Wednesday, June 6, 2018
3:00 PM EDT - 4:00 PM EDT

More Light is Proud to partner with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance  for this Online Teach-In Series.

At More Light, we often hear from congregational leaders who have active ministries to both LGBTQ people and refugees, and who want to be a better source of support to both populations but may be unsure how best to do so.
This 3-part series will address the ways in which congregations can better serve LGBTQ refugees, and asylum seekers. 

Part 3 will address ways for people to engage, including:

• Support for people in detention
• Support for people in our local communities, and how to identify community-based projects
• Advocacy for just and humane policies
• Lifting up projects being led by people who’ve been formerly detained, people who are LGBTQ - people who are organizing within their community

Co-trainer: Rev. Elizabeth Smith

The Rev. Elizabeth Smith has been part of the Tucson, Arizona-based Casa Mariposa Detention Visitation Program since 2015. The program seeks to break the isolation felt by immigrants being detained for months or years at Eloy Detention Center, by providing regular visits, letters, and money for phone calls and books. The program also offers post-detention support alongside community partners. Elizabeth's heart has been transformed by this work and the strong individuals she's met at Eloy. Several of them have become dear friends.

In addition to her work with the visitation program, Elizabeth is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), currently serving at The Holy Way Presbyterian Church. She is married to Bart Smith (also a pastor), and they love hiking and exploring the desert, and being the proud parents of a dog named Gumby.

Co-trainer: Jennicet Gutiérrez

Jennicet Gutiérrez is a transgender Latina organizer from México. She was born in Tuxpan, Jalisco. She is a founder and community organizer Familia: Trans Queer Liberation Movement. Jennicet believes in the importance of uplifting and centering the voices of trans women of color in all racial justice work. Jennicet will continue to organize in order to end the deportation, incarceration and criminalization of immigrants and all people of color. She currently resides in Los Angeles.

Cost: $35

(Watching with a group? The cost of each teach-in part is weighed based on group size. If you are watching with a group of 2-5 people, the TOTAL cost of Part 1 is $35; with a group of 6-20 people, the total cost of Part 1 is $50; with a group of 21 or more, the total cost of Part 1 is $100).

• 1 - 5 participants: $35
• 6 - 20 participants: $50
• 21 participants or more: $100 
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More Light’s Teach-ins were designed to help our congregations live into their LGBTQ inclusion. Each Teach-in offers a series of webinars focused on topics impacting the LGBTQ community such as racism and racial justice, 
transgender inclusion, LGBTQ youth, homelessness, and immigration.
Teach-ins also offer the opportunity to learn more about how your church can get connected with a peer network to share best practices and explore challenges within your ministries.

A teach-in is similar to a general educational forum on any complicated issue, usually an issue involving current political affairs. The main difference between a teach-in and a seminar is the refusal to limit the discussion to a specific academic frame or scope.
Our goal is to offer MLP members and leaders the opportunity to learn together, share their ideas and experiences
working for social justice in their congregations and communities, and explore opportunities for peer coaching.