| | | | | | Pa'lante, Siempre Pa'lante
Forward, Always, Forward A message from UUSJ Executive Director, (Pablo) Pavel Dejesús You and your passion for social justice, systems change, and dismantling the interlocking injustices of federal policy has kept me going. Especially when the tragedy of this pandemic and the travesty of police violence and racial injustice have put me on my back, psychically, spiritually. Thank you. Just this week I had another one of those heart-wrenching moments. An immigrant in my social network hinted they are skipping meals. The nanny work has dried up, and funds are tight. First, I thought about what I could do despite the pandemic. Then, what community resources I could gently suggest. Finally, I vowed to continue UUSJ’s work for economic justice and immigration justice. We will need a compassionate and equitable recovery from the pandemic, to correct deficiencies rather than paper them over for the economy. [Read More] | | |  | (Pablo) Pavel Dejesús,
Executive Director, UUSJ with interfaith advocacy friends out in support of voting rights, 2019. | | | | | |  | | | Join us online Saturday, Dec. 12, from 4pm to 6pm ET (register here) as we celebrate our 20-year history and envision the path forward. Any donation for this UUSJ fundraiser gets you in ($50 suggested, more graciously accepted.) After registering you will receive the Zoom link to the event. | | Rep. Connolly (D-VA) and panelists will share their perspectives on the way forward. Participants include representatives from UUSJ, Poor People's Campaign, UU Ministry for Earth, UUs for a Just Economic Community, CASA, Side with Love, Reeb Voting Project, UU the Vote, UU Refugee and Immigration Services and Education, Forward Together, UU State Action Network, UU Service Committee, Faith in Public Life, and others. | | | | | | | | | | | Write Here! Write Now! In December to Focus on Voter Participation UUSJ’s Defending Our Democracy Task Group is organizing the December Write Here! Write Now! Campaign and virtual visits to key Senate offices. Register Here for Issue Briefing on Friday, Dec. 4. For more information, info@UUSJ.org. | | Bob McCarthy in the Washington Post
Bob is a UUSJ Board Member representing the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, VA.  | | | | | | Remembering UUSJ During This Season of Giving Here are some ways you can help keep UUSJ's voice and presence strong. UUSJ appreciates your financial support to carry out this vital work. - Are you at least 70.5 years of age and interested in donating to UUSJ? Any traditional IRA owner or beneficiary who is, can use the qualified charitable distribution (QCD) rule to exempt their required minimum distributions from taxation and give to UUSJ.
- Ask your friends and family in government service, including retirees, to support CFC #17271. Information Poster.
UUSJ Board Meeting via Zoom on Dec. 19 UUSJ will conduct its quarterly Board meeting via Zoom on December 19, 10:30 am to 12 noon ET. Board meetings are open to UUSJ members and for more information contact: info@UUSJ.org. | | | | | | | Unitarian Universalist News | | | UUA President, the Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray I send you my deep care in this time of changing seasons and tumultuous days. I continue to hold all of you in my prayers–as you lead your communities in these fraught times ... [Read More] | | | | | | UU the Vote on Georgia Special Elections Phonebanks to Georgia through the January 5th Election Every Sunday at 4pm ET / 3pm CT / 2pm MT / 1pm PT
Thursdays December 3, 10, and 17th at 7pm ET / 6pm CT / 5pm MT / 4pm PT
Clink Link Below -- More is on the way -- keep checking this page for updates! | |  | | | | UUA’s Campaign Organizer, Nicole Pressley, leads a post-election conversation with three UU panelists about the challenges and successes during the election, and the work ahead -- to Georgia and beyond as UUtheVote continues. [Note: the video has technical issues, start playing at approximately 8.0 minutes] | | | | | | | | | Reflections on 2020 from Fred Van Deusen Fred Van Deusen from First Parish in Concord, Massachusetts is the Defending our Democracy Task Group convener Although much has occurred in the past three weeks and there are ongoing issues, it’s worth celebrating some important democracy successes. More people voted in the 2020 elections than have ever voted before. This was the direct result of tireless efforts by many, many different and diverse groups around the country, including UU churches and UUSJ through the UU the Vote campaign. All that effort made a difference in electing a new President who promises to work to unite us rather than divide us.  So, not surprisingly, it has been quite a year for the Defending Our Democracy Task Group. Early in the year, it became obvious that no democracy legislation would make it beyond the House of Representatives, including the H.R.1 bill on which the Task Group based its actions for the year. We then changed course to supporting the UU the Vote program, assisting the UUA’s national program by providing useful web-based tools for congregations’ UU the Vote groups. We also focused on a new approach for increasing college student voting. [Read More] | | | | | | | | | Immigration Task Group Sees Opportunities for Effective Advocacy  Charlotte Jones Carroll is UUSJ Board Secretary, the Convener of the Immigration Task Group, and member of River Road Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Maryland.
UUSJ’s Immigration Task Group is analyzing priorities for the next two years under the incoming Biden Administration. It will call for immediate steps to reverse and/or rescind the many anti-immigrant executive actions and rule changes of the past four years.
These include reinstating the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the TPS (Temporary Protected Status) programs and reversing actions that increase fees for US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), discourage immigrants from using social services, and expand intrusive biometrics collections. [Read More] | | | | | | | Environmental and Climate Justice | | A Climate Convergence: Uniting for Victory 2021  Thursday and Friday, Dec. 9 and 10, 12-8 pm ET, (followed by a New York Climate Cabaret)
Registration and Agenda: HERE (free) See the growing list of presenters and co-hosts HERE. UUSJ just became a co-host!
Sponsor: Climate Crisis Policy (CCP)
Questions: climatecrisispolicy@gmail.com; re Faith Panel, Lavona Grow lavona@uusj.org A new Congress is gearing up to take action on the climate crisis in 2021. It is strategically vital that civil society be prepared to work together to secure meaningful legislative victories. Hear from over 25 leaders from key environmental and faith organizations, Congress, and direct action activists during six sessions with panels over two days. The Faith Panel is on Thursday, Dec. 10, 3-5pmET. Symposium panelists will discuss strategy and ask “How can we organize to work together?” And hopefully, find new ways to join forces. We have a sacred task to save life on Earth. Together, with a plan, we can! Thinking about plans for 2021 It's going to be an exciting year for environmental and climate policy, and much remains unclear about the opportunities for advancing UU Values. There is a chance for good legislation, but many believe that legislative avenues for progress will again be blocked. There should be a lot of opportunities for progress by the Executive Branch, but we have not done as much in that forum and need to think about what roles we might be able to play. There will certainly be opportunities for working with partner organizations, and we need to think about the best ways to do that. Earth Day in April might present a great opportunity for a project with partners. Lots to consider. Environmental Action Team to Meet Monthly UUSJ’s team working on environmental and climate change issues will meet via Zoom the first Thursday of each month at 12:30 pmET, beginning December 3. Interested persons are welcome to join in. Contact David Shilton, task group convenor, at dcshilton4@gmail.com | | | | | | | | | | |  Making Deeply Transformative Policy Choice
Millions throughout the U.S. have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, they may also be losing or depleting health insurance, retirement plans, and other compensation tied to their employment.
Through witness, public education and advocacy, UUSJ asks our legislators to address the following: - We must be a society that values childcare, health care, and retirement security as rights for all, regardless of employment status
- We cannot simply label people as essential, as an act of performative gratitude, we must show them how essential they are. Wages that reflect our vital need for them is a good start.
- Workers -- particularly Black and Latino workers -- must be at the forefront of designing and directing the solutions their communities need. And we will support their lead. The pandemic disproportionately affected these communities.,
- When rebuilding, money must be directed to deep, permanent investments in science, health, caregiving, disaster preparedness, green infrastructure, and other needs of a regenerative community.
Not doing enough to help living people thrive is more of a threat to the economy than a deficit. We will not tolerate policies that obstruct the well-being of others. Programs that fail to center compassion and basic human dignity must be disrupted. Rev. Dr. Barber, II and The Poor People’s Campaign teach that we must disrupt the interlocking injustices in federal policy if we want to save our nation from its current moral crisis. So much of that work starts and ends with whether or not we hold the poor in love, dignity, and respect. | | | | | | Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ)
7750 16th St NW, | Washington, District of Columbia 20012
202-600-9132 | info@uusj.org | | | | | | | |
