| | | | | | Climate Crisis Invites Us to Imagine Regenerative Economy | | | | Lily Hartzell writes for the UU World about her participation in the UU Advancing Economic and Climate Justice as a Moral Issue: Building a Movement for A Green New Deal Conference in DC during September 15-17 that included a UUSJ-organized lobby day on day three. UUSJ was a co-hosting, co-organizing partner for the conference. Lily concludes “the crushing interconnectedness of our world’s problems can be leveraged to create a comprehensive solution” among other observations. See her full article. For details on the conference see the Environmental and Climate Justice section below. | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | November 12 - Election Security UUSJ Capitol Hill Advocacy Corps Day & Write Here! Write Now! The UUSJ Advocacy Corps will urge the Senate to appropriate adequate funds to secure our elections and to secure funding for states and localities at the House (H.R. 3351) level of $600M election security. The Senate has including appropriations funding at an inadequate level (S. 2524) of only $250M. Mark your calendar! The November Advocacy Corps Day is Tuesday Nov. 12 — our regular second Tuesday of the month. Write Here! Write Now! letters are due Monday, Nov. 11 by 12pm ET. For participation details email advocacy@uusj.org. Join UUSJ and others in supporting a Day of Action on November 13 calling for this critical election security funding in time to be used before the upcoming 2020 elections. Join or host a Secure Our Vote activity for Nov 13. | | “Keep the pressure on…” Advocacy for Climate Stewardship & Clean Energy Economy! | | At October’s Advocacy Day, 21 members of UUSJ’s Advocacy Corps (AC), had conversations with House staff around passing comprehensive legislation to avert a climate crisis and achieve a 100% clean energy economy no later than 2050. Two bills were the focus, the Climate Stewardship Act of 2019 H.R.4269 introduced September 10 read full text here (companion bill in the Senate - Sen. Booker D-NJ) and the 100% Clean Economy Act ( an article in Forbes about the bill). House staff comments included: “keep the pressure on,” and “continue to have visits to get more people to co-sign,” and “individual citizens and volunteer groups like UUSJ and other faith organizations are very important players in the legislative process, as they have credibility.” The AC visited 52 House of Representative offices, delivered 161 personal letters, and had 20 face-to-face meetings with key offices in a mix of scheduled and drop-in visits. | | | | | | | | | | | We Got Jazzed at the Social Justice Awards Gala | | Nearly 120 UUs got jazzed about social justice -- the theme of the biennial Gala -- on Oct. 6. The UU Church of Arlington (VA) hosted the Gala to celebrate the many ways area UUs advance social justice. The 10 awardees shared their reflections, and we spent the evening with new and old friends, enjoying live jazz music and refreshments. Learn more about the awardees HERE and photos HERE. | | UUSJ Seeks… UUSJ is seeking an administrative assistant. The position has been posted. Suggestions? Contact: info@UUSJ.org. | | Want to Donate to UUSJ with Tax Savvy? Have a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)? Consider directing your DAF to make a distribution to UUSJ - Start by using DAF Direct HERE. | | | | Urge UUs in Federal Service (and retirees) to support UUSJ through the Combined Federal Campaign — CFC #17271 UUs from across the country look to those of us in the national capital area to be an important presence on the ground, to stand for UU values at national rallies and in the halls of Congress. Help UUSJ meet that need, and ask your friends and family in government service, including retirees, to support CFC #17271. Deadline is January 12, 2020. Spread the word at your congregations by printing and posting this CFC poster at UU congregations and meetings. A version of this will appear as an ad in the Winter issue of UU World. | | | | | | Unitarian Universalist News and Event | | | | Witness Journeys in 2020! | | At a time of deepening crisis for immigrants and asylum seekers, the UU College of Social Justice is organizing two immersion journeys to deepen your understanding of the migration crisis and support your justice ministry with theological reflection among colleagues. Both trips are for religious professionals and lay leaders. The Root Causes Journey to El Salvador will be January 19-26, 2020, with the UU Service Committee partner Cristosal and led by UUSC’s Director of Activism and Justice Education Rev. Kathleen McTigue. For more information, see the blog post Defend the Human Rights of Migrants: Root Causes. The spring Border Witness journey to Tucson, AZ, April 13-17, 2020, will be led by UUSC President Mary Katherine Morn. Generous scholarship aid is available for religious professionals and seminary students. | | | | | | | | | Protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) in November #HomeIsHere | | | | On Tuesday, November 12, supporters will gather at the steps of the Supreme Court and at events across the nation to protect DACA! Find a rally near you to join the expected millions nationwide. In DC, gather by 10:00am ET at One (1) First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, with the rally expected to end near 3 p.m. Please wear Side With Love shirts or gear, clergy are encouraged to wear your collars and stoles. Demand the Court protect DACA recipients and all immigrants. It’s time to put an end to this fear and uncertainty. Post to the #HomeIsHere twitter feed and facebook event page to show solidarity and declare your intent to mobilize Nov. 12. | | Texas UU Justice Ministry to Visit DC on Sanctuary Issues | | The Rev. Chuck Freeman, TXUUJM Executive Director will join the National Sanctuary Collective (NSC) as they return to Washington, DC November 11-14, to raise awareness on the importance of private bills to protect immigrant families in physical sanctuary in the United States. During September, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) took the rare step of introducing private immigration legislation for Hilda, Ivan and Alirio, in physical sanctuary in Texas. Faced with a major outcry from groups like the Austin Sanctuary Network, ICE has just withdrawn its draconian fine notice (for amounts of $300,000 to $500,000) sent to seven women in physical sanctuary around the US, including Hilda. See UUSJ’s previous statement on the issue of fines. | | Support Sanctuary for Rosa at Cedar Lane UUC - Trainings Saturday, November 16, 9:00 -10:30 AM Thursday, November 21, 6:30 - 9:00 PM Registration requested For questions contact sanctuarysupport@cedarlane.org
During November you can learn how to support the physical sanctuary of Rosa Gutierrez Lopez. All trainings will be held in the Cedar Lane Chalice House. Dates in January are available via the registration form. | | Want to join UUSJ’s Immigration Task Group? The task group meets by Zoom on most alternate Thursdays at 4pmET. Contact Charlotte Jones-Carroll (cjonescarroll@aol.com). | | | | | | Environmental and Climate Justice | | | | | UUs Made a Splash on the Hill for Climate and Economic Justice | | September 15-17, UUSJ co-sponsored this national conference, convening 150 UUs, with many amazing speakers. See the speaker agenda, review a summary by Adam Wasserman, board member of our partner UUs for Just Economic Community (formerly of both UUSJ and UUC Fairfax, VA), or view a blog post by Aly Tharp, Program Director, of our partner UU Ministry for Earth. This effort led by UUJEC, UUSJ, All Souls DC and UUMFE leveraged 26 face-to-face meetings with Senate staff, delivering more than 990 letters from UUs, and lifting the voices of 35 congregations across the country. It might have been the largest outing of UUs to do Hill advocacy in recent memory. Photos of conference sessions HERE and advocacy HERE, or our Twitter feed. | | | | | | | | | | | End Cash Money Bail During October, Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) and Love Resists held a one-hour webinar to kickoff the 2020 campaign of community teams focused on ending money bail. Bail keeps people in jail for weeks, months and even years - away from their families, friends and communities - before they even see a judge. Review related content on the Love Resists End Money Bail page, in short order a recording of the session will be avialable. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Faithful Democracy UUSJ participates in an interfaith working group focused on money in politics and good governance advocacy efforts. Our peer faith-based organizations are looking ahead to 2020 as a highly-active year for democracy issues, and work has already begun. The current advocacy agenda includes: -
Promoting the faith-leaders call on Congress to restore the Voters’ Covenant. UUSJ has signed on to the statement of purpose -- Restoring the Voters’ Covenant. -
Funding election security by Nov. 21 - the UUSJ Nov. 12 Advocacy Corps Day and Write Here! Write Now! topic to urge the Senate to appropriate funds at the same level as the House at $600 million vs. Senate’s $250 million. (Link to WHWN page HERE.) -
Endorsing the Stopping Harmful Interference in Elections for a Lasting Democracy (SHIELD) Act H.R. 4617 and H.J. Res 2 that would end Citizens United. | | Faith Leaders Called on Congress to Restore the Voters’ Covenant “As Unitarian Universalists, our 5th Principle affirms ‘the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large’. Therefore, we advocate for restoration of full protections under the Voting Rights Act. When our democracy is in peril, so too are our civil rights. Racial discrimination and voter suppression are on the rise—an unacceptable circumstance to freedom-loving citizens of the United States and one that our faith calls us to confront. The pernicious impacts of Shelby County v. Holder must be halted and reversed.” - Pablo DeJesus, Executive Director, UUSJ
This was among several statements from national faith leaders calling for the need to protect the Voting Rights Act at the October 17 hearings of the Committee on House Administration: “Voting Rights And Election Administration In America” and the House JudiciarySubcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee: “Legislative Proposals to Strengthen the Voting Rights Act.” Much like when the original VRA passed over 40 years ago, the faith community is leading the way to ensure that all Americans have the right and are empowered to vote. Interfaith partners urged quick passage of the Voting Rights Advancement Act or equally strong legislation to renew Section 5 preclearance requirements to ensure that voting rights are protected. | | Want to join UUSJ’s Defending Our Democracy (DRD) Task Group? Most DRD meetings are on the first Sunday of the month at 7:30 p.m. ET and held by Zoom. The next meeting is November 3rd. For details, contact Lavona Grow at advocacy@uusj.org | | | | | | | | | | | Chris Crass Workshop in DMV Beyond White Fragility: Courage for Racial Justice & Collective Liberation Saturday, November 9, 2019 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM UUC Fairfax, VA at Hunter Mill Rd Oakton, VA 22124 Registration requested. Cost: $10 for lunch, payable with registration or at the door. | | All are invited to this interactive workshop with social justice educator, author and organizer Chris Crass, a leading voice calling for and supporting white people to work for racial justice. Whether you’ve been active for decades or a few days, don’t miss this chance to develop inspiration, resilience and courage for racial justice. The workshop is for all who want to do this work. | | | | | | | | Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ)
7750 16th St NW, | Washington, District of Columbia 20012
202-600-9132 | info@uusj.org | | | | | | | | | |
