Establishment of a Black Concerns Working Group 1985 Business Resolution

WHEREAS, racism against Blacks is a pervasive social problem; and

WHEREAS, our denomination believes in the inherent worth and dignity of every person, in the democratic process based on equality and freedom, and in the individual right to enjoy all of our constitutional and other legal rights; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of the Unitarian Universalist Association has recognized the presence of racism in our denomination, as evidenced in conclusions of the Institutional Racism Audit; and

WHEREAS, our religious beliefs and our faith in the democratic principles impose upon us an obligation to oppose racism wherever we find it, and we recognize that our efforts to end racism against Blacks are also means of ending racism against all oppressed people in our society;

BE IT RESOLVED: That the 1985 General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association recommends that there be established a Black Concerns Working Group of the Social Responsibility Section to assist in the implementation of the Report of the Task Force on Racism as approved by the 1984 General Assembly whose tasks shall be:

  1. Helping Unitarian Universalist societies increase their awareness of racism and showing them how to reach out to minority groups by:
    1. providing educational material on the nature, causes, and consequences of racism to be made available to individual members of every congregation; and
    2. encouraging our societies, area councils and districts to establish Black Concerns Subcommittees or to appoint individuals to deal with the issue of racism as it pertains to individual societies both as a moral imperative and as a means of creating an environment within our association more inclusive of diverse races, cultures, and classes;
    3. drawing upon and publicizing the experience and knowledge of individual members of Unitarian Universalist societies who can contribute special insights into the issue of racism;
  2. Initiating and suggesting activities designed to influence our political leaders at every level of government to eradicate racism whether imbedded in law or in social custom or practice; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That this Assembly urges that an adequate budget be established for the realization of the intent of this resolution.