2024 SEASON OF ADVOCACY

This Eastertide, join ECM in advocating for our priority bills, such as a $20 minimum wage and housing justice measures, aimed at closing the racial wealth gap. Let's work together to move these bills out of committee and onto the House and Senate floors for a vote. We invite you to bring Episcopal City Mission’s Season of Advocacy to your parish! Each week we’ll have a toolkit focused on one policy goal along with a liturgical resource.

Here are the bills that will be prioritized each week:

• April 14-20: Allow Cities & Towns to Enact Rent Control (S.1299/H.2103)

• April 21-27: Eviction Records Sealing (H.4356)

• April 28-May 4: $20/hour Minimum Wage & Annual Increase Tied to Inflation

• May 5 onward: The “Affordable Homes Act” Housing Bond Bill

What will be in the toolkit?

• A promotional poster

• A page of instructions for that week

• A special youth group guide and activities (For Middle and High School age students)

• Brief faith-based resources that tie the week’s theme to the Easter season

The toolkit will be posted here on the website each week, as well as sent directly to everyone that registers at this link.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS OUR WEEKLY TOOL KITS.

Everyone is invited to participate individually and we encourage engagement with your parish. For those who are engaging their church community in the Season of Advocacy, we have a brief sign up form so that we can stay in touch about how it goes! The toolkit will be full of different ideas for church engagement, in order for there to be something for everyone.

How can I bring this to my church?

Everyone is invited to participate individually. For those who are engaging their parish in the Season of Advocacy, we have a brief sign up form so that we can stay in touch about how it goes! Some ideas for how to involve your church:

• Host a table curing coffee hour after the service for people to make calls or write letters right then and there.

• Collect a list of interested parishioners and reach out to them each week with the new toolkit.

• As part of a social justice/racial justice committee, take the time to make the calls or write letters together during your meeting.

• Include the Season of Advocacy flyer in your church newsletter or bulletin

• Share at weekly announcements during the service

• Post the Season of Advocacy poster on a church bulletin board

• Have your church post the Season of Advocacy materials on their social media accounts

Will there be any zoom or live events for Season of Advocacy?

ECM’s Bridging the Gap (BTG) series will include an “Action ½ Hour” for the group to take part in this advocacy together. If you can’t be part of BTG but would like to join for the action-taking segment, email Hannah Hafter, Lead Organizer, at hannah@ecmteam.us. 

In mid-May there will be a public action in front of the state-house for rental control and “Time for Twenty” (the $20/hour minimum wage campaign) hosted by Raise Up MA, Homes for All, and other partners. Let’s show a strong Episcopal presence! More information is coming soon.