Dear Friends,
Today we stand on the edge of unchartered waters and from the midst of unprecedented times. The latest piece of egregious evidence is the temporarily haulted executive order to pause trillions of dollars in Federal Government funding. There are ongoing attempts to defy constitutional rights while convicted felons are freed. Commitments to care for our health and our earth have been withdrawn. Departments created to defend civil rights and pursue equity and inclusion have been dismantled. Tens of thousands of people are suddenly living in abject fear for their future.
Dr. King famously proclaimed: “The ultimate measure of a [person] is not where s/he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where s/he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
I offer this letter to clearly state where Chester Eastside stands in this time of challenge and controversey.
We stand with the people we serve, and serve them based upon what is best for them – as defined by them.
We stand for full inclusion, treating all people with dignity and respect, and stand by programs and services that maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
We stand with those who are hungry, houseless, poor, sick, naked, and persecuted. Therefore we will engage in activities that relieve these conditions, and resist and refuse any actions that risk making them worse.
We stand with our partners: individuals and organizations who share these basic core values – and offer ourselves as companions in the journey to realizing justice.
Because of where we stand, we commit to the following:
We will listen carefully to the changing needs of those we serve and do everything in our power to address them. Many in the CEI community have already expressed deep doubt about being out in public for fear of being confronted by immigration officials. In response, we are pursuing partnerships that would help us to continue to serve those who fear coming to our building by bringing our services to them.
Several families in our after-school program have become fearful of walking home together at the close of the program each day. In response, staff has committed to offering rides for anyone who makes the request.
We commit to equipping and informing ourselves to meet the coming challenges. We are gathering resources and aligning ourselves with individuals and agencies with particular expertise in immigration law and enforcement. Regardless: anyone who comes to the doors of Chester Eastside seeking asylum will receive it.
We commit to being outspoken about major policy decisions that impact the lives of those we serve. We will confront any proposal that reduces funding designated to address food insecurity, that diminishes what is already inadequate health care for poor people, that impacts the health and safety of children or their education, that compromises the ability of our city to provide safety and security, or that in any way permits discrimination of any kind.
For forty years Chester Eastside has been standing with the people of Chester. We have been no strangers to challenge and controversey; to the contrary: in all of that time we have never forsaken our solidarity with the people we serve. By the grace of God, our 41st year will be no different.
Peace,
Andy