ADVOCACY ACTION ALERT
SUPPORT RACIAL IMPACT STATEMENTS
People of Faith Support Racial Impact Statements in Maine Legislation

LD 2, An Act To Require the Inclusion of Racial Impact Statements in the Legislative Process, has been voted out of committee and will likely be voted on by the full legislature this week! Speak up now for the change you want to see in Maine!

In the Christian scriptures Jesus repeatedly calls on all to treat their neighbors as
themselves. In the Gospel of Matthew, he more specifically describes the
kingdom of heaven as a place where, “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care
of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

Find and Contact your Senator here.
Find and Contact your Representative here.

Knowing that people of color consistently are statistically overrepresented as
those living below the poverty level, as those targeted for police intervention, and
prison sentences, and even for being more vulnerable to Covid-19, the need for a
racial impact statement to address these inequalities is essential.

In the Christian tradition, the kingdom of heaven is something that occurs on
earth, when all the people act morally to bring about care and equality for all. It is
not a passive position. To act justly is to care for those who are the most
vulnerable. 


While racial injustice directly harms people of color, its existence harms us all. 

Racism is a problem in Maine that shows up when we look at the data in systems
like education, health care, housing, employment, income, wealth, criminal
justice, and more. But looking at the data and discussing race has never been a
central part of crafting legislation in Maine. LD 2 could create a process to start
those conversations and to analyze racial impact when bills are being considered. 

This is a key moment to speak up for racial equity in our future laws!

Thanks for standing together at this pivotal time. LD 2 would be a historic step for
Maine. 

Sincerely, 

John Hennessy
Maine Episcopal Public Policy Network