Good Friday and the Call for a Universal Basic Income in Nevada’s 2nd District
Dear Friends and Fellow Nevadans,
As we enter this season marked by Good Friday—a day of solemn reflection in the Christian calendar—I invite you to consider how its deeper meaning connects to the urgent need for economic justice right here in Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District. My campaign, as your independent Democratic candidate, is guided by a belief in human dignity, economic fairness, and the promise that no Nevadan should be left behind. Today, I want to connect the message of Good Friday, as understood through Liberation Theology, to the transformative potential of a Universal Basic Income, or what I call the Freedom Dividend—a citizens’ dividend paid for by the billionaires and corporations who have long profited from our land and labor while giving too little back.
What Is a Universal Basic Income?
A Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a simple yet revolutionary idea: every citizen receives a regular, unconditional payment from the government—$1,300 for every Nevadan—ensuring a basic standard of living and true economic security. This isn’t welfare or a handout—it’s an acknowledgment that every Nevadan contributes to, and deserves to share in, the wealth of our society.
Our model for UBI draws inspiration from Alaska’s Permanent Fund, which pays residents a yearly dividend funded by the state’s oil revenues. In Nevada, we can do even better. Imagine a Freedom Dividend funded by a share of the profits from billionaires and companies—like Tesla, Amazon, and the powerful mining industry—who profit from our resources but often pay only a fraction of their fair share in taxes. It’s time for Nevadans, not just shareholders in distant boardrooms, to benefit from the prosperity generated on our soil.
Liberation Theology and the Meaning of Good Friday
Liberation Theology, a stream within Christianity, offers a powerful lens for understanding Good Friday. Instead of focusing solely on individual sin or personal salvation, Liberation Theology sees Jesus’ crucifixion as God’s ultimate act of solidarity with the oppressed, the poor, and victims of systemic injustice. Good Friday, in this tradition, is not a glorification of suffering but a condemnation of the violence and exploitation inflicted by imperial powers—the same kind of powers that today manifest as corporate giants and economic systems that leave millions struggling while a few accumulate unimaginable wealth.
As theologian Matthew Fox writes, “Good Friday exposes the violence we carry and the love we can’t fathom.” The cross is not just a symbol of pain, but of God’s presence in the suffering of the marginalized. It is a call to action—a call to confront the very systems that perpetuate poverty and inequality. Similarly, Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, reminds us that “the crucifixion continues today” in every community where people are denied economic dignity and hope.
The Cross, Empire, and Economic Injustice
Good Friday forces us to face the reality of how power and wealth can crucify the vulnerable. In Jesus’ time, it was the Roman Empire. Today, it is the unchecked power of corporations and billionaires who extract Nevada’s wealth while ordinary families struggle with rising costs, stagnant wages, and insecurity. Liberation Theology teaches that God is not distant in the face of this suffering, but present with those who are “crucified” by injustice.
A Call to Transform Nevada
As your candidate, I am running not just to represent you in Washington, but to fight for a Nevada where every person has a stake in our shared prosperity. A Freedom Dividend, modeled on the Alaska Permanent Fund and funded by those who profit from our state’s resources, would mean: Every Nevadan would receive a monthly payment, no strings attached.
Economic security for families facing layoffs, automation, or unexpected medical bills.
An end to poverty wages and the dawn of a new era of dignity for workers and the unemployed alike.
A rebuke to the corporate “empires” that extract our wealth without reinvesting in our communities.
This is not a utopian dream. It is a practical, moral imperative rooted in the teachings of Good Friday: that we must stand in solidarity with the suffering, confront the systems that perpetuate injustice, and ensure that Nevada’s riches serve all our people—not just the privileged few.
Join Me in Crucifying Injustice
As we remember Good Friday, let us not rush past the pain and injustice it reveals. Let us instead answer its call—rooted in faith, courage, and love—to build a Nevada where no one is left behind. Together, we can turn the cross from a symbol of suffering into a beacon of hope and transformation.
The primary election is June 9th. Early voting runs from May 23rd to June 5th. Check your voter registration status here www.gamyfornvcd02.com
In solidarity and hope,
Gamaliel “Gamy” Zavala Enriquez,
Independent Democratic Candidate
Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District
