On Saturday, 70 people came out to Broad & Washington to be inspired by Lisa Sharon Harper—Director of Mobilizing for Sojourners—to organize for environmental justice. Lisa explained that environmental justice is beyond just caring for creation. It is mobilizing for clean air, water, and land for everyone, not just those who can afford to live wherever they want to. She explained that in the United States, the poor consistently live in areas that contain higher rates of environmental toxins and less access to fresh food, resulting in lower life spans and more disease.
In the face of this racist and classist policy, Lisa encouraged us with evidence that people of faith are fighting for change. Our work with the Land Bank Bill here in Philadelphia is evidence of that change. Lisa helped us to identify "core spiritual lies" that keep people accepting of the status quo here in Philadelphia. Some of the lies that groups identified included "affluent people deserve better" and "without a commitment to profit we won't survive" and "it doesn't matter what I do—I'm too small to change the system." Lisa said that if we can confront spiritual lies with spiritual truth, we can unlock a movement. She gave us spiritual truth to stand on from the Bible that is confirmed by the movement of the Holy Spirit among us. Reporting: Rachel Sensenig
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