We are entering a whole different time politically. We need stories from our elders now. We are grateful to be able to offer this next episode of Fortification with one of those people, an elder who has supported and helped build resistance in Arizona. We hope some of the reflections and lessons will fortify you.

In our seventh episode of Fortification, Caitlin is joined by Alfredo Gutierrez, former Arizona State Senate majority and minority leader. Mr. Gutierrez served for 14 years in the legislature and is an outspoken advocate for immigration reform and public schools. His first book, To Sin Against Hope: How America Has Failed Its Immigrants; a Personal History was published in 2013.

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Tomorrow, we'll join Black Lives of UU and Rev. Sekou and the Holy Ghost at the Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal in New Orleans for our final stop on the #ReviveLove Tour! With each stop, we're connecting with organizers lifting up the importance of unflinching support and nourishment of our local movements, particularly in these times of backlash and repression. We hope our next episode of Fortification brings you some of that love, reflection and fortification.

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Last month, we shared the first episode of our new podcast, Fortification, about the spiritual lives of organizers and activists.

In our second episode, we sat down with Dove Kent, Executive Director of Jews for Racial & Economic Justice. Dove has over a decade of experience in issue-based, identity-based, and neighborhood-based organizing in the fields of affordable housing, police accountability, civil rights, restorative justice, worker rights, immigrant rights, and religious freedom. We talked about creating and re-creating ritual, lessons from her years of movement building work and the power of connection to ancestors within our organizing work.

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Movements for justice are expanding and shifting around us. We must take care of each other and ourselves in these times of resistance and backlash. In recent conversations mapping movement and how faith communities can be of use, organizer Elandria Williams used the language of political and spiritual ‘fortification’ as a key need of justice seekers, activists and spiritually-rooted organizers at this time. We are using this frame to help us name the kinds of work that folks across the country are so thirsty for.

We’re asking questions like:

• Why and how do people come into (and stay in) the work of social movements and justice work?
• Where do movement leaders and activists find spiritual homes?
• How can we can support resilience and rigor within movement? 

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