Today we’re handing The Forum Daily reins to Tess Clarke of We Welcome while the Forum is in a staff retreat. Enjoy, and thank you, Tess!

Hi, I’m Tess Clarke, the Director of We Welcome. I’ve had the honor of working with refugees and immigrants in my home state of Texas for the last 15 years, an experience that has been transformational for me and that informs everything we do in our advocacy. 

At We Welcome, I’ve built a team of passionate women, and together we’re building a grassroots movement to cultivate welcome from our tables at home to the halls of Congress. We’re here to educate, equip and mobilize our community to engage democracy and advocate for immigration policy that honors the God-given dignity of every person.

The relationships built through my local nonprofit work have really opened my eyes to the reality that policy always impacts people. As dear family friends faced significant challenges in the wake of the 2016 election, I knew that serious change needed to happen both on a cultural and policy level. 

As women of faith, we carry with us, at the heart of our work, the belief so wisely stated by Mika Edmondson: "You cannot love your neighbor while supporting or accepting systems that crush, exploit, and dehumanize them. You cannot love your neighbor while accepting less for them and their family than you do for you and your own."

I’m pleased to be able to share some of our work with you!

WELCOME CORPS — We’re co-hosting a live info session next week with our friends at Women of Welcome — who do similar work guiding evangelical women newer to the conversation as they seek to live out Christlike welcome — for those interested in learning more about private refugee sponsorship through the Welcome Corps. This webinar is free and open to the public, so please feel free to join us at 8 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 25, or share the registration link with others who might be interested in learning more!

2,000 SIGNATURES — Last fall we shifted our attention to state-level advocacy as we saw Gov. Greg Abbott (R) calling for inhumane policies toward migrants and allegations emerged of human rights violations in Texas. Since then, we’ve been calling on our community to speak up and hold Abbott accountable for treating migrants with dignity. Our open letter to the governor has more than 2,000 signatures so far.

FROM ONE SIGNATORY — With last month’s passage of Texas Senate Bill 4, our content writer Sheila Joiner added her voice in a Dec. 24 letter to the editor of the Dallas Morning News, decrying the unprecedented expansion of state authority and questioning how the rights of migrants will be protected under the new law. As these questions are now being argued in court, we’ll continue watching and providing our community with avenues to speak up in favor of policies that comprise order and human dignity. 

MINISTRY OF PRESENCE — For the last several years, I’ve been captivated by the idea of the ministry of presence, and the way that proximity changes everything. It’s been true in my life and in the lives of the women we’ve met in our community. Last fall, our team shared some takeaways from our latest border trip, which can basically be summarized by the urgent need for those of us who do not live at the border or have our own immigration stories to listen to those who do. We’re so thankful for those doing the practical work of welcome in places like the El Paso borderlands, and for the generosity of the migrants we met who shared their stories.

GROWTH AND HOPE — We’re entering the new year focusing on growth and hope! We’re seeking change that includes and yet goes deeper than policy: culture change that is rooted in mutuality and driven by community. This type of change requires each of us to take the humble posture of a perpetual learner. Check out these 3 book recommendations from our staff for those seeking to have their imaginations shaped to cultivate welcome in their own communities this year.

It has been great sharing this space! Thanks to The Forum Daily team for letting me "take over" today’s edition, and thank you to everyone reading. You can keep up with the work of We Welcome on Facebook and Instagram, and find immigration FAQs, resource guides, and more on our website. 

Thanks again for reading,

Tess