Liberating Love Includes LGBTQIA+ Community
Community Renewal Society strengthened its commitment to showing liberating love by embracing the LGBTQIA+ community. Our LGBTQIA+ Faith Race and Equity Platform was introduced at CRS’ 2020 Annual Membership Assembly and I was commissioned as the Bayard Rustin Fellow to lead the work. Representatives from CRS member congregations have stepped forward to help lead this work as part of our LGBTQIA+ Issue Team.
I am honored to work with and support our members as they strive to create a better world for all. Recent state and local work yielded the Illinois HIV Decriminalization Bill’s passage and signing. Other activities include sitting at the Chicago Restroom Access Project Table and helping move legislation that would make multi-stall bathrooms become gender neutral.
Beginning work to support Illinois House Bill 2542, introduced by State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), is on the horizon. This legislation amends statutes to remove all barriers to obtaining a name change.
Our LGBTQIA+ Issue Team also focuses on federal policy advocacy. The Team works in partnership with Bayard Rustin Liberation Initiative (BRLI), a D.C.-based nonprofit focused on Black and LGBTQIA+ liberation on federal LGBTQIA+ policy advocacy opportunities. Current work includes advocating for the following legislation:
This year, we’ve seen the most movement ever on the Equality Act. CRS and its volunteers joined with BRLI to collect more than 17,000 signatures from actions in support of the Equality Act. An interfaith coalition, including this Bayard Rustin Fellow, presented those signatures to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee member, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) ahead of a March 17 Judiciary Committee hearing on the legislation. We are hopeful that this legislation will get to the Senate floor in mid-October or early November.
Thank you for supporting CRS and all its work, but particularly for supporting our work to build equity for the LGBTQIA+ community. Reach out to learn more about the LGBTQIA+ Issue Team at CRS and how you can support this vital work.
In Peace,
Rev. Jason Carson Wilson, M. Div
Bayard Rustin Fellow
Community Renewal Society