Here I Am: Angela Howard-McParland's keynote address to the 16th Annual Fighting Poverty with Faith Vigil

“Our hope, as faith leaders and advocates, is for that reality we are sure is possible."

At the 16th Annual Fighting Poverty with Faith Vigil, held in the Rhode Island State House rotunda, Angela Howard-McParland gave the keynote address. Howard-McParland is the Justice Resource Manager of the Rhode Island Sisters of Mercy. Organized by the Rhode Island Interfaith Coalition to Reduce Poverty, the vigil is held annually at the State House as the General Assembly legislative session begins and brings together clergy and advocates from across faith traditions to proclaim their shared values.

Howard-McParland’s keynote address was worth presenting in full, so with her permission and some light editing, I present it here, followed by a video taken at the event. For full coverage of the entire event, including remarks from Speaker of the House Joseph Shekarchi and powerful opening words from Rabbi Howard Voss-Altman, see here.

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“My name is Angie Howard-McParland and I work for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, one of the largest orders of Catholic sisters in the United States, and who have been in Rhode Island since 1851. Mercy is an international community composed not only of vowed sisters, but of associates, students, and staff at our schools and colleges, people involved in our many ministries and hospitals, and staff such as our Justice Team of which I am grateful to be a part of. Our ministries carry out direct service to those made poor while in justice, we focus here–on advocacy to change our oft-broken system, working in the areas of Earth, immigration, racism, nonviolence, and women.

“I am quite humbled to be standing before you today – Catholic women don’t see many opportunities to preach, you know. And our task is daunting. We need to acknowledge the concrete difficulties faced by so many across the globe and here in Rhode Island right now and summon the energy and strength to continue to take action in solidarity with and in support of those made poor. 

“Let’s begin by acknowledging the problem. We know that in 2023, United States Census data revealed that both the overall poverty rate and the child poverty rate increased by the largest amount on record in more than 50 years. In Rhode Island, it showed that over 113,000 people, or nearly 11% of the population, were living in poverty. Latino Rhode Islanders experience poverty at nearly triple the rates of white non-Latinos and for Black Rhode Islanders, the rate is nearly double that of their white neighbors. RI Kids Count tells us that of the 15% of Rhode Island children living in poverty, 76% of them were children of color. 

“We also need to acknowledge the housing crisis as a major contributor to poverty. Full-time workers in RI need to earn $27.28 per hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent. Even with Rhode Island’s minimum wage being nearly double the federal level, a worker would need to work nearly 80 hours a week to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment. The Point In Time count last January revealed that over 1800 Rhode Islanders experienced homelessness on that given night, a nearly 65% percent increase since 2020. And those who are unhoused face further lack of respect when their encampments have been dismantled and belongings discarded. 

“It might be easy to suggest social services, finding gainful employment, or other individual platitudes to those experiencing homelessness and poverty. But the reality is that poverty is a policy choice. And it’s one that we don’t need to keep making.

“In Catholic social teaching, we talk about a preferential option for the poor, which recognizes that when we lift up those most marginalized, those made poor by unjust systems, everyone rises. In fact, the United States Bishops in 1986 declared that government leaders have an obligation to evaluate all social and economic policies based on how they affect the most vulnerable populations, saying, ‘Those who are marginalized and whose rights are denied have privileged claims if society is to provide justice for all.’ And further, ‘Decisions must be judged in light of what they do for the poor, what they do to the poor, and what they enable the poor to do for themselves. The fundamental moral criterion for all economic decisions, policies, and institutions is this: They must be at the service of all people, especially the poor.’

“So we need concrete change and action. And luckily, we’re here in the presence of incredible organizations and coalitions that compile these statistics, make evidence-based policy recommendations, and organize folks across communities to advocate. We’re here with faith leaders, following the prophet’s adage to afflict the comfortable while comforting the afflicted, to bring a multi-faith voice to concrete legislative change rather than simply offering thoughts and prayers. And we’re here in the room where it happens–where our own elected officials take it all in, listen to their constituents, and work towards the common good so that all Rhode Islanders can live, not only with their basic needs met but with the human dignity they deserve to reach their fullest potential.

“I may not be a born-and-raised Rhode Islander, but in my nearly 17 years as a resident of the Ocean State, I’ve grown quite fond of our image of the anchor and of that state motto: ‘Hope.’ 

“In the book of Hebrews in the New Testament, the author writes that ‘we have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul.’ Now, as an aside, in divinity school, I had a Biblical Studies professor who loathed the Book of Hebrews. He told us once in a homiletics class, ‘Let me know if you’re ever preaching on Hebrews. I won’t come.’ So I beg forgiveness that you weren’t forewarned. 

“But let’s put this line about hope as an anchor in context. The author first references Abraham and God’s promise to him, seen through his legacies of ancestors. This promise, this covenant, this offering of hope from God to Abraham is offered just as Abraham is about to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Scripture says that he took the knife to slay his son when an angel of the Lord called out to him, ‘Abraham! Abraham!'‘ And Abraham’s response in that moment? “Here I am,’ he replied. 

“Many Christians are still celebrating the Christmas season which ends at Epiphany this weekend when we remember the magi following a strange star to discover the birth of an unconventional king. But that story too began with Mary’s own ‘Here I am’ to the angel Gabriel who announced to her her surprising and scandalous pregnancy. 

“And the prophet Isaiah, telling of his own encounter with God, remembers ‘the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And he cannot help but cry out, “Here I am! Send me!”’

“Here we are, indeed.

“In Scripture, those words, ‘Here I am’ indicate a response to God, a yes to an invitation to participate in changing the narrative. Isaiah did not plan to be a prophet and Mary most certainly had other ideas about how to spend her teenage years but in those moments, they said yes to God’s prompting to shift their own stories and thus the stories of their neighbors, their communities, their world. 

“For Abraham too, that meant believing in God’s promise. It meant hope, to bring us back to Hebrews. 

“Now this isn’t hope in the way that we often use it. When we talk about hope, there’s usually a degree of uncertainty: ‘Gosh I hope it doesn’t snow this weekend.’ Or I ‘hope that my car starts this morning.’ But the Greek word in Hebrews is elpis. It means less an uncertain wish and more an expectation, a confidence in a future to be realized. The hope that we have as people of faith is much bigger than simple optimism that things will work out for the best. 

“Our hope, as faith leaders and advocates, is for that reality we are sure is possible. It’s a reality where Rhode Islanders and indeed all people can sleep at night safely housed. It’s a reality where children do not suffer poverty or food insecurity and wages are enough to cover basic needs for families. It’s a reality where guns are not more important than people and Black, brown, and indigenous communities especially are freed from systemic racism and white supremacy. 

“And it is the Here I Am of the people that can make it so. What are our anchors for making Rhode Island a place that epitomizes justice, that embodies love of neighbor, that actually enacts the hope emblazoned on our flag? Can we continue to say Here We Are and show up for bills that impact people’s everyday lives, to bring someone to the state house for the first time to testify or lobby, to preach to our congregations the importance of justice in policy as well as charity in direct service?

“And to our brave legislators, how can you say Here I Am to Rhode Islanders this year? Can you be here to increase RI Works benefits to keep pace with inflation, to provide free meals at school for Rhode Island children, and to continue the work on affordable housing development and tenant’s rights? Can you pass an assault weapons ban and safe storage act to keep our children safe from firearms and take action to protect our neighbors in the Port of Providence? Can you take racial equity into account across all proposed legislation and budgets?

“Hope says that we can. Hope is a future where poverty is a policy choice we cease to make and instead distribute our resources in ways that allow people to live fully and freely. 

“One other Rhode Island symbol, our Independent Man, in residence over there, supposedly stands for freedom, for independence. As you might have heard, this is only the second time our friend has been removed from the dome of the State House for repair. The last time, in 1975, he was removed to be re-plated with gold. His originally gilded exterior had worn off, as shiny exteriors often do. This time, I understand, the repair needed is a crack in the marble foundation on which he stands although he will also be re-gilded before he returns home.

“Let’s repair the foundation for Rhode Islanders, too. Let’s address the foundations needed for hard-working folks to get by and do more than just survive. A shiny golden appearance is one thing, but continuing our work on building a foundation for a just society will save and improve the lives of those made poor in this system.

“The late musician Leonard Cohen said that when you encounter the world, you can either raise a fist or sing Hallelujah. ‘I do both,’ he said. I have hope that we can too. Thank you.”

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Here’s the video: