Category Archives: Front Page

Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks at the Interfaith Rally and Vigil for Health Justice with Faith Leaders and Members of Congress

Interfaith Rally and Vigil for Health Justice with Faith Leaders and Members of Congress

NETWORK gathered at the Interfaith Rally and Vigil for Health Justice with faith Leaders and Members of Congress

Laura Peralta-Schulte
October 15, 2025

A broad coalition of faith leaders and advocates, and Democratic leaders in the House, gathered on Thursday, October 9, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in the shadow of the nation’s Capitol for an urgent Interfaith Rally and Vigil for Health Justice. Together, we called on Congress to pass a bipartisan continuing resolution (CR) that ends the government shutdown and extends the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace’s enhanced premium tax credits (PTC).

The vigil wove together prayer, prophetic testimony, and public action–and urged lawmakers to place compassion, justice, and the common good above political brinkmanship. Speakers rooted their comments in the shared moral teachings of their traditions and declared fervently that healthcare is a moral right. Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders bore public witness that healthcare is not a privilege for the wealthy, but rather a sacred right for all.

Democratic Members of the House who support this position joined NETWORK and our faith partners for the event. Participants included Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Speaker Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Jim McGovern (MA-02). Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley also joined the rally.

  • Bridget Moix of Friends Committee National Legislation speaks at the

You can view and download pictures from this prophetic witness in our Flickr photo album.

Healthcare coverage for millions of Americans across ages, faiths, races, income levels, and geographic locations is at risk due to historic price increases caused by passage of the Big, Bad Budget law (H.R.1) this summer. The average price for ACA Marketplace premiums will more than double on January 1, 2026 if the enhanced PTCs expire, impacting 24 million Americans. It is estimated that nearly 5 million will drop out of ACA coverage immediately simply because they cannot afford it without the enhanced premium subsidies. A loss of health coverage is a death sentence for the sick and vulnerable.

In the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te of the Holy Father Leo XIV on Love for the Poor, published on October 9, 2025, Pope Leo XIV sums up a millennium of Catholic Social Teaching in one sentence: “Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor.” He also echoes the late Pope Francis’ call that “we must continue, then, to denounce the “dictatorship of an economy that kills.”

“We need to be increasingly committed to resolving the structural causes of poverty. This is a pressing need that “cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good order of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises.” ~Pope Leo XIV, Dilexi te

As the government shutdown continues, we are mindful of the fierce urgency to both open our government and to resolve the health crisis before the November 1 deadline. People of good faith can reach an agreement if there is political will to do so. We will continue to call on Congress and the White House to begin negotiations immediately and to pass a bipartisan solution that keeps our government operating and provides affordable health care.

You can view and download pictures from this prophetic witness in our Flickr photo album.

Permitting Reform Done Right

Permitting Reform Done Right

 

We Have the Opportunity to Serve People and the Planet, Not More Fossil Fuels

Drake Starling
October 21, 2025

 

This fall, one of the most pressing environmental debates in Congress will center on permitting reform – how, and how quickly, our country approves energy projects like pipelines, transmission lines, and renewable energy facilities. At first glance, “permitting reform” might sound like bureaucratic jargon. But what’s at stake are the health of our communities, the integrity of our democracy, and the future of our climate. 

What Is Permitting Reform?

Federal permitting rules—especially under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)—require agencies to review the environmental and community impacts of major projects before shovels hit the ground. They ensure that new projects don’t poison water, destroy sacred lands, or trap entire regions in decades of fossil fuel pollution. They are also one of the only tools of Indigenous Nations and local communities to demand consultation and protect their rights. 

Some lawmakers argue that these safeguards take too long and stand in the way of building more clean energy infrastructure. But too often, “reform” proposals that claim to “fast-track renewables” also open the door for more oil and gas pipelines, petrochemical plants, and mining projects that cause harm. Without careful attention, “permitting reform” risks becoming a cover for environmental rollbacks. 

Why It Matters for Climate Justice

If designed thoughtfully, permitting reform could be part of the solution to climate change – helping us rapidly expand wind, solar, and transmission lines needed to replace polluting power plants. But if designed poorly, it could lock us into decades of additional fossil fuel extraction, disproportionately harming low-income communities and communities of color who already live on the frontlines of pollution. 

This is why NETWORK insists that climate justice must guide any reform. Catholic Social Justice reminds us that every person has the right to clean air, safe water, and a healthy environment. Sacrificing communities for the sake of speed is not progress – it is injustice. 

Permitting reform isn’t just about today’s projects. It’s about the world we are building for our children and grandchildren. The choices Congress makes this fall will determine whether future generations inherit cleaner air, thriving ecosystems, and resilient communities or a planet scarred by short-sighted extraction and political expediency. As people of faith, we are called to be good ancestors: to plant trees whose shade we may never sit under, to safeguard creation so that tomorrow’s children can breathe freely, drink safely, and live with dignity on a planet that still feels like home.

Congress will decide whether our children will inherit a clean planet or one scarred by extraction and political expediency.NETWORK’s Priorities

As Congress considers proposals this fall, NETWORK will continue to stress three core principles: 

  • Protect Communities: Any permitting reform must strengthen—not weaken—requirements for environmental review and community consultation, especially with Tribal Nations and frontline communities. 
  • Prioritize Clean Energy: Reforms should speed up the build-out of renewables and transmission, not lock in new fossil fuel projects. 
  • Advance Justice: True reform must advance racial and environmental justice by addressing the legacy of pollution and disinvestment in communities of color. Places like Anacostia in D.C. and “Cancer Alley” in Louisiana deserve clean air, safe water, and a say in decisions that affect their health and future – not to be treated as sacrifice zones for industry. 
What You Can Do: Call on Congress 

Now is the time to make your voice heard. Members of Congress need to hear clearly: Permitting reform should only move forward if it speeds the clean energy transition – not if it expands fossil fuel infrastructure. Our leaders must not be swayed by industry lobbyists who want to use “reform” as a backdoor for more pipelines and polluting projects. 

You can help by contacting your Senators and Representatives and urging them to: 

  • Support permitting reforms that accelerate renewable energy deployment and modernize the electric grid. 
  • Oppose any effort to weaken NEPA or roll back environmental reviews that protect public health and ensure community input. 
  • Reject reforms that lock us into decades of fossil fuel dependence. 

Together, we can shape a permitting system that truly serves the common good. 

A Vision of Permitting Reform Rooted in Justice 

Permitting reform is not simply a policy debate; it is a moral question. Will we allow fossil fuel companies to weaken protections in the name of “progress”? Or will we ensure reforms truly serve the common good, speeding the transition to renewable energy while safeguarding health, land, and water for generations to come? 

This fall, NETWORK will be urging Congress to choose the latter: a vision of permitting rooted in justice, consultation, and care for creation. Together, we can make sure the road to clean energy is paved not with shortcuts for polluters, but with pathways to justice. 

Register for NETWORK’s Next Webinar: Protecting Creation: Federal Rollbacks, Legislative Action, and Faith in Climate Justice

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 7:00 PM EDT
Link to attend this virtual event will be emailed upon RSVP. RSVP here.

Hispanic Heritage Gives New Life to Our Culture and Economy

Hispanic Heritage Gives New Life to Our Culture and Economy

 

This Month Reminds us of the Responsibility to Bring Culture, Faith, Community, and Resilience to Justice Work

Jonathan Alcantara
October 1, 2025

 

For Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), NETWORK’s Sr. Carol Coston Fellows share their thoughts on the importance of this observance in the U.S. The following is Part 1 of two-part reflection by Jonathan Alcantara of Marquette University. (Read Part 2.)

Jonathan Alcantara, a 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Jonathan Alcantara

Hispanic Heritage Month is not just a time for us to honor our cultura with music, food, faith, and festivals. It is also a reminder of the responsibility to carry the values of our culture, our faith, our community, and our resilience into the work of justice especially in times like these. To me, this time of the year is a celebración of who we are, where we come from, and the challenges we face to help positively shape where we are going in the future.

Growing up in the metro Atlanta area, I saw my Latino heritage recognized not only during celebrations but in the everyday actions of our determination. Our family gatherings were filled with stories, delicious authentic comida mexicana, laughter that makes our stomach hurt, and the occasional chisme, but through all this there were also unmistakable examples of our families’ hard work and sacrifice.

Those experiences continue to guide and shape me as a first-generation Mexican American college student. As a student studying finance at Marquette University, a Jesuit community that emphasizes service, community, and justice, I remind myself every day that my Mexican and Latino heritage is more than just a set of traditions passed down to each generation but it’s the light, the source that pushes and strengthens us to lead with purpose, to advocate for justice, and to build stronger communities and a more just nation.

As I sit and reflect on this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, I cannot ignore las injusticias that MY Latino community has and is currently facing in 2025. The federal government has intensified immigration enforcements to drastic measures. The recent Supreme Court ruling has opened the door to racial profiling and aggressive deportations.

As a result, the fear that Latino communities and neighborhoods that has existed for years has deepened even further. Since January, families have lived in constant anxiety and worry about raids, deportations, and having their families separated. These actions not only harm families and individuals but break trust in public institutions and weaken the connections that unite and make our community strong and resilient.

Despite this, the impact and strength of our economic contributions speak for themselves. The 2025 Latino GPD in the U.S. has recently surpassed $4 trillion, making our community one of the most powerful and largest economies in the world. Latinos have some of the highest labor participation rates, strong entrepreneurship, and growing levels of higher education. Still the inequalities continue through unfair wage gaps sometimes even with a college degree. Latina women, specifically, experience some of the most significant gaps, earning less than both white women and Latino men, while Latino men’s earnings fall short of his peers despite having equal qualifications.

Whether we are Latino, Black, Asian, or White, we all deserve to be paid fairly for our work. It matters just as much that many families, not just Latinos, rely on programs like SNAP and Head Start which are being threatened by recent federal legislature like the summer reconciliation bill, and political playbooks like Project 2025. In reality, Latinos contribute to face unfair barriers while significantly contributing to the U.S. economy. Now more than ever, there needs to be change.

Learn more about NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L). Read Part 2 of this reflection.

photo of San Antonio's market square, the largest Mexican market in the U.S.

Hispanic Heritage Means Resilience Against Injustice

Hispanic Heritage Means Resilience Against Injustice

 

Policies of Exclusion Inflict Lasting Mental and Physical Harm on Hispanic Communities

Taylor Demby
October 14, 2025

 

For Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), NETWORK’s Sr. Carol Coston Fellows share their thoughts on the importance of this observance in the U.S. This reflection comes from University of the Incarnate Word student Taylor Demby.

Taylor Demby, a sociology major at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas and a 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Taylor Demby

Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the richness, resilience, and many contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities across the United States. This month is especially personal to me as a San Antonian and as an ally. Having grown up in a city where Hispanic culture shapes nearly every neighborhood, classroom, and workplace, I have experienced firsthand how essential the Hispanic community is to the fabric of our daily life.

Both in and out of September, it is imperative that we take a moment to honor this cultural legacy that continues to influence every corner of American life. As we honor heritage and achievement, we cannot continue to ignore a serious concern: the rising mental health crises deeply affecting Hispanic communities, intensified by the relentless attacks and exclusionary policies that have shaped their lived experiences in this country.

Data from the CDC’s 2023 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report indicate a troubling trend: suicide rates among Hispanic individuals in the U.S. increased by 10 percent between 2018 and 2021, while rates for non-Hispanic White individuals declined over the same period. Behind these numbers lie the experiences of families and neighbors: each one reflecting a real human reality shaped by systemic discrimination, the emotional toll of ongoing injustice, and the daily challenges faced by a community trying to navigate a society that continues to overlook and undermine them.

I work at one of the few outpatient behavioral health facilities in San Antonio that accepts Medicaid. In my work, I encounter both the resilience of and the struggles that Hispanic families face when seeking mental health care. Many caregivers advocate fiercely for their children, yet they face barriers that others rarely encounter. Long waitlists, limited insurance coverage, lack of transportation, unforgiving work schedules, and the stigma surrounding mental health can make accessing care extraordinarily difficult. Their persistence inspires me, but it also emphasizes the urgent need for federal policies that expand Medicaid access, reduce wait times and ensure culturally competent, affordable care for all Hispanic families.

Across the country, families face the compounded effects of systemic inequities, limited access to healthcare, and the stress of navigating anti-immigrant policies. These struggles are widespread yet often hidden, reminding us that celebration alone is not enough. We must pair this recognition with meaningful action to create the change our communities need. To me, honoring Hispanic heritage means taking the time to recognize the full spectrum of experiences that shape communities.

In my home state of Texas, where heavy anti-immigrant sentiment and ultra-exclusionary policies have persisted for generations, these challenges are especially apparent. Students at my own university and across the Bexar County area are not immune to this. In San Antonio, reckless immigration policies and cuts enacted through the recent Budget Reconciliation Bill continue to disproportionately affect Hispanic families, impacting workplaces, classrooms, and homes.

These realities highlight the urgent need for culturally sensitive support, accessible care, and open dialogue about mental health and our healthcare system as a whole. By bringing these issues to the forefront, we can mobilize our communities and work to hold legislators and decision-makers accountable, ensuring that the policies introduced protect and uplift Hispanic families rather than harm them.

Hispanic Heritage Month offers advocates and allies like me a unique opportunity to pair celebration with action. Investing in the health and dignity of Hispanic families builds a stronger, more equitable future for all families, regardless of race or class. The forces driving inequity expand across race and region, hurting working people everywhere, and the solutions we fight for benefit us all.

Honoring Hispanic heritage requires confronting these uncomfortable truths: that within the great stories of strength, resilience, and perseverance live the often-unspoken realities of distress, trauma, and pain associated with inequity. We should do more than remember the past. We must contribute to culturally sensitive dialogue that affirms a principle central to my work as an advocate inspired by Catholic Social Justice teaching: human dignity. Every human being possesses inherent dignity and deserves the support to live fully and authentically, without barriers.

Learn more about NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L).

graphic for Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Shines Brightly, Even Under Threat

Hispanic Heritage Shines Brightly, Even Under Threat

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Means Both Vibrant Celebrations and the Need for Protection of Our Communities

Leslie Gracia
October 8, 2025

 

For Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), NETWORK’s Sr. Carol Coston Fellows share their thoughts on the importance of this observance in the U.S. This reflection comes from DePaul University student Leslie Gracia.

Leslie Gracia, student at DePaul University and 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Leslie Gracia

In my experience, living in America means witnessing month-long ethnic and cultural celebrations throughout the year. As someone of Hispanic descent, I love how, from mid-September to mid-October, I see Mexican restaurants, bakeries, and street vendors selling cut-up fresh fruit, elotes, and Mexican flags.

There are street murals in vibrant shades of red, green, and orange. They display images like Our Lady of Guadalupe, a mom praying her rosary for her child who hasn’t arrived home before midnight, Frida Kahlo with monarch butterfly wings, Indigenous Mexican people, and so many other beautiful images.

Seeing Hispanic people connect through our ethnicities makes it feel like we are at home, especially in Chicago. And yet they also make me feel like I am walking down the streets of Etzatlán, Jalisco, a town I visit in Mexico because I have family there.

Our Lady of Guadalupe plays a significant role in the Catholic Mexican community, as she appeared on the outskirts of what is now considered Mexico City, up on a hill called Tepeyac in the year 1531. When I visit Etzatlán on December 12, her appearance day anniversary in Mexico, we gather at night in the sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which is near the plaza. We pray the rosary, sing her Las Mañanitas, and offer her roses that are blessed by the local priest.

street mural of Our Lady of GuadalupeWe eat traditional holiday foods like tamales with atole, a warm, thick corn drink flavored with guava or nuts. A view of a big, knitted figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe, almost like a mural, adorns the wall of the sanctuary. Above us in the sky, a knitted star pattern is draped from the sanctuary to another building, creating a woven ceiling. Then we move towards the plaza for the last event of the night, the castillo.

The castillo gets lit from the bottom, and the fire and beautiful bright lights escalate to the top of the structure. When the fire reaches her figure, red and white light explosions and loud whistling noises emerge from the castillo itself. It feels magical. Towards the end, our Lady of Guadalupe’s white crown begins to burn, hence the name castillo. Then it flies up into the sky. Kids run after it, not caring about the possibility of getting burned. They just want to have it.

Our Lady of Guadalupe plays an important role for immigrants. Many pray to her for protection when crossing the border. The same goes for anyone who feels unsafe, especially right now, with ICE raids targeting communities and places of employment, but mostly just anyone who looks Hispanic. No Hispanic person is safe after the Supreme Court ruled that ICE can now racially profile anyone who looks Hispanic or is speaking in their native tongue – that is, because of our Hispanic Heritage!

While Our Lady of Guadalupe has always been invoked for safety, right now I feel like everyone is coming together to pray to her and ask for protection. Hispanic Heritage Month is usually a time for celebrating as a community. We forget the racism we encounter every day and throw street parties, unapologetically and loudly playing our Spanish music. But this year it has turned into a month of fear and hiding, of staying alert so that fewer families get separated. Our community bonds remain strong.

Learn more about NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L).

Image source: Wikimedia Commons, Attribution-ShareAlike International 4.0. license. Image cropped for this post and adapted into the featured image graphic.

Hispanic Heritage Promotes Democracy and Dignity

Hispanic Heritage Promotes Democracy and Dignity

 

My Responsibility is to Help Build a Future Where We All Have a Share in the Decisions That Shape Our Destiny

Jonathan Alcantara
October 6, 2025

 

For Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), NETWORK’s Sr. Carol Coston Fellows share their thoughts on the importance of this observance in the U.S. The following is Part 2 of a two-part reflection by Jonathan Alcantara of Marquette University. (Read Part 1.)

Jonathan Alcantara, a 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Jonathan Alcantara

In addition to undeniable economic and cultural contributions, the Latino community also participates powerfully in the democratic process. In particular, young Latinos are the fastest-growing demographic of voters, and our voices will shape the future elections. However, targeted voter suppression tactics like disinformation and misinformation, lack of access to absentee ballots, limited early voting, and bans on students using their school IDs at the polls continue to create barriers for young Latino voters.

So, over the past two years, I’ve served as a Sr. Carol Coston Fellow, working with other students and young adults in Wisconsin and across the country to foster a safe environment for civic engagement and support voter registration on our campuses. All of the meaningful conversations I’ve had with my peers on campus and with community leaders show and remind me that our democracy is stronger when we all participate and a lot weaker when we’re separated and pushed out.

Despite the inequalities, political tensions, and fearmongering, our lucha and resilience still define us. Across the nation this month, Latino communities are finding ways to gather and celebrate their heritage while navigating their fears. In cities like Chicago, Madison, and Appleton, Wisconsin, festivals celebrate with live music, dances, and traditional food. They also have workshops and representatives talking about healthcare, business inclusion, and professional leadership.

However, many events have scaled back and have even been postponed because of the possibility of immigration raids, but one thing’s for certain, seguimos unidos y en solidaridad, no matter the obstacles. Our culture is still alive not only in the happy moments but also in times when we must pivot, adapt, and continue showing up for one another through advocacy.

What ties all of this together is the set of values that go with the Latino community. We strongly believe in familia, dignidad, and oportunidad, which are values that anyone, regardless of their background and what they look like, can recognize as important. My Catholic faith reminds me that these are more than just cultural values; they are moral truths: that every person is made in the Imago Dei and deserves respect, freedom, and the chance to grow and thrive, no exceptions. In our faith, we say, cada persona es hijo de Dios, every person is a child of God. And that truth calls us to treat every person with the same dignity and respect.

Looking ahead, I see a hopeful future where our cultura is not only honored by others but fully integrated into the story of this country. A future where Latino students, like me, succeed in college without the barriers that are currently holding us back, where workers earn livable wages that match their contributions to our country, where families can live without the fear of leaving their house for five minutes, and where our voices are fully recognized in the public.

This vision is attainable, and this is why Hispanic Heritage Month matters. Is it about honoring culture? Yes. But it’s also about defending human dignity, expanding and growing economic opportunity, and strengthening our democracy. For me, Hispanic Heritage Month is both personal and shared. This month calls me to remember the resilience of those who came before me and to act with the knowledge of my responsibility for those who will come after me.

This month, I celebrate my heritage not only by remembering the past but by helping build a future where every family, Latino or not, can live, work, and thrive con fe, esperanza y orgullo, no exceptions.

Learn more about NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L).

How Do We Reach Gen Z as Engaged Citizens?

How Do We Reach Gen Z as Engaged Citizens?

 

Shifting From Individualistic Appeals to Collective Empowerment Will Encourage Young Voters to View Voting as Relevant

Jackalope Labbe
October 3, 2025
Jackalope Labbe, a Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Jackalope Labbe

Throughout my work in student engagement, I’ve noticed that Gen Z, despite being notoriously connected through social media and digital platforms, can be incredibly hard to reach when it comes time for civic engagement. When running my first voter registration drive at Elms College, this reality hit me hard. I found myself consistently connecting with potential voters on issues that were contentious in the upcoming election; however, when asked if they were going to vote, I was mostly told no. 

What I kept hearing was “My vote doesn’t matter anyway.” Through this event, I saw a growing sense of disillusionment, sometimes described as “Gen Z doomerism,” which has led many young people to question whether casting a ballot makes a difference. This experience changed my approach: if we are to connect with young voters, we must reframe what voting means to them. 

Too often, voting is described as an individual obligation. For a generation deeply aware of the power held by corporations, institutions, and political systems, the idea that one person’s ballot can alter the future feels unconvincing. We can change this by reshaping our messaging around voting to focus on its collective power. When more of Gen Z votes, our generation becomes recognized as a legitimate voting bloc, transforming voting from a solitary act into a demonstration of generational power. 

In this context, casting a ballot is not merely “doing your part” but joining in solidarity to shape a shared future based on our generation’s needs. When politicians notice that our generation has the power to elect them to or oust them from office, they also notice the issues that matter most to us. Individuals do have power in our electoral system, but our current language leaves Gen Z feeling isolated in their journey to the voting booth. Breaking down this barrier requires adjusting our messaging surrounding voting from an isolated act to an act of solidarity. 

Another concern voiced by many Gen Z voters is that electoral choices feel limited. When the system appears reduced to two unappealing options, participation declines. The solution is not to dismiss this frustration, but to highlight the growing number of new and dynamic leaders entering public service. However, this also demands that those involved in voter registration must keep up with smaller campaigns. Grassroots campaigns spring up every election, especially with social media being able to amplify newer candidates without needing the money of incumbent politicians. 

Staying on top of local campaigns can exemplify how fresh voices make space for new priorities in the political arena. Elevating the ability to support new candidates demonstrates to Gen Z that there are alternatives to establishment politics and that their votes can help propel new candidates into office. 

Along with social media giving rise to more grassroots candidates, Gen Z is uniquely positioned in an era where public accountability is immediate. With constant access to information, our generation evaluates leaders not by rhetoric, but by record. It is no longer sufficient to rely on campaign promises; the emphasis must be on actual action. Discussing what elected officials have accomplished grounds political engagement in tangible outcomes rather than slogans, allowing Gen Z voters to see the true impact candidates can have on their communities. 

While getting people out to vote is the main push during voter registration drives, it is equally important to recognize that meaningful civic participation extends beyond the ballot box. Voting is one tool among many. Staying informed about local protests, solidarity movements, and legislative developments sustains engagement between elections. This gives Gen Z a way to actively participate in our political system in a way that does not feel momentary, allowing younger voters to build community while participating in civic action. 

Staying aware of other modern forms of political participation is vital to ensure Gen Z stays engaged after leaving the voting booth. 

If we want Gen Z to view voting as relevant, we must change our language. That means shifting from individualistic appeals to collective empowerment, encouraging young voters to research leaders who reflect their values, emphasizing results over rhetoric, and recognizing civic action as a year-round responsibility. 

Gen Z is already reshaping culture, technology, and activism. Our potential to reshape democracy is equally strong, provided we affirm our role as a legitimate force in the American political landscape. Ensuring our generation’s full participation is not simply a matter of generational buy-in. It is a matter of strengthening the very foundation of our democracy. 

Jackalope Labbe is a social work and history major at the College of Our Lady of the Elms in Chicopee, Massachusetts, and a 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L).

We Must Help Folks to Vote

We Must Help Folks to Vote

National Voter Registration Day Reminds Us That This Land is Our Land

Theresa Lindberg
September 16, 2025
Theresa Lindberg, a 2025 Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK's Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.)

Theresa Lindberg

I love folk music. My love first started in elementary school when my teacher played “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie. With his simple melody and distinct tune, Woody galvanized the country with each line. His unifying message resonated with Americans, becoming an anthem for many Americans who felt the government wasn’t representing their interests. 

I think Woody knew something we all struggle to believe now: that we have collective power as people. But billionaires make this hard to believe when they are allowed almost entirely to fund political campaigns. After all, our elected officials are meant to represent us, not the top one percent, right? It’s important to keep this in mind on National Voter Registration Day (September 16).

No matter the amount of money in our bank account, we all value the freedom to choose our elected officials. But some politicians are supporting undemocratic legislation that favors their own interests over those of their constituents. Here’s the issue: our government system has become increasingly unresponsive to the needs of the people to win favor with the top one percent.

With increasing numbers of voter registration forms going missing, lost absentee ballots, and the consideration of restrictive voting bills like the SAVE Act, more marginalized groups, including rural communities, Black and Brown voters, folks with disabilities, and elderly people, are targeted. We all want to live in a world where each of these voices, including our own, is equally valued.

I saw this play out myself last fall when I helped register several hundred people to vote on my campus community here in Milwaukee. I had countless conversations with students and other community members who all said the same thing: registering to vote feels impossible.

And getting to the polls? Even harder. In the case of my friend Grace, we mailed in her request for an absentee ballot three months before the November 5 election and followed up with local election offices, calling the county clerk in both Milwaukee and Appleton.

She never received her ballot. I ended up driving her four hours round-trip so she could vote in person instead. But what would she have done without access to a friend’s car?

Unfortunately, due to the poor organization of absentee ballots and state laws that varied in their restrictions, many eligible voters were prevented from registering and blocked from the polls.

My belief in Catholic Social Justice teaching inspired me to serve as a voting rights advocate last fall. Whether we are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Sikh, people of faith value representative democracy. We know what’s happening is wrong, but together we can protect our right to representation.

I especially like this line in Woody Guthrie’s song, “this land was made for you and me”. Together, we can protect our right to vote! Today, on National Voter Registration Day, let’s remind each other to get registered and to make it to the polls in November. By doing so, we continue to build the beloved community where our shared values are at the center.  

So, this National Voter Registration Day, put on some Woody Guthrie or your favorite folk singer and do your part. Call a friend to catch up and ask if they are registered! Have you changed addresses recently? Check your own status; it might have changed. And don’t forget our power as a collective. After all, this land is your land, and this land is my land. 

Theresa Lindberg is a student at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee and a returning Sr. Carol Coston Fellow in NETWORK’s Young Advocates Leadership Lab (Y.A.L.L.). 

Immigrant Families: We Can All Afford to Live With Dignity

Immigrant Families: We Can All Afford to Live With Dignity

Cruel cuts to vital services come at a time of soaring costs for those who need it the most

 

Giovana Oaxaca
August 11, 2025

The recently passed budget reconciliation bill diverts resources from communities to mass deportation efforts and border militarization. In this third installment of a three-part series (Part 1, Part 2), Giovana Oaxaca, NETWORK Senior Government Relations Advocate for Immigration, explores how the bill cruelly cuts services to vital services, but also the road ahead that justice-seekers can pursue to defeat these measures.

In communities across the country, working families are already grappling with rising costs. Groceries, rent, childcare, and health care have all surged in price (and will continue to do so thanks to the recently passed budget bill), leaving many households struggling to make ends meet. Yet, Congress will deepen the hardship by stripping away vital support from those who need them most. 

Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, NY hold a sign at a June event on Capitol Hill at which Catholic Sisters strongly opposed the budget reconciliation bill.

This bill proposes to render many qualifying and lawfully present immigrants ineligible for vital programs while simultaneously slashing these programs by billions for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. Except for green card holders, individuals residing in the U.S. according to a Compact of Free Association, and certain Cuban and Haitian entrants, the following programs will be severely restricted for non-citizens: 

  • Through passage of the budget reconciliation act, Congress ends Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for many of the most vulnerable including refugees, asylees, and several others. 
  • Congress also ends subsidized ACA Marketplace coverage for asylees, refugees, people with Temporary Protected Status, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients beginning on January 1, 2027. Furthermore, all lawfully present immigrants with incomes under 100 percent of the FPL would be rendered ineligible for ACA marketplace coverage beginning on January 1, 2026
  • Despite promises to protect Medicare, the bill quietly strips access from many eligible immigrants. This means those who had coverage at the time of the bill will have their coverage end after January 4, 2027. This move leaves thousands of ageing individuals without the care they’ve relied on.
  • Food insecurity is also poised to worsen. The bill would end food assistance for eligible immigrants receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The Road Ahead

Harsh policies needlessly instill fear in communities and drive people deeper into the shadows. Common-sense immigration policies should uphold dignity, promote fairness and lawfulness, and prioritize meaningful reforms like a path to permanent legal status, not unnecessarily punish those who are in good standing in their communities as this administration has relentlessly done. Catholic Social Justice calls us to uphold the dignity of every human being. The real human costs of this immoral bill are undeniable. 

Legislation must bear in mind human dignity and the common good, the principle that every person should have the opportunity to live with dignity, contribute to society, and reach their God-given potential. The bills’ swift passage and lack of guidance create conditions ripe for abuse, including worsening overcrowding in detention facilities, fast-tracked deportations that bypass due process, and the hasty awarding of contracts without proper oversight.  

As Congress debates even more federal funding for ICE through the annual appropriations process, NETWORK is closely monitoring H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026 and H.R.4213 – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026, which increase funds related to enforcement, detention, and border security. This alarming increase in interior enforcement in our communities is coming at the expense of taxpayers and family unity, and we must stand firm. 

Concerned people of faith can help support family unity and their communities by sharing know-your-rights materials and connecting with local community-based organizations, uphold dignity by supporting just policies like the restoration of sensitive locations policy guidance to ICE, and push for robust oversight and accountability from local and federal government officials and agencies.

Read Part 1 on immigration enforcement and detention.

Read Part 2 on how unfair government fees threaten family unity.