We are grounded in the work of Reverend William J. Barber II, a leader of the Moral Mondays movement in North Carolina, and a rising leader in the national resistance. Rev. Barber calls on us to define this crisis in moral terms, and to build what he calls a “fusion coalition” that is diverse, interfaith (while inclusive of those of no faith), and that is committed to the needs and leadership of marginalized people.

An effective resistance must be anti-racist, feminist, and LGBTQ inclusive. We are clear that those who are the most at risk right now are those at the margins: immigrants, people of color, women, and people whose lives and appearances don’t fit the rigid and narrow view of those holding power in our nation. This means that the more privilege we have, the more work we are expected to do to understand and dismantle our privilege.

It will be a long haul. The movement to resist will be a marathon, not a sprint. For that reason, we believe we must be grounded in a disciplined, resilient, spiritual community. If we come from a place of hope and joy, with plenty of singing on the road together, we can find a deep well of courage and strength. Forward Together North County aims to help create that in our local area.

Nobody walks into the fire alone. There is a spectrum of actions that will be required in order to mitigate the damage to our siblings and to our Earth. Many of those are safe, like making calls to your representatives and showing up at rallies. We know that already there is a need for people to step more deeply into their engagement in order to literally protect those whose safety is at risk. We will be providing trainings and support for those who are ready to commit to civil disobedience. It’s important to be aware of the array of engagement that is necessary, too: You do not have to be arrested in order to support such actions. People need to be fed, phone calls need to be made, planning must be done carefully. We want to create a community of trust and support so that when people in our community are at risk, they know they are not alone. When they look around, we want them to see the faces of neighbors and friends who will go into harm’s way with them, and out of courageous love for them.

Forward together--not one step back!