By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On Monday, faith leaders and community advocates gathered outside the downtown office of U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R–Ala.) for a peaceful Moral Mondays demonstration calling for action on poverty, healthcare, and voting rights.
Organized by Repairers of the Breach, the event drew clergy, activists, and residents who carried signs, prayed, and sang hymns in front of the senator’s office. Organizers described the gathering as a “moral witness,” urging lawmakers to enact policies rooted in compassion, equity, and justice for Alabama’s most vulnerable communities.
Founded by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the Moral Mondays movement began in North Carolina and has since spread nationwide. The campaign calls attention to systemic injustices tied to poverty, healthcare disparities, and the erosion of democratic rights.
Barber, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach, condemned lawmakers for the ongoing government shutdown and recent budget decisions.
“Politicians shamelessly traded lives for leverage to pass the big, deadly, destructive budget bill,” Barber said. “Every day the shutdown continues, these same politicians are proving that they’re willing to squeeze even more people out of health care if it means scoring political points. While the government may be shut down, our moral responsibility cannot.”
Local ministers urged Sen. Britt and Alabama’s congressional delegation to expand Medicaid, protect voting rights, and strengthen the federal safety net. Organizers delivered a letter to Britt’s office requesting a meeting on poverty and healthcare.
The event remained peaceful and prayerful, concluding with a moment of silence for those lost to poverty, gun violence, and lack of access to medical care. Additional Moral Mondays events are planned across Alabama in the coming months.