UUSJ works to make our Government fairer and more inclusive by the following actions: 

1. Selecting issues strategically that are moving in Congress and making it easy for UUs to express their views to Congress on those issues. This is called Write Here! Write Now! (WHWN), and UUSJ typically does it every other month. Email anna@uusj.org to be informed of WHWN’s. 

2. Arranging meetings with Congressional staff so UUs can talk to Congress. Now with COVID, these meetings have expanded virtually so that everyone across the nation can meet with Congress! The meetings typically happen in the second half of a Write Here! Write Now! Month, and are usually aimed at the same topic. Email anna@uusj.org to be informed of upcoming meetings. If you are already signed up to be notified about WHWN’s, you will be told about upcoming meetings. 

3. Publicizing Action Alerts, where individual UUs may sign a letter to their Congressional representatives advocating for a solution to a particular injustice. These differ from WHWN letters, in that they arise quickly and no customization is required. Just enter name/address and send. Look on the uusj.org home page for current action alerts. 

4. Maintaining Issue Action Teams on the priority issues–currently the Immigration Action Team, the Environmental Action Team (including Climate Change), the Democracy Action Team. The priority issues change every two years and will change next in 2021. Any member can join an Issue Action Team. Email info@uusj.org to indicate interest in joining a team. 

5. Conducting workshops and webinars to educate members on emerging issues and how to advocate more effectively, including periodic meetings for Social Justice ministers and committee chairs. For example, UUSJ recently offered an excellent virtual workshop on Storytelling for Advocacy, demonstrating stories that have been effective in meetings with legislators and providing practice sessions. Find out information about near-term webinars at uusj.org . 

6. Organizing witnessing activities including participating in the Women’s March and the Poor Peoples’ Campaign. These are timely, life-changing events to join with other UUs when writing is not enough, and to let their voices be heard. Check out uusj.org to find out about any current witnessing opportunities. 

UUSJ is positioning itself to realize its potential through our strategic planning initiative. We have identified our moral owners to include not only UUs and UU congregations but also impacted communities and organizations that represent those communities. We will engage with the moral owners to focus our advocacy, increase the diversity of our Board of Trustees, and partner with UU and non-UU organizations to become more effective at moving our Government to better laws and practices for social justice.

Of Interest:

UUSJ History & Vision 10-27-2013-1.pdf