“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” – James 2:17
The essence of that scripture was emphasized when church and community leaders gathered to “put faith into action” during “Youth Justice Action Day” Monday.
The press conference, held at the Deaconess Foundation headquarters at 1000 N. Vandeventer, aimed to raise awareness “about children impacted by school suspensions and detention centers and to urge community members to act.” A training session for faith leaders was held immediately after the press briefing.
“To reduce overreliance on youth incarceration, alternative-to-incarceration programs must be supported by youth justice systems that heed adolescent development research, make timely and evidence-informed decisions about how delinquency cases are handled, and institutionalize youth only as a last resort when they pose an immediate threat to public safety.” – The Sentencing Project report
The event was hosted by Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU) and Chosen for Change (CFC), an organization founded in 2014 by Michael Brown, Sr., father of Mike Brown, Jr. The murder of Brown’s son by a Ferguson police officer ignited riots and protests in the region. To recognize his “10th Angelversary,” MCU, CFU and other local organizations have hosted various community events this month.
MCU, founded in 1991, defines itself as “a multi-racial, multi-faith, nonpartisan network of community congregations and faith-based organizations committed to empowering citizens, developing grassroots leaders, and building strong, equitable communities in the St. Louis metro region.”
In a press statement, the nonprofit said it activates congregation members to “put their faith into action” by identifying and working on issues on three levels: Beginning in congregations and neighborhoods, then expanding those efforts to the larger community and finally “culminating into connection with regional and statewide issues.”
Rick Gaines, Chief Juvenile Officer in St. Louis County, described how his office works with MCU’s affiliated religious leaders.
“Our commitment is to work with MCU and engage MCU as a partner in working with our young people…we want to engage young people, engage their parents. We want feedback and if there are concerns or questions about what we do… (I want to know) what can we do to make those things better? The essence of this work is we (must) work together, and we have to have those tough conversations.”
Ironically perhaps, the Deaconess Foundation building sits less than a block away from the city’s juvenile detention center on Enright Avenue. Gaines spoke to the flaws inherent in a system “created to produce what they were designed to do.”
His work, Gaines added, is to reimagine what that system should look like.
“How can I work in a way that supports young people and their families? MCU is an important part of that.”
MCU is not the only entity engaged in juvenile justice reimagining work. The Sentencing Project, a nonprofit that advocates for effective and humane responses to crime, released a report last year highlighting needed reforms that the state and local youth justice systems should adopt “to combat the overuse of incarceration and maximize the success of youth who are placed in alternative-to-incarceration programs.”
“To reduce overreliance on youth incarceration, alternative-to-incarceration programs must be supported by youth justice systems that heed adolescent development research, make timely and evidence-informed decisions about how delinquency cases are handled, and institutionalize youth only as a last resort when they pose an immediate threat to public safety.”
In addition the report stressed: “systems must make concerted, determined efforts to reduce the longstanding biases which have perpetuated the American youth justice system’s glaring racial and ethnic disparities in confinement.”
With a bold mandate for people of faith, MCU outlined a pathway to creating “just systems through political change.”
The core values of the effort include “organizing people and money to build political power and take action,” encouraging faith leaders to act for the common good by harnessing “their power to demand radical change” and serve as “catalyst for change by organizing “more impacted people to do the same.”
With those goals in mind, Pastor Reggie Chandler of Greater Kingdom Mission Church at 633 MLK Blvd near Wellston, gave an impassioned plea to members.
“We come as concerned citizens who know we can’t arrest, jail and detain our way out of challenges in our communities. We need strong, well-funded public schools. We need care in criminalization. We come today to ask the faith communities and organizations to commit to support these families. So, I’m asking the clergy, will you all come together and join MCU and let’s do this together?”
Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.
From the article:
‘Ironically perhaps, the Deaconess Foundation building sits less than a block away from the city’s juvenile detention center on Enright Avenue.”
Not ironic. That was intentional by Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson and the Board of The Deaconess Foundation almost 10 years ago.
It was also intentional of MCU/CFC to have this at Deaconess (where Rev. Starsky was CEO) because we also hosted the Michael Brown Jr. Youth Affirmation Worship Service on Sunday, August 11th at St. John’s UCC in STL City with Rev. Starsky who returned to preach for that Sunday. Everything was all planned and coordinated with Michael Brown Sr. and his family, with intentionality.
Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise-Baker is one of the original organizers of MCU’s Breaking the School to Prison Pipeline (BTP) campaign, which was heavily influenced by the murder of Michael Brown Jr., 10 years ago. Now, Michael Brown Sr. is intentionally becoming one of the lead organizers for MCU’s BTP work.
Poverty and systemic racism are the root cause of the problems in our communities. If u are not going to address that your endeavors or mute.
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