Collaboration Matters. It Makes a Difference.

In 2017, UUs for a Just Economic Community joined with UUSJ creating our first joint conference on Healthcare. It was a successful and meaningful experimental adventure in federal engagement.

In 2019, we collaborated again on Advancing Economic and Climate Justice as a Moral Issue, Building a Movement for a “Green New Deal”.  If UUJEC had done the conference alone, that would not have been the name–we would have simply called the conference “Green New Deal”.  But folks involved helped us move towards a concept, description, and focus that was more inclusive and grounded in our desire to side with UU principles as we engaged Capitol Hill.

Collaboration matters. It makes a difference. It helps build power and sharpen impact.

Navigating the political world, we needed the expertise of professionals–asking people to support the Green New Deal felt like it was the equivalent of asking them to support Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or to put it more bluntly, asking Mitch McConnell to sign up as a socialist. But UUSJ helped us figure out how to do it effectively: sidestepping the hyper-partisanship, focusing on the harms and the policy, working for justice in this matter.

I wholeheartedly endorse and support UUSJ with my time writing letters and calling Senators’ offices and with my donations.  I think it’s one of the best social justice investments I can make.

Terry Lowman
Co-chair UUs for a Just Economic Community, UUJEC
VP, Iowa UU Witness/Advocacy Network, IUUWAN