Dear Friend --

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Ephesians 6:12

The tragic and preventable death of George Floyd by four white police officers in the city of Minneapolis and the subsequent uprisings and protests have revealed racism in America. As people of faith we are called to stand up and speak out against racial injustice, white supremacy, and anti-Blackness in this nation. 

We need a sustained effort to dismantle racism. People of faith understand that we struggle not merely against flesh and blood but against powers and principalities; those institutions and systems that keep racism alive by perpetuating the lie that some of God’s children are inferior and others are superior. 

Dear God, Create in us a mind and heart that will enable us to see each other made in your image and likeness not divided by racial categories. Give us the courage to rid our nation of racial stereotypes that oppress some while providing privilege and entitlement to others. Help us to create a nation that embraces the hopes and fears of the oppressed and marginalized. Heal your family God, and make us one with you and one with each other. Empower us by your Spirit to do what we can to correct these wrongs. Amen.

- Rev. Gary Williams, CLUE Board Member

First, please read the CLUE Board's statement on the murder of George Floyd.

Table of Contents

Our Response to this Moment

Apply to CLUE's Paid Digital Summer Fellowship

Invitation to use the CLUE Spiritual Care Hotline

Los Angeles

• USC
• Chateau Marmont
• Right of Recall

Santa Monica

• Loews Hotel
• St. John's Hospital
• City Jobs

Long Beach and South Bay

• Healthy Long Beach
• Port Truck Drivers

Orange County

• Kindred Brea Hospital
• THRIVE Santa Ana

Immigration Program

• DACA Action Plan
• Freedom for Nicolas and Allan

2020 Census

Our Response to This Moment

On June 3rd, CLUE clergy and lay leaders gathered at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church to countermand President Trump's hijacking of religious symbolism and violently clearing a path of protesters for his own political gain. It was a moment of solidarity and a call to action for all of us to keep fighting against racism, white supremacy, and state violence.

Pastor Cue JnMarie: George Floyd's Death Is One Of Many Reasons Activists Are Pushing For A 'People's Budget' In LA

Pastor Cue was featured in LAist on May 28th, expressing the outrage that prompted protesters in Los Angeles last week to block block traffic on the 101. 

Pastor Stephen "Cue" Jn-Marie said he knows that many white people might not understand why he and other black Los Angeles community leaders led protestors onto the 101 Freeway on Wednesday afternoon, briefly blocking eastbound traffic.

"We've been dealing with a lot of pain throughout our existence here in America," Jn-Marie said. "To compound that, to see George Floyd's murder — I call it a modern-day lynching."

Church Leaders Rally LA Crowd in Protest of Police Violence

CLUE was also present at a rally in Downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, June 2nd, where Black faith leaders marched to LAPD in solidarity with community protests. Guillermo Torres, CLUE's Immigration Program Director, was quoted in Courthouse News:

"It’s very important that people don’t stay silent anymore. These injustices and racism have been on display for many years,” Torres said outside LAPD headquarters. “The religious component has been an important component for social justice throughout the world.

Torres called on religious leaders to use their resources to support activists and to speak out not only against police violence but for economic justice and protection for immigrants.

“In some cases, our religious voices have been absent,” Torres said. “A lot of young people are disconnected from congregations. They’re not disconnected from God. But there’s such a disconnection between what happens at church and on the streets.”

Torres chided President Donald Trump’s response to the protests against police violence and said his actions in office are out of line with religious values.

CLUE's Young Religious Leaders Fellowship (YRLF) Program is going digital this summer!

Workers, students, and faith leaders across America are encouraged to apply for this paid, six-week intensive digital fellowship by Friday, June 12th.

Fellows will co-create their program with the help of CLUE staff focusing on topics in worker justice, immigrant justice, or racial justice, as well as organizing, research, or communications.

Apply here and please share the application link widely:

https://forms.gle/sCyDdcvWUGWwUmAM9

Inviting you to use the CLUE Spiritual Care Hotline

Last month, CLUE launched its first ever CLUE Spiritual Care hotline to accompany our workers and our community in their spiritual and emotional needs during COVID19. CLUE clergy are available to provide spiritual care in English and Spanish, Monday through Friday, from 12pm to 8pm. If you or someone you know are in need, please don't hesitate to reach out:

Los Angeles

CLUE's Los Angeles committee of clergy and lay leaders has been walking arm-in-arm with workers at the University of Southern California and the Chateau Marmont. Members called USC President Carol L. Folt urging her to accept the latest contract proposal from Unite Here Local 11, covering over 1,000 service workers at the university. Members also brought their networks to a Labor Lunch with Local 11 and workers from the Chateau Marmont, the famed Hollywood hotel, whose summary dismissal and uncertain futures became the symbol for practices in Southern California's hospitality industry, paving the way for L.A.'s Right of Recall law. 

[DONATE] CLUE and Unite Here have partnered to create an Emergency Hospitality Worker Hardship Fund for OC & LA workers

CLUE LA Committee member Rev. Michael Lehman (First Congregational Church of Los Angeles) gives the invocation at CHIRLA's May Day Press Conference on May 1, 2020.

Santa Monica

Santa Monica's clergy and lay leaders have been working to improve the hotel industry in their city for decades, and the struggle continued this month with mobilizations to demand Loews Hotel on Ocean Avenue extend its workers' healthcare coverage. In response to news about nurses at St. John's Hospital engaging in workplace organizing to fight for adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), the committee knew it had to show up to support Santa Monica's healthcare workers. Clergy and community allies rallied at St. John's with signs demanding worker protections and accommodations for workers afraid of bringing the coronavirus home to their loved ones. The Santa Monica CLUE Committee is also working to protect the lowest paid city government workers whose jobs are imperiled by budget cuts brought on by the economic impact of COVID-19.

A faith-rooted message to St. John's Hospital (background) from CLUE's Santa Monica committee.

Long Beach and South Bay

CLUE's Long Beach committee worked in coalition to send 250 letters to the Long Beach City Council to advocate for tenants and housing. Among the victories won on May 19th were a sixty-day eviction moratorium extension, paid sick leave, a twelve-month rent repayment extension, and a pause on un-hosted short term rentals.

Our coalition launched a recent report on the impact of COVID-19 on port truck drivers. CLUE participated in a May 7th car procession around the Port of Los Angeles to stand in solidarity with drivers delivering a petition with almost 300 worker signatures demanding mayors ensure trucking companies comply with the law.

On May 28th, we supported a food drive for the truck drivers and their families to pick up the essentials. We couldn’t see the end of the line of trucks and cars that stretched over two miles long! This showed the depth of need among drivers and their families. We will continue to advocate for crucial protections for drivers because they deserve dignity and safety in their workplace. 

To amplify the voices of port truck drivers, our faith leaders across Los Angeles and Long Beach also went to Los Angeles City Hall and Long Beach City Hall to send their letters to the Mayors in the midst of the pandemic. Check out the video of clergy delivering the letters here.

This month, we will advocate for the Long Beach CARES Rental Assistance Program with additional tenant protections to ensure the program addresses the deep-rooted disparities in our community and provides easy access to people in need. We are asking congregations and faith leaders to send letters to the Mayor and City Council urging them to support these important proposed changes. Send the letter here.

Orange County

NUHW

Last week NUHW members at Kindred Brea Hospital went public about a preventable outbreak of the coronavirus that has now infected 20 hospital workers, and over 40% of the long-term stay patients. Originally, NUHW members scheduled a rally and press conference for Friday May 22nd to protest management’s lack of transparency and inaction. However, after several days of intense negotiations, the hospital agreed to a number of improvements including more PPE and hazard pay for workers.

NUHW hospital workers have requested that community members write letters to Kindred Brea management urging them to adequately protect their employees, patients, and the broader community from further spread of Covid. If you would like to send a letter, please email Adam Overton at [email protected] to get a letter template and further instructions. These workers have also asked us to remain ready to act if management does not fulfill their obligation to provide a safe environment for them and their patients. Finally, please keep these NUHW hospital workers and their patients in your prayers.

Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities

THRIVE Santa Ana, the first community land trust in the City of Santa Ana, is opening a new Membership Organizer Position. Please see more information here. Spread the word and help us find the right person for the job! If you are interested, please contact (714)-987-2009 or [email protected].

During the COVID-19 crisis, investors and the city are moving forward with the sale of buildings and land in vulnerable neighborhoods, putting residents at risk. This is the time to strengthen local economies that provide healthy food, dignified housing, safe, and healthy open spaces. Use your voices, share your ideas, and the needs of your community. Join THRIVE and the community lands movement! For more information, please contact Lucero Garcia at [email protected].

Immigration Program

CLUE, in partnership with CHIRLA, was able to participate in extending much needed financial relief to undocumented immigrants in California starting in early May. With over one million calls on the first day, CLUE’s outreach to residents of impacted neighborhoods like San Juan Capistrano and Santa Ana has grown trust in the community. For more information on OC immigrant relief funds, relief, click here, here, and here.

With Resilience Orange County, CLUE is working to prepare and respond to the almost half-a-million recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program who are waiting for the ruling from the United States Supreme Court in June. CLUE is ready to provide support and action when announced. If you would like to know more, please contact David Jaimes at [email protected]

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ICE picked up a Long Beach resident and a father of four, Nicolas, right outside his house on March 1. He is a breadwinner in his family, so his partner constantly needs to decide whether she should pay rent, food, or visit with her partner in the detention center. Nicolas has been able to receive free legal representation through the Long Beach Justice Fund, and a judge has recently set Nicolas’ bail. We need to raise $21,000 by June 14th to free him from Adelanto Detention Center. Join us to bring Nicolas home to his family and safety here.

Allan Altamirano is a husband, father, son, and a youth pastor. He has been detained for nine months and he has no criminal record. He has a serious heart condition, for which he was hospitalized. After he was taken back to Adelanto detention Center, he was placed in “the hole” for several days before he was transferred to the medical ward. Allan was then isolated and placed back in general population where other detainees have tested positive for COVID-19. Allan is at high risk for COVID-19. To release Allan from detention and allow him to return home to his family where he can receive the proper care that he needs, please write or email:

Mr. David A. Marin
Field Office Director
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Department of Homeland Security
300 N. Los Angeles Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012 [email protected]

2020 Census

Thank you for being on this journey with us. 

CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice

http://www.cluejustice.org/