Concerned with the rampant investment of public funds for private gain, the West/Southwest IAF held a “Public Funds for Public Good” seminar with Labor Economist Teresa Ghilarducci (New School), and Economist Rick McGahey (Schwartz Center). They were joined by 90 leaders representing 10 West/Southwest IAF Organizations.

On October 13th, West/Southwest IAF and Bishop Mark Seitz (Catholic - El Paso) hosted a seminar in El Paso with leaders from across the country to “Reimagine Immigration.” 

Leaders provided historical, political, and data-based context for the anxiety and terror experienced by our immigrant congregants, neighbors, and loved ones, and the impact of current immigration enforcement practices on our institutions. They were joined by panelists Bishop Michael Pham Minhn Cường (Catholic - San Diego), Bishop Jorge Rodríguez (Catholic - Denver), and Bishop Carlo Rapanut (UMC - Phoenix). Special guests included Bob Moore, publisher of El Paso Matters.

Over 70 West/Southwest IAF leaders from across 10 states gathered for a seminar with Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor at Harvard University and Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation and the Democratic Knowledge Project at Harvard. 

The focus of the conversation was Justice by Means of Democracy - the latest book by Professor Allen that reconsiders the foundations of justice and democracy at a time of social and political turmoil.

In the final days of May, AMOS gathered 100 Iowans from 24 communities across the state for a seminar at Iowa State University focusing on the 1980s Farm Crisis.  The seminar was organized by AMOS leaders from 17 member institutions and 3 rural communities currently exploring AMOS membership.  

The daylong event focused on the research of Dr. Pamela Riney-Kehrberg and her book "When a Dream Dies."  In small groups, urban and rural Iowans shared powerful stories from the Farm Crisis and re-imagined how local institutions organizing together could impact the pressures impacting families across the state today.  AMOS' next steps include 3 summer training opportunities in Northeast and Central Iowa towards the launch of local house meeting organizing campaigns this fall.