New LGBTQIA+ Platform Will Help Create More Just Society

A promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is our nation’s cornerstone—the seed from which the American Dream grew. Enslaved Africans died and toiled on stolen Native American land to make the American Dream possible for European colonists and invaders.

Meanwhile, Black people, Native Americans, and other people of color endure the nightmare of ongoing systemic racism and the consequences of a promise never kept. Patriarchy and sexism deny many women the agency and autonomy to live their best lives.

Marginalized people claiming different sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions face unique challenges and discrimination. Thanks to Community Renewal Society member congregations, which acknowledged that reality, CRS is launching the LGBTQIA+ platform.

What does the platform look like?

These are CRS’ established legislative priorities:

• Increasing Police Accountability

• Restoring Opportunities and Justice Reform

• Just Economy, Community Development; and

• Reparations Healing Justice and Reconciliation 

We’ll focus on these issues through intersectional and LGBTQIA+ lenses. An intersectional approach is necessary, because many issues are rarely mutually exclusive. Homelessness often leads to interactions with law enforcement, particularly for LGBTQIA+ homeless youth.

Continued focus on those priorities helps everyone. Distilling those priorities reveals CRS has three focus areas:

• Criminal Justice

• Housing

• Racial Justice

The platform will also focus more broadly on these areas through intersectional and LGBTQIA+ lenses. Doing the work will take a two-pronged approach:

• City/State

• Federal

Since we’re just launching this initiative, our city/state work will support Black and queer-led organizations. And, CRS will partner with the Bayard Rustin Liberation Initiative to connect with LGBTQIA+ federal policy advocacy opportunities.

Our efforts to create a better world provide healing and reconciliation through seeking justice. They also support CRS’ commitment to reparations.

What does federal advocacy look like?

The Bayard Rustin Liberation Initiative, a Washington, D.C.-based policy advocacy organization focused on same-gender loving (SGL)/LGBTQIA+ people of color, connects CRS to federal LGBTQIA+ advocacy opportunities through its participation in LGBTQIA+ coalitions. Learn more about the Bayard Rustin Liberation Initiative.

Federal advocacy work could include:

• Participating in the following coalitions:

  • Washington Interreligious Staff Community (WISC): Coalition of faith traditions/denominations with D.C. offices. Connecting particularly with the Criminal Justice, Domestic Human Needs, Healthcare, and Immigration working groups.

  • Faith + Equality Act Coalition: Created to get the Equality Act through the House in 2019. It was successful. Shifted focus to encouraging SCOTUS to reject LGBTQIA+ employment discrimination. We were successful.

  • Every Child Deserves A Family Act Coalition: Created to support legislation focused outlawing discrimination against LGBTQIA+ adoptive parents. But, would also protect single parents and parents of color, among others. A Trump EO put a halt to the work. A Biden administration gives us hope.

• Signing on to letters

• Responding to action alerts

• Participating in public actions

Who does the work?

Like other platforms, an Issue Team will move its work forward. Team members meet monthly to cut and decide how to confront platform issues. Other activities include one-on-ones to build community. Join the LGBTQIA+ Issue Team > 

Our strategy is simple. We’ll organize CRS member congregations ready to stand up and speak out with SGL and LGBTQIA+ people. Recruiting other LGBTQIA+ affirming/supporting congregations, while connecting with faith communities questioning LGBTQIA+ advocacy is also part of our plan.

Goals:

• Make PRIDE more inclusive (Lighthouse Foundation)

• Reduce over policing of LGBTQIA+ people (Lighthouse Foundation)

• Increase housing for LGBTQIA+ homeless youth (Pride Action Tank)

• Pass the Equality Act

• Pass Every Child Deserves A Family Act

• Make reparations a reality

Note: Organizations in parentheses are leading

We look forward to working with you. Please consider joining the Issue Team.

Sincerely,

Rev. Jason Carson Wilson, M.Div