The Executive Committee of the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice recently held a changemaker retreat at The Uplands. Kairos has initiated a series of national actions to build up the unity and organization of the poor in the United States, including offering The Freedom Church of the Poor (a spiritual community of movement leaders), organizing an assembly of low-wage workers, and spearheading a Moral March on Washington that seeks to reconstruct American democracy.

During their retreat, the organization’s Executive Committee conducted a political assessment of the current moment facing the nation, reviewed their areas of work and reflected upon the direction of the Poor Peoples Campaign, for which they are co-coordinators. Their strategic meetings were interspersed with hikes on forested paths, a tour of the garden and songs, while the children enjoyed the pool and several art projects inspired by nature.

In addition to restorative and teambuilding outcomes, the retreat enabled the leadership of Kairos to deepen a shared analysis about the context and strategic directions of their work to expose the immorality of poverty in a country with such abundance and to promote policies that would enable the U.S. population to more fully realize their rights and potential.

The Uplands is grateful to Kairos for their visit and for all that they do to eradicate poverty in the United States and beyond.