Faith Voices of Columbia is a Chapter of Missouri Faith Voices and is committed to a vision of economic dignity and racial equity. We believe that people of faith in every age and place have been called to address the conditions that obstruct this vision. We believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people. We expect elected officials to create and protect policies that support these values.

As a Chapter of Missouri Faith Voices we are a part of a multi-faith, multi-racial movement working at the intersection of faith and non-partisan political engagement that:

• Promotes relationships of understanding, cooperation, and respect across religious and political divides;

• Fosters a sense of connection and common concern among Columbia’s people of faith;

• Develops the capacity of our congregations to jointly respond to moral issues;

• Helps people of faith live out their values more fully;

• Engages in compassionate action for the fair and equal treatment of all persons

• Gives voice with those who are being forgotten by our society.

Faith Voices of Columbia works through congregations and specific teams of clergy and lay leaders to address the roots causes of pain in our community and build a powerful moral narrative that puts the issues of dignity and racial equity at the center of public life.

Our current teams are:

• Education

• Housing

• Transit

• Immigrant Justice & Sanctuary

• Justice System

We also hold both-monthly community meetings to update the public at large on our work, to co-collaborate across issues with our base, to mobilize Faith Voices leaders and allies around action items concerning the work of our issue teams and statewide work.

Why We Organize

• As of February 2021 85.7% (3,608) of black students receive free and reduced lunch

• According to the Census Bureau in 2018 22.2% of Columbians lived in poverty. Women ages 18-24 were the largest demographic.

• An article published by the Missourian on the 2019 Vehicle Stops data reported that while black folks make up about 11% of Columbia’s population the search rate for black drivers was 20.1% compared to 11.8% for white drivers. The arrest rate for black drivers was 14.1% against the 10.5% for white drivers.