UUSJ’s ninth Social Justice Awards Benefit Celebration lifts up our social justice Awardees and provides an opportunity to learn from one another about how best to promote and advance UU values in these challenging times.
*Photos courtesy of Art Stevens, UU Church of Arlington
2019 Theme:
The theme this year was Jazzed for Social Justice – an expression that recognizes all of you who put your heart into this work and represents our enthusiasm for the work we do. We hope it suggests that working for social justice requires structure, intent, innovation and the ability to be both creatively opportunistic and open to spontaneity.
This year UUSJ presented 10 awards for social justice excellence. Below you will see a list of awards and the recipients we are honoring with summary explanations of the work for which they are receiving an award.
Nominations and Review Process:
There were 19 overall nominations from 11 different congregation. The volunteer Awards Review Team carefully reviewed and discussed each nomination. They expressed joy at so many wonderful social justice activities going on in our communities. The team included:
- Terrie Barr, Rockville,
- Terry Grogan, Reston,
- Ed Kringer, Accotink,
- Rev. Karen Scrivo, Goodloe Memorial; and,
- Carol Carter Walker, Paint Branch.
Awards:
The 2019 UUSJ Social justice Awardees are:
Collaboration Award
Immigration Film Festival, Washington Ethical Society
The Collaboration Award is given for effective congregational social action or justice reflecting and elevating UU values and principles that has involved cooperation with other UU congregations, other faith-based groups and or non-religious organizations.
Washington Ethical Society’s annual Immigration Film Festival is in its 6th year. Through the use of the popular entertainment leverage of film it enlightens and engages a broad, exponentially growing audience in the greater Washington area in critical immigrant and refugee justice issues. The all-volunteer organization and program structure has widely advertised Unitarian Universalist presence and values, and has reached out collaboratively to partner with other area UU churches and a diverse array of sponsor partners among our area’s faith, business, arts, academic and civic communities, starting with one partnership in 2013 and now with over 40 on-going collaborations.
The Immigration Film Festival has grown from offering selected films to 900 attendees the first year to now scheduling for thousands a highly planned series of thematic film, shorts, and documentary offerings coupled with discussion panels featuring filmmakers, immigration experts and activists. A true collaboration across multiple groups.
Immigration Award
Sanctuary for Rosa, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
Cedar Lane UU Church’s Sanctuary for Rosa Team is acknowledged for modeling great support in our area for immigrant communities and particularly those in physical sanctuary.
In 2018 Cedar Lane UU voted almost unanimously to become a physical sanctuary congregation through the supportive efforts of Congregation Action. They prepared for and accepted the request for a Sanctuary Guest in December 2018, organized the Network of 70+ multi faith congregations around support for the guest and her family and continued ongoing support and advocacy for Rosa Gutierrez Lopez and her family of 3 school-aged US citizen children, so that justice could be served in her asylum.
Rosa and Cedar Laners also train volunteers from Baltimore to Charlottesville in the act of physical sanctuary in order to share the model they’ve developed, organized, and have implemented at Cedar Lane since last December 2018. Their model shows how all UUs can support immigrant populations.
Economic Justice Award
Jerry Poje, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax
Jerry is acknowledged for effective work, witness and/or advocacy towards the systemic changes needed to promote a more just economy and compassionate society. Jerry has long been an advocate and activist in pursuit of affordable housing in Fairfax County. In numerous roles Jerry has had a significant impact on raising awareness of and improving public opinion about the challenges less fortunate members of our community face. He’s had noteworthy influence using political action to help them.
Jerry has worked very effectively with the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the County School Board in getting the One Fairfax Policy, a joint social justice equity policy of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and the School Board, put into effect.
Jerry is a member of Fairfax County Human Services Council representing the Hunter Mill District, and the Fairfax County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Hunter Mill Democratic Committee. Jerry has won a number of awards for his work, including:
- The Fairfax County Virginia Human Rights Commission Human Rights Award, Martha Pennino Community Service Award given by the Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee, and
- In 2017, he was selected by Supervisor Cathy Hudgins to be the Lord Fairfax Honoree for the Hunter Mill District for Fairfax County for his community work on Affordable Housing.
He has participated in FACETS, an organization in Fairfax county helping individuals who suffer the effects of poverty, as board member, secretary and then as president. He was Vice Chair of the Fairfax County Human Services Council.
Emerging Leader Award
Alexander Kohn, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia
The Emerging Leader Award is given to someone who is emerging as a lay leader — inspiring, supporting and expressing effective social action, reflecting UU values and principles. We prize our new leaders as they step out and start us on new paths.
Alex Kohn, a student at Oakland Mills High School in Columbia, Maryland and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia (UUCC), is an inspired and creative leader in the campaign to advance just migration and Unitarian Universalist (UU) principles. He has partnered with his congregation and other organizations who join him in his call to action to speak out on behalf of the thousands of migrant children who have been cruelly and unnecessarily separated from their parents and families and held in government detention facilities.
In October 2018, Alex chose children’s pajamas as the symbol of his campaign to draw the public’s attention to the many children who are harmed by the government’s inhumane and unjust immigration policies. He joined with Indivisible Howard County, and developed plans for other congregations and groups to join the campaign. Donations of pajamas and funds and participation were sought and received for his Where Are The Children project. The project received support from UUCC’s Minister, Rev. Paige Getty, and the congregation.
In June 2019 Alex’s efforts brought him to the National Mall to be a leader in the witness action he had organized and promoted. He gathered more than 750 signatures seeking to close Homestead, the largest for-profit child detention center. Alex spoke at the delivery of the petition and went to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office to advocate for the close-down. The project has helped educate the public on this issue and bring attention to the plight of immigrant children.
Environment/Climate Justice Award
Environmental Justice Ministry Team and Chairs, Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church
The Environment/Climate Justice Award is given for effective work, witness and/or advocacy in response to environmental challenges and climate change.
The good works of Environmental Justice Ministry (EJM) at Cedar Lane embodies all aspects of the Environmental/Climate Justice Award, i.e., “effective work, witness and/or advocacy for the systemic changes needed to promote a more just economy and compassionate society”, as demonstrated by numerous projects over the years. Some of the projects covered were Montgomery County Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions advocacy toward the county council successfully securing $400,000 for developing a plan to respond to the climate emergency, Green Sanctuary Program and (Eco) Systems Study Group’s deep dive into the Green New Deal.
The EJM supports a general framework of using a mix of science, passion, and responsibility to encourage congregants to take action. While providing the honest information about the emergency we are in, the group provides hope and opportunities for turning despair into results. Results that help confront the climate crisis!
Team: Lee McNair, Jim Laurenson, Molly Hauck, Nanci Wilkinson, and Christianne Graham.
Racial Justice and Beloved Community Award
Stephanie Thomas, Becky Ross, Paul Blackburn, Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington
The Racial Justice and Beloved Community Award is given for work, witness and/or advocacy by congregations or program leaders who are transforming their ministry through racial justice and inclusion, carrying out one or more of these actions: confronting racism and oppression as barriers to social change and healthy human relations; building multicultural community and solidarity; achieving diversity in congregational membership, leadership, and staffing.
Stephanie, Becky and Ross’ team focus lies primarily in race relations, especially with members of the African American community. After attending multiple racial justice workshops the three began to urge the congregation to take more direct action to examine systems of white supremacy within its own systems. Their passion for this cause has urged many of the congregants within UUCA to take a hard look at their own privilege and the systems of white supremacy that many white people fail to recognize.
The nominees worked together to get the congregation to adopt the 8th Principle. They held repeated discussions, created a survey to gauge support and requested a special election from the board. As a result, the congregation has been asking not only, “who is not at the table?” but “which of our practices that are unwelcoming and how do we unlearn those behaviors?”
Congregation Social Justice Program Award
Social Justice Committee, Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church
In early 2017, the Social Justice of Accotink Unitarian Universalist Church initiated and continues to lead a congregation wide program to provide gallon-size bags of nutritious food items for 20 students at a nearby elementary school. The Committee named this food justice program No Child Goes Hungry/Accotink [NCGH/A]. The name is derived from our “parent” organization, No Child Goes Hungry, founded by UU minister Rev. Kären Rasmussen. AUUC’s NCGH/A is proud to have accepted one of Rev. Kären’s grants in motion with its challenge to build a hunger advocacy program designed to meet a local need in our community.
Each of the last two school years, Accotink UU has delivered over 650 weekend meal packs. At the end of this school year, the school counselor asked they could support additional children this coming year. The school even suggested that the school would greatly benefit from a mentorship program. After Accotink’s social Justice Leaders and Minister discussed needs around the mentoring project, an official Partnership Agreement was signed between AUUC’s Board Chair and the Superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools in June 2019.
AUUC has agreed to provide at least 10 adult volunteers to be assigned by the school to mentor students on a weekly basis, thus deepening the relationship with the elementary school community and provide additional ways for the congregation to participate in this community outreach.
Team: Shelley Brosnan, Nancy Davis, Ed Kringer, Marsha White, and Christine Stunkard.
Global Connections Project, Washington Ethical Society
Global Connections is a partnership between the Washington Ethical Society (WES) and the people of El Rodeo, El Salvador using the Community Capacity Building model to empower mutual understanding and support. Through that relationship, Global Connections inspires WES, the people of El Rodeo and the broader community to engage in cross-cultural experiences and social justice and advocacy work with the Salvadoran people.
Yearly visits are organized to El Salvador by numerous people at WES to help with this project. Dental services are provided. WES members purchased water filters for every house in El Rodeo and the health outcomes of the community began to improve.
They partnered with two Salvadoran organizations that knew the community and had experience in funding and building water systems. The Community Capacity Building model was used to empower mutual understanding and support and to ensure the people of El Rodeo were actively involved in the decision making for all of the work.
Many young people at WES have been involved in this project, which has instilled in them a desire to continue social justice work throughout their lives.
Team: Peggy Goetz, Pam Williams, Ross Wells, and Susan Runner.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Steve Ewart, Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston
Steve Ewart’s volunteer work at the UU Church in Reston (UUCR) and previously at the Abraham Lincoln UU Church in Springfield, Illinois, has always emphasized removing economic injustice and providing educational opportunities for our immigrant neighbors, refugees, impoverished citizens, and people of color.
At the UU Church in Reston, Steve Ewart has spearheaded UUCR’s active involvement with VOICE – Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement. As chair of the UUCR worship committee he organized and led the summer worship service program. In that role he recruited others to give (and also personally delivered) sermons on social justice topics such as the injustice and inequality of the death penalty, immigrant and refugee rights, racial and economic inequality, and the Black Lives Matter movement. He frequently participates in seminars and demonstrations for social justice in DC, Fairfax, Charlotte, and Richmond.
Steve Ewart believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being, and has worked every day for more than 20 years to encourage and support those who are less fortunate. He undoubtedly plans to continue his heartfelt support to this and similar social justice issues for 20 more years.
Minister’s Award
Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, River Road Unitarian Universalist Church
Rev. Ladd has transformed social justice efforts at River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation (RRUUC) and revitalized community organizing, both at home in Montgomery County, Maryland and throughout the DC/MD/VA region.
Rev. Ladd’s passion for community organizing led RRUUC to join Action in Montgomery (AIM), an interfaith, multiracial coalition of religious and nonprofit groups across Montgomery County. RRUUC’s AIM Core Team of lay leaders, which she established, now serves as a model for other member organizations, and team members have gone on to take up key roles in AIM leadership. This year Rev. Ladd has taken on a leadership role with Maryland Industrial Areas Foundation, AIM’s parent organization.
Rev. Ladd will continue to expand her influence through her new book, “After the Good News: Progressive Faith Beyond Optimism”. With this book, she challenges religious progressives to become more vulnerable and accountable in their relationships, building resilience through truth-telling and authenticity.
*Photos courtesy of Art Stevens, UU Church of Arlington