Dear Friends,  

Part of the mission of Interfaith Arkansas is to work to make our state a welcoming and inclusive space for people of all faiths to live and thrive. We have become involved in advocating for hate crimes sentencing enhancement laws currently being discussed in the Arkansas legislative session. We wrote a sign on letter and mailed it to the Governor, we hosted a webinar this past week on hate crimes law, and have used our voices to promote this important legislation. 

Here are some ways we can all be continuing our advocacy efforts together:

1. Watch and share the webinar: If you were not able to participate in our webinar last week, "Hate Crimes Law 101," or would like to watch again, click here to view the video recording of the webinar via Zoom (no passcode required). We hope you are able to use and share this resource to work toward the passage of laws that enhance sentencing for hate crimes in Arkansas, as currently being debated in the legislature. 

2. Participate in Phone2Action: One of the most useful things we can do as religious leaders and interfaith voices is contact our local representatives. Click here to fill out a form and easily connect to ways to contact your local elected leaders.

3. Keep Learning and Share What You Know: There are lots of misconceptions about hate crimes law. So check out the following FAQs on how hate crimes laws work and share in your communities.

Friends, together, let's keep working toward a safer Arkansas, where all persons--especially those vulnerable to attacks because of their race, religion, or who they are--are protected by the law. As interfaith voices, we must create "a world where we all live and work in unity together as neighbors, uniting in the truth we share while learning, ​sharing, and celebrating the unique qualities that make us diverse."

Peace,

Jason Smith 
President, IA Board of Directors