Clergy with Faith in Action Alabama (FIAA), a federation of Faith in Action, are calling on Alabama Governor Kay Ivey to address the racial inequities in Alabama highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, in a public petition that was sent to her office today.
“I am honored to join with more than 100 clergy across race and faith lines throughout the state to impress upon our Gov. Ivey to provide needed leadership to save the lives of our most marginalized,” said Dr. A.B. Sutton, Jr., pastor of Living Stones Temple in Fultondale and the chairman of Faith in Action Alabama’s board of directors. The future of our state depends on it.”
Among the demands in the letter, which has been signed by over 100 clergy, FIAA is calling on Gov. Ivey to commit to greater access to testing in African American and rural communities; to increase emergency resources to food banks, nonprofits and churches so that they can support individuals suffering from the economic effects of the coronavirus; and to support Medicaid expansion so that underinsured and uninsured Alabamians can gain access to affordable quality health care.
The petition comes three weeks after FIAA faith leaders met with Gov. Ivey, Dr. Scott Harris, director of the Alabama Department of Public Health and Gov. Ivey’s chief of staff Jo Bonner; and several weeks after an op-ed published on AL.comdemanded her immediate attention to this issue. Nearly half of the state’s COVID-19 deaths are African Americans, and layoffs from the coronavirus are more likely to happen in black communities.
Just last week, FIAA visited the Jefferson County Jail to distribute masks and hand sanitizer to incarcerated individuals through the LIVE FREE Masks for the People campaign. Inmates across the country have been unable to adequately distance themselves from potential virus carriers and are at a much higher risk for contracting it due to such close confinement.
“As faith leaders, we know that taking action on the issue of systemic racism is an essential way to give praise, honor, and glory to the God of Liberation,” said Dr. Sutton. “James 2:26 says that ‘Faith without works is dead.’ we are putting our faith into action. There is no clear sign as to when the pandemic will be truly be curbed. We cannot continue to act in ignorance when our people are dying. We need Gov. Ivey to provide bold moral leadership to respond to this grave reality.”
