From the Director
Greetings!

I am very excited to serve as the new director of Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice (EAD), especially at such a time as this. Having been a part of EAD many times over the past 16 years, it is an honor and privilege to now serve as director.

As we get ready to gather April 20-23 of this year, we do so at a critical moment in our nation's history. By March, if not sooner, a policy decision may be made about Dreamers, who were brought to this country by family members, most by the age of six years old or younger. They grew up as Americans but now are being threatened with deportation to countries they have never known. Migrants, refugees and other displaced people have all been hard hit by the push factors of corruption, climate change and violent conflict - and as people of faith, we must respond. In addition, just a few weeks prior to our gathering, we will mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination on April 4th. And in November, we will have midterm elections.

We are truly gathering at a kairos moment, which I believe God will use to empower, strengthen, fortify, inform, train, equip and encourage us for the work ahead.

The 2018 theme, " A World Uprooted: Responding to Migrants, Refugees and Displaced People," reflects how important this moment and our gathering is. We have tremendous impact when we go to Capitol Hill to speak with one voice and advocate on behalf of the most vulnerable. Our witness is even more powerful as we push for policies and practices that help the least of these in our nation. Indeed, something special happens when we come together.

We have the potential to have a positive impact on our nation's policy agenda again this year as we stand as Christian witnesses for global peace with justice in our nation and around the world. Please plan to attend this year's Ecumenical Advocacy Days and invite others to join us as well. It is our time to stand up, to speak out and to represent a unified Christian voice in a world uprooted!

See you in April!

Blessings,
Rev. Dr. Leslie Copeland-Tune
Director, Ecumenical Advocacy Days
#EAD2018 Announces Keynote Speakers, 
Spoken Word Artist & Preacher
Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice is pleased to announce the first among a slate of preachers, speakers and panel presentations that will highlight its 16th annual National Gathering in Washington, D.C., April 20-23, 2018. 

When we gather for a joyful opening celebration on the Friday night that begins our National Gathering, we will welcome keynote preacher Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Vice President of Education and Dean of Esperanza College at Eastern University in Pennsylvania.

Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier
Rev. Dr. Conde-Frazier has been a religious education professor at the Claremont School of Theology and taught Hispanic/Latino/a theology at the Latin American Bible Institute in California. As professor, she mentored Latino/a students and wrote in the areas of multicultural education, Latina feminist theology, the spirituality of the scholar, and issues of justice as they relate to education. She founded the Orlando E. Costas Hispanic and Latin American Ministries Program at Andover Newton Theological School, and has overseen programs for the development of ministers and lay leaders. She has over ten years experience as an ordained pastor.

Coming to #EAD2018 and haling from the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, we are also pleased to announced keynote speaker, Dr. Elizabeth Ferris

Dr. Elizabeth Ferris
Dr. Ferris is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.  From January to September 2016, she served as senior advisor to the U.N. General Assembly's Summit for Refugees and Migrants in New York. Prior to that s he was a senior fellow and co-director of the Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement for nealry ten years, where she worked to support understanding and protection of internally displaced persons. Prior to joining Brookings, she spent 20 years working in the field of humanitarian assistance, most recently in Geneva, Switzerland at the World Council of Churches. She has also served as the director of the Church World Service's Immigration and Refugee Program.
 
 
We are pleased to welcome Rev. Julian DeShazier to #EAD2018. He will be our featured artist and preacher at our Spoken Word Cafe . Rev. DeShazier hails from Chicago, Illinois, where he became Senior Pastor of University Church in November 2010 .

Rev. Julian DeShazier
A Chicago native, he is a graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Chicago Divinity School. Julian previously served as Teen Pastor at Covenant United Church of Christ, and has also worked extensively with the Coca-Cola Leadership Program and the Fund for Theological Education.

Pastor Julian is also an award-winning hip-hop musician and songwriter, known to many as J.Kwest. In 2015, he won an EMMY Award for his role in the short film Strange Fruit. He has also been featured on FOX, CBS and NPR; on the late Dr. Maya Angelou's Sirius XM radio program; and on the cover of the Chicago Reader.

More on Speakers and Workshops Coming Soon;
Registration and Hotel Bookings Reminder

We look forward to sharing more with you in the coming weeks about additional speakers, panels and workshops, a Sunday evening event to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as the launch of our 2018 Event App. In the meantime, we encourage you to read more about this year's theme and to download and share  the full theme backgrounder . Make sure you register for EAD early and take advantage of the early bird registration discount for the full conference and book your hotel room at the Doubletree Hotel. As in past years, we expect our discounted room block at the Doubletree to fill up fast!

Register for EAD
Book Hotel

Help Bring Young Adults to #EAD2018:
Support our Young Scholars Fund
As in past years, EAD is working together with our sponsor organizations, denominational leaders and others to financially support the attendance of young adults interested in Christian advocacy and global transformation to participate in our National Gathering. 

When you register for EAD you are given an option to support our "Young Scholars Fund," which provides direct assistance to defray the registration costs for these inspired young adults, ages 18-35.

We also invite your donations through our Fundly page. You may make a donation of any amount or choose one of the pre-provided amounts to cover a part or all of one or more EAD registrations for these young witnesses in our churches.

Any funds that do not get used this year will remain available in the scholars fund for future years for the express purpose of supporting young adult participation in the future.
Organizations: Register to Exhibit at #EAD2018
We cordially invite your organization to present a display table at the EAD National Gathering. The exhibit provides you a valuable opportunity to make your work known to faith communities across the nation. Click below to register and read information about pricing and guidelines.
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