United Interfaith Action (UIA) held an "Action" at St. Anne's School cafeteria on October 30th to ask each of the two mayoral candidates to enter into a public covenant in order to address three key issues: 1) youth and public safety, 2) public transportation, and 3) jobs and the economy of Fall River. According to the agreed-upon agenda, candidates were given time-limited opportunities to describe what they each plan to do to address these issues and were asked if they would agree to meet, once elected, with UIA to work on these issues. UIA is a congregation-based community improvement organization that has been active in Fall River for nearly ten years. Leaders and clergy of the Alpha and Omega Church, Christ is Life, First Baptist Church, St. Anne's Parish, St. Joseph Parish, St. Mary Parish, Union United Methodist and United Parish make up the organization. For more information about UIA, contact Paul Graham at  508-673-4670.
 

(Top row, left) Ivy Tidwell and Lee Halliwell of First Baptist Church are greeted as they arrive at the Action. (Top row, center) Representatives of each of the eight parishes introduce their group: Cordelia McIntyre from St. Anne's Parish, unknown from St. Mary's Cathedral, Carol Cioe from Spiritual Connections, Sarah Lundquist from United Parish, Donna Morrell, from St. Joseph Parish, Ana Abut from United Neighbors, and Rev. Gerson Annunciacao from Christ is Life Presbyterian (Top row, right) During the Action, UIA members hold a brief "one-on-one" to illustrate how issues are developed within the group throughout the year. (Middle row, left and right) Toosie Margolies of United Parish describes the ground rules to the two mayoral candidates, State Representative David Sullivan and Representative Robert Correia before they are given a chance to respond to the testimony given by UIA members. (Bottom row, left and center) Julie McGlynn of St. Anne's Parish and Howard Mabry of First Baptist Church give personal accounts of how public safety and jobs and the economy are affecting their lives prior to candidates' responses. (Bottom row, right) Linda Hennessey and Musu Moore join in the closing hymn "UIA Will Lead Us Onward."