Faith Leaders and Young Advocates Unite at Greenville Moral Monday to Call for Justice, Voting Rights, Healthcare, and Peace

GREENVILLE, S.C. (July 20, 2026) — Clergy, community leaders, young adults, and advocates from across South Carolina gathered Monday evening in front of Greenville City Hall for Moral Monday: A Public Pulpit and Prophetic Witness in the Public Square, calling on elected officials and communities of faith to confront policies affecting voting rights, healthcare access, poverty, economic justice, and peace. The gathering was held at 206 South Main Street and featured prayers, moral appeals, and calls to action led by clergy representing multiple faith traditions and denominations.

Organized as part of the growing Moral Monday movement in South Carolina, the event challenged people of faith to move beyond the walls of their sanctuaries and bear public witness to justice. Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized that faith communities have a responsibility not only to preach hope but to actively advocate for those whose voices are too often overlooked.

"The reason faith leaders need to be speaking out in public places at this time is because we cannot do this work only inside our sanctuaries," said Rev. Dr. Hanna R. Broome, National Director of Religious Affairs for Repairers of the Breach and an ordained elder in The A.M.E. Zion Church. "We need to be visible. Our faith asks for this work. Our faith demands this work in social justice."

The event opened with a centering prayer reminding participants that the nation's greatest challenge is not a lack of resources but a lack of imagination and moral courage.

"There is not a poverty of funds, but a poverty of imagination. May God stir our imagination, touch the hearts of those in office, and give us courage to speak boldly in public spaces. Until all of us are free, none of us are free."

The evening's program featured remarks on moral responsibility, organizing communities, expanding voting rights, ending war, and ensuring healthcare and living wages. Speakers represented numerous faith traditions while standing together around a shared conviction that justice is a moral issue rather than a partisan one.

Rev. Chris Hockman of the Greenville Unitarian Universalist Fellowship said the gathering demonstrated the power of faith communities working together across denominational lines.

"I love events like this when people of faith from different religious traditions and denominations can come together for a common cause—taking care of our fellow human beings. When we use our prophetic voices together, we make a strong statement to our community while also strengthening one another during difficult times."

Representing The A.M.E. Zion Church, Rev. Dr. Jarett Fite reflected on the denomination's historic commitment to justice and explained why its presence at Moral Monday remains essential.

"The A.M.E. Zion Church's presence today is a sign that we continue to live on the front lines of freedom and fight for justice for all people. Our church was born out of disenfranchisement. To turn our backs on those who continue to experience injustice today would be a disservice to who we are. A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

One of the evening's recurring themes was the leadership and courage of young people.

Rev. Alexis Carter Thomas, coordinator of Moral Monday Upstate South Carolina, praised a new generation of advocates using creativity and technology to advance justice.

"I feel hopeful because of the boldness, imagination, and innovation of young people who use every resource available to tell the story. Whether through murals, social media, or video, they are becoming a prophetic embodiment of our ancestors. Keep dreaming, keep hoping, and keep working for justice."

Young participants echoed that message.

Dominique Sexton, representing The A.M.E. Zion Church's Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Area, encouraged young people not to allow others to diminish their voices.

"Young people do have voices. We should never be afraid to stand for what is right. I hope others see today's gathering and realize they have a voice too."

Paisley Milton, a high school student from Columbia, South Carolina, spoke about the challenges facing her generation.

"Our young people need encouragement today. We see racism, social injustice, and violence in our communities and schools. We must come together, stay engaged, and continue telling the truth about what is happening in our nation."

Throughout the gathering, participants held signs calling for expanded voting rights, affordable healthcare, an end to violence, living wages, and greater protections for children and vulnerable communities, reinforcing the movement's message that public policy should reflect the nation's deepest moral values.

The evening concluded with a collective call for continued organizing, advocacy, and public witness, encouraging faith communities to remain visible and engaged until justice is realized for every community.