The theme for PIIN’s annual banquet “Lifting
Faith, Building Hope: Moving People of Faith into Action” challenges us as a faith community to step up to the urgent issues facing working people, the poor and middle class in our city, region and beyond. The battle lines for the return of economic vitality to the working middle class appear to be etched in stone. Challenges to the fundamental rights of the working class have been enacted into law in Wisconsin with similar legislation making its way into the halls of government all across our land. Pennsylvania is not exempt. Our local media outlets are saturated with reports of local school districts taking meat cleavers to their budget as a result of the unprecedented cuts in state education funding. The die is cast. The future of our region is jeopardized by the resulting loss of family sustaining teacher jobs and the unprincipled cuts in early childhood education. These are unjust actions to those on the margins of our society. We must demand a better way! The necessity of the work of PIIN and its faith based and labor partners is demanded all the more!
At our public action in October, we demanded that our local, state, and national leaders take action against the rampant proliferation of gun violence, job opportunity-eliminating transit cuts, the lack of meaningful parental engagement in education and the immoral targeting of our nations citizens and immigrants simply based on the color of their skin. PIIN’s work with our labor and environmental partners to win sustaining wage and clean water legislation in the city and county and the strong anti-racial profiling policy now in place in Pittsburgh’s bureau of Police are examples of PIIN’s growing ability to impact public policy.
I am humbled to have been elected as the new President of PIIN. I am awed and energized by the opportunity of leading the premier organization committed to organizing people of faith around issues of social justice. As we honor my dear friend, the Rev. John C. Welch, for his six ears of stellar leadership [ of PIIN, I am keenly aware of the rich legacy upon which I have been charged to build. I look forward to participating in the continued life affirming work that marks PIIN!
Rev. Richard L. Freeman
President
707 Grant Street, Suite 1346
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: 412-621-9230
Fax: 412-621-1057
www.piin.org