Additional Resources

I Remember, I Believe

This song was written by Bernice Johnson Reagon after listening to a sermon by her pastor, Reverend A. Knighton Stanley, in Washington, D.C. His message was clear: none of us exist as isolated individuals—we are the result of the dreams, struggles, hope, and determination of those who came before us. Reagon reminds us that on the days when we wake up, turn on the news, and can hardly believe what we see—when American citizens are treated as refugees, when violence and political maneuvering contradict the truth we know in our gut—we must draw strength from our ancestors. Their resilience becomes our foundation, propelling us forward with a responsibility to future generations. "I Remember, I Believe." As long as we know our history, where we come from, and how we got here, we will always be able to make a way for others. (NPR Interview 2005)

We Pray Freedom Songsheet

We Get There Together

Joshua wrote this song in 2022 as part of a We Cry Justice artists collective project and was inspired by Dan Jones’ chapter from We Cry Justice, “A Mixed Multitude.” He also drew from the poem by Aurora Levins Morales, “Red Sea,” in which she challenges us to ask: what happens this time if we all cross together? This song has become an important song sung in protest spaces and gatherings calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Ancestors Watching

This song/chant, shared by Jonathan Lykes, was taught to BYP100 members at the Atlanta National Coordinating Council Convening in December of 2015, where CFreedom, the inaugural co-chair of the New Orleans chapter, gave BYP100 the chant/song. Say Her Name was a trans- and femme-led national Movement for Black Lives campaign response to the Sandra Bland police murder that took place on July 13, 2015. This became an outcry chant to lift up the names and voices of Black femmes impacted by systemic violence. “Black girl magic” was a term popularized by Cashawn Thompson in 2013. She created the term to represent the joy, beauty, power, and resilience of Black people living on the margins. This chant declares the importance of Black magic, led by Black women, to be conjured up by movement organizers, tapping into a radical imagination, and created through faith, love, and joy.

Ending Poverty

Dr. Savina Martin wrote and first shared this piece in 2016 in Boston, MA, on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Poor People’s Campaign and just before the 2017 launch of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival. Inspired by the generations of men, women, and children who have struggled for justice, the piece honors their enduring legacy. Their courage and sacrifice continue to light our path forward.

Black Joy Experience Resource Guide

We Belong Together

WE BELONG TOGETHER (2024) is a song by Anu Yadav, produced in collaboration with the Kairos Center for Religions, Rights, and Social Justice. Yadav participated in an interfaith study series with artists and cultural workers across the country where they read excerpts of We Cry Justice: Reading the Bible with the Poor People’s Campaign. Yadav wrote this song, drawing from her Hindu faith and experiences of homelessness, and other artists contributed from across the network. In her crisis, Yadav realized she was never just an ally to a poor people’s movement. Her song reminds us that we all can break our isolation and become part of a movement—a movement to end poverty and injustice for all.

Not In Our Name

Not in Our Name! was written for a Faith Climate Action at Chase Bank, NYC. As Chase and other major banks continue to bankroll new fossil fuel projects, accelerating the climate crisis, people of faith responded by saying, "Not in our name!" Clergy and faith leaders of diverse traditions sang, spoke, and burned money as a symbol of this sacrilege committed by Chase and other corporations, in a ritual that wove together the despair and anger people feel—but also the defiant hope they have. They rejected the worship of money and greed. They act with fierce love for the planet.

We Who Believe in Freedom

A Commissioning Liturgy was developed for the First Annual Poverty Initiative Fellows Commissioning and Community Celebration, sponsored by the Poverty Initiative (now the Kairos Center) at Union Theological Seminary, a community committed to raising up religious and community leaders dedicated to building a social movement to end poverty, led by the poor. The Commissioning Litany for Organizers was shared in the book. The following charge was also offered as part of the liturgy.

A Ritual to Honor Our Past and Inspire Our Future

A Palm Sunday Liturgy

A Palm Sunday service was held in Washington Square Park with New York City churches, community leaders, leaders from the NYC Poor People’s Campaign, and the Kairos Center. Together, they gathered to remember that Jesus’ Palm Sunday procession was a bold act of resistance—an anti-imperial march led by a movement of the poor and oppressed demanding freedom and justice. The service served as a powerful reminder that our faith calls us to confront empire and organize for life.

Os Pido Posada

Os Pido Posada is a song by Caleb Venezuaela that was created in 2021 for the We Cry Justice Cultural Arts Project, a collection of visual arts and musical resources that help movement leaders, students, congregations, artists, and people of conscience develop a deep understanding of and take up core concepts that undergird the We Cry Justice devotional.

Art and culture work is central to the way we do political education and organizing. Contributors to this project are artists and cultural organizers from across the country and world who are committed to building the work of the Poor People’s Campaign and uniting the poor and dispossessed to end poverty and the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, militarism, ecological devastation and the distorted moral narrative of White Christian Nationalism.

Abrid Vuestras Puertas

Abrid Vuestras Puertas by Caleb Venezuaela is a song that was created as part of the We Cry Justice Cultural Arts Project (WCJ) in 2021. WCJ is a collection of visual arts and musical resources that help movement leaders, students, congregations, artists, and people of conscience develop a deep understanding of and take up core concepts that undergird the We Cry Justice devotional.

Art and culture work is central to the way we do political education and organizing. Contributors to this project are artists and cultural organizers from across the country and world who are committed to building the work of the Poor People’s Campaign and uniting the poor and dispossessed to end poverty and the interlocking injustices of systemic racism, militarism, ecological devastation and the distorted moral narrative of White Christian Nationalism.

End Child Poverty in New York: Las Posadas Petition Delivery Playlist

On December 22, 2024, faith and anti-poverty advocates delivered a petition signed by over 1,250 New Yorkers and 35 organizations to Governor Hochul, urging the adoption of bold policy recommendations to end child poverty in the state. Marked by a Las Posadas procession, the action highlighted the crisis of child poverty in cities like Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo, and called for taxing the rich to fund vital housing, nutrition, and income support programs. Advocates made clear: child poverty is a policy choice—and New York has the resources to end it now.

I Am Not Afraid

"I Am Not Afraid" was born out of grief, courage, and the collective spirit of resistance. Written by Lu Aya of the Peace Poets, the song emerged one night in East Harlem after a direct action—an offering to confront the ongoing crises and oppression in our communities. Sung in moments of risk and confrontation, it becomes both a shield and a declaration: we are not afraid, because the struggle for liberation is greater than fear.

I’m Gonna Lift My Sister Up

This song was written by Faya Ora Rose Touré. She is an American civil rights activist and lawyer. She was the first Black female judge in Alabama. Faya is a founder of the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, AL and helped coordinate the annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee to mark the anniversary of Bloody Sunday.

Power of Love

In January 2017, amid the division and hate-fueled rhetoric following Trump’s presidency, Steff Reed wrote a song to bring people together around the universal value of love—a mantra that transcends politics, religion, and class. First sung at a New Orleans high school art exhibition on police brutality and anti-Blackness, the song offered hope as students united in its message.

Steff Reed is a singer, songwriter, producer, and self-taught multi-instrumentalist and leads movement music with Songs in the Key of Resistance and Dream Defenders.

May This Body Be a Bridge

Te Martin wrote this song after being at Standing Rock for several months in 2016 to stand with Indigenous water protectors from over two hundred tribes to protest the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Said Abdallah, a Palestinian friend of Te’s, had joined the protests at Standing Rock and shared the connections he saw between the militarized violence at Standing Rock and the occupation of Palestine. He said that he wanted his “body to be a bridge for liberation of his Palestinian homelands.” These words and the persistence of the water protectors at Standing Rock inspired this song.

Mothers and Children for Peace

This song was written by Rev. Holly Haile Thompson of the Shinnecock Nation. It is deeply rooted in the lived experiences and reflections of the Shinnecock people and intersects other Indigenous communities and poor folks who must counter the violent, death-dealing practices of patriarchy, capitalism, and white supremacy. In March 2003, during a time of heightened global tension and imminent conflict, Rev. Holly led prayers for peace in two yoked neighboring non-Native congregations. Just three days later, the United States invaded Iraq.

We Remember You

This song was created by the No Enemies Choir (a local movement music group convened by Flobots) and shared in community on the one-year anniversary of Mike Brown’s death in Denver, Colorado.

An Advent Ritual

During the Freedom Church of the Poor’s Season of Advent of a Revolution, community leaders came together each week to light Advent candles and reflect on the four pillars of Advent: hope, peace, joy, and love. Leaders from various social justice organizations led prayers and invited participants to contribute images and reflections to a shared altar—both physical and virtual—honoring each theme and deepening collective spiritual practice.

An Interfaith Litany for Healing and Justice

In June 2022, the Poor People’s Campaign brought tens of thousands of poor and low-wealth people to Washington, DC, for a Mass Poor People's & Low-Wage Worker's Assembly and Moral March to share their stories and address systemic injustices worsened by the pandemic. This interfaith litany was part of the Everyone Has a Right to Live Memorial Service, held in Washington, DC, on June 17, 2022.

A Prayer for Diwali

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and honors the Goddess Lakshmi—not only as the bringer of wealth, but as a symbol of material well-being, morality, love, and liberation. Her story reminds us that these four values are inseparable and must coexist to create a just and thriving world. Diwali calls us to envision and build a society where no one is hungry or unhoused, where resources are shared, and where love and justice guide our path to true freedom.

Passover Haggadah

The Passover Haggadah was written and released by Freedom Shul of the Poor—a spiritual and political community of Jewish leaders in the movement to end poverty. It is a wonderful companion for the Seder table and a guide to understanding the deeply liberatory teachings of Jewish tradition in the Exodus story.

Stations of the Cross 2016

Stations of the Cross is a Christian practice that reflects on the last moments of Jesus’s life. For centuries, this devotion has been used to meditate on fourteen images that depict Jesus’s suffering and death. Chaplains on the Harbor (Grays Harbor County, WA)—a group that organizes for dignity and survival among Jesus’ people: the jobless, the homeless, the incarcerated, the addicted—adapted this ritual as a way to tell the stories of suffering in their community through Jesus’s story.

How to Build an Altar

Día de los Muertos and All Saints’ Day are sacred times to remember ancestors and those lost to unjust systems. Building an ofrenda—an altar with marigolds, food, water, and mementos—welcomes their spirits and honors their lives. In the Freedom Church tradition, we embrace these rituals in relationship with the communities that practice them, lifting them up as acts of healing, resistance, and commitment to a world where everyone has what they need to live.

Our Liberation

“Our Liberation” is a powerful anthem born in the heart of the Occupy Wall Street movement, rooted in the ancient truth that our destinies are bound together. Written by The Peace Poets in the streets of New York City, the song proclaims, “my liberation is your liberation, and your liberation is my liberation”—a mantra that affirms our shared humanity and defies the forces that try to divide us. Sung in protests, vigils, Pride marches, and quiet moments of reflection, this song is a soulful call to collective freedom, resistance, and love.

Were You There

This song is traditionally sung during Lent in Christian communities and has been reclaimed by the Freedom Church of the Poor for the Season of Struggle and Lament. The lyrics were first rewritten by Rogers of Picture the Homeless during the Potter’s Field Campaign—an effort to expose how unhoused people are denied dignity not only in life but also in death, buried in mass, unmarked graves with no place for loved ones to mourn. Rogers sang, “Were you there when they buried all the poor?” as a prophetic reminder that God is present with and among the poor.

As we reflect on the life and crucifixion of Jesus—and the violent systems of empire that led to his death—we return to the haunting question of "Were You There?" to ask: What are the crosses our people are forced to bear today? What death-dealing realities does empire still impose on our communities? This song calls us to remember that God stands with the poor and oppressed and walks with us in our struggle. Lent is a season of reflection and repentance—an invitation to confront the suffering in the world, reject the systems that cause it, and commit ourselves to building a movement for justice, dignity, and liberation.

We Teach Life, Sir

Rafeef Ziadah is a Canadian-Palestinian spoken word artist and activist. Her debut CD Hadeel is dedicated to Palestinian youth, who still fly kites in the face of F16 bombers, who still remember the names of their villages in Palestine and still hear the sound of Hadeel (cooing of doves) over Gaza.

We Are Soldiers in the Army

“We Are Soldiers in the Army” is a spiritual rooted in the African-American freedom tradition that became a powerful anthem of the Civil Rights and Welfare Rights Movements. With its call-and-response structure and driving rhythm, the song affirms a collective commitment to struggle—no matter the cost—for justice, dignity, and liberation. It continues to inspire generations to march forward, undeterred, as part of a larger movement for freedom.

Mourner’s Kaddish

The Mourner’s Kaddish is a sacred Jewish prayer traditionally recited by those grieving the loss of a close relative or marking the anniversary of a loved one’s death. It affirms life even in the midst of sorrow, honoring the memory of the departed through praise and devotion.

A Prayer for Those Who Have Passed

Courage

"Courage" is a powerful song from the South African anti-apartheid movement, historically sung by protesters as they were taken to jail and used as a way to learn each other’s names within the cells. Today, its message of resilience and solidarity echoes across global liberation struggles, including the fight against apartheid in Palestine. In the current moment, communities supporting immigrants facing ICE hearings have also embraced this song, using it as a unifying call for justice and collective strength.

1-2-3 Lift Up

This song was written by Adam Thiesen, a movement leader with the IL Poor People's Campaign and the National Union of the Homeless. At the time he wrote the song he was living in Maine. This song is connected to a project of survival that Adam and Katie Thiesen were a part of in Maine.

God Loves Us All

The simple tune of this old English folk round has been reimagined by social movements to proclaim the universality of God's love and God's call for justice. On December 10, Human Rights Day, this song rang out at the U.S.–Mexico border as faith leaders from diverse traditions gathered for a powerful religious ceremony in solidarity with asylum seekers. The “Love Knows No Borders” action called for an end to immigrant detention and deportation, respect for the right to migrate, and the demilitarization of the border. Kneeling in prayer before border guards and military troops—and within earshot of families on the Mexican side—clergy and community members sang songs of love and resistance. Their presence was a public witness to the sacredness of every human life.

Never Alone

“Never Alone” is a powerful anthem born from the No Separate Justice campaign, which held monthly vigils outside the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City to protest the inhumane treatment of Muslim detainees in the post-9/11 era. Rooted in the belief that we carry our ancestors, teachers, and communities with us in the struggle for justice, the song offers a deep affirmation of collective strength and spiritual solidarity. Sung across movements—from immigrant justice to climate action—it reminds us that even in the face of isolation and repression, we are never alone.