Painting by Joo Young Choi
Wink - Youth Office Editorial
by Joo Young ChoiYou know, it is interesting when people ask me what my job is. I first tell people that I work with young leaders who are members of an organization called Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUUs). Usually, people ask what YRUU is. I explain how it is a spiritually inclusive community of young leaders that are well known for their social justice organizing.
People will normally give me a look, one of those confused looks, it’s not rare to get a raised eyebrow or two.
Spiritual? They ask. How does that work? Are they Christian? Are they Buddhist? What is their focus?
The way I have always looked at it, is that when it comes to doing social justice work, it is incredibly important for there to be a spiritual focus. In the past I have been involved in political organizations, and although they have been fun, the community building, the identity work, the DNSes (deep ‘n soulfuls) have not always been there. There is a loose connection. The connection of our trust and deep founded love for each other and for the need for social justice in this world.
I have come to understand the gift of a spiritual community also to be a place of growth. In a political organization it is, in my own opinion, far easier to 'let people go' or 'drop people' when they have messed up, when they have said the 'wrong thing,' when they make 'unforgivable mistakes.'
With YRUU, I feel that because it is a spiritual community, we aim to catch people when they fall. When we fail, when the pressures of our lives are too great, we are there as a community to support one another.
This may not always be the case, but I feel that the goal of beloved community shows that this is what we are aiming for.
It is so key to me, the spiritual idea of beloved community which was first introduced to me by Unitarian Universalism. It says to me that we must work to end injustice so that our community can be a safe place for all, so that it can be beloved, and we must work to let each individual grow and learn about themselves and the people around them to create a community.
What a gift it is, to organize with people who believe that the inherent worth and dignity of each person is so vital to how they live, work, play, and—worship! What a gift it is to come to the table knowing that there is room for each person to make mistakes, for each person to grow, to fail, to celebrate success together. It brings me peace to know that I am involved in a community that not only believes in justice-making, but also believes it is important to support those who are a part of this organization.
Although I am not Unitarian Universalist, I have a love for the Unitarian Universalists that I have met, many of them have become my friends, my allies, my sisters and brothers, and even adult mentors (spiritual uncles and aunts).
And that, too, has meant so much for me, to be so closely involved with an organization that is spiritually inclusive enough to let me work, play, and organize with them and never have they ever tried to convert me.
What Unitarian Universalism has given me is a space to look deeper into my own identity and the identities of those around me, a deeper look into the importance of truth and meaning, and a validation of my oppressions, my aspirations, my joys and my fears. It has educated me on how systemic racism works, how internalized oppression works, and how to combat it, how to work with others, how to believe you are worthy to be loved by a community of people. It has helped me to map my way through life, it has helped to validate my choices to travel down the road of social justice organizing, of being a spiritual person, and of course, it has helped to map out the way of my heart.
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Friday, April 18, 2008.
