We’ll review:

• GIMA’s housing legislative agenda for 2025

• What you can do to get the legislature to act

• “Court Watching” and reforming the Marion County Eviction Courts

• About proposals to outlaw the Homeless and what you can do to counter those

Advocacy: The act of pleading or arguing in favor of something, such as a cause, idea, or policy; active support. Whether we realize it or not, we all advocate for things that are important to us. So, how can we best use our advocacy skills to move housing policy in Indiana?

Join us November 13 to learn from Danielle Coulter, Vice President of Dant Advocacy. Danielle has firsthand knowledge of the intricacies of government, the result of her experience working for the Indiana General Assembly and representing Indiana county officials.

Danielle previously served as a policy analyst for the Indiana Primary Health Care Association. Before that, she served as deputy director of government affairs for the Association of Indiana Counties, where she lobbied on behalf of county elected officials, including circuit court clerks, coroners, recorders and surveyors.

She also served as a legislative assistant for the Republican caucus of the Indiana House of Representatives, a government relations staffer for Indiana University, and a governmental relations intern for Ball State University.

As we prepare for the 2025 legislative session, Danielle will walk us through the real process of how legislation becomes law and how we can advocate for housing law reform.

Our friends at the Human Solidarity Project are bringing their Creating Human Solidarity Workshop back to Indianapolis, and thanks to the Herbert Simon Family Foundation these workshops are free.

Additionally, HSP is offering their Human Solidarity for Black and Jewish Community Leaders on November 13 and 14.

Join our friends at Indy Habitat for their 2024 Multifaith Build, bringing together the faith community to build a home for a member of our community.

Join United Women in Faith for this powerful webinar that centers the voices of migrants as they share personal experiences and insights on immigration detention and incarceration in the US. This discussion will explore the challenges they face in the detention system, the impact on their lives and families, and the urgent need for reform. Hear directly from impacted migrants and gain a deeper understanding of the immigration system that keeps over 40,000 immigrants in detention facilities daily.

This webinar is offered by Immigration Law and Justice Network, United Women in Faith, and numerous partner organizations. All are welcome. There is no cost to participate. Registration is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. This webinar will be offered in both English and Spanish through the help of an interpreter.

Join Mariposa Legal for a "Know Your Rights" Presentation hosted by Christ Church Cathedral on October 27, following the 1 pm service. We will provide legal information, share resources to protect constitutional rights, and discuss obstacles Indianapolis immigrant communities may face under a new president.

Únase a Mariposa Legal para una presentación "Conozca sus derechos" organizada en la Catedral de Christ Church el 27 de octubre, después del servicio de la 1 pm. Proporcionaremos información legal, compartiremos recursos para proteger los derechos constitucionales y discutiremos los obstáculos que las comunidades de inmigrantes de Indianápolis pueden enfrentar bajo un nuevo presidente.

Unresponsive and irresponsible out-of-state landlords. Rapidly rising rents and declining quality of housing. Modest homes gobbled up by mysterious purchasers paying entirely in cash.

The culprit behind all of these pain points in the affordable housing crisis are often the same: private equity companies.

The private equity business model enables investors to take over companies such as rental properties and quickly restructure them—usually in ways that are harmful to tenants, and ultimately, state & local economies. Their focus is on turning a quick profit for investors regardless of the risks and consequences for our communities.

Attendees will learn:

• How private equity works and what other industries it exists in

• Indiana's private equity risk level

• The types of policies states and municipalities are exploring to fight private equity

The presenters are from the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. Check out their Private Equity State Index rankings. Indiana doesn’t fare too well!

Join the Black Church Coalition for a rally to mobilize the vote and cast a vision for a safe and healthy Indiana. No matter who is elected, we will continue to build power to see this vision manifest through policy. They’re calling for 200 BCC leaders and other partners and comrades! Can we count you in? Register here: https://secure.everyaction.com/HCcJuDD-nESrk7_5F4Z_1Q2

Join BCC for other, smaller events leading up to this one!

• Sept 9th 6:30: Policy Training with Senator Hunley @ the Indiana Statehouse. REGISTER

• Sept 16th @ 6:30 at New Liberty Missionary Baptist Church: Harm Reduction Briefing! Join the BCC team who traveled to Columbus to learn how Indianapolis can build and implement a response model to help those struggling with addictions and overdoses. REGISTER

• Young Adult Voter Guide event is being rescheduled. More info to come!

Join Bread for the World in Indiana at Light of the World Christian Church on October 3rd for Nourish Our Future: Seeds of Hope for Indiana’s Children. Come join your voice with a chorus for justice as we learn about the impact of the Child Tax Credit and take action to protect and expand it together. Too many families in Indiana experience anxiety over how they will nourish their children, but on October 3rd we will create meaningful change by calling on Senator Todd Young to be a champion of an expanded Child Tax Credit that can see a lift of 50% of Hoosier children out of poverty. This event will feature:A Keynote address by Elaine Maag, Tax Policy Advisor of the Equity Hub at the US Treasury and leading national expert on the Child Tax Credit.

• Testimony from community members who have lived experience of the life-changing impact of the Child Tax Credit

• An update on the national political path forward for the expanded Child Tax Credit from Cheyenne Range, Deputy Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World

• A time to demonstrate our collective power to Senator Young as we call on him to attend Bread’s Nourish Our Future campaign launch as a champion of the expanded Child Tax Credit

Join us for another free screening of the documentary, Beyond The Bridge: A Solution To Homelessness

Our goal is for this film to be a part of a community-wide conversation about homelessness. Who do you know that needs to know more about this issue? Who else needs to get involved in this dialogue? We encourage you to invite others to this free screening so that we can all be a part of the solution. We can solve homelessness in Indianapolis in a comprehensive way!

2nd Annual Housing Justice Conference!

August 29th, 2024

10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT (check-in starts at 9:30 a.m.)

Indiana Interchurch Center,

1100 W. 42nd St, Indianapolis, IN, 46208

• Click here to register for the August 29th, 2024 Housing Justice Conference. We’re bringing together advocates across a variety of disciplines to brainstorm using legal tools to address rental housing insecurity (evictions and poor conditions) in Indiana on a systematic level.

• Who should attend?

• Housing Lawyers

• Policy Advocates

• Researchers

• Community and Tenant Organizers

• Other Details:

• No cost for attendance

• Free parking onsite

• Lunch will be provided

Saturday, August 17, 2024 11:00 AM -  2:00 PM ET

Join the BCC as they celebrate 3 years of power building and take the next steps in our campaign! There will be a potluck and raffles, come join the celebration! Location: Indiana Interchurch Center 1100 W 42nd St 2nd Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46208

During these four conversations, panelists with expertise in different industries will share more about housing and how it affects different aspects of our community, from

• Education

• Violence

• Health

• and Government.

Those in attendance will gain a better understanding of housing concerns that affect our neighbors.

Additional resources will also be available at each session.

Housing Instability’s Impact on Schools
Tuesday, May 7th at 6:30 pm

Housing and Violence
Tuesday, June 4th at 6:30 pm

How Housing Influences Health Outcomes
Tuesday, July 16th at 6:30 pm

Government’s Role in Housing
Tuesday, August 6th at 6:30 pm

Indiana Justice Project, through support from the Grassroots Maternal Child Health Initiative, would like to meet with clergy and lay leaders of faith-based organizations in the Central Indiana area to discuss continued and new opportunities for collaborations on issues of justice --including know your rights sessions, pro bono clinics, and other legal advocacy. Due to space limitations, we ask that no more than two (2) people from any one organization attend.

Tentative Agenda:

• Grassroots Maternal Child Health: Community-based maternal and child health human rights framework

• Review of past and current collaborations

• Open dialogue about local community/congregational justice needs

• "Wishlist" for future collaborations
  
  When:
  Thursday, July 11, 2024
  11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT. (Arrive before 10:45 to sign in)
  
  Where:
  Indiana Interchurch Center
  Krannert Room
  1100 W 42nd St, 
  Indianapolis, IN 46208
  (free parking on-site)
  
  Other Details:
  Lunch will be provided (free of charge)

Join other Indiana faith leadership for a conversation over coffee, tea, and breakfast pastries about the Welcome Corps, a new opportunity for faith communities to help bring refugees to safety and freedom in Indiana.

Welcome Corps is a United States Department of State program that enables Americans to privately sponsor and welcome refugees. Our Indiana faith communities are some of the first places to welcome refugees and have a long tradition of stepping forward to provide sanctuary and foster belonging. Come meet members of the national Welcome Corps team who will be visiting Indiana for a weeklong roadshow through the Hoosier heartland.

The national Welcome Corps team will be present to answer questions about the program and hear from you as leaders of our diverse Indiana faith communities.

This gathering is co-hosted by the Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Patchwork Indy, GIMA, and the Welcome Corps. 

Join us for the 3rd Annual Karmic Meal Pack where we will assemble 50,000 meals for food insecure Hoosiers. 

When: Sunday, June 23 from 2-5 p.m.

Where: The Speak Easy - 5255 Winthrop Ave. 46220 
(There is plenty of free, on-site parking!)

Meal assembly will take about two hours of "Networking with Purpose." Come and network with folks from the entrepreneurial ecosystem while doing impactful, purposeful work. 

Add to calendar!
Everyone is welcome (children too)!
__________________________________________

Sponsored by Karmic Partners, The Speakeasy and Pack Away Hunger

Our meals will go to food insecure Hoosiers.
In Marion County, 13% of the populations fights the effects of food insecurity, including more than 44,000 children. This means families are often forced to make a difficult choice between buying food or paying for other expenses.

You can help! 
Donate meals: Submit an online donation through this page.
Become a sponsor: If you'd like to be a corporate sponsor, please email Nida at nida@karmic.partners.
Volunteer your time: Please use the link above to register. Adding to your calendar will not register you as a volunteer.

If you have questions, please contact Nida at nida@karmic.partners.

Add to calendar!

Every person, regardless of race, place, or religion, should be moved by a political message of hope, not a message of division and fear. We need your help to build a movement to do this in the upcoming election. Can we count you in? If so, the next step is our leader's assembly on June 10th at 6:30 p.m. at University UMC. The registration link is below, and a flyer to share is attached! Please register as soon as possible! 

This event sponsored by First Baptist Church of Indianapolis will celebrate honesty and authenticity as we delve into the power of sharing our truths with authors Christa Brown and Sarah Stankorb.

For survivor and advocate Christa Brown, it began with just wanting to tell the truth. But truth-telling has a way of snowballing. Listen in as Christa relays her story, from her memoir Baptistland, of how small step after step she found her voice amidst family dysfunction and a religious culture that harbors abusiveness, and how so much of the work goes on inside as we learn to speak on the outside.

As she relays in her book Disobedient Women, journalist Sarah Stankorb talks about how the internet—its networks, freedom of expression, and resources for deeply researching and reporting on powerful church figures—allowed women to begin dismantling the false authority of evangelical communities that had long demanded their submission.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and empower yourself. Save your spot today!

“You made it. I made it. We made it together.”

 This is the guiding belief behind The Testimony Service. 

The Testimony Service, created by community organizer Ebony Marie Chappel and multidisciplinary artist Sarah Jene, seeks to bring people together - regardless of faith affiliation - to fellowship, hold space for one another and celebrate the good news about what’s going on in their lives and communities.

Testimony services have their roots in the Black church tradition. It was a time where people could take to the pulpit/altar/pew and tell a story or sing a song that illustrates a triumphant moment in their lives. Our goal was to build upon this history by welcoming people of all walks of life to a safe space where they could share stories of divinity, love and hope from their own unique perspectives.