B-InPowerD

Members of the council,

When this country was still an idea, not a guarantee, the weight of what America might become rested on the shoulders of a small group of people facing an uphill battle they had no reason to believe they would win. They were divided in background, belief, and interest. The odds were against them. Freedom was uncertain. It was at that point, when the colonies felt the most fragile, that the Continental Congress called for a day of fasting and prayer.

A sacred pause, for a civic renewal.

They fasted knowing there was something worth fighting for… and that they could only carry that fight together.

Unity won the war. It won us our freedom.

Today, many of us feel the weight of an uphill battle toward unity in our once united nation. The division in our country can feel so large that some quietly wonder whether we will ever recover. Some wonder whether the bonds that once held us together have stretched too thin.

But here in Houston (and in cities across this nation)  we are living proof that unity is not a myth. 

It is woven into the very fabric of the flag we still raise. It is part of who we are. And it reminds us that this ongoing battle for unity and freedom is a test we have faced before, and can face again.

This is an invitation to be part of a nationwide movement to bridge the space between anger and understanding, between division and shared purpose. To take part in a powerful act of collective sacrifice - choosing, once a month, to give something up in order to make room for reflection, listening, and unity.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of our country, we invite the City of Houston to participate in this historic moment, joining Americans across the nation who believe that freedom is sustained not only by laws and institutions, but by the habits we practice together.

Let us commit to making this a more perfect union today, by joining the Freedom Fast.