Dear Friends,

NRCAT is hitting the road this summer to connect with religious and community leaders like you as we grow our multifaith campaigns for human rights and an end to torture. We wanted to share some summer highlights thus far and invite you to connect with us at several upcoming events.

Recap of June Summer Events with NRCAT

On June 10, NRCAT joined hundreds of faith leaders in public witness, accompanying many of our Christian member denominations and partners in a Pentecost Witness for a Moral Budget at the U.S. Capitol. Joined by several U.S. Senators, this moral witness called on Congress to reject the immoral cuts to social safety net programs and refuse to fund this Administration’s mass detention of immigrants.

On June 17, the Center for Barth Studies at Princeton Theological Seminary hosted a screening of NRCAT’s film, Torture in Our Name, followed by a panel discussion featuring Johnny Perez of NRCAT, Anisah Sabur of the Unlock the Box Campaign, and Rev. Amos Caley of New Jersey Prison Justice Watch, as a part of the Center for Barth Studies’ 2025 Conference entitled The Incarcerated God. The screening and panel spurred a great deal of discussion and interest in future collaboration.

In Baltimore, June 18-22, Rev. Jo Murphy of the Unitarian Universalist Mass Action Network served as “NRCAT Faith Ambassador” to the 64th Unitarian Universalist General Assembly. Notably, the UU General Assembly voted to approve a Statement of Conscience, “Abolition, Transformation and Faith Formation,” which will serve as the Congregational Study Action Issue, calling on UUs to prioritize transformative justice while working for the abolition of the prison industrial complex. The statement uplifts one example of congregational and regional action – “in New York State, the legislature has ended cash bail and most solitary confinement.” NRCAT looks forward to building on this momentum with UU members and allies nationwide.

Upcoming Summer Opportunities to Connect with NRCAT

Looking ahead, for those attending the United Church of Christ’s 35th General Synod in Kansas City in July, Rev. Laura Martin will lead a NRCAT workshop (in the Decolonization focus area) entitled “Equip Your Congregation to Build a Torture-Free Future: Ending Solitary Confinement with NRCAT” on Sunday, July 13 from 12:00pm-1:00pm.

From August 27-30, NRCAT’s Executive Director Rev. Ron Stief will be joining with our Catholic Vincentian colleagues to attend the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s 2025 National Assembly in Louisville. He will co-host a workshop on Saturday, August 30th from 10:30am-11:30am entitled “Restorative Justice: How Catholic Heritage Could Transform a Nation in Lockdown.”

The Islamic Society of North America will host its 62nd Annual ISNA Convention from August 29th – September 1st in Rosemont, IL. NRCAT staff is looking forward to once again attending the annual convention.

Finally, in early September, as summer winds down, the Journey to Justice Bus Tour kicks off in California and then heads across the country with stops in 10 states and ends in Washington, DC. This 16-city nationwide tour featuring an educational exhibit on ending solitary confinement is sponsored by the Unlock the Box Campaign, NRCAT and many others. Check out the bus tour’s nationwide route and sign-up for more information.

In a time when there are so many injustices to advocate against and so many more to grieve, we rejoice in these opportunities to connect, learn and grow together as we work for a world in which human rights are available to all, without exception.

Thank you for all the ways you are putting your faith into action this summer! For more information on how your congregation or community can join in on any of these activities, contact Laura Markle Downton, Director of Faith and Community Engagement, at [email protected].

The NRCAT Team