The Mill City Times Interview: Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light

Article by Becky Fillinger

Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light (MNIPL) organizes faith communities to make positive differences in addressing climate change. We spoke to Julia Nerbonne, Executive Director, Liz Loeb, Associate Director, Jean Hammink, Movement Builder and Wally Wadd, Community Connector, about the organization’s mission, organizing model and how to become part of their movement.

Julia NerbonneQ:  Julia, please tell us about Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light. When was it formed? What’s the mission?

Julia:  Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light was formed in 2004 and it organizes people across communities of faith, religion and spiritual practice to take meaningful action towards a more just and sustainable world. MNIPL celebrates the different traditions, histories, experiences, and identities that bring us to the work of collective liberation, and we find strength in our shared values of care for the planet and care for one another.

MNIPL believes that when people bring their full spiritual selves, identities, experiences and histories to movements for justice, we create the conditions we need for winning transformational change. We know that a small number of bad actors stand to benefit from keeping us divided, and that a small number of corporate entities are counting on a rich profit from the accelerating climate crisis and ongoing violence of systemic racism. When we take action as people of faith, spirituality, and conscience, and when we mobilize in solidarity with front line movements for justice, we build the power we need to change the calculations of those who hope to find reward in depleting our planet and in extracting resources from communities so that big wins and real change becomes possible in our lifetimes.

MNIPL grounds its work in the belief that racial justice and climate justice are intertwined. MNIPL acts boldly in the world by mobilizing communities of faith to act in solidarity with front-line movements for climate justice led by Black, Brown, Native, POC, and Indigenous people. We advocate for an ambitious policy agenda at the state and federal level so that we can stop destructive oil pipelines, build a renewable economy in which everyone prospers, support the functioning of a robust multiracial democracy, and win a bold policy agenda based in climate and racial justice.

Liz LoebQ:  Who are your partners?

Liz:  There are many! MNIPL partners with a wide range of coalition and community stakeholders as part of an interdependent local ecosystem dedicated to addressing our accelerating climate crisis and to advocate for racial, social, and economic justice for all. Core partners include Honor the Earth, The Sierra Club, MN350, Land Stewardship Project, RISE Collective, American Indian Community Housing Organization, Native Sun Community Power Development, The Just Solar Coalition, The 100% Campaign, and more. We also frequently collaborate with organizations such as Black Visions Collective, Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood, MARCH (Multifaith Anti Racism Change and Healing), The Center for Sustainable Justice, Healing Minnesota Stories, Jewish Community Action, the Minnesota Council of Churches, OutFront Minnesota, TakeAction Minnesota, Minnesota Voice, Voice for Racial Justice, Kaleo Center for Faith, Justice & Social Transformation, Churches United in Ministry, United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha – The Center of Workers United in Struggle and many others.

Q:  Liz, why is the work of MNIPL important to you? 

Liz:  I became connected to movements for social and racial justice when I came out as queer as a teenager in the 90’s. I was so lucky to witness the connection and community that was being built through movements like ACT-UP, Queer Nation, and others, and to be mentored by elders who took the time to mentor me as I fumbled my way into a life-long commitment to justice. Now, as someone in my 40’s, I am inheriting the gift of realizing how much more we all still have to learn from one another. For the past couple of years, my spouse and I have been on a journey to try to become parents. When I think about raising a child, I know in the truth of all of my molecules that I need to be part of stewarding a healthy and thriving planet for generations to come. That feeling keeps me present and alive in the work we do together, and in the knowledge that we are creating something beautiful beyond our own horizons.

Q:  Julia, tell us about the organization’s approach to effective action.

Julia:  MNIPL describes effective action as a three-legged stool, which relies equally upon 1) Practical Action; 2) Spiritual or Relational Connection; and 3) Transformational Systemic Change and Movement Building. 

MNIPL prioritizes leadership development and community self-determination in all that we do. For years, the organizing community has used the Snowflake Model to take action. This model is how social movements have increased the scope and power of their work - in a nutshell, local organizers know their area better and have better relationships in the community – we acknowledge and take advantage of that fact.

In 2017 MNIPL launched our Movement Builder Program – we brought 150 faith communities into our own snowflake model, where volunteer leaders empower others to empower others.

The core of MNIPL's work in faith community is working through Movement Builders. These are volunteers who provide encouragement and support for approximately five Community Connectors, each representing a unique faith community. Movement Builders work in either circles, which are made up of faith denominations or religions (for example: Baha'i, Presbyterian, etc.), or networks, which are determined by location (Mankato, Rochester, etc.). Movement builders work with Community Connectors in their work of developing Climate Justice Congregations.

Q:  Let’s hear more about Movement Builders. Jean, how long have you been a Movement Builder?

Jean:  I have been working with MNIPL as a Movement Builder for about a year and half. My responsibility is to encourage and support faith groups in their climate justice work. With some that means helping them figure out how to get started in engaging their congregation or faith group in climate change work. With others, who have been doing the work for a while, I try to encourage them and in a way, be a sounding board for them. I play the role of liaison between faith groups and the resources and information available through MNIPL. 

Q:  Do you work with multiple congregations?

Jean:  Yes, I’m working with five Unitarian Universalist congregations in the Twin Cities and one Buddhist meditation center. I try to stay in touch with them monthly. I’m in the process of organizing a meeting between all of the UU congregations so they can get to know each other, share information and possibly co-sponsor events and workshops together. 

Q:  What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a Movement Builder?

Jean:  Because the congregations are a range of sizes, from very large (1600 congregants) to much smaller (a couple of hundred) and are all at different levels of involvement and work around climate change and climate justice, it can sometimes be challenging to identify and respond to their needs at the right level.  Time and priority is another challenge, in that we are all volunteers, as are the people in the congregations and centers. Inspiration and motivation are a continuous issue. Tying the work to the values and beliefs of the faith groups is often what motivates the work.

Wally WaddQ:  Let’s now shift to the next prong of the organizing strategy - Community Connectors. Wally, tell us about your work.

Wally:  Community Connectors serve as a liaison between MNIPL and their congregation or geographic location in order to support and inspire climate action in their community. As a Community Connector I receive monthly updates and action opportunities from MNIPL and communicate those opportunities to my community.

I've been a Community Connector since 2018 and am pleased to help raise awareness of MN Interfaith Power and Light. My faith community is The Grove United Methodist Church in Woodbury. We formed a committee in 2017 that we now call the Sustainability Project where we meet monthly. The committee is chaired by our lead pastor and currently has 10 additional members.

After solar panels were installed on the roof of our our church, members of the congregation were motivated to get involved. Solar panels reduced the electricity we purchase by about 20% and motivated us to do more. After an energy audit in 2018, we retrofitted all our lighting with LED bulbs. That reduced our electricity use by another 20% and reduced electricity expenses by about 25%. We have also taken responsibility for improving the church's recycling program and for caring for trees in the grove next to our church.

Our Committee decided early to get involved in education and outreach to our community. We plan two events each year and look for partner organizations to work with. Our congregation has been very receptive and the events are well attended. Since 2017 MNIPL has provided speakers and expert resources for these events focused on the climate crisis, renewable energy, household conservation, getting involved in the political process and voting. They have also helped us with public policy advocacy. Last year during the election cycle MNIPL and The League of Women Voters helped us with three events: getting involved in the political party process; a webinar on voting with Secretary of State, Steve Simon and Sam Benson from MNIPL; and a "Chalk the Vote" event.

Q: Julia, what are the priorities for 2021?

Julia:  In order to leave a verdant and peaceful planet to future generations, our agenda for 2021 includes: Supporting clean energy and clean cars legislation and policy initiatives, supporting expanded zones of free speech and protest rights, divesting from fossil fuels and investing in community-based and community-led development, continuing to build a multiracial democracy in which everyone can safely and easily cast their vote, building a just transition to a renewable economy in which everyone can prosper, stopping the Line 3 oil pipeline - and all pipelines - in service of a world where water is sacred, where Native treaty rights are protected, and where wealth is built in local communities and in working class jobs, and remediating the environmental damage done to communities of color while investing large-scale resources in those communities so that all of us can grow and thrive.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

Liz:  Subscribe to our newsletter for news and updates by signing up at: https://mnipl.nationbuilder.com/join. Check out our website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. To connect to action opportunities, and sign up for our emails. Interested in being a Movement Builder or Community Connector? Email susan@mnipl.org for more information on these critical roles.