Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office Intergenerational Spring Semina

Spring Seminar 2013

Sex, Love, and Violence: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in a Globalized World

April 4th-6th (youth arrive the evening of April 3, 2013, in New York City

Registration

Please register via our online form. You will be reminded to also fill out the online payment form or mail a check.

Registration is not complete until we have received your application as well as payment.

For online payment please go to Unitarian Universalist (UU) College of Social Justice Program Payment Form and use our trip code: UUUNO

Or you can mail a check/cheque to:

UU College of Social Justice
ATTN: Sam Jones
689 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139

If you mail a check please alert by email sjones @ uuscj.org.

*Can't attend this year? Sponsor a youth attendee! Enter &quotScholarship&quot in the Participant field and &quotUUUNO&quot in the Program Code field.

Early Bird Rates (until March 1st)

• Senior (65+) $295
• Adult $340
• Young Adult $225
• Youth/Seminary $140
• Day Rate $160

Rates after March 1st until March 15th Deadline

• Senior (65+) $355
• Adult $395
• Young Adult $285
• Youth/Seminary $175
• Day Rate $160

Further information about registration and payment to come. Registration does NOT cover housing for participants 18+. Youth are all housed in a UU congregation (4th U). Contact us via email, unitednations @ uua.org, with subject line: Spring Seminar. Hotel and discount opportunity suggestions are available.

Spring Seminar 2013

Sex, Love, and Violence: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in a Globalized World

Keynote Speakers

• Charles Radcliffe—Chief, Global Issues Section of The Office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights
• Andre Banks—Co-Founder and Executive Director of AllOut, &quotAdding people power to the historic fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) issues.&quot

Panels

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity 101

• Alex Kapitan—LGBTQ and Multicultural Programs Administration, Unitarian Universalist Association
• Bruce Knotts—Director, Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office

Being LGBTQ & Religious: Interfaith Perspectives

• Rev. Dr. Monica Cummings—Director, Ministry to Youth and Young Adults of Color, UUA
• Imam Daayiee Abdullah—Director, LGBT Outreach Muslims for Progressive Values and Light of Reform Mosque 
• Dr. Manoj Pardasani - Faculty Research Scholar at the Ravazzin Center for Social Work Research in Aging and Associate Professor at the Fordham University
• Rev. Canon Albert J. Ogle- President, St. Paul's Foundation for International Reconciliation

Who is Telling Your Story? LGBTQ Representation in Culture and Media

• Ross Murray—Director of Religion, Faith and Values, GLAAD
• Hudson Taylor—Founding Executive Director, Athlete Ally; Wrestling Coach at Columbia University
• Yetta Kurland—Civil Rights Attorny; Educator; Radio Host; Small Business Owner and Community Activist

When Love is a Crime: Global Discrimination & Criminalization of LGBTQ

• Dr. Bobbi Nassar—Vice Chair for the NGO Committee on Human Rights; Main Representative to UN for the International Federation of Settlements
• Hossein Alizadeh—Middle East & North Africa Program Coordinator, International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights
• Pam Spees—Senior Staff Attorney, International Human Rights Program at the Center for Constitutional Rights
• Joanne Law - Canadian Transgender Activist

Bearing Witness: Forward Movement Towards Equality and Recognition

• Joshua Boyles—HIV Activist; Nursing student at the Borough of Manhattan Community
• Pauline Park—Chair, new York Association for Gender Rights Advocacy
• Kyle Schuessler— Transgender Activist

What is the Spring Seminar?

Every April, youth and adults from around the United States and Canada gather in New York City for our exciting and educational Intergenerational Spring Seminar.

You should attend the Spring Seminar to…

• Gain a deep understanding on topics of global concern
• Listen to insightful speakers from around the world
• Learn, make friends, have fun, and even sleep!
• Take on important leadership roles in planning and execution

All participants gain a deep understanding on a topic of global concern in a fun intergenerational environment. Past seminars have focused on poverty, HIV, human trafficking, peacekeeping, climate change, and empowerment of women. Approximately seventy-five youth and youth advisors stay at one of our Manhattan-based Unitarian Universalist (UU) congregations while learning, connecting with others, organizing and mobilizing. Not only do youth attend the conference, but many also hold important leadership roles in its planning and execution.

Spring Seminar History

The 2012 topic was Race and Immigration which is also our 2012 United Nation (UN) Sunday topic. Our upcoming seminar will focus on stopping violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI). The seminar is April 4th-6th, 2013, with youth arriving on the evening April 3rd for youth and advisor orientation.

• 2012: Beyond Borders: Breaking Barriers of Race and Immigration
• 2011: Empower Women for a Better World
• 2010: A Climate of Change

Seminar Statement 2012

Throughout the seminar participants meet in collaboration groups to discuss and process the informational panels and activities. At the end of the conference, each collaboration group submits a statement which contributes to our annual Spring Seminar Statement. Below is our collective statement from 2012.

Beyond Borders: Breaking Barriers of Race and Immigration

Whereas:

Immigration and race impact all people regardless of gender, class, ethnicity, and faith;

Unfortunately, racism, prejudice, and discrimination are prevalent and socially acceptable nationally and internationally;

Race and citizenship status affects one’s ability to access education, health care, employment and other human rights;

Due to immigration status, youth are denied the basic human right of education in our communities;

Migration is on the rise due to increasingly volatile and insecure situations in home countries;

Undocumented individuals who already live in the United States and Canada have limited access to resources and paths to citizenship;

400,000 people are detained and deported each year in the US alone;

We are a global community of many races and ethnic groups whose experiences and beliefs shape our perceptions;

Race is a social construct and regardless of that, racism is real and affects us all;

Racial discrimination prevents individuals from reaching their full potential as global citizens,

Racial discrimination, particularly when it intersects with immigration, explicitly undermines the tenets laid out in the UN Charter;

Ignorance of others’ languages, experiences, and cultures leads to racism and discrimination;

No person is “illegal” and the arbitrary borders that separate us physically should not be used to separate us mentally and emotionally and keep the underprivileged in poverty.

We hereby resolve to:

Remain open, accepting and affirming of the differences in others and live up to our first UU Principle of promoting and affirming the inherent worth and dignity of every person;

Build a society where people are accepted regardless of race, gender and/or immigration status by breaking down the barriers that divide us;

Reject discrimination as a social norm;

Advocate for revision of our countries’ immigration laws to become more humane;

Support the implementation of less costly and more efficient methods to obtain legal status;

Encourage our communities to actively support and insure the passage of the DREAM Act and other related legislation;

Stand in solidarity with every member of our human family, lending our voice, energy and privilege to raise up our brothers and sisters experiencing discrimination;

Unite to teach our home communities that we are not severed ethnicities but one human race.

Get Involved

Learn how to get involved with the United Nations Office.