Bethel Lutheran Church (WRN photo)
Hundreds of members of various faith communities converged on the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison on Wednesday. Participants in the daylong “People of Faith United for Justice” gathered at Bethel Lutheran Church, located a short walk away, before moving on for face-to-face meetings with state lawmakers.
State Representative Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) said he hoped his colleagues would approach those meetings with an open mind.
“Don’t underestimate or overlook people living in poverty,” Goyke said. “Expand your vision of who that is. Reexamine a definition of people who benefit from these programs or who are harmed by these programs, like the crazy incarceration rate in Wisconsin.”
Those attending the advocacy day planned to meet with state legislators to discuss four main issues:
Criminal Justice Reform
Safety Net Issues (drug testing, Medicaid expansion, and long-term care system –Family Care, IRIS and Aging & Disability Resource Centers -ADRCs).
Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
Public Transit Issues, including preserving/expanding funding and keeping transit funding in the state transportation budget
This biennial event was planned and co-sponsored by nine organizations: Wisconsin Council of Churches, Wisconsin Faith Voices For Justice, Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin, Madison Area Urban Ministry, Jewish Community Relations Council of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Madison, Wisconsin Jewish Conference and WISDOM.