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Lutheran Advocacy Notes, January 2023
"Faith and public policy can be connected." Lilly Irvin-Vitela, Community Connections Consulting
A New Season of Advocacy at All Saints
If you've ever heard Lilly Irvin-Vitela of Peralta, New Mexico take up a microphone and give a talk, you'll remember an inspiring person of great goodwill, vibrancy, and vision. She was at All Saints in November, a main presenter at the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM conference. Lilly called on us to be transformative in the public square, to love all people fiercely, and to practice grace and forgiveness across that which divides us in society. Remember, she tells us, that New Mexico is a hungry state and that our children are adversely affected by poverty. We can change that. Together, we can organize and mobilize for justice, she said.
How to best do that? We have a head start on organization and mobilization through Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM (LAM-NM).
On January 17, New Mexico's 56th Legislature will convene. Our state's revenue will be unprecedently high, and in this 60-day session, both budgets and substantive bills will be introduced. Among the items Lutheran Advocacy Ministry supports are these:
The Governor's Food Initiative: $50-plus million to continue getting fresh, local foods to institutions serving children, seniors, and other vulnerable people--and to develop other systems to reduce food insecurity.
New Mexico Housing Trust Fund: $24 million annually to make more affordable homes available to low- and moderate-income families.
End to Excessive /Extreme Sentencing for Children in the Criminal Justice System.
Save-the-Dates: You're invited to help launch a new year of faith-based advocacy in our state:
Saturday, January 21: From 10:00 to 11:30 a.m., the LAM-NM Legislative Session Briefing. The briefing will be on Zoom and possibly in person as well.
Tuesday, February 21: From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Issues Briefing and Bishop's Legislative Luncheon in Santa Fe. This will be an in-person event only.
To register for these justice events, please go to the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-NM website: http://www.lutheranadvocacynm.org
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