These are powerful tools for combating the criminalization of our communities; they provide support to individuals who are being criminalized by policies and practices that target them for who they are, not what they do.

How can we be bold and courageous to meet the call of this moment? How do we protect those in our communities who are facing the most harm? What is our role to play? Is there any way we can turn a moment of crisis into a time for transformation?

Engaging in a practice of expanding sanctuary is a measure of our capacity for love. And just as love knows no borders, our dedication to justice reaches across boundaries and walls. Sanctuary is love’s response to the criminalization of black, brown, queer, and marginalized people in the United States.

Beginning May 1, Love Resists and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) are offering a new program to explore how an anti-racist framework can deepen our activism and solidarity work, with a focus on immigrant justice and deportation defense.

·         Self- and group-reflection on undoing racism in the context of immigrant rights solidarity

·         The U.S. immigration system’s history of racial exclusion and how it plays out today

·         The theology and practice of accompaniment

·         Real life examples through case-studies

·         Practical skills across three focus areas: ICE/Court Accompaniment, Congregational Sanctuary, and Immigration Detention/Prison Visitation

We encourage participants to join this interactive program as small groups working together locally. There will be homework in between sessions, and attendees are expected to participate in the full course. If you don’t have a team we will help match you with others, as well as connect you with partner groups seeking volunteers where possible. Register now.

If you have questions, please check out our FAQs and feel free to email Hannah Hafter, UUSC Senior Program Leader for Activism, at hhafter@uusc.org for more information

In solidarity,

Love Resists

“Changing Systems, Changing Ourselves” is a collaboration of AFSC’s “Sanctuary Everywhere” Campaign and Love Resists, with support from partners Church World Service and Freedom For Immigrants (Formerly CIVIC).