The Rev. Gregory Holston, the new pastor of Janes Memorial UMC in Philadelphia (moving from New Vision UMC), and two other Philadelphia pastors co-authored an encouraging commentary in the Philly.com (Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News) digital publication June 15. Holston, who also directs the city’s grassroots social change organization POWER, joined the Rev. Mark Kelly Tyler, pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church, and Elder Melanie DeBouse, pastor of Evangel Chapel, in writing about the recent district attorney election primary outcome in Philadelphia. Citing a dramatic shift in voter response to progressive candidates in “prosecutor races across the country,” they call it a “game-changing turnout on the part of people of faith, black and brown Americans, formerly incarcerated people, low-wage workers, and others fed up with over-policing and mass incarceration.”

“They’ve shown that when candidates take strong stands against mass incarceration and police abuse, voters of color turn out,” the trio write in “Black and brown voters make their voices heard in Philly, nationwide.”  “We must put our families first and vote in overwhelming numbers in November. Our lives depend on it.” Learn more…