A Response to the Election Results from FAN’s new Executive Director

Dear FAN,

Now more than ever, we must stand together, work together, resist together, and in our own ways and practices, pray together. Love must win.

Today is my fourth day as the new Executive Director of FAN. All day long, yesterday, I kept hearing a phrase from the book of Esther in the Jewish scriptures, “for such a time as this.” This phrase reminds me of how Esther led the resistance against the empire. Dear FAN, we are here and brought together for exact times like the one we are experiencing today. We have existed as a network of faith communities for such a time as this.

Let us grieve together, stand together, work together, resist together, and in our own practices, pray together. The operative word being “together”. I believe that love must win. I also believe love compels us to action. Our action together is our faith lived out. Our ability to love well, love powerfully, and love as a diverse community, is the fuel that will keep us going through the dark hours.

Grounded in the values at the heart of our faith and wisdom traditions, we can use all of our experiences, education, and resources to love loudly against what will likely become a violent and harmful era for the most vulnerable among us.

Let us celebrate the election victories for justice and sustainability in the State of Washington and continue our work to protect the people and planet we love.

Join us and the work we do together through the Faith Action Network. We need solidarity with one another more than ever and in the months ahead. Together we will put our love into action.

Peace and hope.
Joyce del Rosario, PhD
FAN Executive Director

A Call to Action from FAN’s Board Chair

Friends,

It has been my experience when something earthshaking happens in my life or the wider world – from the experience of 9-11 to the death of my spouse – two things keep me grounded. One is the immediate work I am called to do and the other is the relationships that sustain me.

So, in the wake of November 5, I am grateful that FAN staff and I are working very hard on the annual FAN fundraiser dinner on November 17. It is a deep expression of our shared commitment to the work of love and justice ahead of us. It is also going to be a great opportunity for us to connect with one another and reaffirm that our relationships can endure through many challenges.

SO – it is the last week to sign up for the 2 simultaneous dinners in Renton and Spokane. If you can’t join us in person, we would love your presence online.

  • Individual tickets are still available!
  • It is not too late to buy a table for 8 if you do so in the next two days.
  • And if you have already signed up for a table/seats, please use the link you have been sent to add all the individual names. Email robinson@fanwa.org with questions.

In Hope,
Rev. Carol Jensen
FAN Board Chair

A Massive Thank You to Those who Worked on Countering Initiatives

FAN advocates in Yakima advocate for a No on 2117 Vote

Thank you to those who in any shape or form worked to counter the 4 Washington state initiatives on the ballot this year. We stopped 3 initiatives from passing: I-2109, I-2117, I-2124. These are crucial victories for our earth, our children, and seniors and people with disabilities living on the economic edge. We will continue to defend and expand our policy progress as we head into our legislative session. Please mark your calendars for Thursday, February 20th to join us in Olympia for our Interfaith Advocacy Day. We also are grateful for our 100% Voting Faith Communities and many others who participated in advocacy this election season.

Do Something Now: SIGN-ON LETTERS FOR TRUTH and HEALING

We have an opportunity to pass the federal Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act (S.1723/H.R. 7227) this year! Join us to ensure this important legislation is enacted. If this bill doesn’t pass, we will need to begin this process all over again in January.

As the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition notes:

“This bipartisan bill is ready for floor action in both the Senate and House. It would establish a commission to investigate the 150-year federal Indian boarding school policy era and locate Native American children who died in these schools. The bill also offers a platform for survivors and descendants of boarding school students to share their stories and pave a path toward healing.”

Please sign on to these three letters NOW! They were crafted by the Interfaith Network for Indigenous Communities, co-initiated by FAN. We’d love to have over 200 signatures by the time we send them to our federal electeds on Monday, November 11.

Sign-On Letter Requesting Co-Sponsorship of HR 7227

Sign-On Letter re HR 7227–Thank you to Reps

Sign-on thank you + take action letter re S.1723

If you have trouble signing on to these google forms, please just send your name, title (if you have one), and faith community or other organization to Elizabeth (dickinson@fanwa.org) by the evening of Sunday, Nov. 10.

In the words of a Minnesota participant in the Road to Healing Initiative:

“I share these stories because we need to remember my aunties, we need to remember everyone that endured all the horrific treatment, the abuse, the violence, everything that they all went through. Because we need to be the truth tellers. We need to be the change makers. All those who are brave enough and courageous enough for sharing the truth.”

(Department of Interior, Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report Vol. II)

You can learn more at the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition website.

Join a Regional Cluster Gathering or Listening Time

Now more than ever, we would love your presence with us at our upcoming gatherings! These are an opportunity to deepen our relationships and center ourselves in justice, joy and resilience. Our new executive director Dr. Joyce del Rosario will be able to join us on December 8.

Specifically, we will:

  • further develop relationships of solidarity (and maybe a rapid response network) for mutual support and post-election challenges,
  • share FAN’s priorities and hear your priorities for action in the 2025 legislative session, and
  • begin local district planning for justice advocacy, education and public action.

Vancouver Area Faith Action Network Cluster Gathering

Sunday November 10, 3:30-5:30 pm

Hosted by: Orchards United Methodist Church (11000 NE Fourth Plain Blvd, Vancouver)

Child Care Available–Please let us know if you’ll be using it

PLEASE REGISTER HERE

Seattle Listening Circle

Elizabeth is offering a time and space for folks to gather and listen to each other about how we are feeling post-election, share the wisdom of our faith traditions, and be in solidarity together.

Sunday November 24, 2:00-3:00 pm

University Friends Meeting, 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105

Please REGISTER HERE

Seattle Faith Action Network Cluster Gathering

Sunday December 8, 1:30-3:00 pm

Location TBA

We don’t yet have a registration form for this event, but if you would like to attend, please contact Partnership Coordinator Elizabeth Dickinson, dickinson@fanwa.org.

We are also looking for a childcare provider for the Dec. 8 gathering–please let us Elizabeth know of any leads

“All We Carry” Film Screening and Talkback

From the FAN Seattle cluster, we invite you to go directly to the Jewish Coalition for Immigrant Justice NW fundraiser.

Seattle Budget Community Forum and Public Witness

The Church Council of Greater Seattle is inviting people of faith and conscience to join in public witness as the Seattle City Council finalizes and approves the city’s budget for the next year. Asserting that “budgets are a moral document,” the Church Council wants to see a budget that reflects “care over punishment” and that preserves the spending plan passed years ago for the Jumpstart funding.

If you would like to be involved, please contact E.N. West at (206) 525-1213.

You can also learn more by attending this forum on Thursday night: