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Steve Pavey, Hope In Focus
Dear friend,
2026 has begun and is already proving to be a dark year indeed. Yet, in these dark moments, we are buoyed by those who are mustering light.
This Wednesday, hundreds of Kansans converged at their state capital to demand their needs are met, their rights are protected, and their families are safe regardless of income, creed, and national origin. Kairos’s own Rev. Jess Williams, joined by other faith leaders, organizers, and Kansas residents shone bright at the beginning of what may be a turbulent legislative session.
The Kairos Center also hosted The Young Organizers Survival Corps bootcamp this week. We got to learn with and from powerful emerging leaders from across the country. This was a kickoff of a seven month program and already we are stunned by the clarity, commitment, and competence of this cohort. Stay tuned for more on this.
In this letter:
* Upcoming Events: Salinas NUH Celebrates 10 years, Luke 10 Info Session, Free Families Fridays
* Resources: Ending Poverty in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
* In The News: Sojourners in Minneapolis, ALA on MLK Day, and the Kansas Reflector on Kansas Rally
Fight poverty, not the poor,
The Kairos Center
** Celebrating 10 Years: Salinas Homeless Union
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Tomorrow, January 17th, the Salinas Homeless Union is celebrating 10 YEARS of fighting for justice, dignity, housing for all and Impacted Voices at the forefront — and you're invited to the party! We’re throwing a community celebration like no other: live music, powerful speakers, peer led conversations, delicious food, and a showcase of the art, history, and resilience that make our movement unstoppable. This is a moment to honor our roots, uplift our voices, and build momentum for the next decade of change.
More Info ([link removed])
** Sing In with SSING!
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Arnaé Batson, a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, song leader, and Songs in the Key of Resistance artist, is hosting an Annual MLK Day Community SSING-IN on Monday, January 19th from 12 - 2pm PT. The event will be held in-person and virtually.
Register ([link removed])
** Info Session, January 22nd
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Luke 10 Congregations: Equipping Churches to Do Justice is a training program for Christian churches, co-led by the Kairos Center and Showing up for Racial Justice (SURJ). This 9-month program equips congregations to understand Christian Nationalism’s relationship to poverty and racism, examine how these are manifesting in their communities, engage in justice work alongside local partners, and reclaim the biblical, theological, and spiritual underpinnings of the gospel call for justice and abundant life for all people.
The next round of Luke 10 Congregations will begin in September 2026, and applications will be due June 1, 2026
More Info ([link removed])
** Free Families Fridays
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Join us next Friday January 23rd @ 4pm for online conversation and song facilitated by Lu Aya of Songs in the Key of Resistance and The Peace Poets. Weave your heart, song, love, and wisdom together with communities waging dignity on the frontlines for migrant justice!
We will sing songs from the Free Families songbook; get updates from Florida, Texas, and California; and explore together how we can infuse our work with new cultural practices, weekly gatherings, and mutual aid.
Register ([link removed])
** MLK Day Resource: Ending Poverty
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This year, in preparation for Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re sharing a poem by Dr. Savina Martin, featured in We Pray Freedom, titled, Ending Poverty. Inspired by the generations of men, women, and children who have struggled for justice, the piece honors the enduring legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's Poor People's Campaign. Their courage and sacrifice continue to light our path forward.
Explore The Resource ([link removed])
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Sojourners—Minneapolis Faith Leaders Amplify Demands for ICE to Repent
In the wake of ICE agents murdering Renee Nicole Good, faith leaders of Minneapolis have rallied call for the end of federal violence against civilians. This article features Songs in the Key of Resistance member Liz Digitale Anderson.
Read it ([link removed])
American Library Association—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Observance and Sunrise Celebration
Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis and Noam Sandweiss-Back offered the first ever joint keynote at the American Library Association’s annual Sunrise celebration.
Watch it ([link removed])
Kansas Reflector—’America is showing its dark underbelly’: Protestors condemn ICE in rally at Kansas Statehouse
Kairos’s Rev. Dr. Jessica Williams was joined by hundreds of Kansans to declare that “Human Needs Are Human Rights!”
Read it ([link removed])
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