Have you heard the latest news about our changing climate?  

A 2019 annual report released by the United Nations tells us that “Greenhouse gas emissions have steadily risen for the last decade, despite the current and future threat posed by climate change.” It goes on to compare the current state of world economies vs. how clean they should be in order to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change — a disparity known as the “emissions gap.” *  

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) is an advocate for the environment and climate justice. This past September 15-17, UUSJ co-sponsored a national conference, convening 150 UUs, with many amazing speakers. (See the speaker agenda, review a summary.) This effort, organized with 6 other UU organizations, leveraged 26 face-to-face meetings with Senate staff, delivering more than 996 letters from UUs, and lifting the voices of 35 congregations across the country. It might have been the largest outing of UUs to do Hill advocacy in recent memory. (Photos of conference sessions HERE and advocacy HERE, or our Twitter feed.)  And UUSJ went further, following up with subsequent Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps outings on the issues in the House, and defending sustainable and clean energy spending in appropriations.

Lifting UU voices and values on the environment and climate justice is urgently needed. UUSJ encourages you to provide financial support toward your UU values regarding climate justice, as reflected in our 7th principle, Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.  Indeed, UUSJ can help you bridge the gap between respect for that interdependent web and taking action that addresses your environmental concerns.    

As you may have read in a recent letter from UUSJ board chair, Bob Denniston (read his letter here), UUSJ Advocacy Corps volunteers make monthly visits to your representatives in the US Congress on one of these four priorities: 

• Environmental and climate justice
• Economic justice
• Immigration justice
• Defending Our Democracy 

I know that you believe in UUSJ’s mission to mobilize and amplify the voices of Unitarian Universalists as we seek to change the world through acts of love and justice.

I am grateful that you trust UUSJ to carry your values in Washington, DC where they can have the greatest impact.  Whether your main concern is climate justice or another of UUSJ’s priorities, we ask that you consider a year-end gift to help underwrite the costs associated with our Write Here! Write Now! letter-writing campaign, just one important element of our work on Capitol Hill. 

Lending your support to UUSJ helps keep the wheels of justice turning through education, witness, direct advocacy, volunteer training, Hill visits, candidates’ question guides, voter registration packets, and other materials and activities that help us change the world.  All the types of things we packed into the September conference. Additionally, when you support UUSJ, you are sending a voice of respect, moral courage and clarity to your elected representatives.  

Unitarian Universalist Association President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray reminds us, “This is no time for a casual faith.”  To that end, your gift will see that UUSJ’s justice work will continue and grow. In particular, your contribution will help us match a challenge grant from the UU Funding Program that will release an additional $2,000 toward our advocacy work.  

The political stakes couldn’t be any higher as we approach Tuesday, November 3, 2020.  UU values of interdependence, democracy, and the inherent worth and dignity of all people are the opposite of fear, bigotry, and inequity that seem to dominate the air waves today.   To advance just policies, UUs need to be present as much as possible advocating for a better way.

UUSJ is YOUR organization that lifts UU voices for social justice in the corridors of power. Together our voices lift UU values on Capitol Hill. Collectively, we have impact.

Thank you in advance for helping us deliver UU advocacy in the Nation’s Capital! 

In gratitude,

Pablo DeJesus

Executive Director

Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice

* Please consider making a donation to UUSJ to support our work into 2020 *

* NPR Science Reporter, Rebecca Hersher; “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Still Rising, U.N. Report Says”, November 26, 2019 (retrieved online at www.npr.org )

UUSJ is a 501(c)3 organization comprised of 16 Washington area UU congregations.  They, individual members, and periodic grant support, fund our work.  You may write a check, use the donate button at www.uusj.org or direct a disbursement from a fund of your choice.  We also welcome inquiries about donating stock, marketable securities, or IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCD).