On Saturday, April 29, 100 UUs joined 200,000 people from all over the country and converged on Washington, DC for the People’s Climate Movement and marched for climate, jobs, and justice. After pre-march fellowship and street art in the morning, UUs set out under the banner of “the seas are rising and so are we” … Continue reading Beyond PCM: UUSJ pushes to build a Climate Justice Movement
More than 100 UU organizations and individuals signed onto a request of the three candidates for UUA president that they respond to nine questions about climate change and their vision for responding to this ethical, spiritual and pragmatic crisis. All three responded and their statements are organized by question. The next UUA President will be … Continue reading UUA Presidential Candidates on Climate Justice
Family advocates and the UUSJ Advocacy Corps visited US Senate offices on April 11 to discuss healthcare reform, specifically Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which together cover one in three American children. Twelve Advocacy Corps members from six congregations, and Rev. Archene Turner and families from Cedar Lane UUC, visited 50 Senate offices … Continue reading Family Advocates Joined UUSJ Advocacy Corps on the Hill
People of faith will join students, workers, parents, and people on the front lines of climate change for a major climate justice mobilization right here in DC. Faith group coordination is being arranged by GreenFaith and Interfaith Power & Light (DC.MD.NoVA). RSVP with UUs and the People’s Climate Movement. Download the UU Flyer. Check out the Facebook event. Join UUSJ’s … Continue reading People’s Climate Movement – March for Climate, Jobs, and Justice
UUSJ volunteers discussed concerns on Immigration with various Senate staffers during February. Of particular interest and worry was the apparent move by ICE to deny faith groups access to detention center facilities for witness and service. UUSJ’s Immigration team was asked to follow-up on this development, provide documentation on the troublesome exchange, and ask its … Continue reading UUSJ Immigration Advocacy & Request for UU Interactions with ICE
The joint UUSC, UUA, and College of Social Justice’s Solidarity and Sanctuary initiative have published a Congregational Action Guide which offers suggested actions related to making cities, counties, and schools safer, more welcoming for all – particularly undocumented immigrants, Muslims, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. Check out other tools designed to help equip … Continue reading Solidarity & Sanctuary: Options for Congregational Action
UUSJ’s Pablo DeJesus (pictured left) and Lavona Grow delivered a “how-to” workshop to area UUs and other denominations on the essential techniques for conducting advocacy in the federal forum. During the seminary over 120 participants heard the call of Rev. Jacqui Lewis and Rev. Abhi Janamanchi to engage in revolutionary love, and sustained resistance in … Continue reading UUSJ Presence Liked at Cedar Lane Seminary for a Day
UUSJ Advocacy Corps visits MD Senator Cardin and VA Senator Warner UUSJ’s Advocacy Corps made its inaugural visit to Capitol Hill on Valentine’s Day, involving 18 members from seven area congregations who visited Maryland’s Senators Cardin and Van Hollen and Virginia’s Senators Warner and Kaine. Participants delivered nearly 200 handwritten letters expressing gratitude and … Continue reading UUSJ’s New Advocacy Corps Visits Capitol Hill
This is adapted from my February newsletter column looking at how to be in covenantal relationship in a time of strong emotions around the new President of the U.S. It is easy to assume Unitarian Universalists did not vote for Donald Trump. After all, UU progressive values: immigration issues, equality for GLBTQAI, women’s rights, diversity … Continue reading “Taking Note” by the Rev. Dr. Kate R. Walker, Mt. Vernon Unitarian Church
Rev. Rob Hardies, All Souls Church, Unitarian; Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, Cedar Lane UUC; Taquiena Boston, UUA, Dir. Multi-Cultural, Growth and Witness Ministries UUs from across the country came to Washington, DC on January 21 to march for the inherent worth and dignity of every person alongside about 500,000 other activists. The UU … Continue reading In Solidarity, We Marched on Washington; Now We Must Fight for UU Values!
