|  Building on the Good News to Take UUSJ to the Next Level
As my service as UUSJ board chair comes to an end, I’m reflecting on our many accomplishments in the recent past, including our active involvement in UU the Vote, our 20th-anniversary celebration, and the work of so many volunteers on our advocacy on Capitol Hill. I’d like to thank those many UUSJ volunteers along with staff who have contributed so much toward our mission, especially our Executive Committee.
Volunteers have supported UUSJ in so many ways, from Advocacy Corps to Action Teams to committee chairs and members, from financial support to organizing our successful 20th Anniversary celebration last December, and those who have served on working groups for our strategic planning. And of course, our Nominating Committee, chaired by Sean McCarthy, for its great work to recruit and nominate an accomplished slate for the new board. Even with the improved prospects for change in the new administration and Congress, we must still hold elected officials accountable for their campaign promises. And not just Congress, but also Executive Branch agencies that are charged with implementing the law, policies, and programs. So our activism is as important as ever. We cannot let down our guard. And with some achievements and signs of progress already, we need to build on that momentum. As we strive to maintain our advocacy, we should keep in mind that our work, especially our direct advocacy, is not a sprint, nor even a marathon. It is a relay race. With new board leadership, new roles for outgoing board members, and new volunteers we must be ready to hand the baton to the next UU activists and advocates, to keep up the pace and commitment, and to push us all forward to achieve our mission. Remember the African Proverb -- “If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” Let’s continue to go together to help achieve greater social justice in our nation and the world. There is much work to be done. As for me, I will remain a UUSJ member and doubtless will find ways to contribute as a volunteer from time to time. Thank you all for your support over the years. |
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| | |  UUSJ sponsored a successful Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) at General Assembly in June, thanks to the quick work of our Democracy Action Team and Executive Director Pablo DeJesus.
This action calls on the Unitarian Universalist Association and its congregations to work in partnership toward theologically-grounded understanding and meaningful action on democracy matters -- eliminating voter suppression, restoring the right to vote to formerly incarcerated returning citizens, ensuring fair districts, protecting the right of protest, demanding transparency with respect to money in politics, supporting D.C. statehood, and more. Each year, up to three AIWs can be voted in by the General Assembly delegates. (Read the full AIW HERE). The other two passed this year were: Defend and Advocate with Transgender, Nonbinary, and Intersex Communities and The COVID-19 Pandemic: Justice. Healing. Courage. To learn more about the UUA's 2021 AIWs click HERE. Unlike a Statement of Conscience, an AIW does not carry the full authority of the UU Association; rather, it expresses the conscience and carries the authority of the delegates at the GA at which it is passed. The AIW process allows UUs to respond quickly to social issues deemed urgent. |
|  “Pathways to Citizenship” Focus of UUSJ Advocacy Visits in June
UUSJ’s Immigration Action Team focused on “Pathways to Citizenship for Immigrant Essential Workers” and their families. The Team conducted 15 meetings with Senate offices, involving nearly 40 UU constituents from across the country, including four UU ministers and four UU State Action Network representatives. The Write Here! Write Now! campaign generated nearly 150 letters to more than 40 legislators. UUSJ partnered with We are Home, representing moral owners from communities most impacted by immigration policies and UUA’s Side with Love. Many letter writers shared their first-hand experiences during the pandemic. A UU from Texas wrote: “They are just the kind of people that made this country great throughout our history, and it makes no sense for the good of our state and country to discourage them by denying them a path to Citizenship.” And a UU from Florida wrote to her senator: “During the pandemic, my life and well-being have depended on these workers; so has yours. Yet they have been undervalued, ignored, and exploited. They have not even been given the dignity of a living wage or basic workplace safety and health protection.” |
|  100 Faith Leaders for
100% Clean Energy!
Urge Congress to take “Big and Bold” Action
More than 100 faith leaders assembled on the National Mall on June 9 in support of clean energy standards to meet 100% clean electricity by 2035, in the American Jobs Plan. More than a dozen UUs participated.
The event drew faith leaders from diverse traditions noting that “Our faith traditions compel us to act in support of preventing the worst effects of the climate crisis and to create a more just and loving world for all.” One faith leader noted, “Our way of life is going to end our lives” if swift action is not taken. The UUA and UUSJ along with nearly 70 UUs signed the faith leaders’ letter to Congress. Pictured at the lectern is Rev. Dr. Rebekah Savage, UU Congregation of Rockville, MD, joined by (at left) Rev. Terence Ellen, Consulting Minister, UU Congregation in Cumberland, MD, and board member of event co-sponsor the Chesapeake Climate Action Network; and Lavona Grow, event planning team member; UU Congregation of Arlington, VA; Earth Bill Network Faith Team Lead; and UUSJ Advocacy Program. |
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| | | UUSJ Elects New Board of Trustees  The UUSJ Board of Trustees elected 11 new Trustees at the annual meeting in late June as part of the transition plan from the strategic planning of the past two years. Until now, most trustees represented UUSJ member congregations from the metro Washington DC area. With the move to a more national board, the new trustees have special expertise on social justice issues rather than representing individual congregations. They also bring diverse perspectives and identities. The previous board dissolved at the end of June. Eight of the new trustees have not been associated with UUSJ in the past. Three have served as UUSJ trustees for several years, bringing institutional knowledge and history along with experience from the previous board’s strategic planning work and recommendations for moving in a new direction. The new trustees will hold their first Board meeting this month for an orientation and the election of officers. The first regular Board meeting is expected in early fall (see Full Bios)  UUSJ “Embraces and Adopts”
8th Principle
UUSJ has formally “embraced and adopted” the 8th Principle, which affirms and promotes “journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.” We join the community of some 100 UU congregations and UU-related organizations that have adopted the 8th Principle. The new UUSJ board is charged with looking at what this means for our work toward vision and mission. It’s one thing to pass a resolution. It’s another to embody those words so that they become a reality. Last month, delegates at the UUA’s General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a “Responsive Resolution” that calls for including anti-racism and anti-oppression in the UU Principles. See the resolution here. A Responsive Resolution is a response to a report given during GA. Beloved Community happens when people of diverse racial, ethnic, educational, class, gender, sexual orientation backgrounds/identities come together in an interdependent relationship of love, mutual respect, and care that seeks to realize justice within the community and in the broader world.
 UUSJ ‘Goes National’ on Membership
UUSJ hit a milestone this last quarter, with membership outside the nation’s capital region exceeding 40% for the first time. Under a new congregational membership policy adopted last month, any congregation in the US can become a UUSJ member. It involves agreeing to a covenant listing ways to work together with UUSJ, identifying a congregational liaison, and committing to an annual unspecified donation. For questions, contact John Peterson at petermaten4@gmail.com or at 703-278-9325. Issue Priorities Under Review Based on Survey Results, Other Factors UUSJ’s Policy Advocacy Review Committee presented a preliminary report at the June annual meeting, outlining options for the new board to make decisions this fall on policy priorities for the next two years. The PARC considered results of the recent UUSJ membership survey, available staff and volunteer resources, insights from the current four Action Teams on their issues, and opportunities to influence public policy. Headed by Serena Lowe, the committee will consider comments made by the outgoing board members and then will provide a final recommendation to the new board for policy decisions in the fall. For highlights of survey results, see the June eNews report; further information, info@uusj.org. |
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| | Unitarian Universalist News |
|  A New Day for Side with Love The Rev. Ashley Horan, UUA Organizing Strategy Director
Unitarian Universalists are often called “the Love People” by our communities who see us out working for justice. From hosting free weddings for LGBTQIA+ people before marriage equality was the law of the land to take to the streets as part of the global Climate Strikes, to opening our sanctuaries to protesters fleeing state violence, to organizing with coalition partners to shut down immigration detention facilities, “the Love People” have been showing up for years to embody our values, take courageous action, and build together as a part of broader movements for justice and liberation. One thing is clear: the world needs Unitarian Universalists to show up for justice with spiritual grounding, generosity, humility, courage, and concrete skills. Sometimes, Unitarian Universalists have shown upholding our congregational banners. Other times, it’s been at the call of joint UU campaigns like Love Resists or Create Climate Justice. And sometimes, we’ve rallied together through efforts like UU the Vote, or in our yellow shirts as a part of Side With Love. For some UUs, however, it has been confusing to try to understand the relationship between these many different justice campaigns and programs. Too often, the existence of these many “brands” has made the work seem disjointed, or even that issues are in competition with one another for resources and attention. And as a result, we have not always been as aligned, coordinated, or powerful as we could be. And so, going forward, we are proud to announce that all of the UUA’s justice work will be housed under the Side With Love banner, through which we will continue to offer UUs regular opportunities for political education, spiritual sustenance, skills-based training, and mobilizations for action. We will be explicitly building on the infrastructure, organizing experience, relationships, and momentum we developed in 2020 through UU the Vote. See the full article here  Campaign Organizing
UU the Vote was envisioned as an “all hands on deck” project to articulate UU values in the public square and activate and organize Unitarian Universalists on a mass scale. It was motivated by two primary objectives: - Responding to the moral call to combat the rise of white supremacy and fascism and imagine a just society where all have inherent worth and dignity, where our communities are governed democratically, and where we live sustainably.
- The opportunity to move Unitarian Universalists to embody our values by centering the marginalized and building organizing infrastructure across the UU ecosystem.
Find the full report, entitled “UU the Vote: Lessons on Electoral Organizing in the 2020 Election” here. |
| | Note to Readers -- Below find UUSJ Action Team Reports presented at the June annual meeting. These summarize work over the last quarter. For further details, contact the convenor. |
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| | Environmental Action Team |
| David Shilton, Environmental Action Team Convenor (dcshilton4@gmail.com)
The Environmental Action Team (EAT) partnered with UU Ministry for Earth and UUs for a Just Economic Community on a Write Here! Write Now! letter-writing campaign to promote the Justice for Black Farmers Act (S.300) and the Climate Stewardship Act (S.1072). Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) sponsored both bills. UUSJ held an April issue briefing on these bills with Adam Zipkin, Counsel to Senator Booker, and Ben Thomas, Senior Policy Director for Agriculture at the Environmental Defense Fund.
More than 200 UUs from 34 states sent nearly 500 letters and messages to 66 senators supporting these two bills. Virtual meetings -- held with staff members representing 11 senators -- urged support for climate-friendly agricultural practices and justice for Black and farmers of color. This Spring, the Team also authored an action alert urging President Biden, key administration officials, and representatives in Congress to commit to funding this country’s fair share of the Green Climate Fund. UUSJ joined other UU organizations, faith groups, and citizens in highlighting the United States’ moral responsibility to aid poorer countries suffering the effects of climate change. The Team helped publicize a series of weekly demonstrations on Capitol Hill in June and this month will bring together faith leaders and other stakeholders to demand that Congress pass bold recovery legislation that includes key climate and clean energy provisions, including 100% clean electricity by 2035. Many UUs (including UU ministers) participated in the first demonstration on June 9. Photo Attribute: Sen. Cory Booker and Adam Zipkin, Counsel to Senator Booker |
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| | |  Charlotte Jones Carroll, Immigration Action Team Convenor (cjonescarroll@aol.com)
The Immigration Action Team focused on the June advocacy virtual meetings on immigration legislation with the Senate offices. (See Advocacy section above.)
In March, the Team hosted a webinar on US Immigration law history and more than 100 people signed up. The Team’s April town hall session -- included a number of activist partners -- and identified the most urgent policy priorities. Seeking pathways to citizenship for essential workers who are undocumented ranked first. In May, two immigration experts shared their outlook on pathways to citizenship legislative efforts. They were: Rich Morales of Faith in Action and Giovana Oaxaca, of the Evangelical Lutheran Conference of America. At this time, we are monitoring the administration’s efforts to restore some humanity and legality to the asylum and refugee systems. While there has been some steady progress, efforts fall short of resolving the backlogs, rejections, detentions, and deportations of people trying to come to America. |
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| | |  Fred Van Deusen, Democracy Action Team Convenor (fredvandeu@gmail.com)
The Democracy Action Team stressed the importance of passing both H.R.1/S.1 and H.R.4/S.4.
H.R.1/S.1 sets the voting standards that states must meet and H.R.4/S.4 will create the vehicle to enforce the standards. By itself, the John Lewis Voting Act will not undo the restrictive voting bills already passed in five states, nor the 55+ restrictive bills in 24 states that are moving through legislatures. Of those pending in state legislatures, 29 have passed at least one chamber, while another 26 have had some sort of committee action. The Team noted that future success depends on continuing to build on its fruitful national relationships with organizations such as Faithful Democracy and UU the Vote as well as looking for other potential partners. This year promises to be a busy year for democracy legislation, providing UUs across the country with many opportunities for action. |
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| | |  Calls For A Bold Reconciliation Package
The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call For Moral Revival (PPC: NCMR) is joining the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) in calling on Congress to set a bold reconciliation package that sets $6 trillion as “the floor, not the ceiling. “To advance equity, we need big investments, and they need to be targeted at marginalized communities for the greatest impact,’ they said in a joint statement". See the statement for more detail on why they think this is a historic moment for this approach. Author Chuck Collins of IPS is a well-known UU. This position is consistent with the PPC: NCMR campaign for a "Third Reconstruction"; an effort that led to President Biden’s public pledge of support for Rev. Barber’s efforts to end poverty, on June 21. Two days later, the PPC: NCMR put pressure on legislators by confronting Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the filibuster, and how it is being used to block legislation needed by poor Americans. Arrests resulted from the use of non-violent direct action tactics. Rev. Abhi Janamanchi, senior minister of Cedar Lane UU Church (Bethesda, MD), was among those arrested along with PPC Co-Founder Rev. Dr. William Barber and Rev. Jesse Jackson.
The Contours of Today’s Inequality Recent reports by IPS and EPI highlight related issues of inequality, and the need for direct intervention to achieve equity. A third report by the Brookings Institution addresses sustained multigenerational poverty and its disproportionate share among Black Americans.
Acknowledging the Effects of Racism  United Nations human rights chief, Michelle Bachelet is urging countries worldwide to do more to help end discrimination, violence, and systemic racism against people of African descent and "make amends" to them — including through reparations. Bachelet’s call came in a report released last month in response to the killing of George Floyd in the United States. (Find the June 28 report HERE.) Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), is sponsoring a bill -- H.R. 40 -- that would establish a commission on reparations. |
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| | |  | | “The Fourth of July commemorates when white Americans gained independence, while Juneteenth is the recognition of when all Americans became free." — Trey Daniel,
Freedom Forum’s
Georgia Rights, Responsibility, Respect Project |
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 | | “The system is not broken, it is operating exactly the way it was designed. And unless we work to change the structures and the systems, we will only be putting in policies that we can’t enforce and can’t implement.” —Color of Change President, Rashad Robinson, 2020 Innovations Conference |
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| | UUSJ
7750 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20012
202-600-9132 | info@uusj.org |
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