
We began day seven of The Vote is Sacred Tour in Cleveland. We partnered with the NAACP of Cleveland and Greater Cleveland Congregations on a Souls to the Polls block party across the street from the one voting center in the county on the last day of early voting in Ohio. It was shocking to see such a long line of people waiting to vote, but their determination to make their voice heard was inspiring. We helped ensure that voters felt encouraged as they waited and celebrated for playing their part in democracy.
After the block party in Cleveland, we boarded the bus and headed to Pittsburgh to start the final stretch of the bus tour in Pennsylvania. After traveling through Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, our team was relieved and grateful to reach the final state.
In Pittsburgh, we partnered with Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network to hold a press conference at Pittsburgh Mennonite Church. They had spent the afternoon canvassing neighborhoods to get out the vote, and our press conference put a spotlight on this important work. We heard from Rev. Dave Swanson, Rev. Shannon Doege, Rev. Kate Walker, and Christina Mohamed on behalf of Pennsylvania Interfaith Impact Network. Our own Rev. Paul Brandeis Rauschenbush and Adam Friedman also spoke.
You can watch the full press conference in this video.

The memorandum NSPM-7 enables the administration to investigate and prosecute individuals and entities it deems to be a threat to national security. In reality, NSPM-7 is a method to suppress free speech; it is not designed to actually address national security concerns.

Just days ago, on Tuesday, November 4, I joined a determined group of faith leaders and advocates from diverse faith traditions at the United States Senate to deliver a faith letter carrying an urgent appeal: hold the line. Do not reopen the government without protecting the essential benefits people need to survive.