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Solidarity for Kindness: Hate has NO Place in Indiana

On August 24, 150 people from Indianapolis’ interfaith, inter-generational, and inter-racial communities gathered on Monument Circle to stand against racism and hatred. The rally for kindness was sparked by a group of masked Nazi men shouting racist remarks and parading in downtown Indianapolis.

The rally was spearheaded by Charlies Wiles, Imam Michael Saahir, and a prominent Indiana Remembrance Coalition Member, Clete Ladd. He was quoted as saying: “Racism and hatred are violent diseases that can be cured. Love and peace are perfect prescriptions.”

The organizers are working on creating an online petition in support of unity against racism and hatred. The petition reads:

Dear Citizens of Indiana.
We stand together today to define our community with love and compassion for all, and with cooperation despite our differences. Racism is a chronic health issue; it is addictive, a disease, and a historic pandemic. Racism threatens each of our families, neighbors, communities, our nation, and our world. It is not enough to be non-racist; we must be actively anti-racist. This means challenging stereotypes, advocating for justice, and building connections across all lines of difference.
Let us come together to condemn hate. Let us come together to celebrate our shared humanity, our diversity, and our faiths in the highest power, and work to bring out the best in each of us. There can be no United States without unity, participation, and the belief that we can build a society where everyone, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, and gender feels safe, respected, and valued.
Each organization’s leadership has signed this “Call to Action” below to speak out against hate; to stand up for everyone’s human dignity, civil and human rights, and love for everyone. GOD created us all to serve our world.

You can sign the petition by clicking here.

To learn more, you can read the full article from the Indianapolis Recorder by clicking here.

Submitted by Susan Peters

Citizenship Classes at St. Luke’s

St. Luke's is partnering with the Immigrant Welcome Center to offer a Citizenship Class here at the North Indy Campus! The class will meet for 6 weeks starting on October 1. Class will run from 6-8pm and we will invite participants to join us for the Wednesday Night Live meal beforehand.

We were in need of 4-5 volunteers to help us run the class, and when we put out the call, EIGHT people immediately stepped up! We are proud of St. Luke's for all the many ways we serve and support our neighbors.

Volunteers will be classroom helpers and can even be instructors if they want to! Volunteers commit to attending most or all of the 6 classes so that we can provide consistency and create good rapport with the class participants. Materials and training are provided by the Immigrant Welcome Center, as well as support during actual class times. We hope to offer this class again after the holidays, so if you missed out on this opportunity, please get on our list now for the next time!

Thank you for your consideration! We believe that offering this class aligns with so many of our values here at St. Luke's, and we are excited to provide a safe space for participants to learn and continue on the path to citizenship.

If you are interested in volunteering, please email Samantha Isaacs.

Submitted by Samantha Isaacs