Dismantling and Building Anew

In a world of growing economic disparity and increasing individualism, we call for federal policies that dismantle systemic racism, eliminate the wealth and income gap, improve the well-being of our communities, and allow all people to thrive — especially those most often left out: women, people of color, people on the economic margins, and those at the intersections of these identities.

For the past several years, NETWORK has hosted Nuns on the Bus site visits and rallies, rural roundtables, and Dialogues Across Geographic Divides. These events have brought home health workers, fast food workers, business owners, immigrant families, people experiencing homelessness, community organizers, and people of all backgrounds, religions, income levels together to listen to one another’s stories and find new ways of being in community with one another. Emerging from these encounters with families and communities across the United States, NETWORK’s Build Anew Agenda is a pathway to realizing our vision of a just and inclusive society.

This guide will explore how NETWORK’s political advocacy is grounded in four Cornerstones to Build our Country Anew: Dismantling Systemic Racism, Cultivating Inclusive Community, Rooting Our Economy in Solidarity, and Transforming Our Politics.

Join us to explore what it will take to build new structures that demand justice for all, and grow as Spirit-filled advocates.

How To Use This Guide

This resource is designed to be used by individuals or groups. Following this introduction there will be seven chapters, each one dedicated to exploring NETWORK’s Build Anew policy areas with readings, quotes, reflection questions, and a prayer. We recommend spending the season of Lent, or another 6-7 week period, working through all of the material. You may choose to divide the content into multiple days for reading and reflection, or set aside time once a week to go through a full chapter.

We encourage you to share your experience, learnings, and feedback with us over social media using the hashtag #BuildAnew, or via email. To join us in our advocacy while using this reflection guide or after, visit NETWORK’s website at www.networklobby.org.

Dismantling and Building Anew

• Introducing the Build Anew Agenda
• Supporting a Living Wage and Dignity of Work
• Building a Just & Accessible Healthcare System
• Building a New, Just Housing System
• Supporting Immigrants and Creating a Dignified Pathway to Citizenship
• Shaping an Equitable Economy through Taxes
• Transforming Our Political System by Transforming Our Democracy
• Building True Justice into the Legal System
• Building Anew in the Spirit of Resurrection