| | | |  Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
The Unseen Skeleton – Words for Reflection from Isabel Wilkerson
Editor’s Note: In her new book, Pulitzer-Prize winning author Isabel Wilkerson takes a hard look at the unspoken caste system that helped shape America and how this hierarchy of human divisions still defines our lives today. We offer this brief passage from the book: Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, for your reflection. We in the developed world are like homeowners who inherited a house on a piece of land that is beautiful on the outside, but whose soil is unstable loam and rock, heaving and contracting over generations, cracks patched but the deeper ruptures waved away for decades, centuries even. Many people may rightly say, "I had nothing to do with how this all started. I have nothing to do with the sins of the past. My ancestors never attacked indigenous people, never owned slaves." And, yes. Not one of us was here when this house was built. Our immediate ancestors may have had nothing to do with it, but here we are, the current occupants of a property with stress cracks and bowed walls and fissures built into the foundation. We are the heirs to whatever is right or wrong with it. We did not erect the uneven pillars or joists, but they are ours to deal with now. And any further deterioration is, in fact, on our hands.... Like other old houses, America has an unseen skeleton, a caste system that is as central to its operation as are the studs and joists that we cannot see in the physical buildings we call home. Caste is the infrastructure of our divisions. It is the architecture of human hierarchy, the subconscious code of instructions for maintaining, in our case, a four-hundred-year-old social order. Looking at caste is like holding the country's X-ray up to the light. From Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents (pages 16-17) Wilkerson won the Pulitzer Prize for her work as Chicago Bureau Chief of The New York Times in 1994, making her the first Black woman in the history of American journalism to win the award and the first African-American to win for individual reporting. In 2006, President Barack Obama awarded her the National Humanities Medal for “championing the stories of unsung history.” Her first book, The Warmth of Other Suns, tells the story of the Great Migration, the decades-long migration of African-Americans who fled the South for northern and western cities, in search of a better life. | | | | | | | UUs Advocate for $15/hour minimum wage UUSJ continues to urge Congress to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, joining Unitarian Universalists and others across the country.  “It is unfair to ask workers to live on so little, especially unfair to risk their lives with COVID each day and still be paid so little,” a UU from Iowa wrote their senator as part of last month’s UUSJ’s advocacy supporting a compassionate economic recovery. The writer joined more than 200 other UUs calling on their senators to raise the minimum wage to $15. UUSJ held issue briefings, conducted Write Here! Write Now! letter writing, and released a nationwide online action alert. Nearly 400 letters were written by 213 advocates to 88 Senators, and virtual Hill visits were held with 10 Senate offices (including Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Chuck Grassley (R-IA). (See Economic Justice section below for a report and video of the issue briefing with the expert panel.) Spring Environmental Advocacy Events  The UUSJ Environmental Action Team this month is focusing on climate equity and justice, one of the UUSJ’s priorities for 2021. As part of that effort, we will be joining with partners and coalitions in some specific actions.
On March 11, UUSJ will join with a coalition of faith groups urging Congress and the Administration to respect Indigenous peoples’ rights by stopping the Line 3 pipeline. The coalition is also calling for more just contributions to climate financing from wealthier countries by accelerating U.S. commitments to the Green Climate Fund. (See story below in the Environmental Action section.) Beginning March 20, UUSJ will join with UU Ministry for Earth and UUs for a Just Economic Community in the Spring for Change, a Season of Sacred Activism. The event will culminate with a Write Here! Write Now! advocacy campaign focused on climate and food justice in agricultural policy. (See story below in the Environmental Action section.) As Congress turns its attention to drafting climate legislation, tell Congress that climate legislation must address long-standing disparities in health, job-opportunities and social well-being. For more information, see UUSJ’s Action Alert. Questions? Contact convenor David Shilton dcshilton4@gmail.com Immigration History Webinar This Month On March 24, UUSJ will hold a webinar, “Immigration Policy: Past, Present & Future,” (see Immigration section, below). A follow-up session will take place on April 28. | | | | | | | | Congress Passes Things that UUSJ Advocated Social justice advocates sometimes wonder, “Do our efforts make a real difference?” Especially when letters, meetings with Congressional staff, and meetings with policy-makers don’t result in targeted legislation passing. UUSJ -- which expresses Unitarian Universalist values and raises UU voices -- continues to rack up successes in our key issues areas of immigration, defending democracy, environmental and economic justice. One thing we've learned is that it typically takes years of pushing before Congress passes a bill. For a summary of recent victories and how UUSJ is aligned with the new Administration’s priorities, see full list HERE As John Peterson (Accotink VA, UU Church) notes, "Congressional leadership refused for a long time to bring up for a vote anything that came from the other party, even if it had bipartisan support. In December, they had to pass several bills, and Congress managed to slip many things unpopular with the leadership into those bills." This includes eight provisions that were subjects of UUSJ’s Write Here! Write Now! and meetings with Congress. We remain hopeful for the future as we continue to press forward, working with allies and partners to make for a more just society. Board Member Bio  Ken Mitchell, left, joins other Advocacy Corps volunteers Carol Zachary and Bob McCarthy to deliver UU constituent letters to Sen. Richard Durbin, Nov. 2019
Kenneth Mitchell, First UU Church of Baltimore Ken Mitchell became a member of the UUSJ Board last June when the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore became a UUSJ member congregation. Originally from the Detroit metropolitan area, Ken now lives in Baltimore. He is a convert to Unitarian Universalism with past memberships at All Souls Church Unitarian and First Unitarian Church of Orlando. Ken has extensive experience in public policy with a PhD from the Florida State University in Tallahassee. Prior to retiring, Ken worked for several universities as well as two large IT firms. Ken is an active member of the UUSJ Advocacy Corps and represents his congregation on the UUSJ Board. Prior to the pandemic, he made regular trips from Baltimore to Capitol Hill and played a major role in the Baltimore church becoming a UUSJ member. (see article in June 2020 eNews).
Help Plan UUSJ’s 2021 Social Justice Awards Gala  Celebrants at the 2015 UUSJ Social Justice Awards Gala
Every two years, UUSJ recognizes social justice heroes with our Social Justice Awards Gala, which in 2019 drew 120 UUs from across the region. This year’s event will be held in early fall with planning expected to begin this spring. Please consider lending a hand with planning the event or organizing the awards. For more information, contact info@uusj.org | | | Membership Survey Closes March 7 -- Make Sure Your Voice Is Counted
It's not too late to participate in the UUSJ membership survey -- it’s open until Sunday. March 7. We are aiming for a robust and geographically diverse response: SURVEY. New Short-Term Committee to Review Advocacy Priorities
The UUSJ Board recently approved a short-term Policy and Advocacy Review Committee (PARC) to provide oversight of UUSJ’s advocacy and policy agenda. PARC, relying on the recent UUSJ membership survey and other critical factors, will propose a two-year policy priority and advocacy agenda to the Board. It will also propose an evaluation process to measure how effective the advocacy program is in meeting UUSJ’s advocacy goals and objectives. The Board will review the proposal and make a decision at the Annual Board meeting on June 26. PARC members are Serena Lowe, chair; Tanner Wray, and Sean McCarthy. Contact: Serena Lowe at ewolaneres@gmail.com Upcoming UUSJ Board meetings -- March 20 and June 26
UUSJ’s quarterly Board of Trustees meeting will be via Zoom on March 20, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm ET. The agenda and related materials will be sent to Board members in advance. Board meetings are open to UUSJ members, who may request in advance an opportunity to briefly speak. For more information contact: info@UUSJ.org Looking ahead, UUSJ’s Annual Board meeting will be June 26, 10 am to 1:30 pm ET, also via Zoom. This will be a major transitional meeting to a new governance model, with elections for new board members and officers, and approval of next year’s budget and policy priorities for the next two years. For more information contact: info@UUSJ.org | | | | | | | Unitarian Universalist News | | UU the Vote’s Nicole Pressley Tapped for UUA Organizing Strategy Team  Nicole Pressley, who served as UU the Vote’s national organizer, has joined the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Organizing Strategy Team (OST) as its new field and program director. The Team serves as the base for all of UUA’s outreach justice ministries including UU the Vote, Side with Love, Love Resists, Create Climate Change and more.
In accepting her new post, Nicole said that 2020 raised many questions around the pandemic, police accountability, and dismantling white supremacy and finding ways to engage our faith.
“I believe our faith’s lineage and vision of collective liberation provides tools for us to answer those questions together. By rooting in our faith – embodying our values through care, political action and deep learning – we can imagine a new world and call it into being,” Nicole said.
UUA Organizing Strategy Director Rev. Ashley Horan said the move means that Nicole will bring her strategic thinking, vision for UU organizing, love of justice-centered community to all of the UUA’s justice work. Celebrating UU Women in History March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the incredible and often overlooked contributions women have made throughout history. Many Unitarian, Universalist, and Unitarian Universalist (UU) women have shaped and led the UU faith and left an undeniable impact on history in general. Read here about ten of the countless influential women who changed the world for the better. Webinar: Girls Leading a More Equal World: A virtual High-Level Event in Celebration of IWD 2021 Monday, March 8, 2021 11:30 AM ET Zoom Register HERE When girls are supported to be active in civic and political spaces, they are empowered to become powerful drivers of positive change in their communities. This virtual event commemorating International Women's Day 2021 will highlight the critical importance of girls' leadership and decision-making as a catalyst for achieving a more equal world. Draft Statement of Conscience on Undoing White Supremacy Now Available The UU Association’s draft of this year’s Statement of Conscience, “Undoing Intersectional White Supremacy: A Call to Prophetic Action,” is available for review and study. It calls for Unitarian Universalists to “engage in urgent action to confront the moral crisis of our time,” and is expected to be offered at this year’s virtual General Assembly, June 23-27. Find it here. General Assembly to be Virtual Again in 2021  General Assembly (GA) is scheduled for June 23-27 and will be a 100% virtual event. This year’s theme is: Gather ‘Round for Justice, Health, and Courage. Speakers will delve into theological analysis, organizing for liberation, and the ways we tend our spiritual resilience. Honoring the myriad of communities within Unitarian Universalism, there will be more time for networking, meetups and caucusing over the five days of GA. For more information: https://www.uua.org/ga
Last year, GA had more than 4,900 registered attendees participate virtually from remote locations around the world. General Assembly is the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists, where we conduct the business of the Association, explore the theological underpinnings of our faith, and lean fully into our mission and principles. That remains true even when we cannot gather physically, while we retain our dedication to the community and make our experience more accessible and more environmentally sustainable. In commemoration of Black History Month please enjoy this video clip from the 2016 General Assembly Closing Celebration. Dr. Glen Thomas Rideout with the GA Band and Choir performs “I Need You To Survive” by Hezekiah Walker. https://vimeo.com/516322387 | | | | | | | | | Immigration Legislation  UUSJ is joining other advocacy organizations in supporting national legislation expediting pathways to citizenship for essential workers during the pandemic and their families. If passed, it would provide over five million undocumented workers and families with immediate legal permanent residence status, including a million Dreamers.
Late last month, Reps. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) and Ted Lieu (D-CA) introduced the “Citizenship for Essential Workers Act” -- in the House. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) introduced a similar bill in the Senate on the same day. President Biden’s comprehensive immigration reform bill was also introduced last month in the House and Senate, with many co-sponsors joining sponsors Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Linda Sanchez (D-CA). Among many other components, it would provide all 11 million undocumented persons with a pathway to legal status. Read More Bewildered by Fast Pace on Immigration? Join UUSJ Webinar  After four punitive years for immigrants and would-be asylum seekers, the new administration has put out a dozen executive orders and sent a major bill to Congress to reform our immigration system.
Is it enough? Or just a good first step? Join UUSJ’s Immigration Action Team on Wednesday, March 24 (7:30-9 pm ET) for a webinar on US history of immigration policy which includes Whites-only citizenship! Chinese exclusion! Quotas to keep out southern Europeans! And Reagan’s amnesty for undocumented persons! The Immigration Team will also share its views on the last 10 years and the future its current priorities and seek your feedback. Register HERE to receive the zoom link. Contact Charlotte Jones-Carroll cjonescarroll@aol.com On April 28, the Immigration team will host a town hall zoom meeting to discuss advocacy strategies for legislation in Congress with immigrant-led advocacy organizations, faith partners, and UUs. It will also examine options for smaller bills (Dream Act, Temporary Protective Status, Farmworkers, family reunification, Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Customs and Border Protection oversight) being re-introduced in parallel with the “big” US Citizenship Act of 2021. Help define the focus for UUSJ’s June virtual visits to Congress and mobilize constituents to join in those meetings. | | | | | | | The Most Important Democracy Legislation Since the Voting Rights Act  H.R.1 - For the People Act of 2021 is expected to be voted on by the House early this month. Considered the most important democracy legislation since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, it addresses voter access, election integrity and security, political spending and ethics. If passed, the For the People Act would:
• Make it easier for all citizens to vote;
• Restore voting rights and offer new protections for voters;
• End gerrymandering so that electoral districts are fairly drawn;
• Reduce the impact of big money in politics; and
• Hold government officials accountable with new ethics standards.
UUSJ and other supporters strongly believe the bill is desperately needed to address the ongoing assault on the country's democracy that includes a violent attempt to overturn results of the November election as well as state legislatures working to pass new voter suppression laws. In the House, the bill has enough co-sponsors to ensure passage early this month. The Senate is slated to hold hearings later this month with Senate Republicans expected to vote as a block against passage. The bill could become a test case for eliminating the filibuster or changing Senate filibuster rules to add democracy as a legislative subject that requires only a majority vote. Passage of H.R. 1 and its Senate companion S. 1 is the Democracy Action Team’s top priority, along with many other democracy groups including: League of Women Voters, Declaration for American Democracy, Common Cause, and our partner Faithful Democracy. UUSJ urges immediate passage of H.R.1 see the letter to Congress we joined as part of the Faithful Democracy Coalition. A healthy, well-functioning democracy is critical in addressing any of the issues our faith calls us to act on. The Democracy Action Team and our colleagues at Faithful Democracy will be meeting this month with Democratic and Republican senators to urge passage of this important legislation. Watch for an Action Alert you can send to your senators wherever you live. Contact Fred Van Deusen, Democracy Action Team convenor, fredvandeu@gmail.com | | | | | Environmental and Climate Justice | |  When you imagine paths to social and ecological healing and regeneration, what do you see? Who is with you on your journey? What gives way to new beginnings? Who and/or what are you accountable to?
Explore these questions and more at Spring for Change – A Season of Sacred Activism, as part of the sacred practice of learning, reflection, practice, and action, March 20-May 7. As part of this effort, UUSJ is partnering with UU Ministry for Earth (UUMFE), and UUs for Just Economic Community (UUJEC) for a Write here! Write Now! (WHWN) letter-writing advocacy campaign on climate and food justice. This will culminate with virtual meetings with US House and Senate staffers, April 26-May 7. The campaign will include the Intergenerational Virtual Spring Seminar on Climate & Food Justice, hosted by the UU Office at the United Nations. Youth and young adults are encouraged to provide posters and artwork to demonstrate their commitment. For full details of planned events and how to get involved, click HERE. Global Day of Action on the Climate Crisis, March 11  A broad coalition of religious and faith groups will sound the 11th Hour Alarm! for climate justice at the doorstep of the Biden Administration and the U.S. Congress at 11 am ET on March 11. Participants will Sound the Alarm with bells, gongs and horns. COVID-Safety practices will be strictly adhered to.
This event is part of SACRED PEOPLE, SACRED EARTH (SPSE), the largest ever global, multi-faith Day of Action on the climate crisis. UU Ministry for Earth is among the faith groups that have signed on and will participate along with UUSJ. Gathering at the Washington monument, participants will carry the coalition’s Ten Demands to U.S. representatives in the Nation’s Capital. These include respecting Indigenous peoples’ rights (demand #4) by stopping the Line 3 pipeline, and supporting just contributions to climate financing from wealthier countries (demand #9) by accelerating U.S. commitments to the Green Climate Fund. The event will also highlight the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which align with the SPSE’s 10 Demands. Details and RSVP Here. Facebook page HERE Green Your Spring Outlook with a Good Environmental Movie  More than 100 environment-related films will be shown (all virtually) during the Environmental Film Fest https://dceff.org), March 3-18. This is the largest and longest-running Green film festival in the world. Special guest film-makers and advocates will lead discussions. Join Webinar on Public Health and Climate Change, March 21 The Climate Action Group at UU Congregation of Fairfax is conducting “Public Health and Climate Change: A conversation with experts on risks, special populations, and strategies to reduce health impacts” on Sunday, March 21, 2-3 pm via Zoom. See FLYER for full details. | | | | | | | Raise the Federal Minimum Wage  The fight for $15 continues. Late last week, the Senate Parliamentarian found that the $15/hr measure could not remain in the COVID relief package under consideration through reconciliation. President Biden is disappointed but respects this decision. Advocates must now either push for an override of that decision, or gain support for the Raise the Wage Act or add it to another bill. Currently, our partners such as the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral revival are pushing for an override of the decision.
As UUs, we believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all. One way we can put this into practice is by asking our leaders to show people that they are valued by paying them adequately. Last month, UUSJ hosted an issue briefing on raising the minimum wage with Jaya Chatterjee, Service Employees International Union (SEIU); David Cooper, Economic Policy Institute (EPI); Shailly Gupta Barnes, Poor People's Campaign (PPC); and Alex, a minimum-wage worker from Florida who holds three jobs. You can see the recording of the briefing HERE. Shailly Gupta Barnes characterized the effort as a Kiros moment: A moment of great change and transition, where the old ways of doing things are breaking down, new ones are trying to emerge, and decisive action is demanded. Now is a critical opportunity for allies to defend and promote the needs of essential workers, poor and low-income folks, she said. David Cooper made the economic case for a $15 minimum wage by 2025. He noted that the benefit of raising the minimum wage would go disproportionately to those most affected by the pandemic. These include: - 35% of workers in residential or nursing care facilities
- 36% of retail workers, including 42% of grocery store workers
- 43% of janitors, housekeepers, and building cleaning workers
- 64% of servers, cooks, and other food preparation workers (whose annual earnings average would increase by $5,800)
- 10 million workers in health care, education, construction, and manufacturing
Jaya Chatterjee looked at the legislative landscape and offered talking points in defense of a $15/hr federal minimum wage. For more information email us at info@uusj.org | | | | | | | | Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice
7750 16th St NW, | Washington, District of Columbia 20012
202-600-9132 | info@uusj.org | | | | | | | |
