SACRED WORTH, SHARED FREEDOM

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release
Contact: Rev. Mike Schuenemeyer
Email: michael@lincollective.org, Phone: 216-570-7767

Title: Sacred Worth, Shared Freedom: A 2026 Interfaith Call to Action

Lavender Interfaith Collective Releases Urgent National Statement Responding to Escalating Anti‑LGBTIQ+ Harm

Henderson, Nevada, May 11, 2026

“Every person is sacred. Every life is woven with inherent worth and dignity.”

Today, the Lavender Interfaith Collective (LInC) released Sacred Worth, Shared Freedom: A 2026 Interfaith Call to Action. It is a sweeping moral and spiritual appeal to communities of faith, conscience, and solidarity across the United States. The statement responds to what LInC describes as a “pivotal moment — a season that calls us to reckon honestly with the present and renew our commitment to a more just and inclusive future.”

The release comes amid a surge of anti‑LGBTIQ+ legislation, escalating public rhetoric, and increasing threats to the safety and dignity of queer and trans people. The statement names the compounding harms faced by LGBTIQ+ migrants, trans youth, and communities already marginalized by racism, ableism, poverty, and xenophobia. It highlights the Lemkin Institute’s red‑flag warning for the potential genocide of transgender people, citing “escalating threats, dehumanizing rhetoric, and systemic discrimination.”

“Every person is sacred. Every life is woven with inherent worth and dignity,” the statement proclaims, grounding its call to action in shared spiritual values across traditions.

A Strategic Moral Arc for 2026

The statement frames 2026 as a year of coordinated, values‑driven action across four key moments:

• Queering Spring — reclaiming liberation stories
• IDAHOBIT (May 17) — defending dignity at the heart of democracy
• Pride Month — embodying joy, resistance, and community
• July 4, 2026 — renewing the promise of freedom for all

These moments, LInC writes, form a “strategic moral arc” for collective action rooted in truth, justice, and hope.

A Broad, Intersectional Call to Action

The statement issues specific calls to:

• Faith leaders — to amplify trans and nonbinary voices and ensure that “faith is a force that protects, uplifts, and liberates.”
• Communities of faith and conscience — to create visibly safe spaces, deepen relationships, build solidarity, and engage in public witness.
• Educators and communities — to strengthen understanding of gender diversity, human sexuality, and nonviolent social change.
• Advocates and organizers — to confront legislative attacks, censorship, discrimination in health care, and the targeting of migrants.
• Political and community leaders — to reject dehumanizing rhetoric, protect LGBTIQ+ rights, and safeguard democratic participation.

The statement emphasizes trauma‑informed care as a moral imperative, asserting that it “is not an optional skill — it is a moral and spiritual commitment.”

Joy, Rest, and Healing as Resistance

In a climate where despair is often weaponized, the Collective calls for joy as a revolutionary act. “Pride is not frivolous,” it declares, “it is a declaration of life.” It also underscores the necessity of rest and healing, reminding readers that “rest is resistance” and “healing is holy.”

A Charge for the Future

The statement concludes with a collective charge:
“This is our sacred work. This is the future we are called to build, together.”

About the Lavender Interfaith Collective

The Lavender Interfaith Collective is a national, multi‑faith network committed to advancing LGBTIQ+ dignity, justice, and liberation. Through public witness, spiritual leadership, and coalition‑building, LInC equips communities to resist harm, embody compassion, and build a more inclusive democracy.