“God has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

I am part of a group in the community entitled Sacramento ACT (Area Congregations Together). I began collaborating with them in 2014 when I began my work at Trinity Cathedral. Sac ACT is all about mobilizing people of faith not to just talk about the Gospel, but to BE the Gospel. Among many justice concerns, it’s about taking policy stands for the unhoused and fair rent; the environment, fair pay and confronting systemic racism at local and state levels. My dear friend, Rev. Dr. Efrem Smith, just became the Board President and I am so proud of him. He was one of the first people that I contacted when we had our prayer vigil on March 26, denouncing the rise in hate crimes towards the AAPI community. Although he could not be with us on that night, he sent Parkview and the AAPI community this message:

The violence that has occurred agains Asian American, especially in the last 12 months is heartbreaking. Silence about how this violence is connected to racism and a specific dehumanizing in relationship to COVID is unacceptable. Faith communities are called to respond whenever people are marginalized, outcast, oppressed, or demonized. Sacramento ACT has worked to give voice to the voiceless and to empower those who face inequality and discrimination. This is God’s work.

My friends, may we continue to do God’s work by taking a stand against AAPI hate, however and whenever we can, whether it be by taking it to the streets or to the ballot box. We cannot stand idly by and say nothing. As the saying goes, “silence is violence”. So let us speak up because when we do, we can rest assured that this is God’s work.