YA@GA: Young Adults at General Assembly

By Annie Gonzalez Milliken

GA_2014_logo_1

GA_2014_logo_1

A new vision for young adults at GA 2014 is coming your way.

Greetings young adult UU friends and family! We are your 2014 General Assembly Co-Facilitators, Hannah Roberts and Nic Cable.

We’ve been basking in the energy and momentum coming out of Louisville and GA 2013. The surveys from Louisville showed that young adults who attended GA were most interested in (1) meaningful networking, (2) skill-building for young adult ministry in their congregations, (3) worshipping, and (4) discussing trends in our faith/the future of Unitarian Universalism. We feel called to respond to these wishes by radically re-imagining young adult programming in order to support and enhance General Assembly and broaden our UU young adult community.

We envision a presence at General Assembly 2014 that is on the forefront of the GA theme “Love Reaches Out.” We recognize the immense diversity and talent that exists within our age cohort. Therefore, we want young adults to share their leadership and skills with the entire General Assembly while also creating spaces geared toward the spectrum of young adult experiences.

Younger adults at GA represent a range of experiences and identities. We are college students; we are young professionals. We are lifelong UUs; we are newcomers to the faith. We are single; we are partnered; we have children. We are thoroughly involved in this religious movement; we may want to be; we may not know how to be. All of us are committed to Unitarian Universalism and to its growth and vitality in the world!

So, we are thinking in new ways about how to serve you (young adults) at GA. This is a taste of what we hope to bring to you this summer: YA@GA 2014 WE CONNECT

  • Mutually inspiring support for youth bridging into young adulthood
  • Connections for young adults with identity-based ministries (DRUUMM, Interweave, etc.)
  • Networking opportunities for young adult lay-leaders
  • Networking opportunities for young religious professionals
  • Social media presence and blogs

WE WORSHIP

  • Dynamic Synergy Celebration, a sign of our bright future
  • Innovative worships throughout GA
  • An infusion of spiritual and worshipful moments throughout young adult programming
  • Continuing our commitment to multicultural worship without cultural misappropriation

WE LEAD

  • Skill-building workshops specifically targeted toward young adults
  • Leading the continued push for a denomination grounded in anti-racist, anti-oppressive, and multi-cultural work
  • Smaller gatherings and drop-in sessions to help young adults understand and digest the business of the Association
  • GA Talks, a series of multimedia events showcasing people on the leading edge of Unitarian Universalism, working to revolutionize how we live out our faith in the world

As we begin to search for other volunteer staff (applications coming soon, check back to find out how to apply!) and develop specific programs, we look forward to keeping y’all in the know about exciting new opportunities. If you haven’t liked our Facebook Page yet, please do so to stay connected with young adults and information related to this summer!

Looking forward to taking this journey with you all! In Faith, Hannah Roberts and Nic Cable 2014 YA@GA Co-Facilitators