AZ – On Friday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed the State Budget into law which included a $5 million state-based nonprofit security grant program (as originally introduced in Senate Bill 1713) that offers small and medium-sized houses of worship streamlined access to funding to help cover safety costs incurred by increased security threats.

 Arizona Faith Network’s (AFN) Executive Director Reverend Katie Sexton-Wood issued the following statement:

“The adoption of the state-level nonprofit security grant program for local houses of worship at high risk of hate crimes or attacks because of the nonprofit’s ideology, beliefs or mission is a huge win for the interfaith community as a whole. The Arizona Faith Network was able to gather support from a wide variety of diverse faith communities across the state, and with the backing of Republican Senator David Gowan, push it across the finish line.

“This is a historic step in the right direction, directly addressing the increasing acts of violence, vandalism and hate against vulnerable religious communities here in the state. The bi-partisan support in both the House and the Senate shows that the acts of extremist violence will not be tolerated, and that security must be a priority for all communities of faith in Arizona.

“Thank you so much to Senator Gowan for his unwavering support, as well as to Governor Hobbs and the Arizona legislature for working together to ensure all Arizonans are safe in their houses of worship.

 Arizona State Senator David Gowan (R – D19) issued the following statement:

“Individuals seeking the comfort of a religious service should have the confidence of knowing they are in a safe environment. This new security grant program allows for small and medium-sized houses of worship to benefit from the same security measures that larger congregations have through the federal program – ensuring a safe environment for all.”

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About Arizona Faith Network: Arizona Faith Network is an interfaith organization dedicated to bringing people together to promote peace and understanding through interfaith education and dialogue as well as healing of the world through collaborative social action. We are made up of people of different faiths who covenant with each other in solidarity and mutual respect. We recognize that our diversity makes us stronger and while we seek to find common ground, we also lift up our differences as unique individuals and communities. Together we are committed to both civil dialogue and transformational action while we seek to keep our faiths and beliefs as an inspiration and direction for all that we do. For more information visit www.arizonafaithnetwork.org.

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The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix is a proud Board Member of the Arizona Faith Network, and was proud to help spearhead this campaign. [click here for a version of this release on the JCRC website]

 ​*Interviews Available with Arizona Faith Leaders*​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Date: May 15, 2023

Media Contacts:

Jen Rogers, jen@hudsonwestpr.com | 201.286.1979
Lori Jung, lori@hudsonwestpr.com | 917.399.6962

Grijalva, Sen. Sinema Proud to Join Tribes in Calling on President Biden to Designate Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Contact: Lindsay Gressard - 202-740-4715

Washington, D.C. – During a virtual press conference held earlier today, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) joined members of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition as they launched an effort to call on President Joe Biden to use his authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” for the Havasupai Tribe and I’tah Kukveni means “our footprints” for the Hopi Tribe.

CLICK HERE to watch the full recording of the press conference.
CLICK HERE for a fact sheet on the designation effort.
CLICK HERE for a map of the proposed National Monument boundaries.

The proposed boundaries of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument include 1,102,501 acres adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park. The National Monument designation would honor the tribes’ deep cultural ties to the Grand Canyon and protect the area by permanently banning uranium mining, while also enhancing the cultural, natural, recreational, and scientific resources of the region. The area is also an important watershed for the Colorado River, which provides water to 40 million Americans.

The Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition consists of leadership representatives of the Havasupai Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Hualapai Tribe, Kaibab Paiute Tribe, Las Vegas Band of Paiute Tribe, Moapa Band of Paiutes, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Navajo Nation, San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Pueblo of Zuni, and the Colorado River Indian Tribes. These tribes maintain important historical, cultural, traditional religious, and spiritual connections to the landscape.

Designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument has received widespread support from tribes, environmental groups, hunters and anglers, and others.

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FROM REV. KATIE SEXTON-WOOD, AFN

“As a network representing thousands of interfaith leaders across Arizona, we rejoice at the call to create Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon as a national monument,” Reverend Katie Sexton-Wood, Executive Director, Arizona Faith Network, says. “Protecting sacred land is a mandate of all spiritual and religious traditions. We must listen to the voice of Hopi, Havasupai, and other Tribal leaders who claim this land as sacred and support their leadership and efforts to protect this wondrous sanctuary.”

CLICK HERE to read other statements of support. 

QUOTES FROM TODAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE

Havasupai Tribe Vice Chair Edmond Tilousi: “We are proud to have never left the Grand Canyon. Our home is still in the Grand Canyon, and we are the only tribe that has remained here. We know this place intimately. The Canyon is a part of each and every Havasupai person. It is our home, it is our land, and our water source, and our very being. ... Designating these areas as a National Monument will protect them from contamination, destruction, or exploitation and the other harmful effects of mining. We simply cannot live without these clean waters. As guardians of the Grand Canyon, we have a duty, not only to our ancestors like Captain Burro who tirelessly fought for protection of these scarce sites, but also a duty to our children and future generations.”

Hualapai Tribe Vice Chair Scott Crozier: “I, as a Hualapai tribal leader, stand strong against any mining on any tribal lands and ask that you support us in this fight to stop mining. We have heard that southwest tribes have originated from this Canyon. Many of us go back home into the Canyon to pay our respects to this land. We see many visitors come to this Canyon to see the vast canyons that display a wonderful color during the sunset. And again, I urge that President Biden use his executive authority to make this a monument for southwest tribes to call home.”

Hopi Tribe Chair Tim Nuvangyaoma: “The Creator gave us a gift. And that gift is in the form of the Grand Canyon. That gift is not only to the tribal nations that have that intimate connection with it, but it’s a gift to the state of Arizona. It’s a gift to the United States. It’s a gift to the entire world. So, we do have to protect the beauty and grandeur for this area that we call home—many tribes call home. And for the Hopi Tribe, the Grand Canyon holds significant cultural and religious value for the Hopi people, which is part of our history and heritage.”

Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians Chair Ona Segundo: “We need to preserve the beauty of [the Grand Canyon] and we need to remind ourselves that it’s not only for us here in the present, but for those that are coming behind us, that they too can enjoy this beautiful scenery, that they can learn from the land, from the culture, from our spiritual endeavors that we participate in. And so, I call upon on the President to designate this monument to help the tribes, to assist the tribes, so that we can preserve an important part of our culture and our history and our spiritual needs here on the Grand Canyon.”

Colorado River Indian Tribe Chair Amelia Flores: “We are all working to preserve our histories and our places in the landscape along the Colorado River—which is Colorado River Indian Tribe’s namesake—and using our language for the new National Monument at Avi Kwa Ame, and now to use the Havasupai and the Hopi language to rename this national monument, are very important to preserving our place along the Colorado River.”

San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe Councilmember Richard Grey Mountain: “We are in support of banning the uranium mining, as well as other aspects of the Grand Canyon [National Monument]. We’re actually sister tribes of the rest of the other tribes, what their origins and their stories are—we always are involved in them as well. So, I would just like to extend our support to the rest of the tribes, as well as Havasupai and Hualapai, and their efforts to ban uranium mining.”

Director of the Navajo Nation Heritage and Historic Preservation Department Richard Begay: “We also are in support of the ban on uranium mining within the Grand Canyon region. As everyone knows, the Navajo Nation is a close neighbor of the National Park and there are access roads that the mining companies will use to access and transport uranium and waste, probably through the Navajo Nation. We are very concerned about that, so we do support the ban on uranium mining in this area. And finally, we do want to thank the representatives here, and the Coalition. And we do ask that Biden use his powers under the Antiquities Act to establish this monument, and co-management is something we would like to see all tribes involved in.”

Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett: “I am here to voice Flagstaff’s support for this and to thank Congressman Grijalva and Senator Sinema. And I’m here not only to voice Flagstaff’s support, but mostly to voice our support and gratitude to all of the Indigenous nations that have worked so hard to bring this about and to make it happen—and to show our sincere support for you all and your work.”

Coconino County Supervisor Lena Fowler: “The Grand Canyon is one of the most visited parks in the United States. And it’s been a longstanding [stance] of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors to oppose the mining within the Grand Canyon and near the Grand Canyon within Coconino County. So, this is a great day. All the tribes are here and I really want to thank Senator Sinema and Congressman Grijalva and all those that have been working on this for many years. This has been ongoing, and this is a great effort and we are very excited to have the designation proposed for the Grand Canyon area national monument.”

Senator Sinema: “The Grand Canyon is one of Arizona’s many natural treasures and an important part of our history and heritage. That is why we worked side by side with Tribes and other partners to find agreement on the location and size of the monument to protect the Grand Canyon.”

Ranking Member Grijalva: “Since time immemorial, it is the Indigenous people—the tribes—who have served as the principal protectors, guardians, and stewards of the Grand Canyon, their real and spiritual home. Their history, their identity, their sacred beliefs are inseparable from the Canyon. I cannot adequately thank the tribal representatives and their people for the adversity they endured while providing our entire country this opportunity to balance our climate transition with justice. They deserve our gratitude and our respect. The national splendor and sustenance of the Grand Canyon deserves protection. The meaning and spirit of the Grand Canyon deserves protection. Our sacred heritage deserves protection.”

Valley of the Sun Community Coalition Statement on 2022 Elections

‘Democracy Is Not A State. It Is An Act.’
-Rep. John Lewis

As faith and community organizations representing the diverse mosaic of the Valley of the Sun, we stand together to affirm our state’s democratic process. The bedrock of Arizona is a strong, thriving democracy and an engaged citizenry. Our state’s democratic principles rely on fair and free elections. That is why we urge trust in our resilient electoral system and legal process.

We honor those who won in this last election, regardless of party or affiliation, and commend those whose campaigns came up short. We congratulate all those elected across our city and state, and look forward to working with them on the issues that are important to our communities. We respect all who ran for public office, and who engaged in the public sphere of ideas.

We also thank those who staffed campaigns, and the countless volunteers who poured out hours of time and energy for their candidates and causes.

We particularly are grateful for the leadership of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for their steady hand managing the election season, as well as Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer for his tremendous efforts on behalf of our county’s democratic process. We offer further gratitude to all the election workers and staffers, without whose efforts our voices (and votes) would not be counted or heard. We are grateful to Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone and his office for protecting our voting spaces.

Democracy means compromise, and the citizens of our county and state have indicated that they desire such actions from its elected leadership. Our differences of opinion must come with civility and respect. Therefore, let us re-engage with our friends and neighbors. Let us celebrate our differences. Let us continue to argue, with civility and respect, on what is best for the people of Arizona.

Signed,

Arizona Faith Network
Chicanos Por La Causa
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)-AZ
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
Maricopa County Branch NAACP
ONE Community

AFN Election Day Statement

"Voting is a civic sacrament."
Theodore Hesburgh


Dear Friends, 

With the election day upon us, the Arizona Faith Network stands as your partner to uphold the democratic process in our state.  

Throughout this year  we have been working with faith leaders and faith communities throughout the state to strengthen the democratic process in Arizona, and will continue through the election and the announcement of final, credible results.

As people of faith we will continue to fight to uphold the cherished trust in our democratic institutions, and will use our voice to definitively affirm the democratic process. 

We appeal to all government leaders, candidates, and elected officials, Democrats and Republicans, at every level in the state of Arizona, to recommit to our nation’s core democratic principles to promote a free, fair, and peaceful election process.

We firmly condemn all political violence or voter intimidation. As faith leaders we believe violence in any form is an affront to our core values as people of faith and directly threatens the common good of Arizona. 

It is unlikely we will know all election results on Election Day. We encourage you to have patience as we wait for all votes to be counted. We also encourage you to only share  verified information in an effort to combat false or misleading information attempting to cause panic in our Arizona communities. 

We know many of us may be anxious as we navigate a highly-charged political season. Despite our anxiety, we remember we are stronger together. Let us stand tomorrow remembering we are not alone but stand together in community, faith, and truth.

We  invite you to join AFN for an Interfaith Prayer and Meditation hour held virtually on Election Day at 12 pm. This will be a calming time of meditative practice and an opportunity for us to lift up our prayers in a trusted community throughout election day.

Should you encounter any disruption or intimidation at your polling site please do not hesitate to call 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or reach out to Medina Moore, AFN Voting Rights Organizer at Medina.Moore@azfaithnetwork.org.

Sincerely, 
Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood, Executive Director
Medina Moore, Faithful Voter Coordinator
Billie K. Fidlin, AFN Board Chair

Election Day Resources:


Faith leaders across Arizona call for Grand Canyon protection for Public Lands Day

PRESS RELEASE
September 22, 2022
Contact: Katie Sexton-Wood
katie.sexton@azfaithnetwork.org
(623) 237-2279
 

Faith leaders across Arizona call for Grand Canyon protection for Public Lands Day

The latest effort of the Arizona Faith Network is one of the largest to date calling for passage of the Grand Canyon Protection Act

Phoenix, AZ – Today Arizona Faith Network sent a letter from over 250 leaders and others in the faith community calling for the permanent protection of the Grand Canyon from uranium mining. This comes on the heels of new polling released by the Grand Canyon Trust, showing two thirds of Arizona voters also in favor of this effort.

“Our elected leaders have demonstrated immense courage to justly care for the people and lands of our state through the introduction of and advocacy for the Grand Canyon Protection Act,” said Rev. Jay Hartley of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Tucson. “Though the intent of these efforts have not yet been realized, we all have faith that their continued advocacy will be successful in protecting the Grand Canyon region from the devastating impacts of uranium mining, and we support them fully in executing all action in their power to do so.”

The letter lifts up the urgency of permanently protecting lands surrounding the Grand Canyon from uranium mining. Tribes in the area, including the Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Colorado River Indian, Pueblo of Zuni, and Navajo Nation, say this contamination is the greatest risk to religious, cultural, and traditional land use by Native people in the region, often keeping tribes from visiting sacred places. Studies show that  85 percent of Navajo homes are currently contaminated with uranium, and over 500 mine sites remain in need of cleanup, while cancer rates doubled from the 1970s to 1990s in the Navajo nation.

Introduced by Senator Sinema and Congressman Grijalva, the Grand Canyon Protection Act would make a temporary ban on new mining claims on about 1 million acres of public lands surrounding Grand Canyon National Park permanent, protecting the Grand Canyon forever.

The signers of these letters show great diversity of support not just spiritually, but geographically as well.

“As many of my cosigners believe, we are all in one community. No matter how many miles we are from the Grand Canyon, we stand in solidarity with our friends in the canyon region,” said Gretchen Reinhardt of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Tempe.

National Public Lands Day, the fourth Saturday of September, is the largest single day volunteer event for public lands, and encourages the conservation of lands. 

Arizona Faith Network is the largest multi-denominational faith organization in Arizona whose network extends to over 4,000 religious and spiritual leaders.

[CLICK HERE FOR THE LETTER]

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160+ Organizations Call for an End to Mistreatment of Religious Migrants by U.S. Border Officials

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sikh Coalition Press Contact: Graham F. West, media@sikhcoalition.org 
ACLU-AZ Press Contact: Marcela Taracena, MTaracena@acluaz.org 
ACLU Press Contact: Katie Hoeppner, media@aclu.org 

160+ Organizations Call for an End to Mistreatment of Religious Migrants by U.S. Border Officials 

August 22, 2022 (Yuma, AZ) -- Today, in a letter sent to Department of Homeland Security  (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, 162 civil rights, immigration, religious, advocacy, and other organizations joined the Sikh Coalition, the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (ACLU-AZ), and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in calling for an end to the mistreatment of religious migrants by U.S. border officials in Arizona and at other border-crossing points.

In June and July, the ACLU received reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in Arizona’s Yuma Sector have been confiscating Sikh migrants’ turbans and other possessions and throwing them in the trash. Subsequent reports also revealed that some Sikh migrants in Arizona’s Tucson Sector are being denied vegetarian meals and ordered by border officials to eat meat or starve. Based on previous complaints submitted to DHS, advocates believe these unlawful practices are also occurring at other border-crossing points outside of Arizona. Per public reporting, an investigation is currently underway.

 The organizations’ letter states in part:

“For years, advocates and the media have repeatedly raised concerns about the seizure of religious headwear and other articles of faith, as well as the denial of religious diets by CBP. These practices not only affect Sikh individuals, but they also harm Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, and Christian migrants, among others. Furthermore, the unnecessary and cruel confiscation of migrants’ personal belongings extends beyond religious items … Time after time, DHS officials have assured the public and stakeholders that they take these concerns seriously, yet the violations continue. Alarmingly, these abuses have gone on for so long that they appear to have become standard operating procedure at the border, supplanting CBP’s own rules—which require religious sensitivity and the safeguarding of migrants’ personal property. It is now time for immediate and decisive action.”

The letter is the latest in a series of actions taken by advocates to address this urgent issue. The Sikh Coalition, ACLU-AZ, and ACLU sent letters of complaint to CBP in early August and have since continued to press senior DHS and other government leaders to respond in a transparent and comprehensive way. The letter urges DHS to adopt “an unambiguous statement of policy prohibiting this misconduct and detailing strict enforcement against any official or individual who violates this policy,” and it underscores the need for DHS to “undertake a full-scale reckoning of CBP’s and other agencies’ brazen disregard for migrants’ religious freedom and other rights.”

The following quotes are attributable to the legal and policy experts working on this issue:

“Sikh migrants are among the most vulnerable individuals coming to the United States--in many cases, fleeing a well-founded fear of religious persecution in their home countries,” said Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Sikh Coalition Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager. “To have their religious and other rights immediately violated by CBP officers is a cruel irony, and this misconduct should not be tolerated.”

“The violation of migrants’ religious rights and confiscation of their property has been an ongoing issue for far too long, and we are grateful to our partner organizations on the ground for once again calling attention to this issue,” said Noah Schramm, Border Policy Strategist at the ACLU of Arizona. “It is increasingly clear that this problem is rooted in both the misconduct of individual officers and a troubling  institutional culture within CBP.”

“All migrants deserve to be treated with basic human dignity, including respect for their religious rights and personal possessions,” said Jonathan Blazer, Director of Border Strategies at the ACLU. “More than 160 organizations are sending a clear message to the DHS that verbal assurances are not enough. We need a transparent investigation into why this practice has continued and an immediate policy change to stop it permanently.”

Finally, the Sikh Coalition, ACLU-AZ, and ACLU are grateful to Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), and Judy Chu (D-CA) for also sending a letter to Secretary Mayorkas last week demanding answers and accountability. We will continue to provide updates on this issue as our advocacy with government officials moves forward.

For more information about years-long efforts to protect the religious rights, civil liberties, and human dignity of Sikhs and other migrants at the southern border, please reach out to the organizational contacts listed above.

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Arizona Faith Network Applauds Inflation Reduction Act Signed by President Biden

August 16th, 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katie Sexton-Wood
katie.sexton@azfaithnetwork.org
(623) 237-2279

 Arizona Faith Network Applauds Inflation Reduction Act Signed by President Biden

(Phoenix, AZ) Today, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, legislation that would invest hundreds of billions of dollars to combat climate change and advance clean energy programs. It is the most aggressive climate investment ever taken by Congress.

The bill includes the first meaningful reforms to the nation’s oil and gas leasing system in a hundred years. This is a turning point in America’s energy and climate policy. Through increasing on-shore royalty rates and ending the practice of non-competitive leasing, taxpayers will get a fairer return during the transition to a clean energy economy and Arizonans will stop subsidizing the oil and gas corporations that are reporting record profits.

“As people of faith, we are spiritually mandated to protect our climate. Today, in signing the Inflation Reduction Act, President Biden took a strong first step that will help us serve as better stewards of God's Creation,” said Reverend Katie Sexton-Wood, executive director of Arizona Faith Network. “We are grateful to Senators Sinema and Kelly and Representatives Grijalva, Gallego, Kirkpatrick, O’Halleran, and Stanton, for all they did to ensure this historic climate victory.”

Combating climate change nationwide can help alleviate its devastating impacts on Arizona, like our lengthened wildfire season and worsening floods. The bill’s climate provisions would slash the country’s carbon emissions by roughly 40% by 2030, according to a summary of the deal.

“We are also driven toward justice,” Rev. Sexton-Wood continued, “and applaud the bill’s reforms that create more fairness in our society. For too long, oil and gas companies have been allowed to exploit our public lands with little to no oversight, polluting our environment and cheating local communities out of a fair return.”

Report Shows Arizona Lands Must Be Protected

Contact: Katie Sexton-Wood
katie.sexton@azfaithnetwork.org
(623) 237-2279 

Report Shows Arizona Lands Must Be Protected
The U.S. Senate and Congress need to pass the Grand Canyon Protection Act

A report released by the Center for Western Priorities today identified that only 879 acres of Arizona’s federal public lands have been protected in the last decade. This is fewer acres than the footprint of Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport and translates to conserving less than 0.005 percent of the unprotected federal public lands currently open

 The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Report, published this month, said it is now or never to limit climate warming. Unless efforts are accelerated to cut emissions from fossil fuels, the goal of limiting global warming by 2.7 degrees F, will likely be out of reach by the end of this decade. Protecting federal lands from harmful development is an important way for our nation to limit global warming.

 Legislation sponsored by both of Arizona’s U.S. Senators, Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, alongside Representatives Raúl Grijalva, Ruben Gallego, Ann Kirkpatrick, Greg Stanton and Tom O'Halleran would permanently protect more than a million acres of land around the Grand Canyon and prohibit uranium mining in the area. According to a 2022 Conservation of the West poll conducted by Colorado College, 82% of Arizona voters support conserving federal public lands, protecting historic sites and safeguarding areas for outdoor recreation.

 Northern Arizona has sustained Indigenous people for thousands of years and continues to hold significant cultural importance to tribes in the region, including the Havasupai, the Hopi, the Navajo and many others. The imminent threats of uranium mining and harmful development could have catastrophic consequences for these communities.

 “Faith leaders see climate change as already impacting the health and livelihoods in our communities. It is vital that we stand together and protect more land in Arizona. Arizona Faith Network calls on Senators Kelly and Sinema to do everything they can to protect the Grand Canyon, including passing the Grand Canyon Protection Act,” said Katie Sexton-Wood, Executive Director of the Arizona Faith Network.

 To determine the amount of public lands protected over the last two decades, the Center for Western Priorities tallied the acreage of all permanently protected areas designated between 2000 and 2021. Permanently protected areas include wilderness areas, national wildlife refuges, national parks and national monuments and other lesser-known designations, like national conservation areas and mineral withdrawals. 

Arizona Faith Network is an interfaith organization dedicated to bringing people together to promote peace and understanding through interfaith education and dialogue as well as healing of the world through collaborative social action.

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[click/tap here for a PDF of this release]

Source: https://westernpriorities.org/wp-content/u...

Religious organizations sign letter to Congress to save Oak Flat

August 17, 2021 UPDATED: April 22, 2022

To Members of Congress:

The undersigned 112 religious and religious freedom organizations write today requesting your support for the Save Oak Flat Act, which would prevent Resolution Copper (a joint venture of two foreign mining companies) from altering the status quo and permanently destroying a sacred sanctuary.

Chí’chil Biłdagoteel, loosely translated as “Oak Flat” in English, is part of the ancestral homelands of not only the Apache, but also the Yavapai, Hopi, Zuni, and many other Tribes in the Southwest. In 2016, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a Traditional Cultural Property because for centuries it has been the site of religious and cultural ceremonies, a burial ground, and a place for tribal members to find medicinal plants, food, and water. Just as the Abrahamic faiths hold various parts of Jerusalem as sacred because of unique encounters with G-d, the Apache believe Oak Flat is sacred because it is one place where prayers can go directly to the Creator who gave life to all things.

Once part of the Apache aboriginal lands, Oak Flat currently sits within the Tonto National Forest and on top of a large, low-grade copper deposit. Resolution Copper has sought access to the mineral ore for more than 15 years. 1 After a decade of failing to get a standalone bill through Congress, a land swap was added as a midnight rider to the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (NDAA). Section 3003 of this NDAA requires that Resolution Copper be given Oak Flat and surrounding land in exchange for other parcels of land within sixty (60) days after the Forest Service files a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS). The Trump administration released the FEIS on January 15, 2021, in order to start the sixty (60) day clock, but the Biden administration withdrew it on March 1, 2021, resetting the transfer clock.

The now-withdrawn FEIS found that the damage to Oak Flat and the surrounding area would be “immediate, permanent, and large in scale.”2 The crater that is anticipated as a result of the mining would be nearly two miles wide and up to 1,100 feet deep.3 To put a crater of that size into perspective, imagine standing on the Speaker’s Balcony and looking out over the National Mall. A crater extending almost to the Lincoln Memorial has swallowed America’s front yard and many of our most important museums and monuments. It is deep enough that if the Washington Monument stands upright at the bottom, it barely reaches the midway depth of the crater.

The now-withdrawn FEIS summarizes well what is at stake: “Oak Flat is a sacred place to the Western Apache, Yavapai, O’odham, Hopi, and Zuni. It is a place where rituals are performed, and resources are gathered; its loss would be an indescribable hardship to those peoples.”4

The significance of corporate worship for religious Americans became even more apparent during the pandemic. Many houses of worship temporarily adopted new worship practices to help curb the spread of the coronavirus in their communities. Whether the adaptation was a virtual service, outdoor service, or something in person with masks and proper social distancing, everyone eagerly anticipated the day they could go back to normal to resume worship with fellow believers. Unfortunately for tribal members who hold Oak Flat sacred, the separation from their outdoor sanctuary would not be temporary. If the administration and Congress fail to work together to protect Oak Flat, the Western Apache peoples will suffer the permanent closure and total destruction of their sacred site.

As religious and religious freedom organizations, we support the San Carlos Apache Tribe, the Western Apache tribes, and all others who hold Oak Flat as sacred. We hope you will join us by supporting the Save Oak Flat Act (H.R. 1884/S. 915).

Sincerely,

[click/tap here for PDF of letter including the 112 organizations, including AFN]

1 The Eisenhower Administration entered a mineral withdrawal for Oak Flat which prohibits new mining for the area in 1955. Public Land Order 1229 signed Sept. 27, 1955, https://www.resolutionmineeis.us/documents/20-fr-7336 (last accessed June 23, 2021).

2 “Final Environmental Impact Statement Resolution Copper Project and Land Exchange,” Vol. III, 3.14.4.9, p. 856, https://www.resolutionmineeis.us/documents/final-eis (last accessed June 23, 2021).

3 Id., Vol. I, ES 1.2, p. ES-3: “While all mining would be conducted underground, removing the ore would cause the ground surface to collapse, creating a subsidence area at the Oak Flat Federal Parcel. The crater would start to appear in year 6 of active mining. The crater ultimately would be between 800 and 1,115 feet deep and roughly 1.8 miles across. The Forest Service assessed alternative mining techniques in an effort to prevent subsidence, but alternative methods were considered unreasonable.”

4 Id., Vol. III, 3.14.4.2, p. 837.

Over 50 Arizona Faith Leaders and Clergy Urge Senators to Pass the PRO Act

PHOENIX, AZ — Faith leaders from the Arizona Faith Network (AFN), an interfaith organization representing over 4,000 Arizona faith leaders and faith communities, united together to urge their U.S. Senators to take bold action to stand up for Arizonan workers and pass the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. 

Mainline Protestants, Catholics, Buddhists, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and Quaker faith leaders believe it is time for Senator Sinema and Senator Kelly to take action against the inequalities that fuel wage disparities between workers and CEOs throughout Arizona. 

“Our faiths tell us that God, as understood in each of our faith traditions, is concerned with the well-being of all persons regardless of employment status, job title, or economic standing and call us to be concerned with each person – to care for – to love our neighbor,” said AFN Executive Director Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood. “As people of faith, we cannot stand idly by as growing inequality sews injustice in our communities. That is why today, we stand up with our neighbors who we name as workers and demand the passage of the PRO Act,” Sexton-Wood continued. 

“The idea that we can find solutions to income inequality working within a framework of competition and greed is seriously mistaken. We can accomplish this by a multi-dimensional approach utilizing a broad array of mechanisms based on spiritual, social, institutional, and legal dynamics. Wages are an earned right, not a charity and; as Prophet (pbuh) had stated ‘Pay the worker his/her/their earned (not as if it is charity), promptly disbursed dues before the sweat has dried up,” said Mustafa Bahar, Executive Director of the Sema Foundation. “We should stand firmly for justice and stand in solidarity with those fighting for, just as we do on Friday prayers, shoulder to shoulder regardless of our backgrounds.” 

“In Buddhism, compassion is a fundamental principle. Compassion in practice calls us to the ‘Engaged Buddhism,’ composed of Buddhists seeking ways to apply Buddhist ethics, said Shuru Vasu Bandhu of the Dhammapada Zen Buddhist Community. “From a Zen Buddhist perspective, Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which teaches us to promote the well-being of all and not exploit others for personal gain. As the prosperity of working people continues to dwindle in the face of rising corporate inequality, we are motivated by a moral urgency to support the PRO Act.” 

Workers in America today are not getting a fair shake. Our basic labor law, which is supposed to protect the rights of workers to form a union and bargain collectively, is broken. In recent decades, employers have been able to violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) with impunity. An entire union-busting industry now works nonstop to block working people from exercising our rights. Today, in more than 40% of all union organizing elections, employers are charged with breaking the law. They lie. They threaten and coerce. And they routinely fire union supporters. Workers are forced to attend mandatory meetings with one item on the agenda: union-bashing. These messages of fear and intimidation come from the very people who control our paychecks, how much time we can spend with our families, and whether we will have a job tomorrow. And the penalties for employers who engage in this illegal behavior are inconsequential. 

We need the PRO Act to ensure good jobs for all working people. Historically, unions have turned bad jobs into good jobs in one industry after another. All working people need and deserve the collective power of a union to help achieve decent pay, secure benefits, flexible schedules, fair treatment, and basic respect and dignity at work.

We also need the PRO Act to address inequality. The latest research shows that the rapid growth of unions in the 20th century dramatically reduced inequality by extending the union advantage to more workers, particularly lower-income workers and Black workers, while at the same time raising standards for non-union workers across entire industries. Growing today’s labor movement is the only policy that has the scale necessary to take us off our current trajectory of ever-growing inequality. Without it, achieving broadly shared prosperity that extends to most working people has virtually no chance. 

 [click/tap here for the signed document]

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Senate Agenda on Faithful Democracy

September 14, 2021

Dear Senator:

The Faithful Democracy interfaith coalition is writing to support passage of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act as a first priority when the Senate returns from recess. The reforms in both bills are critical to returning power to everyday Americans and ensuring their freedom to vote. While our coalition partners represent a diversity of beliefs and traditions, we unite around the common goal of creating a healthier, thriving democracy. The undersigned faith-based organizations and congregations urge Senators to prioritize passage of these pro-voter, anti-corruption reforms and to do what it takes to pass them into law as soon as possible.

Our faith traditions teach that the right to vote in a democracy is a matter of dignity and that engaging in politics to create a more just world is our responsibility. Our advocacy work to address hunger, racial injustice, economic inequality, basic human needs, homelessness and climate change is predicated on a functional democracy where lawmakers are held accountable and constituents trust that they are taken into account.

While individual coalition partners may focus on specific titles or provisions in these bills, our coalition as a whole supports the passage of reforms included in the comprehensive For the People Act and the updated John Lewis VRAA. Together, these reforms would better align our democratic systems with values of inclusion, dignity, fairness, and civic engagement important to the faith community. We urge lawmakers to keep them intact and to pass them quickly.

We share our priorities for Senators returning from recess, ready to begin deliberation around these bills. As Senators consider the impacts of their choices for generations to come, we urge them to work with colleagues that have shown good faith efforts to debate the merits of these reforms. We ask that negotiating partners include Senators with a willingness to engage around provisions in S.1 and the John Lewis VRAA to make these bills stronger, rather than weakening them or stripping them of their broadly popular reforms.

Priority Reforms in the For the People Act:

Specifically, we applaud S.1 reforms of our elections, campaign and governing systems to better serve the interests of all, not just those with money. We support S.1 provisions to codify ethical norms that protect against self-interested corruption on the part of lawmakers and members of the judiciary. We urge S.1 reforms that empower low-income and middle-income people to vote, to engage in the political process and to run for public office. We applaud campaign finance reforms like those in S.1 that counter the influence of big donors and dark money in favor of small donor matching and disclosing financial sources. We embrace S.1 reforms that favor accountability and transparency of our government systems and our elected leaders. We support baseline standards for access to the ballot no matter what state or zip code a voter lives in. We staunchly support a redistricting process that is free of partisan or racial gerrymandering, which is anathema to democratic principles and basic fairness.

These reforms in S.1 are priorities that respond to the democratic problems highlighted in the coalition’s unifying Voters Covenant statement.

Expanding and Protecting the Freedom to Vote and Promoting Fair and Secure Elections

  • Protect voting rights by either eliminating rules known to disproportionately disenfranchise Black and Brown voters or by mandating alternatives to accommodate the needs of low-income and communities of color.

  • Require states to adopt best practices for increasing voter registration in federal elections, including online voter registration, automatic registration for eligible voters, and same day voter registration.

  • Protect against improper purges of registration rolls—a practice known to disproportionately impact eligible voters of color.

  • Restore the right to vote to people with prior criminal convictions, a harmful legacy of racial discrimination known to disenfranchise low-income and voters of color.

  • Improve election administration with national standards for access to the ballot so that voters can count on 15 days of early in-person voting and voting by mail without burdensome requirements or restrictions.

  • Establish standards and processes for drawing federal congressional districts like banning racial and partisan gerrymandering and requiring the use of independent redistricting commissions.

Reducing the Influence of Big Money in Politics

  • Promote transparency by requiring shadow money organizations to disclose their donors and by strengthening funding and oversight of campaign finance and political spending.

  • Empower small-dollar donors by creating a small donor matching system to finance campaigns, thus freeing officeholders to represent their constituents rather than wealthy megadonors.

Enhancing Ethics Standards for Government

  • Strengthen enforcement of ethics rules for all three branches of government and broaden conflict of interest laws related to personal financial interests.

  • Inhibit abuse of the “revolving door” between government officials and lobbyists.

Priorities in the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act:

The John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act fills a distinct and critical role in protecting the freedom to vote and ensuring elections are safe and accessible. We urge Senators to include the following provisions to restore the VRA.

  • Update criteria under the “geographic trigger” for identifying states and localities required to obtain federal review of voting changes before they are implemented.

  • Include the “practice-based” trigger in which every state and locality nationwide that is sufficiently diverse would be required to obtain federal review before enacting specific types of voting changes that are known to be discriminatory in their use to silence the growing political power of voters of color.

  • Require all states and localities to provide public notice to all voters of certain voting changes.

  • Address the Brnovich decision by clarifying factors that voters of color can use to prove a vote dilution or vote denial claim under Section 2 of the VRA and restoring voters’ full ability to challenge racial discrimination in voting in court.

  • Allow the Department of Justice and voters of color to challenge changes in a voting rule that would make voters of color worse off in terms of their voting rights than the status quo.

  • Expand authority for courts to “bail-in” jurisdictions to the preclearance process and would update the ability of jurisdictions to “bail-out” of the preclearance process once they demonstrate a record of not harming voters of color.

  • Grant the Department of Justice authority to compel the production of documents relevant to investigations of potential voting rights violations prior to filing an enforcement action.

  • Grant the U.S. Attorney General the authority to request federal observers anywhere there is a serious threat of racial discrimination in voting.

  • Provide voters with additional protection by easing the standard for when courts can temporarily block certain types of voting changes while the change is under review in court. This is important because once a voter is discriminated against in an election, it cannot be undone.

Procedural Priorities in the Senate:

We recognize that the primary barrier to debate and passage of reforms to protect and strengthen our democracy is an arbitrary procedural rule. The function of the Senate filibuster rule in 2021 neither advances nor reflects the values of a healthy and thriving democracy. The rule currently enables a minority representation in the Senate to block debate on critical democracy reform legislation and, historically, it has been exploited to maintain white supremacy.

Faithful Democracy partners are focused on an outcome in which the freedom to vote is protected, dark money does not control our politics, districts are drawn fairly, and leaders are held to clear ethical standards. As a procedural tool with no basis in the Constitution, the filibuster is not serving to advance healthy debate nor the democratic process. It cannot take priority and be allowed to subvert democracy, thwart necessary reforms or deny justice in our nation. We encourage lawmakers to think creatively to find a legislative strategy to pass these reforms.

America has consistently expanded the franchise over centuries of violent prejudice and exclusion. Maintaining this trajectory towards a more perfect union must be a priority of the highest order for lawmakers. The eyes of history are upon our elected leaders to accept their responsibility and to do whatever is necessary to protect the freedom to vote and our democratic institutions.

Sincerely,

African American Ministers In Action
Alliance of Baptists
American Baptist Home Mission Societies
American Friends Service Committee
Arizona Faith Network
Bible Study for Progressives
Center for Common Ground
Church World Service
Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces
Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes
Disciples Center for Public Witness
Faith in Public Life
Faithful America
Franciscan Action Network
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Maine Council of Churches
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC)
National Council of Jewish Women
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
North Carolina Council of Churches
Pax Christi USA
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Poligon Education Fund
Presbyterian Church (USA), Office of Public Witness
Reclaim Our Democracy
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Justice Team and Office of Anti-Racism and Racial Equity
Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia
Truth and Democracy Coalition
Union for Reform Judaism
Unitarian Universalist Association
Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice

[click here for PDF version of letter]

Arizona Faith Network statement on Biden Administration decision to resume oil and gas leases

“The Arizona Faith Network is incredibly disappointed by the Biden Administration announcement to once again begin leasing public lands for oil and gas extraction. Fossil fuel production is one of the biggest contributors to climate change and giving away more land to oil and gas companies is a betrayal of our moral and spiritual obligation to future generations. We urge Congress to immediately take action to reverse this decision, so we can protect our treasured public lands and move forward in reducing carbon emissions.” – Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood, Executive Director, Arizona Faith Network

PRESS RELEASE: Organizations Come Together to Support a State Budget That Chooses Investing in Arizona’s Future Instead of Disastrous Tax Cuts

[PHOENIX, AZ] Dozens of influential organizations from across Arizona have come together to urge Governor Ducey and state lawmakers to pass a budget that builds a stronger future for all Arizonans instead of continuing down a fiscally irresponsible and disastrous path of cutting taxes that will shut the door on Arizona’s economic growth. [link to release]

Thousands of Arizonans are facing huge challenges during the COVID-19 health and economic crisis. Many have lost their jobs or are working reduced hours, struggling to put food on the table, and many small businesses are not sure whether they will be able to keep their doors open much longer. Arizona lawmakers have an estimated $600 million in additional ongoing revenue they can use to invest in an economy that benefits all Arizonans during these difficult times. Instead, some lawmakers want to give that revenue away in tax breaks to corporations and the rich. They want to give away our future. If lawmakers give our tax dollars away now, our state will never have the revenue it needs to rebuild a stronger economy that works for everyone, like investing in affordable job training and college, in child care so parents can work, and in food support during tough times.

“Never has there been a more critical time for lawmakers to pass a state budget that invests in Arizonans and will bring our state out of these challenging times stronger than before,” said David Lujan, Interim President and CEO of Children’s Action Alliance.

Preliminary budget proposals released by Governor Ducey and some lawmakers are calling for tax cuts that will grow to a cost of $600 million annually. When combined with the $386 million in tax cuts enacted in 2019, that would amount to more than $1 billion in tax cuts in three years.

“Organizations from across Arizona support a budget that invests in people and our state’s future,” said Rabbi John Linder of the Arizona Interfaith Network. “More huge tax cuts are irresponsible. They are bad economics and will bring more harm upon our most vulnerable. We’ve forgotten the lessons of the Great Recession when incessant revenue cuts left us with the worst structural deficit in the country. We must create a different future.”

This letter was sent to Governor Ducey and legislative leadership today. The first of many actions these organizations and others will be taking to support a state budget that chooses investments to build a stronger future for Arizona instead of fiscally irresponsible tax cuts.

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CONTACT:
Damita Curry
Dcurry@azchildren.org
480.263.0983

This Valentine’s Day, The Heart of our Land is Dying

By Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood, Arizona Faith Network

Opinion: The heart of our Grand Canyon state is dying and this Valentine’s Day we are called to protect it.

Valentine’s Day is a day about the heart. In what has moved from a religious holiday to a cultural and commercial phenomenon, February 14 has become a day drenched in love, candy hearts, and celebrations of love. Here in the Grand Canyon State, we have another reason to celebrate February 14: it is our statehood day. It is a day where we celebrate all of the lands, people and cultures that call Arizona home. This year, as we come together to celebrate, we do so with the heart of our state threatened.

Vernon Masayesva, the Executive Director of Black Mesa Trust and former Chairman of the Hopi Tribal Council, says he is concerned about the land sacred to the heart of his people, the Grand Canyon. “The Grand Canyon is a sacred place to Hopis. We came from the Grand Canyon, it is our heart, the heart of our Mother Earth, and right now our heart is dying.”

Over the last year, uranium mining companies have successfully lobbied Congress, without input from tribes, for funding to start a “strategic uranium reserve.” While this sounds like an important label, in reality it is simply a mechanism to use tax dollars to pay uranium companies to mine in the U.S. at a time when the world does not need more uranium. On the previous occasion when such legislation was enacted by the U.S. government, Indigenous tribes and Native American nations - including the Hopi - were the ones who paid the price with uranium contamination affecting their communities and resulting health problems including higher incidence of cancer still prevalent throughout tribal lands in the southwest.

Our lives have drastically changed since last year. As Arizonans, we have stood together to fight the global pandemic of COVID-19 that has threatened our communities and taken too many lives. Our hearts have broken at the loss of lives and livelihoods around our state. We have faced unprecedented challenges and with those challenges came lessons that taught us what is truly important, truly sacred to us. The Grand Canyon is one of those places.

“All religions have places that we hold sacred. Places that help to shape our narratives of creation to help us understand how we or our God came into being. These are all places that people of faith and governments work hard to protect and preserve,” says Rev. Katie-Sexton Wood. “For the Hopi, one of their sacred places is the Grand Canyon, and our communities and government should work just as hard to protect that land as sacred as we do for others. We wouldn’t mine for uranium on sites sacred to other faiths, sites we hold dear to our hearts, why would we allow mining on the site sacred to our Native brothers and sisters?” 

The Grand Canyon is not only central to the heart and identity of the Hopi people but also to Arizona. Arizona has long been known as the Grand Canyon State. Postcards display its unmatched beauty of vistas and desert colors. Arizonans take pride in this world wonder that drives both millions of visits and hundreds of thousands of dollars to our state annually. 

Currently, the Biden Administration has set a goal to protect 30 percent of the nation’s lands and waters in an effort it has termed: “30x30.” Protecting more than 1 million acres of the Grand Canyon rimlands from uranium mining would help meet the President’s goal and protect the pride of Arizona. 

In 2021, with a new president and the strong support of Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, Arizonans have a chance to protect the Grand Canyon from uranium mining forever with legislation that will permanently end the ability to stake new mining claims in the region. 

What we love, we hold sacred and must fight to protect. This February 14th we invite you to help protect the Grand Canyon, the heart of Arizona.

Arizona Faith Leaders’ Statement and Call for Prayer

As faith leaders and people of all faiths and belief systems, we come together at the end of a monumental election in the history of our nation.  This election had the highest participation rate in America’s history as voters from all communities turned out in record numbers.  We know that this is a deeply personal moment that we all may be experiencing in different ways.  However, we come together, regardless of political affiliation, regardless of faith tradition, to pray with and for one another and our nation.   

As faith leaders, we believe in one another and in the integrity of the election process. Americans have been through a great deal of trauma, yet we have continued to seek space to stand together. Amid multiple pandemics, injustices, and oppressions, we were confident and continue to believe that God is enough, that God would see us through. 

First and foremost, pray and give thanks for an American election process that is free, fair and complete. With over 156 million votes cast, pray that state and local elected officials, county elections officers and ordinary Americans in polling locations across this nation do their part to ensure the integrity of the election process.

In this moment of change, we encourage all to pray for peace, unity and justice for all.  These basic tenets of our nation’s Constitution must be heralded by every freedom-loving American now as much as any other critical time in America’s history.

In keeping with age-old American traditions of decorum, civility and respect for each political party and the voice of the people through their vote, pray for our elected officials and for an orderly transition of power at the appointed time.

We encourage all who love this country to honor, respect, and pray for the healing of our nation to begin. For that to happen, we must acknowledge the righteous lament of a previously silent majority. We acknowledge those who have for decades, and even centuries, been marginalized by American society, those who have in recent years lost family members, livelihoods and homes due to COVID-19, those whose families have been separated by unjust criminal laws or immigration policy; those who, while eligible to vote before, have not trusted the vote in the past, but who took the chance to lift their voices through their vote this year.

Beginning Monday, November 9 at pm, we will gather for prayer and celebration even as the vote count in Maricopa County wraps up. Although some try to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the vote in our state, we will create a safe space of belonging for everyone. We believe every vote is sacred and every vote must be counted.

 This nation needs healing from all of the division, mistrust, and trauma that affected the hearts and minds of the people and threatened the integrity of American systems.  But God is faithful that amid all of this: because of God’s faithfulness, we were not consumed.  And now, faith leaders in Arizona do our part to bring this time in our nation to a peaceful conclusion. We stretch our hands in love to all Americans, all Arizonans, and all other persons living within our borders, and we commit to move forward together for the sake of truth, peace, unity, and justice for all.

Signed:
African American Christian Clergy Coalition
Arizona Faith Network
Arizona Interfaith Movement
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Arizona
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
CORAZÓN Faith in Action
Episcopal Diocese of Arizona
Grand Canyon Synod, ELCA
International Ministerial Council of Arizona
Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix
Mormon Women for Ethical Government, Arizona Chapter
Neighborhood Ministries
Presbytery of the Grand Canyon, PCUSA
Sema Foundation
Tempe Interfaith Fellowship
University Presbyterian Church