In Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin wrote,“Those who say it can’t be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.”

This fall, GLIDE showed up and showed out to get “It” done. “It” being the call to interrupt systems that hold people down, divide people, and stand in the way of true liberation. We sang, we danced and we marched to the tune of justice as the days grew shorter and the leaves turned colors. 

We heard the call of justice in the bright summer days of August. Congresswoman Lateefah Simon came to Glide Memorial Church and challenged us to find solidarity in the struggle and light in the darkness. She proclaimed, “God meets us during the storm, not after the storm.” 

We took that message beyond the pews of the Church to deliver hundreds of backpacks to young scholars going back to school in the Tenderloin. We used it as a call for justice for hundreds of attendees at our Summer Gala (which was a last hurrah for the Phoenix Hotel and truly a bright moment for GLIDE). 

In the month of September, we turned our attention to Recovery. We celebrated Recovery Day at Boeddeker Park and hosted two panels focused on honoring those we’ve lost to the overdose epidemic and showcasing a radically inclusive approach to addiction and recovery. Recovery is a journey we never take alone—it’s a path we walk together. Whether your path is harm reduction, abstinence, or something in between, the message is clear: There is hope. There is help. And there is no wrong door to recovery. 

October took us to the streets—and across the country. Together with the California Congressional Black Caucus and Smart Justice, we traveled 2,405 miles to Alabama on a truth-telling pilgrimage tracing the legacy from slavery to mass incarceration. Back home, we welcomed Tenderloin Police Captain Matt Sullivan and his team to GLIDE to explore new ways to promote community safety. We closed the season with Phoenix Day, our joyful block party celebrating the love, resilience, and power of the Tenderloin.

Every season at GLIDE is a season of love in action, and a chance to interrupt obstacles that stand in our path to justice. If you missed us during Fall Into Justice, we invite you to join us for GLIDE’s legendary holiday celebrations—where we gather in truth, joy, and unconditional love.