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Nearly 900 Valley Interfaith Leaders Celebrate 30th Anniversary
Gathering at the Pharr Events Center in the Rio Grande Valley, Valley Interfaith leaders celebrated their 30th anniversary with stories of historic achievements, blessings for recent VIDA graduates, and presentations of strategies for healthcare enrollment, education and comprehensive immigration reform. Veteran leaders like Fr. Alfonso Guevara lauded Valley Interfaith as a 'university of public life' that helps people do 'what politicians can no longer do' -- tapping into local relationships, learning what matters to people and developing people's capacity to achieve extraordinary things through collaboration with others. In photo, leaders bow head in prayer at start of celebration.
Read moreAustin Passes Historic Living Wage Ordinance for Future Economic Incentives
Catholic Bishop Joe Vasquez intervened reading a statement of support for the ordinance at a 6pm rally, which was later read by an Austin Interfaith leader in Council chambers. After four hours of testimony and debate, the City of Austin passed, for the first time ever, a requirement that corporations receiving taxpayer incentives be required to pay the City established living wage of $11 per hour or prevailing wages, whichever is higher.
Read moreACT Fights Alongside Those in Healthcare Limbo in Fort Worth
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TMO Clergy & Houston Bishops Denounce SAFE Act
Methodist Bishop Janice Riggle and Catholic Cardinal Daniel Dinardo spoke at a TMO press conference supporting comprehensive immigration reform and condemning the "Safe Act" bill. With clergy and representation from every major religious denomination in Houston, leaders called on those who oppose the SAFE Act to communicate their perspective with the Congressional representatives. Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America noted that the SAFE Act contradicts the immigration principles local religious leaders first put forth in 2008. Rev. John Ogletree of First Metropolitan Church and Rabbi David Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel also called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Read moreAlbuquerque Leaders Fight to Save Scholarship Fund
Parents Rally Around Lottery Scholarship, Albuquerque Journal
Read moreAMOS Backs Courthouse Plan at 'Restorative Justice' Meeting
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300 Dallas Leaders Kick Off Affordable Care Campaign
With the aid of multi-colored booklets that clearly lay out how uninsured individuals can participate in the federal exchange, which the healthcare action team of DAI produced, leaders hope to reach hundreds of thousands of uninsured.
Read moreOne LA's 'Coverage For All' Assembly Draws Hundreds
Leaders also testified to the challenges experienced when trying to enroll people on Covered California, the state based health exchange that opened October 1. A board member and staff member of Covered California agreed to meet with One LA before the end of the year to discuss changes needed in the health exchanges outreach strategy.
Read moreValley Interfaith Healthcare Enrollment Meeting Draws 220
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Chamber Leaders Join Central TX Clergy in Immigration Effort
Austin Interfaith Hosts Immigration Reform Event, Austin American Statesman