A couple of young men from a radical conservative show had already tried to get me and my daughter on camera when we sat in the main rotunda of the Texas Capitol. I have learned to never agree to an interview without vetting the show, but I didn’t need to ask for their credentials. The smirk when they asked if I was a “priest” gave them away. We swiftly walked away from them and headed to the Capitol extension where all those who were there to fight HB 1686, which would ban trans healthcare for youth, were congregating.

I saw familiar faces. You get to know each other, as progressives in Texas. The clergy and laypeople from ELCA, UCC, PCUSA, Episcopal Church; the activists from Texas Freedom Network, Equality Texas, and the Human Rights Campaign. We nod, hug, and alternately say, “Isn’t it awful?” if talking about the legislation or “Isn’t it wonderful?” when we survey the crowds coming to the rally.

The young conservatives from hate radio had made their way down to the outdoor rotunda where we were gathering. I saw our intern minister, Carrie, get up a bit dizzily from the hot ground, after leading a full circle of seminary students and ministers in deep prayer. Over on the side, the hate radio people had been trying to video record activists, peppering them with profane questions.

Often, when those types show up – whether they’re from hate radio, or the Westboro Baptist Church, or just conservative protestors, we will have ways to visually block them – posters, umbrellas, angel wings. But we needed something to block these in an auditory way.

I headed over to Carrie and the other clergy and we quickly agreed to provide a vocal “umbrella” barrier. As soon as we began singing “This Little Light of Mine,” everyone joined in. Three floors of voices, echoing in that area, and up to the open sky. As the hate radio people tried to move into the center, they were surrounded by activists with flags and banners who peacefully lifted up what they had in order to block their cameras.

Being in the midst of it, it all felt carefully planned and choreographed, even though it was entirely spontaneous. The young conservatives left, and a cheer went up.

It is hard work we do these days, and we all have to find different ways of doing it. Some make phone calls, some stop by the Capitol in the morning to “drop a card” on that day’s legislation, some are there for rallies, some to meet legislators, some to testify, some to write letters to the editor. Every bit of the work is important and needed. Thank YOU for all you do.

Rev. Erin Walter, Executive Director of Texas UU Justice Ministry, and Stephanie Perdue, Live Oak Member: