October 14, 2025

Dear Friends and Family,

Every morning, as dawn’s light filters through my window, I awaken enveloped in what I call the “Bubble of Love.” Born from an ERA pilgrimage inspired by Rev. Kathryn Piccard, this spiritual practice envisions a protective sphere of compassion, atonement, and interfaith unity, resonating with the Islamic concept of Rahma—God’s all-encompassing mercy, like a nurturing womb (Quran, Surah Ar-Rahman). Balancing loving-kindness (Chesed in Judaism) with strength (Gevurah), it echoes the Islamic principle of Adl (justice), ensuring equality for all. I begin with the Jesus Prayer, weaving in diverse faiths, and center myself on global fractures: women’s equality, widows’ struggles, labor justice, and peace. From this interfaith sanctuary, I set my intention—chiefly, passing the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). As we mark Yom Kippur 2025 and the 20th anniversary of Katrina’s Dream, this Bubble propels me toward systemic change, where reconciliation starts within.

Katrina’s Dream, founded post-Hurricane Katrina to honor Rev. Katrina Swanson—one of the Philadelphia Eleven women priests—champions equality and justice. We’ve walked thousands of miles, lobbied relentlessly, sparking a movement that led Nevada to become the first state to ratify the ERA in the 21st century, followed by Illinois and Virginia. Yet, the ERA, proposed in 1923 to ensure constitutional equality regardless of sex, remains unratified federally, despite its potential to close pay gaps, enhance protections, and boost the U.S. GDP by $512 billion annually. This aligns with Islamic teachings on gender equity, where the Quran affirms men and women as equal in spiritual worth, created from a single soul (Quran 4:1, 33:35).

Prayer, a universal force, fuels this mission. The Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, recently noted in a presidential message, invokes Michael’s triumph over evil, echoing the Prayer to Saint Michael for protection against “the wickedness and snares of the Devil.” Similarly, Our Lady of Fatima’s 1917 visions called for prayer and repentance to avert global crises, a message tied to the Rosary and First Saturdays, with a “final battle” over family and society still relevant today. The town of Fatima, named for a Muslim princess who embraced Christianity, symbolizes interfaith unity, mirrored by Fatimah al-Zahra, the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, revered for her wisdom and justice advocacy. In Islam, Salah and Du’a—like Surah Al-Baqarah 2:286’s plea for mercy—empower action, while invoking As-Salam (The Source of Peace) aligns with the Bubble’s ethos. The Quran’s call for Sulh (reconciliation, 4:128) inspires our interfaith dialogues at Katrina’s Dream, addressing conflicts from Israel-Palestine to labor injustices.

This spiritual resolve finds a parallel in the “Peace President,” Donald Trump, whose October 13, 2025, International Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, co-hosted with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, revived the “City of Peace” to address the Gaza war. Following the Israel-Hamas cease-fire, the summit saw over 20 leaders, including Mahmoud Abbas and Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu respectfully chose to honor Shemini Atzeret, a sacred Jewish holiday dedicated to remembering the departed, and was thus unable to attend the peace summit, which coincided with the deeply meaningful return of the deceased hostages from Gaza. Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan, signed amid Knesset acclaim, began with prisoner-hostage exchanges and a “board of peace” for Gaza, with nods to broader conflicts like Russia-Ukraine. Honored with Egypt’s Order of the Nile, Trump declared, “Now the rebuilding begins,” evoking not just physical reconstruction but spiritual aspirations, like those tied to rebuilding the Third Temple—a vision some see as a symbol of ultimate peace and divine unity, though complex in its implications. This summit, in a Muslim-majority nation, underscores that peace abroad demands justice at home, where the ERA would enshrine equality, reflecting the Quran’s call to honor the righteous regardless of sex (49:13).

Yet, amid these global strides, a deepening domestic crisis grips our nation: the federal government shutdown, now in its 14th day as of October 14, 2025, with no end in sight. Thousands of federal workers face furloughs, essential services strain under partial operations, and economic ripples threaten billions in losses. Partisan stalemates over spending, Medicaid cuts, and broader fiscal policies have deadlocked Congress, with the Senate’s latest vote failing and another slated for today amid urgent Democratic calls for action. This chaos amplifies the urgency for a bold call—a reconciliation bill that includes S.J. Res. 38, Senator Lisa Murkowski’s resolution to validate the ERA’s 38 state ratifications and remove its deadline. Reconciliation requires only a simple majority, bypassing filibusters, and could bundle ERA passage with emergency funding to end the shutdown, prevent further furloughs, and avert a healthcare crisis. Inaction perpetuates inequities: women earning 82 cents on the dollar, unchecked discrimination, and a failure to heed public support from 80% of Americans. Drawing from Islamic principles, where women’s rights to inheritance, education, and participation were advanced centuries ago, passing the ERA honors this legacy of justice, offering a beacon of equity in these turbulent times.

From my morning Bubble of Love to global summits, prayer empowers action, peace demands equality, and reconciliation heals. Now is the time to join the flame and ignite lasting change through Katrina’s Dream’s 20 for 20: Igniting Equality and Justice campaign. Celebrating our 20th anniversary, this initiative fuels six interconnected efforts—from the Unveiling Valor poetry competition to the Power of One grassroots advocacy, Bubble of Love interfaith healing, Widows’ Walk empowerment, and Advancing Labor Justice against corporate overreach. Words inspire, but your support transforms: pledge $20 a month today and become the spark that sustains our mission. One commitment sparks a movement—an investment in equality, justice, and a brighter future. Join us: participate in calls to Congress at (202) 224-3121 and the White House Faith Office at (202) 456-1414, submit your poetry, host dialogues, and share with #BubbleOfLove #20for20ERA #UnveilingValor #PowerOfOne #WidowsWalk.

Together, let’s fulfill Rev. Katrina’s vision, writing equality into our Constitution, as Barbra Streisand’s Yentl asks, “Where is it written?”—let’s write it now, uniting mercy and justice across faiths.

Love and Light in Christ,

Helene de Boissiere