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Faith Leaders Speak Out Against Immigration Bill

“Immigration is one of those issues, unfortunately, that is used [as] something [to] get people stirred up for voting ... and that there's very little real interest in solving the issues, as we can see what happened with Senator Lankford.”

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OKC Archdiocese Part of Transformational Program

Since the [Recognizing the Stranger] program commenced, there's been "nativism, growing tensions on the border, polarized politics, the COVID-19 pandemic, a major economic recession and gun violence," said [VOICE President Fr. Tim] Luschen . . . The new program responded amid it all by fulfilling the pope's call "to listen to others, to see others."

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The day Pope Francis welcomed community organizers

When Pope Francis launched his newly invigorated process for the Synod of Bishops in 2021, he challenged Catholics worldwide to “become experts in the art of encounter, . . . For decades, members of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) . . . have been experts in such an art.”

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IAF Organizing Strategies Called upon by Pope Francis

When Pope Francis launched his newly invigorated process for the Synod of Bishops in 2021, he challenged Catholics worldwide to “become experts in the art of encounter, . . . For decades, members of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) . . . have been experts in such an art.”

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State handling of 2021 winter storm bills questioned

VOICE leader Eric Jergensen: “What we see in this event is not so much purchasing gas but a massive wealth transfer between the population of Oklahoma as a whole and a few well-placed individuals. The adults in the room did nothing to stop it.”

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The teacher pipeline in Oklahoma is breaking

With teacher shortages already hammering school districts, local colleges said that they don’t even have enough students who want to be teachers . . . . "The pipeline is unfortunately slowing to a trickle. . . . " [said Heather Sparks, director of teacher education at OCU and a VOICE leader].

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VOICE Leaders Speak Out at Jan. 6 Anniversary Vigil

"And I don't think that has been fully addressed, how many people saw this as an assault and not just against this country, not just against our seat of government and our democracy and free elections, but against their life's work," said the Rev. Diana Davies, of the First Unitarian Church in Oklahoma City.

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Questions raised about OCC conflicts of interest

“The rubber stamping so quickly has me worried that this world is just too cozy between regulators and the companies they’re supposed to be watching,” said Steven Goldman, a member of VOICE, a coalition of groups that have come together to advocate for Oklahoma City-area residents.

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OK Corporation Commission is failing us

The OCC fails to look ahead to reducing repeated problems, and enforcing transparency. Although commissioners have the expertise and data to create solutions, the OCC priority has been getting money to utilities, rather than a "balance" to protect consumers. When

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VOICE opposes extra fees and price hikes from ONG

We didn’t upgrade any infrastructure, we didn’t weatherize anything, we didn’t put caps on natural gas,” [VOICE leader Singer] said. “This could all happen again tomorrow. [Our utility companies] left themselves very exposed to broken commodity markets and they need to share in that burden and be held accountable.”

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