First Time Attendee's GA Resource
General Assembly
General Assembly (GA), the annual meeting of congregations in the Unitarian Universalist Association, is happening this June in Forth Worth, TX! Find information and be sure to register for Youth Caucus if you're between the ages of fourteen and twenty!Hooray friends! You are going to “GA”! Now, General Assembly has a lot of amazing opportunities to get involved in the larger world of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), but it can also be very intimidating. At my first GA, I was completely overwhelmed; there were people everywhere, a million workshops at once, dances, performances, and much more. I knew I wanted to meet people and get the most out of my GA experience; I just didn't know how. Luckily I got through it and learned how to have a better GA the next year.
Here are some tips for making the most out of your first GA.
Youth Caucus
Youth Caucus is programming especially for folks 14-20. This includes workshops, worship, ID groups, dances, and many other great events. Don’t miss the big events of GA: The Opening Ceremony is a big event that begins GA, and the Closing Ceremony is where we say good-bye to GA for another year. The Service of the Living Tradition is where our ministers are r ecognized. In the Bridging Ceremony, youth bridge into young adulthood.If you haven't already, become a youth delegate for your church. Youth delegates get to vote in plenary, the major business component of General Assembly, which selects social justice issues for the UUA to work on, and elects people to committees and at-large positions on the UUA Board of Trustees. Going to plenary (whether or not you’re a delegate) is a great way to get your voice heard and understand how the UUA works on a greater level.
Go to Fun Times, the business meeting of Youth Caucus and speak to people like UUA President Bill Sinkford, learn about continental Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUUs), and help elect (or possibly run for) youth leadership roles.
Identity Groups
Identity Groups are places where you can explore your racial identity as a white person and/or a Person of Color. They are great for developing and deepening your anti-racism analysis and a tactic for making YRUU and the UUA a more inclusive community.
Workshops
Go to workshops that you are interested in. There is a program that lists all the workshops with descriptions. Circle which workshops you're interested in in advance so you aren't as overwhelmed when you get there. Take notes and get the contact info of the presenters so you have them as resources for later.
Worship
Going to worship is a great way to center yourself when GA is chaotic. As a faith community, worship is an important component of GA. Every night there is a youth worship, as well as the All-GA Youth Worship on Monday night.
Network
In the exhibition hall, don't just buy things, network! For example, if you are interested in economic justice, go to the Unitarian Universalists (UUs) for a Just Economic Community booth and introduce yourself. Find out how you can get involved the other 360 days of the year. Some questions you can ask are "Do you have any volunteer opportunities?", "Do you have any conferences coming up?", and/or "Are there any materials I can take back to my youth group?"
Meet Adults
Introducing yourself to adults at intergenerational events such as the All-GA Dance and the Intergenerational Breakfast as well as workshops is a great way to start relationships with adults who may turn into mentors. Most adults love meeting youth, so just introduce yourself and tell them what you're interested in and where you're from. Hopefully the rest will take care of itself.
Message Board
There is a message board at GA; post notes for your friends or family if you can't find them, and you might get notes too!!
Don't forget to breathe. There is so much going on it is easy to forget to eat or even sleep. Slow down, take some time off for self-care, and remember to play some, too!
For more information contact youth @ uua.org.
Last updated on Saturday, April 19, 2008.
