Letter from the UUA Leadership Council Regarding the Resignation of Rev. Peter Morales, March 30, 2017

March 30, 2017

Dear Unitarian Universalists,

We write this having learned from our President, the Rev. Peter Morales, his intention to resign from his leadership position in our faith. We honor him for his service to our Unitarian Universalist movement. We hope that his difficult decision will open a new way for the work of racial justice in our own house.

We want to apologize for the way our leadership at the UUA has fallen far short in building the diverse Associational office that the core values of our faith demand. In addition, we understand that our responses and silence in response to recent public statements have layered harm upon harm.

We take very seriously the question of how our policies, practices, leadership and culture systematically center and advantage white people within Unitarian Universalism. We acknowledge that it is past time for us to examine more deeply than we ever have the patterns of institutional racism that are embedded in our practices of leadership, including hiring.

It has been humbling, devastatingly sad, and inspiring to read so many courageous calls to a deeper justice, to more courage, more faithfulness from us, especially from Unitarian Universalists of Color who have helped us hold a mirror to our own institution. We recommit ourselves and our service to this call.

In the next week, we will begin putting together a plan for how we will engage in an immediate internal review of how our institution advantages white leaders, and Unitarian Universalists. This will include a review of hiring and promotion procedures and goals, the involvement of outside expertise, working together with the UUA Board, and engaging in critical self-examination about how all of our programs and initiatives advance our commitment to anti-racism and inclusivity.

We will be examining our own hearts, listening humbly, and partnering with other leaders in our faith to find our way forward.

We are grateful for your faithful, angry, disappointed, loving expressions of your hopes for our faith. This, all of it, is what will carry us to a new way.

Yours in service,

Rev. Harlan Limpert 
Chief Operating Officer

Tim Brennan 
Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer

Rev. Mary Katherine Morn 
Director of Stewardship and Development

Helene Atwan 
Director of Beacon Press

Taquiena Boston 
Director of Multicultural Growth and Witness

Rev. Scott Tayler 
Director for Congregational Life

John Hurley 
Director of Communications

Rev. Sarah Lammert 
Director of Ministries and Faith Development

Rob Molla 
Director of Human Resources

Mark Steinwinter 
Director of Information Technology Services