4,000 People From 40 Interfaith Congregations Plan Rally For Equal Pay, Education, & Citizenship

PHILADELPHIA - April 15, 2013 - PRLog -- Sunday morning may be the most segregated time in America, but on the afternoon of Sunday April 21, more than 4,000 Christians, Jews, and Muslims will unite for the greater good of all Philadelphians. The faithful will gather at Deliverance Evangelistic Church located at 2001 W. Lehigh Avenue at 3pm for a public action called "Building A City Of Opportunity that Works For All" sponsored by P.O.W.E.R., Philadephians Organized To Witness Empower, and Rebuild (http://www.powerphiladelphia.org). The members and friends of the 40 "POWER Congregations" will stand together to proclaim a new vision for good jobs, great schools, and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented families living in Philadelphia. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Schools Superintendent Dr. William Hite, and members of the city council have been invited to attend as have all members of Philadelphia's Senate & House Delegations. P.O.W.E.R. is seeking a commitment from these public officials to advance specific policy proposals that will transform it's vision into reality:

Good Jobs: Commitments are being sought to make starting airport wages consistent with all other jobs created by city contracts (($10.86/hour minimum plus benefits) and to establish a "first source hiring system' to increase access to these jobs among Philadelphians who have faced barriers to employment. People need to get back to work, and deserve fair pay for hard work.

Great Schools: The Philadelphia School District is reeling from state budget cuts, closure plans, and 50% of children still performing below grade level. The District has a choice: manage the decline, or pursue a bold vision for equity, accountability, and excellence in our public schools. We will seek commitments from Superintendent Hite to work with us to fully resource and improve our most struggling schools and to support parents organizing in those schools.

Pathway to Citizenship:P.O.W.E.R. will solicit commitments from the congressional delegation to support humane and sensible citizenship legislation. The problem of immigration is not relegated to Latinos. There are many persons who are from other nationalities and countries who face citizenship hurdles.

For more information about P.O.W.E.R's public action "Building A City Of Opportunity that Works For All" on Sunday April 21, 2013, at 3pm, contact P.O.W.E.R. at (215) 232-7697. All media inquiries should be directed via email to Leslie@TylerMadePR.com or call Leslie at (609) 247-2632.

About P.O.W.E.R.

We are Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower & Rebuild (POWER). We are congregations from all across the city, intentionally bringing people together across the lines of race, faith, income level and neighborhood -- lines which have historically kept Philadelphians divided.  We are people of faith committed to the work of bringing about justice here and now, in our city and our region.  By strengthening and mobilizing our networks of relationships, we seek to exercise power in the public arena so that the needs and priorities of all Philadelphians are reflected in the systems and policies that shape our city. For more information go to www.powerphiladelphia.org.

P.O.W.E.R. Congregations

1.       Arch Street United Methodist Church
2.       Calvary St. Augustine Episcopal
3.       Calvary United Methodist Church
4.       Chestnut Hill United Church
5.       Congregation Kol Tzedek
6.       Congregation Lev Ha-Ir
7.       Congregation Rodeph Shalom
8.       Cookman Beloved Baptist Church
9.       Epiphany of our Lord Catholic Church
10.   Evangel Chapel
11.   Grace Christian Fellowship
12.   Harold O Davis Baptist Church
13.   Holy Innocents Catholic Church
14.   Holy Spirit Lutheran Church
15.   Living Water United Church of Christ
16.   Masjidullah, Inc.
17.   Mishkan Shalom Synagogue
18.   Mother Bethel AME Church
19.   New Life Ministry
20.   New Vision UMC
21.   Old 1st Reformed UCC Church
22.   Philadelphia Praise Center
23.   Prince of Peace Lutheran church
24.   Second Baptist Church of Germantown
25.   St. Benedict's Roman Catholic Church
26.   St. Malachy's Roman Catholic Church
27.   St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal
28.   St. Paul's Baptist Church
29.   St. Peter's Episcopal Church
30.   St. Raymond's Catholic Church
31.   St. Rita's Roman Catholic Church
32.   St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church
33.   St. Therese Catholic Church
34.   St. Therese Roman Catholic Church
35.   St. Vincent's Roman Catholic Church
36.   St. Williams Roman Catholic Church
37.   Sweet Union Baptist Church
38.   West Phila Mennonite Church
39.   Woodcrest United Church of Christ