Soulforce

Background The Religious Right's aggressive reaction to desegregation and the growing political power of people color is intimately tied to the upswell of persecution of women, reproductive rights, and LGBTQI people. That co-evolving story is nothing new - race, gender, sex, and labor are intertwined stories in this history of the United States and beyond. These are stories of tragedy and violence as well as reconciliation and liberation. The 1980s and 90s, with the upsurge of white, Christian, patriarchy via the Moral Majority, Christian Coalition and others, underlined the need again for a movement that could effectively engage religion, reclaim religion, and interrupt religion where it colludes with systems of oppression. That is why Soulforce is necessary: We competently and boldly enter into the religious sphere - because we are each either connected to faith or recognize its power in society - and we are able to both hold what is sacred about faith and still fight for liberation from religion's most destructive manifestations. Because of how religion has wrought both justice and oppression, we also have to boldly engage racial, economic, and gender justice work. That is the story of religion in this country, and so here we live at the juicy and challenging intersection of all these stories.  Purpose Soulforce's goal is to turn this world upside down and inside out in the name of justice and equity for folks across all marginalized racial, sexual, and gender identities. We seek to do the kind of collective activism that makes our souls burst as we free ourselves from spiritual violence.  Values -believe in the practice of nonviolence as a soul-affirming, useful, and effective practice of mind, spirit, and body.   -believe that an LGBTQI challenge to Christian supremacy is necessarily a feminist, anti-racist project.   -know that history is alive and acting.   -believe in solidarity with and the leadership of those most affected.   -honor that, for many, activism can be a spiritual journey.   -dedicated to supporting emerging leaders and collaborating with experienced leadership and wisdom.