Building on the pioneering work of Rev. Paula Maiorano, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Livingston from Mother African Union Church, and IMAC, the Interfaith Ministers Action Council, our church has joined the vanguard to show that Black Lives Matter.  Our Coalition to Dismantle the New Jim Crow is planning a major public conference entitled Hope, Opportunity and Race, Breaking the Poverty – Prison Pipeline.  The conference will be held on November 14 at the Chase Center on the Riverfront and promises to be a landmark occasion, attracting hundreds of people advocating for solutions to racial discrimination and institutional policies and systems that place minorities and members of impoverished communities at a disadvantage.  Our first forum was held at our church and featured a panel of all the African American judges in Delaware and filled the sanctuary.  Members of the Coalition, including Paula, Jeff Lott, Rev. Dr. Richard Speck, and Joan Priest, are serving on the planning committee of our second forum.  Sponsors include the Delaware Humanities Forum, ACLU, YWCA, Second Chances (formerly known as A Center for Relational Living), the Peter Spenser Family Life Foundation, SAMS, Trinity Episcopal Church, First & Central Presbyterian, and the National Association of Social Workers.  Please help us make this event a success with your contribution to our Second Sunday special collection on September 13, 2015.   Check out the website endnewjimcrowde.org and please mark your calendars and plan to attend on November 14.