$12,040 raised by 23 donors
48% complete
$25,000 Goal
We all want to see our country do better. At this moment in time, that means at least to be kinder, to follow the rule of law, and to affirm the full humanity of every person.
No one person or organization can do that alone. We have to work together to be better together.
One area of widespread concern that calls us to be better together is dealing with immigrants among us. Our faith traditions call us to embrace and embody our immigrant roots: to welcome immigrants, to treat immigrants fairly, to see our own fate as inextricably tied to the fate of all immigrants, and to ensure basic necessities such as shelter, personal dignity, and belonging for all. But right now even immigrants who came to this country with the best intentions and have followed the law, worked, and paid taxes, are being detained, abused, deported, and disappeared.
Faith Commons has brought clergy and faith leaders together to protect our neighbors and to insist upon adherence to the rule of law. In 2025 we convened the Clergy League for Emergency Action and Response (C.L.E.A.R.) We held a press conference to draw attention to illegal removals of legal immigrants.
We followed up with two ongoing projects: an open sign-on letter to the community, and weekly vigils held outside Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters that have grown from just a few to as many as 30 participants.
Way leads on to way. Each step triggers another that would not have been possible without the last.
In July, a woman approached Rev. Eric Folkerth, the lead organizer of these vigils. She told him that her husband had reported for his scheduled check-in a few days before and had been detained. He was still being held in the facility along with so many other men that resulted in conditions with crowded rooms lacking beds, hygiene supplies, air conditioning, and proper food.
Rev. Folkerth and other witnesses called on elected officials to look into conditions in the facility. Three Dallas area congresspersons wrote an open letter to ICE demanding accountability. While ICE did not respond directly, reports have come back back that their advocacy has resulted in ICE reducing the time of detention in that facility and improving conditions.
This is just one example of how Faith Commons strives to be better together. We invite all who are committed to fighting falsehoods against immigrants—and all the ways those falsehoods are being used to undermine the wellbeing and promise of our nation—to join us in our public outcry.
About George Mason, Founder and President
Rev. Dr. Mason is a Christian theologian and retired Baptist pastor in Dallas, Texas, where he served as Senior Pastor of the Wilshire Baptist Church from 1989 to 2022.
He is a nationally recognized leader among Baptists and is the Lead Advisor for the Baptist House of Studies at Perkins School of Theology (SMU). He is a past Convenor of Faith Forward Dallas and participates in numerous local and global ecumenical and interfaith endeavors. He is a contributor to The Dallas Morning News on subjects of public interest that intersect with religion, such as public education, racial justice, and predatory lending.
George is married to Kim Mason and they have three children and six grandchildren.
About Nancy Kasten, Chief Relationship Officer
Rabbi Nancy Kasten is a Reform rabbi, a community educator, volunteer and activist, as well as a certified Jewish Mindfulness Meditation Teacher. Since moving to Dallas in 1990, Nancy has led, taught, consulted and organized in Jewish, interfaith and secular settings locally, nationally and internationally. She chose her title of Chief Relationship Officer when she joined Faith Commons because she has the most fun when making connections with and among others.
Nancy is married to Rabbi David Stern and they have three children.
Faith Commons promotes faith voices in the public square for the common good. We catalyze conversations and cultivate unexpected relationships, encouraging and inspiring people to participate in public life with respect, hospitality, and generosity.
Faith Commons affirms the inherent dignity and worth of all people, no matter their race, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation or gender identity. We are committed to doing the hard work of self-examination to uproot the causes of racial injustice and contribute to making our communities more equitable.
Faith Commons seeks to model inter-religious and inter-racial partnerships in which differences are respected and compassion is practiced. We work with and for each other for a more just society.
Organization name
Faith Commons
Causes
Human Rights, Civil Rights & Advocacy
Operating Budget
$250,000 - $499,999
Counties Served
Dallas
BIPOC Serving
Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx
Address
6333 E. Mockingbird Ln. Ste 147 PMB 2244