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Room for All issues the following statement in support of those who are under attack or feeling vulnerable due to actions by the current Presidential Administration of the United States of America:
To those under attack or feeling vulnerable: You are not alone. Whether you are a transgender, non-binary, or intersex person whose right to health and well-being is being targeted, or you’re a Black, Brown, Indigenous person, Asian American or Pacific Islander being treated as an unwelcome outsider due to the color of your skin or the country of your birth, or any other of a countless number of people affected by the President’s statements and executive actions, we see you. We adamantly refuse to give up the fight for your rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The casual but intentional cruelty of the administration’s actions and the disregard for humanity have highlighted you in ways that feel profoundly exposing and vulnerable. Millions of people in historically marginalized communities have always faced an uphill climb with systemic inequities piled against them, but you are here, and you are the product and dream of generations of survivors who have fought together to make a more just and equitable country for all. Room for All is committed to resourcing and connecting all our fellow climbers, and we keep looking up.
Room for All’s vision statement reads “Compelled by the inclusive love of God revealed in Jesus Christ, Room for All envisions a day when all people–of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities, races, abilities, and ages–are fully affirmed as children of God, free of violence based on human prejudices and judgments.”
We are compelled to act, compelled to encourage others, and compelled to call out the violence based on ignorance, racism, and prejudice, rooted in a version of Christianity that is anathema to the Good News of Christ as we know it. While we pray that the federal and state courts will do the right thing and uphold the rule of law in curbing the worst of these executive actions, we know that faith without action is dead (James 2:26). We must act up, speak out, and push back when we see injustice perpetrated, whether it’s by our neighbor or by the most powerful person in the nation and the corrupt, money-hungry lap dogs who surround him.
Room for All will continue to share and pin on our social media the resources and hotlines for those communities most affected, and we will continue to seek out, develop and share new resources, alongside our partners in our ecumenical sibling organizations and congregations across the Reformed Church in America. Existing resources your congregation or community might have access to are welcome. Please send them to [email protected].
Now is the time to come together, not as one nation proud of who we have become, but as people who will not stand for injustice and will not go back. Gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, intersex, asexual, queer, Black, Brown, Indigenous/Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander, disabled, working class, immigrant, migrant, believers in justice: together, we must be the change we seek.
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LGBTQIA+ Crisis Lines and Legal Help Desks
With the rapid speed at which things are coming at us, it's critical to lean on each other and the resources available for immediate crises as larger actions take shape.
- LGBTQIA+ Youth can reach mental health support by contacting The Trevor Project at www.thetrevorproject.org or by calling 1-866-488-7386.
- Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive adults can reach support through the Trans Lifeline at https://translifeline.org or by calling 877-565-8860.
- The National Suicide Prevention Hotline, which requires staff to undergo LGBTQIA+ competency training, can be reached by dialing 988.
While these orders are certainly being challenged, if you face discrimination, the canceling of your medical appointments or other violations of your civil rights in the days ahead, legal help is available.
We're with you. Please share these resources widely.
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Join us as we Seek this Lent
Beginning the week of Ash Wednesday, RfA's weekly Lent discussions will resume, following the Seeking resource from A Sanctified Art LLC.
Please respond to this Google form to indicate your preferred day and time for these weekly meetings.
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Happy Black History Month!
Let's uplift the stories of Black Americans as loudly as we can this year. Look for programming in your area (i.e. checking in at the library or with local activists.)
You can also visit the LGBTQ Religious Archives Network to read and hear from Black people that have led the movement for affirming faith!
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ShopRfA has a new collection of inclusive Valentine's cards, for sending affirming messages to your loved ones. A portion of the proceeds of your purchase comes back to support our work. Thank you for sharing the love!
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