by MOSES Publications | Jul 13, 2025 | MOSES activities, Newsletter, Organizer
James Morgan, interviewed by Margaret Irwin
As Organizer, what has stood out to you since the last newsletter?
“I’m struck by the number of opportunities that are being presented to MOSES for further community-based collaborations and partnerships,” James said. “At the June General Meeting, Harry Haney spoke about the Madison Justice Team. Kina Collins, Interim Executive Director of WISDOM, spoke about plans for our statewide organization. Following those conversations, I see this as a time of opportunity for us to expand our presence in the community, build our capacity, and increase our membership. Additionally, I recently had the opportunity to engage the president of the Urban League. I will be meeting with him sometime soon to talk about a possible collaboration with MOSES. The Black Men’s Coalition has already expressed an interest in MOSES, and I will be meeting with Cory Marionneaux.”
In addition to the Juneteenth celebration, what are you looking forward to in the next couple of months?
“I am at work on two major events. We hope the November 22 Gala will have a sell-out crowd. We’re getting started early by contacting potential sponsors, considering the cost of tickets for this fund-raiser, and getting people thinking early of things to donate for the raffle. An impressive trio of honorees has been lined up. In addition, I am bringing back the practice of giving a community-impact award to a local organization.
“The National Bus Tour on Solitary Confinement will come to Madison in November. In addition to Talib’s solitary confinement truck, we’ll have the national truck present. We are arranging for several locations where people will be able to access these solitary confinement spaces. We’re also planning a video screening and a panel discussion. Mark Rice from WISDOM’s Transformational Justice Campaign is working with us. We want to have ample time to publicize this campaign, to ensure that the logistics are in place, and to recruit volunteers.”
What do you want our readers to know?
“I am invested in them, in MOSES. I take my position within the organization seriously. I am constantly thinking about and engaging with people in coming up with creative ideas to expand our presence and connections in the community at-large. We also need to increase knowledge within MOSES.
“Community organizing is fun! I meet a lot of wonderful people and also a lot of people with challenges, who simply need someone to listen to what they’re going through. I try to assure these folks they can come to us; we will do our best to reach out to public officials and to legislators to advocate for their needs and to do what’s best for everyone in the community. I would like to sponsor community listening and informational sessions to achieve this.
“Another idea in development is a MOSES-sponsored sit-down with other nonprofits, business entities, and public officials. We would have a conversation to see where we connect on issues and how we can start working collaboratively. It’s important to show that we are not in competition; we can work together to accomplish our goals. This could set a model for the greater community in how to network, how to grow, and how to advocate for themselves. If anyone has suggestions of who to invite or other ideas for implementing this idea, please let me know.”
Let’s Do MOSES!
by MOSES Publications | Oct 30, 2024 | Newsletter, Support MOSES
Why I Am a Sustaining Member
By Barbie Jackson
I am so grateful that I was able to find my way to MOSES in 2017. So grateful that I learned how to roll up my sleeves and help this marvelous organization advocate for social justice.
I have learned from MOSES that successful advocacy requires us to build power, which in turn requires organized people and organized money. We organize people through our relationships with one another and with those we hope to influence. We organize money by donating financially, and the most effective way to do that is by being a sustaining member – that is, setting up a monthly donation, deducted from our checking account.
So why is MOSES so important to me? I tell this story every time I have a one-on-one conversation to build relationships within MOSES.
I was blessed to be able to raise a traumatized niece and nephew who were found to be in need of protective services. It was challenging at first, but we built a family of care and healing through the years. After both children had graduated from high school, I found my way to the Allied Drive neighborhood and began a 25-year journey mentoring teens. Most of these children were Black. Many came from traumatic family circumstances. Some struggled a great deal, some found success in life, and some had trouble with the law from time to time.
In the summer of 2016, while I was out of the country, I heard one more time about a policeman shooting a young, unarmed Black man in the back. I had heard these terrible stories many times before, but this time I was deeply impacted. I couldn’t reach and hug the children I knew, and I realized this could have happened to someone I had grown to love. At that moment, I determined that I would make a change to the systems that allowed such violence to occur.
That fall at a community meeting I met James Morgan, who is now MOSES’s community organizer, and Jeannie Verschay, who co-chairs MOSES’s longest-standing task force. We were talking about criminal-legal system reform, and they encouraged me to join their work, which I did.
I have learned from MOSES how to understand the problems with the carceral system in this country, the extreme racial disparities in Wisconsin’s prisons and the Dane County Jail, and the systemic traumatization of children in need of protective services, who enter the public school system with traumas that affect their sense of belonging, and thus their learning capacity and sometimes their behavior.
We seek to disrupt all of these systems. Together we learn and grow in relationship to build power and make the change we envision. And together we can contribute the money needed to support this work. That is why I am a sustaining member. Please join me.
by MOSES Publications | Aug 30, 2024 | Action Opportunities, Meetings, Newsletter, Support MOSES
MOSES Reaches Out to African American Churches
By Saundra Brown and Pam Gates
One of President Saundra Brown’s goals for MOSES is deeper involvement by local African American churches. To that end, she has been setting up visits by small MOSES groups to different African American churches. Four visits have already happened. Each visiting MOSES group is accompanied by Saundra and/or James Morgan, our organizer.
On April 21, the MOSES executive committee attended service at St. Paul AME Church with both Saundra and James, who made an impressive presentation about MOSES. We felt welcomed into their community by the Rev. Greg Armstrong and his congregation, and after the service we chatted with church members about MOSES. St. Paul is already a MOSES member; the goal of this visit was to encourage their greater participation.
On June 23, the Racial Equity Team attended the Sunday service at Sherman Avenue United Methodist Church, where the lead pastor is the Rev. David Hart. President Saundra gave the MOSES presentation. The congregation was very interested in MOSES, and Saundra has been in continuing contact with them as they consider whether to join, though they have not yet become members.
On July 21, several MOSES members attended services at S.S. Morris Community AME Church with Saundra, who spoke on behalf of MOSES, sharing our mission statement, our advocacy work, and her own personal rationale for inviting S.S. Morris to join us. After the presentation, Pastor Karla Garcia said, “We got you!”
After the service, we shared MOSES yearbooks, newsletters, etc., with members, as well as a sign-up sheet. At least 10 members completed feedback forms. Their contact information has been entered into our database, so that they can stay informed and in contact.
On Aug. 18, MOSES members, including the Communications Team, attended the service at Second Baptist Church. The Rev. Anthony Wade and his congregation gave the service, and, again, MOSES members felt very welcome. Saundra and James made moving presentations, and Rev. Wade stated, before the service was even over, that Second Baptist was joining us! There seemed to be general enthusiasm for this decision as we mingled after the service, sharing yearbooks, newsletters, and fellowship.
Upcoming visits that have already been arranged include Mt. Zion Baptist in September and Fountain of Life in October, both on the third Sunday. If you would like to participate in any of these visits, please feel free to do so. They are not limited to the group that has agreed to come. Contact President Saundra Brown at president.moses.madison@gmail.com for more information.
by MOSES Publications | Aug 30, 2024 | Information, MOSES activities, Newsletter, Organizer
Organizer’s Corner
By James Morgan
The months of June, July, and August have been full of activities and growth for MOSES. We started with tabling and participation in the Juneteenth celebration and march. A huge “Thank you!” to all who participated! MOSES was also present, in collaboration with JustDane, the South Madison District police chief, and Devine’s Grilling, at the “National Night Out” anti-violence event on Madison’s south side, where our donations of food and voter information were much welcomed.
Our participation in the Gamaliel National LeadershipTraining highlighted the work of MOSES with affiliates from across the country, communicating the value and importance of the work we do here in Wisconsin on local and statewide issues.
Our involvement with WISDOM’s Transformational Justice and Justice Reinvestment campaigns and its Integrated Voter Engagement (IVE) and Relational Voter outreach continue to show that MOSES stands as one of the strongest affiliates within this network. Our involvement brought in close to $25,000 for our organization.
Thanks to Eric Howland, Jeanie Verschay, and many others, the MOSES/WISDOM candidates’ forum in Sun Prairie on August 6 was a success! The candidates for state Senate District 16 and Assembly District 48 were presented with background information and questions on incarceration policies, the shackling of pregnant women in the corrections system, etc., with the goal of ensuring future accountability for our concerns within the legislature. Our power and dedication to these and other issues continue to move MOSES forward.
On August 18, we held a MOSES presentation at Second Baptist Church as part of our outreach to African American churches. Our president and visitation team were well received and came away with a commitment from Second Baptist to become a member of MOSES! A huge “Thank you!”” and extended gratitude to Pastor Wade and his congregation for their willingness to participate in the work of MOSES.
During our time at Second Baptist, we were pleased to hear about their interest in the current voting cycle and their awareness of Project 2025 and its potential to dismantle the most basic principles and values of our democracy. We were admonished to fully understand that “everything is at stake!” in this election cycle.
We have yet to work out the details, but MOSES/WISDOM will be sponsoring another forum prior to the November election for candidates running for open WIsconsin Senate and Assembly seats. I encourage you to reach out to Eric Howland and Sherry Reames and assist in the preparation phase by submitting questions for those candidates. Let’s Do MOSES!
