"Celebrating Our Common Humanity": A forum to promote civil discourse and reaffirm our democratic values

The Metro North Cluster of the Refugee Immigration Ministry is presenting a Forum on Democracy, Thursday, June 9th.  The Forum is aimed at promoting civil discourse, reaffirming our country’s basic democratic values, and deepening respect for all human beings.  It will be at the First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, 121 West Foster Street, Melrose, at 7:00 pm.

This is one of the first advocacy programs sponsored by the Refugee Immigration Ministry, an organization that provides social support to refugees and asylum seekers in our area.  Members of the local Cluster (Malden, Medford and Melrose) have been concerned about the anger and polarization in today’s political climate.  Finding it “unacceptable,” they instead encourage respect for all people and condemn the scapegoating of the most vulnerable members of our society, especially immigrants and Muslims.

 The meeting will bring together people from the Cluster’s various congregations and communities.  Issues will be addressed from a spiritual point of view.

The event’s three speakers are all active advocates of social justice:

1. Rev. Wendy von Zirpolo, Unitarian Universalist minister from Marblehead who has been in the forefront of the struggle to support immigrant justice;

2. Maria Elena Letona, former executive director of Centro Presente, Somerville, and a consultant to groups dealing with immigration reform; and

3. Rev. Canon Ed Rodman, long active in civil rights advocacy, from Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge.

There will also be songs and some short testimonials.  Following the event, refreshments will be served.

The group hopes to address the concerns of people who want to live by their better convictions and who have been dismayed by the tone of discourse in this country.