CLUE Young Religious Leaders Fellowship

Calling all CLUE Fellows to attend this action in Pasadena. We are grateful that Chennah and Shanel are with us in Spirit form on the flyer, since they are currently attending college in Rhode Island and Texas. What do we want? LIVING WAGES! When do we want it? NOW!!!

Ziegler Interview Series: Sarah Shin
By Luz Castro

1. What has your role been as a fellow this summer?

This summer, I was the communications intern or fellow, which means that my responsibilities included going to as many actions as I possibly could to take pictures, document, and post on our social media accounts. I also interviewed interns for this series, clergy, workers, and an organizer. I worked on the CLUE website, and I also created our most recent brochure with the help of my friend who has Photoshop skills.

2. How has your work with CLUE connected to your spirituality?

I think it has helped me reconnect with my spiritual side. Before this fellowship, I felt very detached from my spiritual self because I don’t consider myself a religious person, in the sense that I don’t practice any particular religion. But through this work and seeing the labor movement in action and faith in action, it has helped me realize that I am connected to something greater than just this material world. To me, spirituality is being able to connect with people and trying to be compassionate towards other people’s struggles and stories.

3. What is one action from this summer that you think you will always remember?

The most recent El Super boycott and action where Fermin was able to go back to work because I didn’t think we would be able to see such a victory during our short time at CLUE. Being able to see Fermin link arms with clergy as they walk into the store, back to the job he, UFCW, CLUE, and all of his other supporters fought so hard for, is a moment that I’ll always remember.

4. What’s the funniest, most embarrassing thing that’s happened to you that you’re willing to share with us?

This one time, I was at a mass. It was my first and, to this day, the only mass I’ve ever been to. I went because my friend’s father had passed away. At the end, the priest told us all to turn to our neighbor and say, “Peace be with you. Peace be with you.” I was already so confused because Catholic mass has so many rituals, like you have to sit down, stand up, sit down, stand up. But I thought the priest told us to say, “Pleased to meet you.” So I turned to my neighbors and while they were saying, “Peace be with you,” I kept saying, “Pleased to meet you. Pleased to meet you.”

Fellows packing food for distribution at Father Tom Carey's church!

Graduation/Farewell Luncheon -- great food, laughter, memories shared, amazing people

Same issue, different city. Hopefully, same outcome.

Reverend Jerry Stinson speaking on raising the wage. "This is a moral imperative".

Full house inside Long Beach City Council getting ready to hear them present on raising the wage.

Right Now: Reverend Gregory Sanders leading people in prayer at a raise the wage press conference in front of City Hall in Long Beach.

Internistas putting in work on a Sunday for !

Ziegler Interview Series: Grecia Reyes
By Sarah Shin

1. What campaigns are you working on?

I am working on the Long Beach campaigns, so there are two main groups I’m working on with Nina. One is the Ports Workers and the other one is the Hotel Workers, [hotel workers] for the Renaissance and the Westin. One of my goals is to get the Buddhist community involved in Long Beach because we don’t have any, and also to get Spanish-speaking congregations involved. So, those two are my goals for the summer – at least get one monk and at least get one Spanish-speaking church involved. Also, a lot of the hotel workers go to a Catholic church in Long Beach called Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church. The priest is not involved. That’s another goal – get this priest involved considering many of the hotel workers attend his church.

2. Has there been a moment when you felt this work as connected with your spirituality?

Yeah, I think just from the very beginning. That’s the reason why I applied. I think a lot of what I do has to do with my spirituality, my faith. I see Jesus as an organizer; I see him as a revolutionary [who is] really standing against systems that oppress people. So in just seeing how clergy are involved in this work and seeing them be involved, not only in the church, but on the ground. That’s what it’s about – being on the ground. And I love being a part of that and seeing that, especially in the actions.

3. Have you had a specific, meaningful moment of transcendence while doing this work?

I think it was during preparing for the skit. It was really random. When we just got there, they were like, “You’re going to be acting as a hotel worker.” So for me, I was thinking about how [to] best represent these workers, like what they’re going through. Knowing that I’m not really good at acting and knowing that I don’t like being in front of so many people and just trying to really think about… forgetting everybody that was there and knowing that the reason I was there was to really demonstrate the injustice and being in solidary with these workers. For me, that was the moment when I was like this is exactly why I’m here and so I’m going to do the best that I can to make sure that this message is being passed.

4. What’s your favorite midnight snack?

Toast with coconut butter. It’s the best. They sell [coconut butter] at Sprouts.

Great article written by our very own fellow, Joseph Dov, on unaccompanied minors from Central America. Must read!

UCARE: What is it, and why should you? · Jewschool The moral challenge posed by thousands of unaccompanied immigrant children from south of the US border.

Justice in the pulpits at Westwood Hills Congregational Church. Samuel Bell Pullen guest preaching, with special guests Guillermo and Sandra speaking about Sandra and her son's experience with fleeing violence in central america, and the difficulties faced once they get here.