Creating a Fusion Coalition in New Mexico

'We' is the most important word in the social justice vocabulary. The issue is not what we can't do, but what we CAN do when we stand together. With an upsurge in racism/hate crimes, criminalization of young black males, insensitivity to the poor, educational genocide, and the moral/economic cost of a war, we must STAND together now like never before." Rev. William Barber, President of the North Carolina NAACP

Rev. William Barber is coming to New Mexico at the invitation of Rev. Holly Beaumont and Interfaith Worker Justice-New Mexico to help facilitate A Vision and Strategy Retreat; Creating a Fusion Coalition for People of Faith Conscience in our state. He comes with very impressive credentials; he is founder of the Forward Together Moral Movement, president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP in North Carolina, and pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Greensboro, N.C. Prominent theologian Cornel West has gone as far as to describe Rev. Barber as "the closest person we have to Martin Luther King, Jr. in our midst."

"Dr. Barber and this coalition has aided in the passage of the Racial Justice Act of 2009, which allowed death row inmates to appeal their sentences on the grounds of racial bias in the court system; and successfully advocated for voting reforms such as same-day registration and early voting, and has re-framed marriage equality as a civil rights issue and helped mobilized black churches to support a ballot initiative in 2012," said the North Carolina NAACP

Now that we've established Rev. Barber's impressive credentials, the next question is what is a fusion coalition?  The closest example would the  Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ) Peoples Assembly Coalition, a broad alliance of more than 140 progressive organizations, with over 2 million memberships. The coalition has come together to champion a 14 point anti-racism, anti-poverty, anti-war agenda. This article in The Nation magazine has more information.

The Vision and Strategy Retreat
Wednesday, April 13, beginning at 9:00 A.M., to Thursday, April 14, ending at Noon.
Canossian Spirituality and Retreat Center
5625 Isleta Blvd. SW in Albuquerque (map)
Registration Cost: $45. plus meals and overnight accommodations (available on Tuesday and Wednesday nights) See below for costs of accommodations and meals.
Scholarships are available.   Space is limited!
For more information and/or to register contact Holly: hbeaumont@iwj.org or 505-660-5018

Meal costs (per person) for day conferences: Breakfast $6.00, Lunch $10.00, Dinner $14.00
Rates for Overnight Accommodations (which include meals).
Double occupancy room with private bath $65.00 per person per night
Double occupancy room without bath $60.00 per person per night
Single occupancy room with private bath $75.00 per person per night
Single occupancy room without bath $70.00 per person per night

Here is a video of Rev. Barber, followed by quotes from prominent individuals.


"William Barber is the closest person we have to Martin Luther King, Jr. in our midst. His life and witness is shot through with spiritual maturity, subversive memory and personal integrity...prophetic vision, historical analysis and courageous praxis." ---Cornel West, Union Theological Seminary

"The Rev. William Barber and his allies are at the forefront of a new movement for justice that our nation's children and families desperately need". --Marian Wright Edelman, Founder of the Children's Defense Fund

The Reverend William Barber knows what ails us and--what is rare in this day and age --he knows what to do about it." --Thomas Frank, author of What's the Matter with Kansas?