A Nationwide Moral Revival
September 12, 2016 | Albany, NY
More than 100 clergy, activists, labor leaders, and concerned people from every corner of New York State gathered at the Capitol in Albany on Monday for a “Moral Day of Action.”
In solidarity with actions taking place at 27 other state capitols around the country, the group delivered a “Higher Ground Moral Declaration” to Governor Cuomo and state legislators. The document outlines a series urgent needs of poor people, people who are ill, children, immigrants, communities of color, and religious minorities.
The event was part of “The Revival: Time for a Moral Revolution of Values,” which is an effort to redefine morality in our country’s political space.
In New York, the rally was coordinated by a coalition of clergy and community organizations including Labor-Religion Coalition of NYS, New York State Council of Churches, Citizen Action of NY, and FOCUS Churches of Albany.
Nationally, The Revival is co-led by the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church, and architect of the Moral Monday Movement in North Carolina; and the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., senior minister emeritus of The Riverside Church, president of Healing of the Nations Ministries, and national minister for the Drum Major Institute. It is supported and endorsed by Repairers of the Breach; the Drum Major Institute; Healing of the Nations Ministries; Auburn Seminary; Kairos Center for Rights, Religions and Social Justice; and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference in coordination with local inviting groups.
Those speaking at the event included:
- Rev. Liz Theoharis, The Kairos Center for Rights, Religions and Social Justice
- Rev. Emily McNeill, Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State
- Darryl Johnson, Center for Law and Justice
- Rev. Kym McNair, Bedford Presbyterian Church
- Arvanetta Henry, Picture the Homeless
- Rev. Peter Cook, New York State Council of Churches
- Jacquie Jordan, McDonald’s worker with Fight for $15
- Elizabeth James, Wendy’s worker with Fight for $15
- Tim Vogt, UAW Local 1508
- Father Richard Vosko, St. Vincent de Paul Parish
- Rev. Horace Sanders, Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
- Jen Gunderman, nurse at Bellevue Hospital, NYSNA member
- Rev. Tara Ragbir, Church of the Covenant
- Lauren Hackett, Hoosick Falls resident
- Rev. Marc Johnson, St. John’s Church of God in Christ
- Sahar Alsahlani, Stony Point Community of Living Traditions
- Rev. Sam Trumbore, First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany
- Alicia Barazza, mother of Benjamin Van Zandt
- Rev. Valerie Faust, Living Word Tabernacle
- Ashley Birt, Rutgers Presbyterian Church
- Rev. Ron Garner, Wantagh Memorial Community Church