EVENT: B2018 0623 GENERAL SESSION 5 9AM CAPTIONS PROVIDED BY: HEAR INK HTTP://WWW.HEARINK.COM PHONE: 314-427-1113. **********DISCLAIMER********** THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNEDITED ROUGH DRAFT TRANSLATION FROM THE CART CAPTIONER'S OUTPUT FILE. THIS TRANSCRIPT IS NOT VERBATIM AND HAS NOT BEEN PROOFREAD. TO DO SO IS AN EXTRA FEE. THIS FILE MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE SPEAKER(S) FOR ANY CLARIFICATION. THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE COPIED OR DISSEMINATED TO ANYONE UNLESS YOU OBTAIN WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE OFFICE OR SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT IS PROVIDING CART CAPTIONING TO YOU; FINALLY, THIS TRANSCRIPT MAY NOT BE USED IN A COURT OF LAW. **********DISCLAIMER********** >> I NOW CALL TO ORDER THE FIFTH GENERAL SESSION OF THE FIFTY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. [APPLAUSE] OKAY. SO IF THE CROWD COULD COME TO A HUSH. BECAUSE I WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN TODAY AND I DON'T WANT TO YOU SAY I DIDN'T HEAR IT, BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE WAS TALKING. OR THEY? AND THEN YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO NEW YOU PEOPLE AS THEY COME IN. IS THAT OKAY? THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE TWO BYLAWS THAT ARE BEING MOVED TO THE FRONT OF THE AGENDA. OKAY? THAT'S THE LREDA AND THE UU TRUSTEES. THE ELECTIONS ARE MOVING TO SUNDAY, BECAUSE THE CANDIDATE FORUM NEEDS TO HAPPEN BEFORE WE ELECT PEOPLE. YOU READY? SO WE'RE DOING THIS NOW. OPENING WORDS, THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM, AND THE JPC, THEN A QUICK RULES AND PROCESS REVIEW, BYLAWS. WE'RE GOING TO SING. THEN WE'RE GOING TO DO ACTS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS, MORE SINGING SO THAT PEOPLE CAN VOTE, DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD, USC REPORT, THE UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE REPORT, AND THE REST OF THE AGENDA IS THE WAY IT WAS IN YOUR PROGRAM. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? WONDERFUL. WE ALL NEED DEFENSE AGAINST THE IMPULSE OF IMMEDIATE FEELINGS THAT CHALLENGE OUR BEST INTENTIONS. IT IS FESS TO BE REMINDED FROM TIME TO TIME OF WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO AND WHAT YOU REALLY WANT OVER AND ABOVE THE LURE OF MOMENTARY COMFORT. COVENANT IS OUR WORD FOR THE SOLEMN PROMISES THAT COUNTERACT THE RANDOMNESS OF A FUTURE IN WHICH ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE. BY COMMITTING US IN ADVANCE TO CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND VALUES, WE DO THIS BECAUSE WHAT WE BUILD WITH INTENTION AND EVEN WITH DIFFICULTY IS MORE SATISFYING IN THE LONG RUN THAN THE PLEASURES THAT WE HAPPEN TO ENCOUNTER. WE DO IT IN TIME-CONSUMING RITUALS, INVOKING POWERS THAT WE SCARCELY KNOW HOW TO NAME, BECAUSE WE ARE SEEKING SOME WAY TO GIVE OUR LIVES THE DENSITY AND DIGNITY AND DEPTH THAT WE SUSPECT WITH LONGING MIGHT YET BE POSSIBILITY. >> I SEE OUR CHAIRS. GA PLANNING COMMITTEE AND THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM HANGING OUT. COME ON OVER, FRIENDS. COME ON OVER. THEY'VE GOT SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR US THIS MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING, GENERAL ASSEMBLY. FOR THOSE THAT DON'T REMEMBER OR DON'T KNOW ME, I'M EYE LOS ANGELES KLEON, CHAIRMAN OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLANNING COMMITTEE AND I HAVE TWO THINGS I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT VERY QUICKLY TODAY. NUMBER ONE, NAME TAGS. I'M NOT WEARING ONE NOW, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO WEAR THEM ON STAGE, BUT I HAVE TO WEAR ONE WHEN I ENTER THE BUILDING AND SO DO YOU. I APOLOGIZE IF THAT HURTS PEOPLE. IT WAS NEVER OUR INTENT. WE HAVE HAD SOME CONFUSION THIS WEEK OVER HOW AND WHO WILL BE CHECKING THOSE NAME TAGS. AS CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT AS WELL. IN OUR EFFORT TO SERVE, WE HAVE CHANGED THE TIMES THAT PEOPLE WILL CHECK THEM AND IT HAS CAUSED MORE CONFUSION AND MORE PAIN. AND FOR THAT I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. SO PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THEY, THE STAFF THAT HAS BEEN REQUIRED BY THIS CONVENTION CENTER, THEY HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO CHECK EVERYONE'S TAG OR THAT THEY ARE WEARING A TAG WHEN YOU COME INTO THE CONVENTION CENTER. THERE ARE MANY OF YOU ENTERING AT ONE TIME. THERE IS ONLY ONE OR TWO PEOPLE CHECKING TAGS. SO BE PREPARED TO BE CHECKED, BUT NOT EVERYBODY WILL BE CHECKED, BECAUSE 50 PEOPLE WALKING IN WITH TWO PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T CHECK 50 TAGS AT ONE TIME. THEY ARE TOLD TO CHECK EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF HEIGHT, WEIGHT, MOBILITY, AGE, COLOR, HAIR COLOR, SHOE SIZE. THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD TO CHECK EVERYONE EQUALLY. IF YOU FIND THAT THAT HAS NOT OCCURRED, PLEASE LET US KNOW. NOTE THAT THE PEOPLE CHECKING YOUR TAG ARE NOT POLICE. THEY ARE A SECURITY COMPANY HIDER THROUGH LOCAL KANSAS CITY BUSINESSES. WE HAVE ONE POLICE OFFICER ON-SITE. THAT POLICE OFFICER IS HERE FOR OTHER REASONS, BUT A POLICE OFFICER WILL NOT BE CHECKING YOUR TAG. THANK YOU. NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE VERY INTENTIONALLY CREATED SOME SAFE PLACES FOR OUR TRADITIONALLY MARGINALIZED FOLKS HERE AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY. PLEASE RESPECT THOSE SPACES AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. YOU ARE ENTITLED TO BE IN THOSE SPACES, REGARDLESS OF AGE, AS LONG AS YOU FALL WITHIN THE PARAMETERS OF THOSE SPACES. SO IF YOU DO NOT FALL WITHIN THE PARAMETER OF THOSE SPACES, PLEASE RESPECT THOSE THAT NEED THOSE HEALING AND SAFE SPACES AND ALLOW THEM THEIR OWN SPACE. AND FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE FOR YOU TO GET THE NOURISHMENT AND HEALING THAT YOU MAY NEED, BUT PLEASE RESPECT THE SPACES THAT WE'VE CREATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE REST OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY. [APPLAUSE] >> WE'RE THE CO-CHAIRS OF YOUR RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM. >> TODAY IS SATURDAY AND MANY OF US HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A DAY ALREADY OR MORE AND OTHERS ARE JUST ARRIVING. WELCOME TO ALL. LET'S ALL TAKE A BREATH. AND BEGIN THIS MORNING'S REPORT. >> OUR FIRST POINT IS TO RECOGNIZE THERE HAVE BEEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF COLOR AND YOUTH, WHO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SHOW THEIR GA NAME BADGES IN THE CONVENTION HALLWAYS AND ARE HURT WHEN OTHERS WEREN'T. WE NOW HAVE HEARD FROM THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND UNDERSTAND THE PROCEDURES RECOMMENDED THIS YEAR AND WANT TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE THE COMMON EXPERIENCE OF HAVING TO PROVE ONE'S LEGITIMACY TO BE IN A SPACE THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR AND YOUTH UNEQUALLY DEAL WITH. OUCH. >> ANOTHER BREATH. THE SECOND POINT IS ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES. LIKE HYMNS, LYRICS HAVEN'T BEEN AVAILABLE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE WORSHIP AND THAT LIMITS PARTICIPATION FOR THOSE WHO USE SCREEN READING TECHNOLOGY. LET'S DO BETTER. THIS EXTENDS TO OUR EMBODIMENT OF A CULTURE WHOSE STARTING POINT IS ONE THAT WELCOMES, THE NOT MANAGES. SO INSTEAD OF SPEAKING TO SOMEONE ONLY YOU NOTICE THEY AREN'T FOLLOWING THE RULES, LET'S EMPLOY HOSPITALITY ROOTED IN LOVE. FOR EXAMPLE?-- >> HEY, HOW ARE YOU? CAN I HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING? >> SOUNDS ORDINARY, AYE? THAT'S LOVE IN ACTION, Y'ALL, RIGHT THERE. ANOTHER BREATH. ALL RIGHT. THE FINAL POINT. Y'ALL, I WANT TO MAKE THIS REAL SIMPLE. MICRO-AGGRESSION. THEY ISOLATED INDIVIDUALS AND OFTEN THOSE WHO ARE CALLED OUT AND THEY GET LOST IN SHAME. BELOVEDS, RIGHT RELATIONSHIP TEAM IS HERE TO ENCOURAGE THE DISCOMFORT AND INVITE US TO RESPONSIBILITY AND ACTION AND TRANSFORMATION, NOT CHANGE. SO THINGS LIKE TOUCHING SOMEONE'S HAIR, TOUCHING SOMEONE'S SERVICE ANIMALS, GIVING UNSOLICITED ADVICE TO YOUTH, INTERCHANGING THE NAMES OF PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND GOING INTO EXCLUSIVELY PEOPLE OF COLOR, EXCLUSIVELY BLACK, OR EXCLUSIVELY LGBTQ SPACES AND YOU ARE NOT OF THOSE IDENTITIES, THAT'S NOT BELOVED COMMUNITY MAKING STUFF. STOP IT. [APPLAUSE] WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP OF WHAT RIGHT RELATIONSHIP IS AND HERE IS AN INVITATION TO HUMILITY, GRACE ROOTED IN LOVE. CAN YOU ALL YOU DO THAT? YES. SO WHILE WE DISCUSS AND VOTE TODAY, CAN YOU PUT SOME GRACE ON IT? >> YES. >> WHILE WE INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER HERE IN THE CONVENTION CENTER AND BEYOND, CAN YOU HAVE THAT ROOTED IN LOVE? >> YES. >> THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT. ONE FINAL BREATH. HAPPY SATURDAY, Y'ALL. [APPLAUSE] >> TIME FOR RULES AND PROCESS REVIEW. A FEW QUICK REMINDERS. YOU MUST BE A DELEGATE TO SPEAK AT THE MIC. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE. RIGHT? THAT DOESN'T MEAN EXCHANGING SOMEONE ELSE'S DELEGATE FOR YOURS. YOU MUST BE A DELEGATE. THERE ARE THREE MINUTES OF INFORMAL DISCUSSION. THE TIME WILL BE TRACKED ON THE SCREEN BY THE SPEAKER TIME. IT DOES NOT COUNT FOR A 30 MINUTE LIMIT. THE 30 MINUTES FOR THE DEBATE TIME DOES INCLUDE TIME TO VOTE INTO DISCUSSING ANY AMENDMENT TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. AMENDMENT MUST HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE APPROPRIATE MINI ASSEMBLY IN ORDER TO BE OFFERED IN THE GENERAL SESSION. THERE HAS TO BE 15 MINUTES OF DISCUSSION BEFORE AMENDMENTS TO THE MAIN MOTION CAN BE CONSIDERED. TIME LIMITS. NO ONE CAN SPEAK FOR MORE THAN TWO MINUTES AND NOT MORE THAN ONCE UNLESS NO ONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK EXCEPT BY PERMISSION FROM THE MODERATOR. THERE ARE ZERO MINUTES TOTAL TIME ALLOWED FOR BYLAW OR RULE AMENDMENTS, RESOLUTIONS, OR ACTIONS. AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DEBATE, MOTIONS TO TABLE OR REFER ARE IN ORDER IF THAT MUCH TIME IS NEEDED. MOTIONS MUST COME FROM THE PROCEDURAL MIC. A MOTION TO CALL THE PREVIOUS QUESTION IS IN ORDER WHEN SEVEN MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED AND THERE ARE PEOPLE AT THE PRO AND CON MIC. ONCE FIVE MINUTES HAS EXPIRED AND NO ONE IS AT THE PRO OR CON MIC, THEN THE MOTION TO CALL THE PREVIOUS QUESTION IS IN ORDER. TIME TAKEN AT A PROCEDURAL MIC WILL NOT COUNT. AND REMEMBER THAT DELEGATES CAN SUSPEND THE RULES AT ANY TIME. LET ME SAY IT AGAIN. DELEGATES CAN SUSPEND THE RULES AT ANY TIME. THERE ARE DELEGATES JOINING US ONLINE WHO WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS DEBATE BY SUBMITTING TYPED STATEMENTS AND VOTING VIA A IS HE VIEWER POLLING APP. SUBMITTED STATEMENTS WILL BE READ BY OUR VOLUNTEER TELLER TEAM, WHICH ARE AMAZING. CAN WE GIVE IT UP TO THE TELLER TEAM, PLEASE? [APPLAUSE] THEY DO A LOT OF WORK, Y'ALL, AND THEY NEED MORE LOVE EVERY DAY. SUBMITTED STATEMENTS WILL BE READ BY OUR VOLUNTEER TELLER TEAMS AND BE THE VOICE OF OUR OFF-SITE DELEGATES AND THE STATEMENTS THEY READ DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THEIR OWN PERSONAL VIEWS. AND REMEMBER, YESTERDAY JUST BE PATIENT AND WE'LL DO MORE SINGING. YOU READY? IT'S BYLAW YOU TIME. CAN YOU SING? >> WE WILL NOW CONSIDER AMENDMENT TO THE UUA BYLAWS, 4.EIGHT, CHANGE IN THE REQUIREMENTS, RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS TO BE GRANTED VOTING DELEGATE STATUS AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY REMOVING THE REQUIREMENT THAT RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS MUST HAVE MASTER'S LEVEL CREDENTIAL STATUS. ALL OTHER VOTING REQUIREMENTS REMAIN THE SAME. THE AMENDMENT WAS PROPOSED BY THE LIBERAL RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION. THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES HAS INCORPORATED SOME OF THE AMENDMENTS OFFERED IN THE MINI-ASSEMBLY. PLEASE REFER TO THE SCREEN RATHER THAN THE PROGRAM BOOK SO THAT YOU HAVE THE COMPLETE LIST OF CHANGES. HANDOUTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO NEED THEM AND THE UNINCORPORATED AMENDMENTS WILL BE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAPER COPIES. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC TO MAKE THE MOTION ON VOTING FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS. >> I'M ROBIN PUGH, DELEGATE OF THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP. I'M THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR AT THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH AT WASHINGTON CROSSING. I'M ALSO VICE PRESIDENT OF LREDA. I MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE BYLAWS TO GIVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS WHO ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF LREDA AND EMPLOYED BY CONGREGATIONS DELEGATE STATUS. >> THANK YOU. IS THERE A SECOND? THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING, GENERAL ASSEMBLY. SO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WITH US YESTERDAY NOTICED THAT WE'RE CREATING A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR EACH OF OUR PROPOSALS FOR YOU ALL TO ENGAGE IN CONVERSATION, REFLECTION, AND DIALOGUE BRIEFLY WITH ONE ANOTHER. THIS WILL BE FOR A THREE-MINUTE PERIOD. AND WE'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU INTO SUCH A TIME OF DIALOGUE AND REFLECTION WITH THOSE SEATED NEAR YOU, SO NO NEED TO GO FURTHER AFIELD THAN THAT. AND OUR QUESTION THAT WE INVITE YOU TO BE IN CONVERSATION AND REFLECTION AROUND IS WHAT ARE THE ROLES AND PRIVILEGES OF DELEGATES AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY? >> THANK YOU, DELEGATES. WE INVITE TO YOU COME BACK TOGETHER AS LARGER COMMUTE AS OUR CO-MODERATOR, ELANDRIA WILLIAMS, LEADS US IN IT MODERATING THIS CONVERSATION. >> SO I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> MY NAME IS ROBIN PUGH. I AM A CLF DELEGATE AND EMPLOYEE AT THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH AT WASHINGTON CROSSING. THIS IS AN AMAZING DAY FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS. [APPLAUSE] FOR OVER 50 YEARS, RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR DELEGATE STATUS AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS VOTE HAS MADE IT TO THE FLOOR. WHY DO WE NEED THIS BYLAW AMENDMENT? RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS ARE ENCOURAGED NOT TO BE MEMBERS OF OUR CONGREGATIONS BECAUSE OF HEALTHY BOUNDARIES AND BEST PRACTICES. SO WE CAN'T BE A CONGREGATIONAL DELEGATE. TODAY WE ARE LIVING INTO OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VALUES. ESPECIALLY THE FIFTH PRINCIPLE ABOUT THE RIGHT OF CONTINUES EXCELLENCE AND THE USE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. OR AS RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS TEACH OUR CHILDREN, EACH PERSON DESERVES A VOICE AND A VOTE. SO WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS THAT AUTOMATIC DELEGATE STATUS BE GIVEN TO ACTIVE MEMBERS OF LREDA WHO ARE EMPLOYED BY A CONGREGATION. WE WANT RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS' DELEGATES TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND LREDA IS THE ORGANIZATION THAT CAN SUPPORT THAT ACCOUNTABILITY. IT HAS A CODE OF CONDUCT, PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, AND ONGOING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. AN ACTIVE MEMBER IS A CATEGORY OF MEMBERSHIP THAT REQUIRES A RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR TO BE WORKING IN A CONGREGATION FOR THREE YEARS. OUR PROPHETIC FAITH IS GOING TO BE MIRRORED RIGHT NOW WITH THIS VOTE. IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> THIS QUESTION IS FOR MICHAEL HARRIS, CEDAR LANE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, BETHESDA, MARYLAND. POINT OF INFORMATION. IF THIS PASSES, WHAT WOULD PERCENTAGE MIX BE OF PROFESSIONAL VERSUS LAY DELEGATES? >> THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> WE THINK THE ACTIVE MEMBERS IS ABOUT 300 PEOPLE. SO THE RATIO, 900 MINISTERS, 300 RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS, 4,000 CONGREGATIONAL DELEGATES. >> IS THERE ANY OTHER OFF-SITE? THERE'S ONE? YOU WANT TO READ IT? I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> I'M READING FOR JOHN CAVALERO, COMMUNITY UU CONGREGATION, WHITE PLAINS, NEW YORK. IT IS TIME TO WELCOME RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS INTO THE UU DECISION-MAKING PROCEDURE. BEST PRACTICE RECOMMENDS, AGAIN, CONGREGATIONAL MEMBERSHIP FOR DRE'S, AND THUS, THEY ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR DELEGATE DESIGNATION BY THEIR CONGREGATION. DRE'S ARE COMMITTED TO THE WORK OF FAITH, ARE MORE INFORMED THAN MOST CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS, AND BRING VALUABLE VOICE TO THE PROCESS. >> I RECOGNIZE IT IS DELEGATE AT THE CON MIC. MAYBE. >> P.M., I DO NOT LIKE STANDING AT THIS CON MIC. >> CAN YOU YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND CONGREGATION? >> REVEREND PAULA MIERANO OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF NEWARK, DELAWARE. I JUST REALIZED THIS MORNING THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A UU TO BE A MEMBER OF LREDA. AND I FIND THAT AUTOMATICALLY HAVING GONE UU DELEGATES IS NOT SOMETHING I CAN SUPPORT. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ANNA LEE JONES AND I AM FROM THE THOMAS JEFFERSON MEMORIAL CHURCH, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, I'M ALSO SENIOR BUSINESS MANAGER, SO I'M HERE WITH ABOUT 100 OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS. WAY AS THE U. A2018 YOUTH CAUCUS WANT TO STATE OUR SUPPORT FOR DELEGATE STATUS FOR ACTIVE RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS. WE AS?-- OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HAVE HELPED US TO GROW INTO THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST YOUTH THAT WE ARE TODAY AND WE HAVE WITNESS THAT HAD THIS MENTORSHIP IS MINISTRY. OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HAVE BEEN ON THE FOREFRONT OF INSTITUTIONALIZED CHANGE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH OUR OWL CURRICULUM, WHICH HAVE EDUCATED US TO BE SMARTER, SAFER, AND MORE AWARE ABOUT OURSELVES. OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HAVE LED IN THE FIGHT FOR COLLECTIVE LIBERATION BY CREATING TWO WHITE SUPREMACY TEACH-INS AND HAVE HELPED CALL US LOVINGLY BACK INTO COVENANT AND LIVE OUR FAITH AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS. OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HAVE PERFORMED LIFE-CHANGING AND LIFESAVING WORK WHICH HAS AN INFLUENTIAL IMPACT ON NOT ONLY THE YOUTH, BUT EVERYONE WITHIN OUR CONGREGATION. OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS HELPED TO GIVE US YOUTH A VOICE IN OUR CONGREGATIONS AND NOW WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS TIME THAT OUR CONGREGATIONS FURTHER RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS. THEY DESERVE AUTOMATIC DELEGATE STATUS, PARTICULARLY AS THEY AMPLIFY OUR VOICES. OFTEN MORE THAN OUR MINISTERS DO. THEREFORE, THE YOUTH CAUCUS STAFF OF GA AND ALL OF YOUTH CAUCUS HOLD THAT OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS DESERVE THE DELEGATE STATUS THAT REPRESENTS THE SUPPORT OF A CONGREGATION AND THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN GENERAL SESSION. WE WANTED TO THANK OUR RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS FOR ALL THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE AND WILL DO TO SUPPORT YOUTH VOICES AND THAT WE BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO SUPPORT RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS' VOICES IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WE MUST GIVE THEM THEIR RIGHTFULLY DESERVED AUTOMATIC DELEGATE STATUS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> I AM REBECCA ALBURG FROM THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF PROVINCE AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION. >> ALL RIGHTY. SO ARE WE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION? SO IF YOU ARE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU. PLEASE PUT YOUR CARDS DOWN. IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO CALL THE QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. ALL RIGHTY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. ALL THOSE OPPOSED. OKAY. I THINK EVERYONE KNOWS I REALLY DON'T LIKE ROBERTS RULES, BUT HERE WE GO. SO WE ARE VOTING ON THE MOTION WHETHER TO PASS STATUS?-- NO. WE ALREADY DID THE PREVIOUS VOTE TO CALL THE QUESTION. IT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY?-- OKAY. SO WE ARE WAITING ON THE OFF-SITE VOTES TO CALL THE QUESTION. SO WE'RE GOING TO START AGAIN. IT'S VERY EARLY. I'M SORRY. SO CAN WE PLEASE VOTE ONE MORE TIME IF YOU ARE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION. PLEASE PUT YOUR CARDS DOWN. IF YOU ARE NOT READY TO CALL THE QUESTION. THANK YOU. NOW WE JUST NEED TO WAIT ON THE OFF-SITE DELEGATES. AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING, I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> BRUCE [INDISCERNIBLE] FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF MILWAUKEE. CAN WE GET UP ON THE SCREEN THE WORDING OF WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY VOTING ON? >> YES. >> THANK YOU. WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT INFORMATION, IF YOU ARE SOMEBODY WHO'S VOTING AND ARE SETTING ON THE FAR, FAR ENDS AND HAVE THE ABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE MIDDLE, IT WILL MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR US TO SEE YOUR VOTES. >> SO 77% IN FAVOR. ALL RIGHTY. NOW WE'RE CALLING THE QUESTION. SO IF YOU?-- HUH? OH, OKAY. LOVE YOU, TOO. THANK YOU. SO IF YOU ARE VOTING IN FAVOR FOR GIVING DELEGATE STATUS TO RELIGIOUS EDUCATORS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF LREDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. THANK YOU. PLEASE PUT THEM DOWN. IF YOU ARE NOT IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. THANK YOU. NOW WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE OFF-SITE DELEGATES. WE DO NOT HAVE TO CALL FOR ABSTENTIONS, BUT I WILL DO THAT. IF YOU'RE ABSTAINING, PLEASE RAISE YOUR DELEGATE CARD. THANK YOU. WE ARE WAITING ON THE OFF-SITE. 93% IN FAVOR. IT PASSES. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE OFF-SITE DELEGATE?-- I JUST LEFT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. OKAY. LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE A LITTLE TABLET UP HERE. THAT'S HOW WE KEEP TRACK OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OFF-SITE. MAY I ASK THE YOUTH OBSERVERS TO GO TO THE PRO MIC, WHICH IS WHERE WE MOVE AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS? WHILE HE EXPLAIN WHAT HIGH SCHOOL AGE FOR THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION, WE HAVE A POLICY THAT STATES THAT HIGH SCHOOL AGE IS GRADES NINE THROUGH?12 OR THEIR EQUIVALENT IN HOME SCHOOL OR 14 TO 18. IF AN 18-YEAR-OLD IS STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT PERSON IS HIGH SCHOOL AGE. IF A PERSON IS YOUNGER THAN 18, BUT TAKING PRIMARILY COLLEGE COURSES OR NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL, THAT PERSON IS NOT A YOUTH BY OUR POLICY. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO EVERYONE? VERY WELL. I RECOGNIZE BAILEY SADDLEMIRE, SENIOR YOUTH ADVISOR, AND TANNER LINDEN, JR. EULOGY ADVISOR TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. TANNER, WILL YOU PLEASE MAKE THE APPROPRIATE MOTION? IT >> MOVE THAT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS TO ALTER LANGUAGE TO BYLAW ARTICLE SIX, SECTION 6.3, MEMBERSHIP, SECTION 6.4, ELECTION OF TRUSTEES, SECTION 6.5, TERM. SECTION 6.6, QUALIFICATIONS OF TRUSTEES, AND RULE G-9.13.2, ORDER OF NAMES ON BALLOTS AS DETAILED ON PAGE?77 OF THE FINAL AGENDA AND AS AMENDED IN THE MINI ASSEMBLY BE ADOPTED BY THE ASSEMBLY. >> IS THERE A SECOND? VERY WELL. THE MOTION HAS BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED. WE ARE READY FOR DISCUSSION. >> HERE IS YOUR QUESTION. HOW DO YOU HONOR YOUTH WHO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR AND YOUR COMMUNITIES? >> ALL RIGHT. BEFORE WE START WITH OUR LIST AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REMIND OR TO SAY THAT THERE ARE SOME, ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF MASSACHUSETTS, ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF MASSACHUSETTS THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT YOUTH WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THAT IS IN OUR BOARD POLICIES AND PROCEDURES. WHAT YOUTH ARE ABLE TO VOTE AND NOT ABLE TO VOTE ON. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> ANITA HARBER, MELROSE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH, MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS. I'M THE MINISTER THERE. MY CONCERN IS ABOUT INCLUSION, THAT THE DEFINITION OF YOUTH WAS BRACKETED BY WHERE THEY ARE IN RELATION TO HIGH SCHOOL SCHOOLING, WHETHER HOME SCHOOLED OR IN A FORMAL INSTITUTION. I PRESUME WE ARE ALLOWED TO HAVE YOUTH IN OUR CONGREGATIONS WHO, FOR WHATEVER REASON, ARE NOT IN HIGH SCHOOL. EITHER THEY'VE DROPPED OUT OR BEEN EXPELLED OR WHATEVER, AND I WOULD WANT THOSE YOUTH TO BE ABLE TO ALSO PARTICIPATE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE DEFINITION OF YOUTH DOES INCLUDE AGE, NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOL STATUS. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. KATHY HICKOK FROM UNITARIAN CHURCH OF MEMPHIS. I'M NOT COMPLETELY CLEAR HOW MANY VOTING MEMBERS THERE ARE ON THE BOARD NOW AND WHETHER THESE TWO YOUTH TRUSTEES THAT WE MIGHT ELECT WOULD BE FULL VOTING MEMBERS WITH THE REST OF THE BOARD, MAKING A TOTAL OF HOW MANY MEMBERS ON THE BOARD? >> GOOD QUESTION. 11 TRUSTEES PLUS THE FINANCIAL ADVERSER, PLUS THE MODERATOR, WHICH MAKES 13. SO ADDING TWO YOUTH TRUSTEES TO THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL OF 15. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] TRUSTEE ON THE BOARD AT ALL RIGHT NOW? >> CORRECT. >> EXCEPT MOST THINGS WE DO BY CONSENSUS AND WE DON'T DO VOTING ANYMORE THAT WAY. SO THE YOUTH THAT ARE ON OUR BOARD DO GET SAY AND VOICE. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] LISTENED TO? >> OH, YES. >> BUT THEN THEY DON'T GET TO VOTE, BUT NOW THEY WILL GET TO VOTE? >> THIS WAS FOR THE PAST, YES. >> OKAY. >> FOR THE BOARD STATEMENT, I RECOGNIZE THE YOUTH OBSERVERS AT THE PRO MIC. >> MY NAME IS BAILEY SADDLEMIRE. I AM A MEMBER OF THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH IN PROVIDENCE AND I WILL BE READING THE BOARD STATEMENT. THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS, WHICH HAVE BEEN MOST CLOSELY FORM OTHER YOU LATE BY TANNER LINDEN AND BAILEY SADDLEMIRE IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR INCLUDE CHANGES TO FIVE DIFFERENT SECTIONS. THESE AMENDMENTS WILL GIVE THE YOUTH OBSERVERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME YOUTH TRUSTEES BY SHIFTING THE ROLE OF THIS POSITION, THE YOUTH TRUSTEES WOULD NOW BE ELECTED THROUGH THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION, THERE WILL BE A SET TERM LIMIT FOR YOUTH TRUSTEES AS THEY MAY ONLY SERVE THAT TWO-YEAR ROLE ONCE, BUT AFTERWARDS MAY SERVE TWO OTHER FULL TERMS ON THE BOARD AS A TRUSTEE-AT-LARGE. THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THESE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENTS IS THAT THE YOUTH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD WOULD BE GIVEN AN OFFICIAL VOTE. THEY DO NOT CURRENTLY POSSESS THAT POWER. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CONCERN MICROPHONE. >> CHRISTINA HABIB FROM THE UNITARIAN CHURCH OF EVANSTON. I AM FOR YOUTH TRUSTEES, BUT I AM NOT FOR THE FACT THAT THIS NEGLECTS THE ABILITY FOR 16, 17, AND 18 YEAR OLDS, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO COMPLETE THEIR TERM BY HIGH SCHOOL AGE. THIS MEANS THEY CANNOT BE ELECTED IN. THIS MEANS THAT OLDER YOUTH WHO MAY HAVE NOT MADE THIS DECISION TO RUN ARE NOT BEING ABLE TO. SO AS AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY, WE ARE NEGLECTING TO INCLUDE THE OLDER YOUTH. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS ARIANA MCCANNON, I ATTEND THE BEDFORD CHURCH OF MASSACHUSETTS AND [INDISCERNIBLE] A MEMBER AT THOMAS JEFFERSON CHURCH UU. WE ARE SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE 2018 YOUTH CAUCUS WHILE AT GA, CURRENT, FORMER, AND ONCOMING YOUTH TRUSTEES AND OBSERVERS, AS WELL AS FORMER YOUTH. THE BOARD SHOULD REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. THIS COMMUNITY INCLUDES A LARGE PROPORTION OF YOUTH WHO ARE STRONG, PASSIONATE, AND POWERFUL. AS YOUTH, WE BELIEVE IT IS OUR RIGHT TO HAVE A VOTE IN THE LARGEST GOVERNING BODY OF OUR ASSOCIATION WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE OUR OPINIONS INCLUDED. EVERY SINGLE PERSON HAS A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE IN THE WORLD AND WHILE EVERY PERSPECTIVE IS DIFFERENT, THERE ARE SIMILARITIES, DEPEND ON THEIR CULTURE, AGE, BACKGROUND, ET?CETERA. THE BOARD IS MISSING THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE YOUTH. >> BY CHANGING THE YOUTH OBSERVER POSITION TO YOUTH TRUSTEE, WE ARE COMMITTING OURSELVES TO UPHOLDING THE INHERENT WORTH AND DIGNITY OF EVERY DEDICATED INDIVIDUAL. CURRENTLY, THE YOUTH OBSERVERS HAVE THE SAME RESPONSIBILITY AS ALL THE TRUSTEES AT-LARGE, BUT DO NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL VOTE. THIS MEANS THE YOUTH ARE BEING LISTENED TO, BUT NEVER TRULY HEARD. AS THE UPCOMING GENERATION, WE ARE THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE OF THIS FAITH. IF WE ARE NOT TRUSTED NOW WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF A VOTE, WE WILL NEVER BE PREPARED TO MOVE OUR COMMUNITY FORWARD. WE ARE GRAYING. WE ARE DIVIDED. AND THIS VOTE IS ONE STEP TOWARD A MORE LIBERATED AND UNIFIED FUTURE FOR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. THANK YOU. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CONCERN MICROPHONE. >> ROBERT DAN FROM WEST SIDE UU IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS. I COMMEND THE BOARD FOR INCLUDING YOUTH ON THE BOARD. I SPENT THE LAST, PART OF THE PAST YEAR AT MY CHURCH ENABLING AND ENCOURAGING PASSING BYLAWS THAT ENABLE AND ENCOURAGE THE INCLUSION OF YOUTH ON OUR BOARD. HOWEVER, I THINK THIS PARTICULAR?-- THE WAY THIS PARTICULAR BYLAW IS WRITTEN IS STILL FLAWED. AND THE FIRST THEY THINK IS I THINK THAT HAVING TWO YOUTH ON THIS SMALL A BOARD WITH THEIR PARTICULAR OUT LOOK I THINK IS?-- INCLUDING GIVING THEM TOO POWERFUL A VOTE ON THE BOARD. MY SECOND POINT, I THINK YOU'VE PROBABLY ANSWERED IN THAT. THERE ARE LEGAL PROBLEMS WITH YOUTH BEING ABLE TO VOTE. I WOULD INCLUDE THAT IN THE BYLAW, LIMITING THE VOTE RATHER THAN IN A POLICY MATTER, WHICH COULD BE EASILY CHANGED. I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A LIMIT. THE THIRD THING IS BAILEY HERSELF HAD POINTED OUT IN HER EARLIER PRESENTATION TO US HOW DIFFICULT THIS HAS BEEN FOR HER, HOW MUCH SHE'S LEARNED AND HOW MUCH SHE'S BEEN ABLE TO DO, BUT HOW MUCH SHE'S BEEN HURT IN HER HIGH SCHOOL, HOW MUCH SHE'S BEEN LEFT OUT OF MANY OTHER THINGS GOING ON WITH HER SCHOOL. SO I THINK LIMITING THE TERM TO ONE YEAR WOULD BE MUCH BETTER, GIVEN THESE STUDENTS A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE FOR ANOTHER YEAR. AND WE ARE GOING UP BEFORE A COLLEGE BOARD, I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHAT THE COLLEGE BOARDS ARE LOOKING FOR NOW, BUT WHAT I WOULD THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MULTIPLE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES IN THE COMMUNITY AND IF THESE STUDENTS GO ONE YEAR IN THE COMMUNITY -- >> ALL RIGHT. I RECOGNIZE THE OFF-SITE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. ARE WE READY? OFF-SITE DELEGATE, PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE? WE ARE FOR THE. I RECOGNIZE THE OTHER DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> I'D?-- JORDAN YOUNG FROM THE CHAMPLAIN VALLEY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VOTE. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT CLARIFYING THE RULES SINCE A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION IS IN ORDER AS I RECALL AFTER SEVEN MINUTES, DEPENDING ON OTHER CONDITIONS. AND SINCE A MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION IS NON-DEBATABLE, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT DOING THAT BEFORE 15 MINUTES OF DEBATE HAVE ELAPSED PRECLUDES THE OPPORTUNITY OF MAKING ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE AMENDMENT. >> YOU ARE CORRECT. SO A VOTE TO CALL THE QUESTION IS ALSO A VOTE TO HAVE NO AMENDMENTS. >> CORRECT. THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> I'M ASHA-HAUSER. PLEASE DON'T SPEAK FOR OTHER PEOPLE. PEOPLE CAN SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. DON'T NAME OTHER PEOPLE AND SPEAK FOR THEM. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE THE OFF-SITE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I'M SPEAKING FOR JOSEPH BARKER, UU CHURCH OF THE SOUTH HILLS, PITTSBURGH. WE NEED TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE VALUE, TALENTS, AND IDEAS OF OUR INCREDIBLE YOUTH. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CONCERN MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS PATTY POTTER. I'M A MEMBER OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN FRESNO, CALIFORNIA. AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT THIS IS AGE DISCRIMINATION THE SAME WAY THERE CAN BE AGE DISCRIMINATION OF PEOPLE OF MY AGE AND OLDER. THIS IS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PEOPLE OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE OF THE MORE APPROPRIATE WAY TO DO IT WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE WITHIN OUR CONGREGATIONS, BECAUSE YOUTH CAN BE DELEGATES ALREADY. SO I'M ENCOURAGING THAT AND SAYING IT'S NOT APPROPRIATE FOR BYLAWS. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> I'VE REVEREND NINA GRAY AND I'M THE MINISTER OF MEREDA AT FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF CHICAGO. AND THE QUESTION I HAVE, I WANT A CLARIFICATION. DID YOU SAY THAT IF A PERSON IS, SAY, 17 YEARS OLD, BUT IN COLLEGE THAT THEY ARE EXCLUDED? >> YES. >> I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME CLARIFICATION ON WHY THAT WOULD BE SO, BECAUSE THEY ARE OF HIGH SCHOOL AGE, BUT HAPPENED TO BE REALLY SMART. >> TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I AM GOING TO ASK BART FROST, DIRECTOR OF THE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT OFFICE AT THE UUA, TO ANSWER AT THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE. >> THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE BART FROST AT THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE. >> HI, FRIENDS. BART FROST, DIRECTOR OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES AT OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. WITHIN OUR UUA, WE ARE FOCUSED WITHIN THE OFFICE OF YOUTH AND ADULT MINISTRIES, FOCUSED ON TWO AREAS: YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS AND BY HAVING A FOCUS ON 14 TO 18 YEAR OLDS OR YOUTH, AS WE DEFINE THEM, HIGH SCHOOL AGED, AS GREG, THANK YOU, DEFINED FOR Y'ALL, THAT ALLOWS US TO REALLY FOCUS IN. NOW, WE KNOW THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE IN A VERY WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WHEN A YOUNG PERSON MOVES OFF INTO UNIVERSITY OR OUT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL AGE, THEIR COMMUNITY THERE, THEY'RE ENTERING INTO A NEW DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE, AND THAT NEW DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE IS WHAT WE TERM A MERGING ADULT, WHICH COMES OUT OF ACADEMIA. IN THAT STAGE, THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND DIFFERENT WANTS AND THAT IS HOW WE HELP SERVE AND MINISTER TO THEM. AND SO A 17-YEAR-OLD IN COLLEGE WOULD BE CONSIDERED A YOUNG ADULT, BUT STILL A MINOR. IT IS COMPLICATED AND IT DOES AND HAS WORKED WELL FOR US SO FAR. >> AND ALSO NOTE A 17-YEAR-OLD IN COLLEGE COULD RUN FOR TRUSTEE IN NORMAL PROCESSES. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I AM LARRY LADD, A DELEGATE FROM A U YOU U CONGREGATION IN FALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS. THE FIRST TIME I WAS A DELEGATE WAS 1969. THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD A YOUTH CAUCUS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THAT YEAR WE YOUTH RAN A CANDIDATE FOR THE UUA BOARD AND THAT CANDIDATE LOST. THE YOUTH WOULD NOT RUN AGAIN OR BE ELECTED UNTIL 2003. AFTER THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAD CREATED A YOUTH TRUSTEE POSITION. THAT SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE WHO STANDS BESIDE ME, AND EACH CANDIDATE SINCE, MANY OF WHOM STAND BESIDE ME AND BEHIND ME, HAVE CONTINUED TO BE STRONG LEADERS WITHIN OUR FAITH COMMUNITY. IN 2013, THE YOUTH TRUSTEE POSITION DISAPPEARED. AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT IN AN OTHERWISE TRANSFORMATIONAL GOVERNANCE CHANGE. THE ELIMINATION OF DISTRICT TRUSTEES AND REDUCTION IN BOARD SIZE HAS RESULTED IN A MORE DIVERSE AND INNOVATIVE BOARD. BUT THE AT-LARGE ELECTIONS THAT ENHANCED RACIAL, GENDER, AND AGE DIVERSITY HAS FAILED TO REACH BELOW THE AGE OF 28. DESPITE THE BEST OF INTENTIONS, TO HONOR 1969, TO CAST A MORE EXPANSIVE VISION, LET US FIX IT. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE CONCERN MICROPHONE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS REVEREND JOE CHERRY. I AM A DELEGATE FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF CLEVELAND AND I COME TO YOU TODAY AS CHAIR OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. AND I AM TALKING TO THE NEXT CHAIR ON THE PHONE. OUR CONCERN, MY CONCERN IS IN RECRUITING AND SHARING OF DATA OF MINORS, SO I DON'T OPPOSE THIS, I'M JUST ASKING, MY CONCERN IS FOR GUIDANCE FROM THE BOARD ABOUT HOW TO SHARE DATA OF MINORS' FAITHFULLY. AND SO WE WOULD LIKE, IF THIS PASSES, SOME HELP WITH THAT. >> WELL, I THINK WE, AT THE UUA, WILL CERTAINLY PARTNER WITH THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE DOING THAT. THUMBS UP FROM OUR COO. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE FROM THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE SETTLEMENTS ORLANDO MONTOYA, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF SAVANNAH. I WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION. >> ALL RIGHT. MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION IS NOT DEBATABLE. SO GET YOUR VOTING CARDS READY OF THE IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION AND MOVE DIRECTLY TO A VOTE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. THANK YOU, YOU CAN PUT THEM DOWN. IF YOU WOULD NOT LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION AND KEEP HEARING DEBATE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. OFF-SITE VOTES? ALL RIGHT. THE QUESTION HAS BEEN CALLED. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT ON YOUTH TRUSTEES AS AMENDED IN THE MINI-ASSEMBLY, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. THANK YOU. ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARD. AND OUR OFF-SITE VOTES, PLEASE. THE MOTION CLEARLY PASSES. [APPLAUSE] AND BEFORE I GIVE UP THIS PODIUM, I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE SETTLEMENTS MODERATOR, I ASK FOR A POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE. >> OKAY. >> MY NAME IS THE REVEREND ERIC KIMINISKY, I SERVE AT THE EDMONDS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH. I ALSO SERVE AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MINISTER'S ASSOCIATION, BOARD OF TRUSTEES, AND ON BEHALF OF THE MINISTERS ASSOCIATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO BE THE FIRST OF OUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO WELCOME THE YOUTH TRUSTEES BACK TO THEIR VOTING STATUS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE THE FIRST PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATION TO WELCOME OUR NEW RELIGIOUS EDUCATOR COLLEAGUES TO DELEGATE STATUS. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MODERATOR. >> I BELIEVE THAT WAS WELL RECEIVED. THANK YOU. >> THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT IN THE HOUSE. AND HEY, LEON? >> YES. >> I WAS WONDERING IF THERE'S A QUICK SONG THAT WOULD GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE CELEBRATION AND ALSO BEGIN TO SETTLE BACK DOWN INTO THE REST OF OUR BUSINESS? >> I CAN BARELY HEAR YOU. >> PROBABLY BETTER THAT WAY, THAT YOU CAN'T HEAR ME. >> I TELL YOU WHAT, I HAVE THIS ONE THAT WE DON'T SING VERY MUCH HERE AT GA, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE EVERYONE TO RISE IN BODY AND SPIRIT AND JOIN ME IN SINGING I WISH I KNEW HOW. >> THANK YOU, GA. BEAUTIFUL SINGING. >> THAT'S THE BIG BOOK. AS I MOVED, MY MOTHER WOULD GET MAD. SO IT'S NOW TIME FOR ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTIONS 4.16-C .3 OF THE BYLAWS, THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS SHALL SUBMIT UP TO SIX ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS THAT MEET THE PUBLISHED CRITERIA TO THE AGENDA OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FOR POSSIBLE ADMISSION TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S AGENDA. AFTER THE CHAIR OF THE COMMISSION OF SOCIAL WITNESS SUBMITS THOSE ISSUES, THE PROPOSER OF EACH AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, GO TO THE PRO MIC. THEN DELEGATES MAY VOTE FOR UP TO THREE ISSUES THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO PLACE ON THE FINAL AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION TOMORROW. DELEGATES WILL INDICATE THEIR CHOICES USING THE STUB ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VOTING CARD. A BALANCE ON THE CONTAINS MORE THAN THREE CHOICES IT WILL BE DISCARDED. HOW MANY CHOICES CAN IT CONTAIN? THREE. OKAY. AFTER YOU MARK YOUR BALLOT, PLEASE TEAR OFF THE MARKED STUB AND PASS IT TO THE RIGHT C KAY ARE WE PASSING THE STUB IN RIGHT. FOR THE TELLERS TO COLLECT. SUSAN GOEKLER, DOES THE COMMISSION HAVE PROPOSALS? >> THANK YOU. BASED ON THE PUBLISHED CRITERIA, AND I WILL ASK THE TECH DECK IF THEY CAN PULL UP THE CRITERIA, THE SLIDE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED SIX, PROPOSED ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS FOR CONSIDERATION BY THIS BODY. I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. THOSE OF YOU THAT RECEIVED THE CSW ALERT AS AN E-MAIL THIS MORNING, SO YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO DOWN LOAD IT BEFORE YOU CAME IN HERE SO YOU STILL IT ACCESS, IS THAT CORRECT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VERSE OF THE CSW ALERT THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO PICKED UP A PAPER COPY HAVE IS INCORRECT. SO BEFORE YOU MARK YOUR BALLOT, PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOU GET THE RIGHT LETTER. SO IF YOU'LL PULL UP THE NEXT SLIDE AND THEN WHEN IT'S TIME TO VOTE WE WILL LEAVE THAT SLIDE UP. SO THESE ARE THE ONES. THAT WERE EIGHT SUBMITTED. WE, AS THE COMMISSION, BASED ON THE BYLAWS, HAVE TO REDUCE IT FOR SIX FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. WE DID THAT LAST NIGHT. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, ALL EIGHT GOT IN THE PRINTED VERSION. SO THE NUMBERS ON THE PRINTED VERSION, THE LETTERS ARE NOT CORRECT FOR THE SIX THAT REMAIN. SO AS WE GO THROUGH, WE WILL ASK THE PROPOSERS OF EACH OF THE SIX THAT WE'RE SUBMITTING TO DO THAT. SO THE ONES THAT WE WILL BE SUBMITTING ARE PROPOSED AIW-A. END FAMILY SEPARATION AND DETENTION OF ASYLUM SEEK MINORS AND ABOLISH ICE. PROPOSED AIW-B, END ISRAELI MILITARY DETENTION OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. AIW-C, END PRISONS FOR PROFIT, DISMANTLE PREDATORY MEDICAL CARE PRACTICES IN PRISONS. PROPOSED AIW-D, JOIN THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN. PROPOSED AIW-E, A MORAL RESPONSE TO THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES. AND PROPOSED AIW-F, WE ARE ALL RELATED, SOLIDARITY NOW WITH INDIGENOUS WATER PROTECTORS. >> SO BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING. WE ON THE BOARD AND THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS UNDERSTAND AND ARE TRYING TO FIX?-- YOU'LL GET TO SEE THE BYLAW CHANGE LATER. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT THE SIX THAT ARE UP HERE, THAT ANY OF THEM ARE NOT WORTHY OF SUPPORT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A SYSTEM THAT IS SETTING THINGS AGAINST EACH OTHER. AND IT'S SLIGHTLY FLAWED. DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHY IT'S SLIGHTLY FLAWED? SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, SO WHEN YOU'RE VOTING WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE CONSTRAINED BY RIGHT NOW. WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO A DIFFERENT PLACE. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT SO PEOPLE DON'T GET REALLY HURT IF YOUR ISSUE ISN'T VOTED ON. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION? I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> HEATHER CLEVELAND HOST, DELEGATE FROM THE UU CHURCH OF MIDLAND. I HAVE A QUESTION. REGARDING THE FACT THAT THE PAPER COPY WAS RENUMBERED, I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD MAKE IT LESS CONFUSING, JUST GO THROUGH A IS CROSSED OFF AND THEN I THINK IT'S G IS CROSSED OFF. IS THAT CORRECT? AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS IN ORDER? A, B, C, D, IS THAT CORRECT? >> THAT'S CORRECT. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO CLARIFY. THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MICROPHONE. >> I'M KAREN MUNOZ AND I'M A DELEGATE FROM THE SAN MARCOS UNITARIAN CHURCH IN SAN MARCOS, TEXAS. I AM SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF AIW-A, END FAMILY SEPARATION AND DETENTION OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND ABOLISH ICE. THAT WAS CREATED IN A COLLABORATIVE ROSTER THAT INCLUDED YOU RISE AND UU IMMIGRATION ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING YOUNG ADULTS. SEEKING ASYLUM IS A HUMAN RIGHT. TAKING CHILDREN BY FORCE WITH NO PLAN TO RE-OTHER YOU NIGHT THEM WITH THEIR FAMILIES HAS A NAME: KIDNAPPING. ICE, IMMIGRATION, AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT WAS ONLY CREATED IN 2003 AND IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MILITARY FORCE IN THE CRIMINALIZATION OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE. AS UUS, WE ARE CALLED TO AWARENESS OF OUR INTERCONNECTEDNESS. WE ARE CONNECTED TO OUR NEIGHBORS AND OUR CONNECTION IS NOT BROKEN BY ANY NATION'S BORDER. WE ARE CONNECTED WITH THE NEARLY 3,000 CHILDREN FROM WHOM ICE HAS RIPPED FROM THEIR FAMILIES IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS ALONE. WE ARE CONNECTED EVERY MOMENT WITH THOSE PRECIOUS BABIES WHEN THEY ARE REFUSED THE COMFORT OF A HUG AND ARE SENT TO DETENTION. THE ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY OF DEFINING EVERY ASYLUM SEEKER WHO PRESENTS THEMSELVES LEGALLY AT OUR BORDER IS A NEW PRACTICE. DO NOT TRUST THIS ADMINISTRATION'S DEFLECTIONS. ICE RACIALLY PROFILES BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE. THEY IMPRISON TRAUMATIZED PEOPLE. THEY SEPARATE AND DETAIN FAMILIES. THEY PUNISH THE VERY PEOPLE FLEEING THE CONSEQUENCES OF U.S. FOREIGN POLICY IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES. AND NOW THEY'RE LOCKING TODDLERS IN CAGES. THIS IS AN URGENT CRISIS. WE, THE UUA, ARE ALL CALLED TO ADD OUR VOICE TO IMMIGRANT LED GROUPS WHO SEEK AN ENDS TO FAMILY SEPARATION, DETENTION EVER ASYLUM SEEKERS, AND ALL OTHERS PURSUING A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES OR THEIR FAMILY, AND THE ABOLITION EVER ICE. JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING AIW-A. >> THANK YOU. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> MY NAME IS CURTIS BELL. I'M A DELEGATE FROM FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH IN PORTLAND, OREGON. ALSO PRESIDENT OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FOR JUSTICE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF OUR AIW ENDING ISRAELI MILITARY DETENTION OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. THE WHOLE COUNTRY HAS BEEN DEEPLY DISTURBED OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS BY THE FORCED SEPARATION OF MIGRANT CHILDREN FROM THEIR PARENTS AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER, AS WE'VE JUST HEARD. SOMETHING SILL ALREADY HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR DECADES IN PALESTINE, ISRAEL, WHERE PALESTINIAN CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS 11 ARE PULLED FROM THEIR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT BY ARMED SOLDIERS AND SUBJECTED TO PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ABUSE, THREATS, LACK OF WATER, LACK OF BATHROOM FACILITIES, FORCED CONFESSIONS, AND LONG PERIODS OF DETENTION. THE ABUSES ARE SYSTEMATIC AND WELL-DOCUMENTED BY INTERNATIONAL AND ISRAELI HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING UNITED NATIONS AND OUR OWN STATE DEPARTMENT. EVEN OUR U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT THE ABUSES REALLY AMOUNT TO TORTURE. THE ABUSES OF CHILDREN IN PALESTINE, AS AT OUR SOUTHERN BORDER, ARE A FORM OF COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT DESIGNED TO CREATE FEAR AND PASSIVITY IN A POPULATION. IN BOTH PLATES, TOO, THE ABUSES ARE UNDERGIRDED BY AN IDEOLOGY OF RACISM. THE ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING CALLS ON UU'S TO HELP END THE MISTREATMENT OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. THE PRESBYTERIANS, THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, AND THE MENNONITES HAVE ALREADY PASSED SUCH RESOLUTIONS OF WE'RE JOINED IN THIS EFFORT BY MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS WHO HAVE INTRODUCED A BILL PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS BY ENDING ISRAELI MILITARY DETENTION OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN THERE. THE BILL IS INTENDED TO END U.S. COMPLICITY IN THE ABUSE OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN THROUGH OUR MILITARY AID. THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN TO SAFETY AND NURTURANCE ARE ROUGHLY. WE SUPPORT THOSE RIGHTS HERE. WE MUST ALSO SUPPORT THEM THERE. >> THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE PRO MIC. >> I'M [INDISCERNIBLE] AND A DELEGATE FOR THE CHURCH OF THE LARGER FELLOWSHIP. I AM ALSO THE DIRECTOR OF PRISON MINISTRIES THERE AND I BRING YOU AIW-C, END PRISONS FOR PROFIT, DISMANTLE PREDATORY MEDICAL PRACTICES IN PRISON. WE WROTE OUR OVER 871 MEMBERS AND ASKED THEM WHAT THEIR PRIMARY JUSTICE ISSUE THEY WANTED TO BRING HERE TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THEY TOLD US THE COST OF MEDICAL CARE WAS INHIBITING THEM FROM LEAVING PRISON, BECAUSE IT GOT TACKED ONTO THEIR BILLS BEFORE THEY COULD BE PAROLED. THEY TOLD US THAT PEOPLE ARE DYING AND SICK BECAUSE THEY LACK ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. WE FOUND OUT THAT WE ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE U.N. AGREEMENT OF CANADA TORY MINIMUM TREATMENT OF PRISONERS IN THE UNITED STATES AND THAT PEOPLE ARE BEING CHARGED AS MUCH AS $100 FOR ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE AND MAKING AS LITTLE AS 16 CENTS AN HOUR. PEOPLE WHO WANT TO BUY THINGS IN THEIR COMMISSARY AT THEIR PRISON CANNOT DO SO BECAUSE THE BILL IS TACKED TO THE FRONT OF THEIR COMMISSARY ACCOUNT. THEY'RE UNABLE TO ACCORD THINGS LIKE COUGH DROPS AND SOCKS AND UNDERWEAR AND EVERYDAY MEDICAL NEEDS LIKE TYLENOL, THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT WE CAN JUST GO TO THE STORE AND BUY. THESE FOLKS ARE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS LIVING IN INCARCERATION ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, A SYSTEM OF INSIDIOUS WHITE SUPREMACY THAT WANTS THEM TO STAY IN WOULD EVER AT THIS. WANTS THEM TO STAY IN A PLACE WHERE THEY CANNOT SUCCEED. AND WE, AS THEIR CHURCH, AS THEIR BODY, HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND SAY I SEE YOU. I KNOW YOUR OPINION. WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND WE ARE READY TO STAND BEHIND YOU AND HELP YOU GET ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> I'M DICK BURKHART, SALTWATER UU CHURCH IN DES MOINES, WASHINGTON, NEAR SEATTLE. HERE TO SUPPORT THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN. THE UUA HAS ALREADY JOINED THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN. IN FACT, A BIG ACTION IS HAPPENING IN DC AS WE SPEAK. BUT HAS YOUR CONGREGATION JOINED? ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS ASKS YOU TO HELP BOOST UU PARTICIPATION AND NETWORKING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WHY THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN? BECAUSE IT IS A BROAD FAITH-BASED MOVEMENT THAT HAS THE BEST OF OUR HERITAGE. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. STARTED IT BACK IN 1967 TO FOCUS ON THE LEAST AMONG US. GENERATE UNITY ACROSS LINES OF DIVISION TO BE ROOTED IN THE ECONOMIC REALITIES OF CLASS. NOW THE REVEREND WILLIAM BARBER IS LEADING THIS REVIVAL. IT IS A PERFECT MATCH FOR OUR SECOND UU PRINCIPLE, JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND COMPASSION IN HUMAN PREMISES. THE SUBTITLE IS A CALL TO MORAL REVIVAL, RECOGNIZING THAT THE CRISIS OF OUR SOCIETY DERIVES FROM DEEP MORAL FAILURE, EVEN AS WE WITNESS TRIUMPHS OF TECHNOLOGY AND WEALTH. IT IS CERTAINLY THAT PERSONAL AND CLASS INTERESTS ARE TRIUMPHING OVER THE CLASS INTEREST AND FUTURE OF FUTURE GENERATIONS AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. SOCIAL DIVISIONS ARE BEING MAGNIFIED TO CREATE GRIDLOCK. THE POOR PEOPLE'S CAMPAIGN INVITES US TO COME OUT OF OUR SILOS OF ADVOCACY AND JOIN HANDS FOR THE COMMON GOOD. TO ASK THE DEEP QUESTIONS ABOUT POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS. MASS INCARCERATION AND THE TWO-TIERED LEGAL SYSTEM. THE OPIOID CRISIS, AN UNEXPECTED RISE IN DEATH RATES. EXPLODING STUDENT DEAD. FAILURES OF EMPIRE, MASS SHOOTINGS AND MORE. EVEN AS THE AFFLUENT PASTORS AS NEVER BEFORE. WE MUST GET BACK TO THE MORAL FUNDAMENTALS OF ALL GREAT RELIGIONS. DO WE BUILD OUR CORRUPT INSTITUTIONS BEFORE THEY BURY US? WE MUST BUILD AN UPRISING FROM THE BOTTOM. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> I'M PABLO [INDISCERNIBLE] AND I ATTEND THE UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF NEW HAVEN. WE, AS THE 2018 YOUTH KAW YOU CUSS, SUPPORT A MORAL RESPONSE TO THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES BECAUSE WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE YOUTH SIBLINGS OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZING AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE. WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LEADER COMMUNITY WILLING TO SUPPORT US. WE KNOW IT IS RIGHT TO HIM SUPPORT THOSE AFFECTED BY GUN VIOLENCE AND TO DEFEND THOSE VULNERABLE TO IT AND PREVENT FURTHER GUN VIOLENCE. WE MUST HAVE CLARITY RESTRICTION ON GUNS AS WE CALL NO MODERN UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETATION OF THE SECOND AMENDMENT. THESE ARE OUR LIVES THAT ARE AT STAKE. THESE ARE OUR FRIENDS' LIVES THAT ARE AT STAKE. AND THIS IS THE FUTURE AND WE NEED YOUR HELP. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> MY NAME IS LAWN AN WALKER AND I COME FROM FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF MILWAUKEE. AND I AM ONE OF YOUR THRIVE YOUTH COORDINATORS. I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY AND DRUM. MY FAMILY AND THOSE WHO HAVE TRIED TO PROTECT THE EARTH TIRELESSLY, A LOT OF PROTECT ENDS HAVE DONE WORK TO KEEP US SAFER AND ON THIS BELOVED EARTH AND DESERVE THE WELL MEANING CARE OF A FAMILY MEMBER WHILE FACING UPCOMING TRIALS. TO THIS I AM SAYING PLEASE SUPPORT MY FAMILY IN AIW-F. AND MY NAME IS KAREN VAN FOSSEN, [INDISCERNIBLE] THE CLOSEST LOCATION TO STANDING ROCK. BEFORE THE CAMPS AT STANDING ROCK WERE FORCIBLY EVACUATED, UU'S ACROSS THIS LAND KNEW YOU WHAT SOLIDARITY LOOKED LIKE. YOU SHOWED UP. WE SHOWED UP WITH OUR BODIES, OUR RESOURCES, AND OUR PRAYERS. AND WE WERE WELCOMED AS RELATIVES. THIS ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS THAT WE PROPOSE TO YOU TODAY WAS SUGGESTED, APPROVED, AND CRAFTED WITH ALL WATER PROTECTORS WHO ARE CURRENTLY FACING FEDERAL IMPRISONMENT. LITTLE FEATHER, RED FAWN, RATTLER AND THEIR LOVED ONES ACTUALLY EXPRESSED THEIR GRATITUDE TO US FOR DOING THIS. THIS IS HOW WE CAN EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE TO THEM. THIS ACTION OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS IS JUST WHAT RELATIVES DO. [APPLAUSE] >> [INDISCERNIBLE] CAUCUS OF DRUUMM AND WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS AIW-F, IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE WATER PROTECTORS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE PRISON, THAT THEY WILL BE GOING PRISON IF WE DON'T CONTINUE TO BE IN SOLIDARITY WITH THEM. AND SOLIDARITY MUST GO ON AND ON, BECAUSE THE STRUGGLE HAS NOT ENDED. >> MY NAME IS [INDISCERNIBLE] AND I AM AN AFFILIATED COMMUNITY MINISTER WITH THE MOUNT DIABLO UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH AND PRESIDENT OF DRUUMM. I AM SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF AIW-F, BECAUSE THIS IS A RESOLUTION THAT KEEPS US IN COMMITMENT AND COMMUNITY WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THIS RESILIENT STRUGGLE FOR CENTURIES. UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM HAS THE HISTORY OF DOING ONE AND DONE APPROACH TO JUSTICE. LET'S MOVE AWAY FROM THAT WITH THIS RESOLUTION. >> ARE YOU READY? PROCEDURE MIC. >> RANDY BURNHAM FROM THE UNITARIAN CHURCH IN WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT. I HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION. COULD WE SUSPEND THE RULES SO THAT ALL SIX COULD BE ACCEPTED IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION, NOT HAVING [INDISCERNIBLE] I SEE THEM SHAKING THEIR HEAD. >> NO. WE CAN'T DO THAT, EVEN IF WE VOTE. >> SO HERE WE GO. THE BYLAWS SAY A THING. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT ALL SIX OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT, RAISE YOUR HAND. I WANT SOMEONE TO MARK WE BELIEVE ALL SIX OF THESE ARE IMPORTANT, BECAUSE I AGREE. THEY ARE ALL IMPORTANT. ALAS, WE ARE CONSTRAINED BY OUR BYLAWS. WHEN WE GET TO THE CSW BYLAWS PROCESS, JUST REMEMBER THIS. ALL RIGHT. I'M BEING VERY HONEST. SO HERE WE GO AGAIN. IT IS TIME TO PULL OUT YOUR CARDS. DOES EVERYONE HAVE YOUR CARD? YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THREE. CAN PEOPLE PUT BACK THE ORDER? THE A, B, C, D, E, F? PLEASE CLEARLY MARK?3 CHOICES AND TEAR OFF YOUR STUB AND FAST TO THE AISLE TO THE RIGHT. LEON? CAN YOU JOIN US, PLEASE? >> AS WE SEARCH OUR CONSCIENCES, WOULD YOU PLEASE JOIN ME IN SINGING? YOU MAY REMAIN SOCIETY. FIND A STILLNESS. >> SO PEOPLE PASS THE THINGS TO THE RIGHT. SO AS BARB AND THE AMAZING CHUCK GANES COME UP. SO HE INVITE MY CO-MODERATOR UP TO PRESENT THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD. [APPLAUSE] >> WELL, THIS IS A GREAT HONOR, FOR THOSE OF WHO YOU DON'T KNOW THIS FINE MINISTER WAS THE MINISTER WHO DEDICATED ME AS A SMALL CHILD. [APPLAUSE] >> IT'S ALL HIS FAULT. [LAUGHTER] >> I HAVE BEFORE YOU THE REVEREND DR.?CHARLES GAINES. YOUR MINISTRY HAS RIPPLED OUT INTO THE LIVES OF MANY CONTEMPORARY LEADERS IN OUR RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT. YOUR INFLUENCE ON THE GROWTH OF OUR MOVEMENT AND THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PROFESSIONAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAS LARGELY GONE WITHOUT CREDIT. LET US TAKE A MOMENT HERE TO CELEBRATE YOU AND YOUR DEDICATED WORK IN OUR FAITH. YOU WERE THE LAST MINISTER TO BE ORDAINED AS A UNIVERSALIST MINISTER IN 1961, BEFORE THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE UNITARIANS AND THE UNIVERSALISTS INTO THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST . I HEAR SOME CLAPPING. YOU CAN DO THAT. THROUGHOUT YOUR MINISTRY, YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE INCLUSIVE VALUES OF UNIVERSALISM AND UPHELD THE BROADER VISION OF A SOCIAL GOSPEL MADE MANIFEST IN OUR DAILY RELATIONSHIPS, OUR INSTITUTIONS, AND OUR WORK IN THE WORLD. YOU HAVE MINISTERED WITH CONGREGATIONS IN MILFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, AS WELL AS MASSACHUSETTS CONGREGATIONS IN HARDWICK, FRAMINGHAM, COHASSET, GROTON, AND ACTON. YOU FAITHFULLY SERVED ON THE STAFF OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION AND CONSULTED WITH HUNDREDS OF CONGREGATIONS WHILE AT TURNABOUT CONSULTANTS. DURING YOUR TIME ON THE UUA STAFF, YOU VISITED FORTY-FOUR STATES AND EIGHT NATIONS ON BEHALF OF OUR FAITH. YOUR MINISTRY HAS BEEN A BEAUTIFUL BLEND OF HUMAN- CENTERED RELATIONSHIPS, TRUTH TELLING, AND DRIVING INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. YOUR JUSTICE ACTIVISM HAS INCLUDED DIRECT, STREET-BASED ACTIVISM, SUCH AS ANSWERING THE 1965 CALL FOR CLERGY TO JOIN THE MARCH FROM SELMA TO MONTGOMERY, AS WELL AS CHOOSING WHENEVER -- [APPLAUSE] AS WELL AS CHOOSING WHENEVER POSSIBLE TO USE YOUR INSTITUTIONAL POWER TO DELIBERATELY SEEK OUT AND EMPOWER THOSE WHO EXPERIENCE BARRIERS AND MARGINALIZATION. AT A TIME WHEN THERE WERE FEW WOMEN IN OUR MINISTRY AND EVEN FEWER SERVING IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AT THE UUA, YOU WERE A CONSISTENT ALLY, COLLEAGUE, AND FRIEND TO THOSE WHO WERE THERE WHILE WORKING TO MAKE SPACE FOR THOSE WHO WERE NOT YET IN PLACES OF POWER. [APPLAUSE] NOT ONE TO MINCE WORDS, YOUR PASSION FOR HONESTY AND CANDOR LED YOU TO ADDRESS ISSUES HEAD-ON, WHICH SOMETIMES WAS NOT AS APPRECIATED AS YOU MIGHT HAVE HOPED. NONETHELESS, YOUR ANALYSIS OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF OUR MOVEMENT AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO NAME DIFFICULT TRUTHS HAVE TAUGHT MANY ABOUT OPPRESSION, PRIVILEGE, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE AN ALLY. IN 1984, MONTHS BEFORE YOU WERE HIRED TO SERVE AT THE UUA AND BECAUSE NO ONE ON STAFF WAS WILLING TO ATTEND, YOU REPRESENTED INSTITUTIONAL UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM AT THE FIRST GATHERING OF BISEXUAL, GAY, LESBIAN, AND TRANSGENDER UU MINISTERS AND STUDENTS. [APPLAUSE] NOT LONG AFTER THAT, YOU WERE HIRED AS THE MINISTRY SETTLEMENT DIRECTOR OF THE UUA, A POSITION YOU HELD FROM 1984 TO 1990 AND IN WHICH YOU BOLDLY PROMOTED WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND LGBTQ MINISTERS FOR SETTLEMENT IN OUR CONGREGATIONS. WHEN YOU ENCOUNTERED RESISTANCE, YOU INTRODUCED A PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSE REQUIRING CONGREGATIONS TO EXAMINE AND STRIVE TO OVERCOME THEIR OWN SYSTEMIC AND PERSONAL BIASES DURING THE SETTLEMENT PROCESS. THAT RESPONSE SEEDED THE GROUND FOR A PROGRAM WE CONTINUE TO USE TO THIS DAY, CALLED BEYOND CATEGORICAL THINKING. [APPLAUSE] YOUR ZEALOUS ADVOCACY WAS ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT PAVED THE WAY FOR THE DIVERSITY EXPERIENCED IN OUR PROFESSIONAL MINISTRY TODAY. YOUR UNIVERSALIST PASSION FOR THE GROWTH OF OUR RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT WAS CONTAGIOUS, INSPIRING, AND PRACTICAL. DURING YOUR TIME AS DIRECTOR OF THE EXTENSION DEPARTMENT OF THE UUA YOU IMPLEMENTED A BROAD INITIATIVE THAT UNDERSTOOD THE WORK OF "EXTENSION" AND CHURCH GROWTH TO INCLUDE NOT JUST THE SUPPORT OF FIRST- TIME MINISTRY IN CONGREGATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW CONGREGATIONS-BUT A FULL SPECTRUM OF SERVICES FOR EVERY CONGREGATIONS OF EVERY SIZE. FROM WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES TO SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, YOU MADE SURE THAT CONGREGATIONS LEARNED NEW APPROACHES AND FOUND NEW RESOURCES AMONG ONE ANOTHER'S DEMONSTRATED SUCCESSES. YOUR SENSE OF URGENCY LED A VIBRANT PERIOD OF THE EXTENSION MINISTRY PROGRAM AND THE MOST ROBUST OUTREACH AND GROWTH EFFORTS SINCE THE DAYS OF THE CELEBRATED FELLOWSHIP MOVEMENT. YOU WERE A CHAMPION OF PROGRAMMING AND RESOURCE DEPLOYMENT TARGETED AT HELPING EXISTING CONGREGATIONS REALIZE THEIR POTENTIAL WHILE PLANTING NEW CONGREGATIONS WHEREVER OPPORTUNITIES PRESENTED THEMSELVES. YOU HAVE BEEN CHAMPION, FRIEND, MENTOR, ROLE MODEL, ALLY, AND MINISTER TO TOO MANY TO COUNT. YOUR LOVE OF OUR FAITH, PASSION FOR JUSTICE, AND COMMITMENT TO EVER REFORMING OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE COMMENDABLE. WE OWE YOU A DEEP DEBT OF GRATITUDE FOR HELPING UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM GROW WHEN OTHER DENOMINATIONS WERE WANING AND FOR INSPIRING A DIVERSITY AMONG OUR RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS THAT HELPED TO CHANGE WHO IS IN THE CONVERSATION. THROUGHOUT YOUR SERVICE, YOU HAVE GIVEN US SOME TASTE OF A UNIVERSALISM THAT IS REALIZABLE AND MODELED FOR US A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM THAT CAN BE. ON THIS 23RD DAY OF JUNE IN THE YEAR 2018, WE HONOR YOU BY AWARDING YOU WITH THE ANNUAL AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE CAUSE OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM AS PRESENTED BY THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. OH, MY LAND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS HONOR. AT THE SAME TIME, I'M THINKING OF SO MANY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE STANDING BESIDE ME. I COULD NOT ACHIEVE WHATEVER HAS BEEN SAID WITHOUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT, THE PLANNING, AND THE ACTIVE SUPPORT OF SO MANY OF YOU. THIS IS THE 57TH?YEAR IN MINISTRY. I WAS ORDAINED AS A LAST UNIVERSALIST MINISTER JUST TWO WEEKS BEFORE MERGER IN A RURAL CHURCH IN HARD WICK, MASSACHUSETTS, A PLACE WITH MORE COWS THAN PEOPLE. ONE ASPECT KNOWN IN UNIVERSALIST HISTORY IS THAT WE WERE EVANGELISTS. EVANGELIST MEANS AN ENTHUSIASTIC ADVOCATE. IN THE 19TH CENTURY, WE WERE ENERGIZED TO EXPAND OUR MEMBERSHIP. AROUND 1850 WE WERE ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING DENOMINATIONS IN THE NATION. MY OWN EVANGELISM PERHAPS STEMS FROM THAT. DURING MY MINISTRY, I'VE TRAVELED TO 44 STATES AND EIGHT COUNTRIES ON BEHALF OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. I HAVE MET MANY FRIENDLY, DEDICATED PEOPLE AND MY OWN MOTTO AND MINISTRY STEMS FROM ALL THIS. IT IS TAKEN FROM THE WORDS ATTRIBUTED TO JOHN MURRAY, THE COUNTER OF UNIVERSALISM IN IT AMERICA, WHEN HE SAID YOU MAY POSSESS ONLY A SMALL LIGHT, BUT UNCOVER IT IN ORDER TO BRING MORE LIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF MEN AND WOMEN. GIVE THEM NOT HELL, BUT HOPE AND COURAGE. SO THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU FOR THIS HONOR, AND MAY YOU ALSO, IN YOUR OWN HEART AND WAY, BE EVANGELISTS FOR OUR FAITH. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] YOU ARE WONDERFUL OF THE THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE IS AN INCREDIBLE SOCIAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATION PROPELLING UU VALUES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THE UUSC ADVANCES HUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH GRASSROOTS COLLABORATIONS IN DOZENS OF COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD AND IN THE UNITED STATES. PROMOTING ECONOMIC JUSTICE, BOLSTERING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND PROTECTING RIGHTS AT RISK IS THE WORK OF THE UUSC. PLEASE WELCOME OF THE UUSC. LISA JENKINS, BOARD CHAIR OF U USC AND REVEREND MARY CATHERINE WARREN, THE NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE U USC. >> MARSHALL ISLANDER KATHY JETNIL-KIJINER SHARED A POEM WRITTEN FOR HER INFANT DAUGHTER AT THE 2014 UN CLIMATE SUMMIT: "DEAR MATAFELE PEINAM." SHE BEGINS WITH LAMENTATIONS FOR HER CHILD GIVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF A HOMELAND LOST TO THE RAVAGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THEY SAY YOU, YOUR DAUGHTER AND YOUR GRANDDAUGHTER, TOO WILL WANDER ROOTLESS WITH ONLY A PASSPORT TO CALL HOME SHE THEN GOES ON TO PROMISE THAT SHE WILL DO EVERYTHING IN HER POWER TO ENSURE THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER "CLIMATE CHANGE REFUGEE" AND ASSURES HER THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE. SHE TELLS HER DAUGHTER "THERE ARE THOSE WHO SEE US" WITH. HANDS REACHING OUT FISTS RAISING UP BANNERS UNFURLING MEGAPHONES BOOMING WOW. THAT SOUNDS A LOT LIKE US! AND, YES, MATAFELE PEINAM, AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, WE SEE YOU. WE SEE YOU, YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR NEIGHBORS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH PACIFIC CONFRONTING THE IMMEDIATE AND EXISTENTIAL THREATS OF A RISING SEA. WE SEE YOU. JUST LIKE WE SEE THE ROHINGYA DESPERATELY FLEEING ETHNIC CLEANSING IN BURMA, SYRIANS ESCAPING UNENDING AND HORRIFYING CIVIL WARFARE. WE SEE THE 65 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED BY CONFLICT AND CLIMATE SEEKING SAFE HARBORS ONLY TO FIND THAT THEY ARE NOT SAFE. WE SEE THE MISTREATMENT OF IMMIGRANTS IN THIS COUNTRY, THE ESCALATING ACTS OF HATRED ON OUR STREETS AND FROM THE HIGHEST OFFICES IN THIS LAND. WE SEE ALL OF THIS AND SO MUCH MORE. AND, THEN, WE DO. OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST VALUES TELL US TO SEE AND, THEN, TO DO. WE CANNOT POSSIBLY I KNOW EXCELLENT TORY ALL THE WAYS THE U USC OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO DO WERE SO FOR NOW I REFER YOU TO OUR WEBSITE, THE UUSC.ORG. THAT IS THE MISSION OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST SERVICE COMMITTEE-TO PUT OUR UU VALUES TO WORK IN THIS WORLD. IT HAS BEEN OUR MISSION FROM THE MOMENT WE JOINED WITH LOCAL RESISTORS IN WORLD WAR II HELPING JEWS, INTELLECTUALS, CHILDREN, ALL ENEMIES OF THE NAZI STATE GET TO SAFETY. SEVENTY-EIGHT YEARS LATER, WE REMAIN TRUE TO OUR MISSION TO DEFEND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF OPPRESSED PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. FIDELITY TO THIS MISSION HAS MOVED UUSC FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH ACROSS THE GENERATIONS. IT HAS SUSTAINED US IN THIS PAST YEAR, WHEN THE WORLD TILTED OFF ITS AXIS. AND, THIS GLORIOUS MISSION HAS SUSTAINED US IN A TIME OF OUR OWN INSTITUTIONAL TRANSITION. NONE OF THIS IS POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR UUSC FAMILY. OUR BOARD, OUR STAFF, OUR PARTNERS AND YOU, THIS FAITHFUL COMMUNITY OF UU MINISTERIAL LEADERS, CONGREGATIONAL LIAISONS, MEMBERS, VOLUNTEERS, DONORS. YOU ARE OUR GREATEST ASSET-40,000 UUS ALREADY ENGAGED. YOU ARE THE ONES OUR POET DESCRIBED: "WITH HANDS REACHING OUT, FISTS RAISING UP, BANNERS UNFURLING, MEGAPHONES BOOMING." WE ARE "MARCHING HAND IN HAND" WITH PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD IN THE WORLD IN PARTNERSHIP AND IN DEFENSE OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT, YOUR VISION, YOUR SUPPORT. TODAY, I AM HAPPY TO INTRODUCE A NEW MEMBER OF OUR IMMEDIATE UUSC FAMILY. THE REV. MARY KATHERINE MORN HAS BEEN IN OUR LARGER CIRCLE FOR 30 YEARS AS A UU MINISTER SERVING CONGREGATIONS, COMMUNITIES, AND OUR LARGER ASSOCIATION. AFTER MANY MONTHS OF A VERY ROBUST SEARCH, THE UUSC BOARD IS DELIGHTED THAT MARY KATHERINE ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION TO BE OUR PRESIDENT AND CEO. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT MARY KATHERINE WILL LEAD US, ALL OF US, TO LIVE OUR UU VALUES MORE PASSIONATELY AND EFFECTIVELY IN THIS TIME THAT NEEDS PEOPLE JUST LIKE US! PLEASE, JOIN ME IN WELCOMING REV. MARY KATHERINE MORN. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU, LYSSA. I AM HONORED BY YOUR INVITATION TO SERVE AND THRILLED TO TAKE ON THIS TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT ROLE LEADING OUR UUSC. UUSC'S STAFF AND BOARD LEADERSHIP INSPIRE ME AND GIVE ME CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN AND WILL DO EVEN MORE AS WE NAVIGATE THE TREACHEROUS WATERS AHEAD-UUSC WAS MADE FOR TIMES LIKE THESE, BY TIMES LIKE THESE. FROM ITS BEGINNINGS, UUSC HAS EFFECTIVELY CENTERED THE VOICES AND LEADERSHIP OF OUR PARTNERS AROUND THE WORLD WHO ARE CREATING CHANGE AND DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS. PARTNERS LIKE URSULA RAKOVA ,AN ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVIST FROM THE CARTERET ISLANDS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND LEADER OF TULELE PEISA. TULELE PEISA MEANS "SAILING IN THE WIND ON OUR OWN" IN THE LOCAL HALIA LANGUAGE. TULELE PEISA SUPPORTS CARTERET ISLANDERS THROUGH ALL STAGES OF RELOCATION AND WORKS TO ENSURE THAT WHEN THEY LEAVE THEIR HOMES BEHIND, THEY CAN CREATE A NEW HOME THAT FITS, AS BEST IT CAN, WITH THEIR IDENTITY AND WAY OF LIFE-LEAVING THEM NOT ROOTLESS, BUT ROOTED IN THE BEAUTY AND HISTORY THAT HAS ALWAYS HELD THEM, EVEN AS THEY LOSE SO MUCH TO SHIFTING TIDES. BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT, AT UUSC, TOGETHER WE SEE URSULA, WE SEE MATAFELE. AND THEN, TOGETHER, WE REACH OUT OUR HANDS, WE RAISE UP OUR FISTS. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> THE UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE WAS FOUNDED AT JUSTICE GA IN 2012 AS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE UUA AND THE UU SERVICE COMMITTEE (UUSC). ITS MISSION IS TO INSPIRE, EQUIP, AND SUSTAIN SPIRITUALLY GROUNDED ACTIVISM. THE REV. KATHLEEN MCTIGUE HAS BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF CSJ SINCE ITS FOUNDING. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS REST ON THE POWER OF PROXIMITY: THE IDEA THAT WHEN WE MOVE CLOSER TO INJUSTICES AND THE PEOPLE ON WHOM THEY FALL MOST HEAVILY, IT CHANGES US. WE CONNECT IN ALLIANCE AND SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE WE SUDDENLY RECOGNIZE AS KIN. AND WHEN IT'S FAMILY WHOSE WELL-BEING IS THREATENED, WE BECOME MORE BOLD AND CREATIVE IN OUR ACTIONS FOR JUSTICE THAN WE MIGHT EVER HAVE DREAMED POSSIBLE. OUR PROGRAMS ARE GROUNDED ON TWO TRUTHS OF OUR UU FAITH. THE FIRST IS OUR INTERDEPENDENCE, WHICH DEMANDS THAT WE BE MINDFUL OF OUR PLACE IN THE WEB, MINDFUL OF HOW IT CONNECTS US TO EVERY OTHER BEING. THE SECOND IS THAT NO PERSON'S LIFE IS INHERENTLY WORTH MORE THAN ANOTHER'S: NO ONE IS DISPOSABLE. [APPLAUSE] THE WINDS OF INJUSTICE ARE BLOWING AT HURRICANE FORCE THESE DAYS. THEY CAN MAKE US FEEL SCATTERED OR HELPLESS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH UNDER ATTACK AT ONCE. BUT OUR CORE TRUTHS -- THAT WE RISE AND FALL TOGETHER, AND THAT WE ARE ALL OF DEEP WORTH -- GROUND US LIKE MOUNTAINS AGAINST THE WIND. IN THAT GROUNDING, WE SEE WHERE WE CAN BEST RESIST DEGRADATION AND SUFFERING, WHERE WE CAN BEST ACT FOR LIFE AND LOVE. THIS IS WHAT CSJ PROGRAMS SUPPORT. WHEREVER YOUR CONGREGATION IS IN ITS SOCIAL JUSTICE PATH, WE HAVE ENTRY POINTS: STUDY GUIDES, WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS, AND TOOLKITS. AND WE HAVE A POWERFUL ARRAY OF IMMERSION JOURNEYS. I'LL HIGHLIGHT THREE OF THEM, AND I HOPE THEY'LL RESONATE WITH YOU AS WAYS TO STRENGTHEN WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING, OR TO JUMP-START SOME NEW DIRECTIONS. FIRST, COME TO OUR BORDER WITNESS JOURNEY AT THE ARIZONA/MEXICO BORDER. IT HAS A WAY OF BREAKING YOUR HEART OPEN AND PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN WITH POWERFUL NEW ELEMENTS OF COURAGE AND PASSION. PEOPLE HAVE RETURNED FROM THAT JOURNEY MOTIVATED TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH MIGRANT-LED GROUPS IN THEIR OWN TOWNS. THEY'VE BROUGHT THEIR CONGREGATIONS INTO THE FOLD OF SANCTUARY CHURCHES, SUPPORTED UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS, ACCOMPANIED PEOPLE TO IMMIGRATION HEARINGS, AND VISITED THOSE IN DETENTION. SOME HAVE UNDERTAKEN GREATER RISKS, QUIETLY OPENING THEIR HOMES TO PEOPLE IN DANGER OF DEPORTATION. THE STRUGGLE FOR MIGRANT AND REFUGEE JUSTICE COULD NOT BE MORE URGENT, AT A TIME WHEN REFUGEES ARE CALLED CRIMINALS, THOSE PAINTED AS CRIMINALS ARE CALLED ANIMALS, DESPERATE MIGRANT PARENTS ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, AND VOLUNTEERS TRYING TO SAVE LIVES ARE CHARGED WITH FELONIES FOR HUMANITARIAN AID. THIS IS ALL PART OF A SYSTEMIC EFFORT TO DEHUMANIZE OUR SIBLINGS AND CRIMINALIZE ACTIVISM. THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE HAS PROGRAMS AND TOOLS TO HELP YOU RESIST. SECOND, IF YOU WANT TO EMPOWER AND INSPIRE THE RISING GENERATION OF JUSTICE ACTIVISTS IN YOUR CONGREGATION, HELP YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS JOIN ONE OF OUR ACTIVATE PROGRAMS. WE RUN WEEK-LONG VERSIONS OF ACTIVATE IN WEST VIRGINIA, NEW ORLEANS, AND TUCSON. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER DEEP DIVES INTO THE ISSUES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, RACISM, AND MIGRANT JUSTICE, ALL FRAMED IN A WAY MEANT TO INSPIRE AND EQUIP TEENS TO MOVE ALONG THE SPECTRUM FROM INTERESTED BYSTANDER TO ACTIVIST TO ORGANIZER. THIS YEAR WE ALSO OFFERED SHORTER, ADAPTED VERSIONS OF ACTIVATE FOR UUA PROGRAMS IN PITTSBURGH, CHICAGO, NEW YORK, DENVER, AND SEATTLE. ASK US. WE CAN BRING IT TO YOU, TOO! THIRD, IF YOU WANT TO DEEPEN YOUR CONGREGATION'S COMMITMENT TO CLIMATE JUSTICE, COME WITH US TO HOUSTON. OUR PROGRAM, "RECOVERY AND BEYOND", IS A CHANCE TO PUT YOUR HANDS TO THE PHYSICAL WORK OF HURRICANE RECOVERY. BUT UNLIKE SOME SERVICE PROGRAMS, WHERE YOU COME HOME FEELING GREAT ABOUT THE GOOD YOU'VE DONE BUT KNOWING LITTLE ABOUT THE PEOPLE OR THE SYSTEMS THEY'RE UP AGAINST, OUR PROGRAM PUTS A JUSTICE FRAMEWORK AROUND THE HANDS-ON LABOR. THERE WAS A STORM OF INJUSTICE IN HOUSTON WAY BEFORE HARVEY STRUCK, ESPECIALLY ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM. A DEEP DIVE INTO THAT STORM'S PATH IS WHAT WE OFFER ENCOUNTERS WITH GRASSROOTS UUSC PARTNER GROUPS, AN EYE-OPENING "TOXIC TOUR" OF SOME OF THE MOST POISONED AREAS, AND IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO WORK FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE IN YOUR OWN TOWN. IF YOU CAN'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS FROM THIS BRIEF REVIEW, PLEASE REMEMBER OUR WEBSITE: UUCSJ.ORG. EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS THERE. AND REMEMBER THAT THE UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL JUSTICE IS YOURS. SIGN UP FOR A PROGRAM, AND FIND POWERFUL NEW WAYS TO HARNESS YOUR PASSION FOR JUSTICE! UU COLLEGE OF SOCIAL HARNESS YOUR PASSION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> PLEASE WELCOME?-- MARY, NATALIE, JEROME, ELLIOTT, CARRIE, TAQUIENA, JESSICA, MELISSA, JESSE, AND LESLIE. TO SHARE WITH US REFLECTIONS ON WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR BEEN OR WITHIN OUR FAITH. AND CENTRAL IS BRINGING FORWARD LONG TIME CONCERNS OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR. BACK, BROWN, ASIAN, PACIFIC ISLANDERS, DIASPORA AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HAVE STORIES OF JOY AND PAIN TO TELL WHICH INFORM AND EXPAND OUR FAITH WHICH EXPANDS OUR POSSIBILITIES. LET US LISTEN. >> I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF AND KNOW THAT MY COLLEAGUES OF COLOR WILL MOSTLY RELATE. INIAL CONGREGATION THAT I SERVE IN, I SERVE AS DIRECTOR OF MUSIC. AND WHILE THE JOBS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR DIRECTOR OF MUSIC ARE BROAD, MY JOB DOES NOT INCLUDE MANAGING CONGREGANTS' WHITE FRAGILITY. MY JOB DOES NOT INCLUDE DEALING WITH AGGRESSION MICRO AGGRESSIONS. MY JOB DOES NOT INCLUDE BEING PATIENT AND WAITING FOR OTHERS TO LEARN HOW TO AND EDUCATE THEMSELVES ARE HOW TO NOT BE RACIST. THE FACT THAT I AM EXPECTED TO DO THESE THINGS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT IN MY JOB, IS DAMAGING TO MY SPIRIT, IS DAMAGING TO MY CAPACITY FOR RELATIONSHIPS, IS DAMAGING TO MY BODY. AND STILL, I'D LIKE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT I AND THAT MY COLLEAGUES OF COLOR ALL DO THIS WORK AND WE SUSTAIN THIS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT IN OUR JOBS, WITHOUT EVEN CONSIDERATION FOR HAZARD PAY. >> ONE OF THE SALIENT POINTS ON THIS BOARD HAS BEEN THAT OUR COLLECTIVE STORIES AND VALUES AND THINGS THAT WE SAY TO UPHOLD DOES NOT MEAN THE CURRENT REALITY THAT OFTENTIMES WE FACE IN OUR CONGREGATIONS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A MISALIGNMENT BETWEEN OUR VALUES AND OUR ASPIRATIONS AND OUR ACTUAL CONCRETE PRACTICES. >> IF THERE WAS ONE THING YOU COULD CHANGE TO CREATE THE CONDITIONS WHERE RELIGIOUS AND LAY PEOPLE OF COLOR COULD FLOURISH, WHAT WOULD THAT BE? >> THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION, MARY. I'M TERRY MCNAMARA DONALD. I WORK FOR THE UUA. AND YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO GET TO ONE. IT'S HARD TO GET TO ONE. BUT PERHAPS THROUGH OUR SHARED CONTRIBUTIONS ON THIS STAGE, YOU MAY TAKE AWAY A COUPLE OF THINGS. THE THEY THINK THAT CAME TO MIND FOR ME IN ANSWERING THIS QUESTION, TO PICK UP ON SOME OF THE THREADS OF WHAT JEROT SAID, BEING AN ALLY, A CO-CONSPIRATOR ACCOMPLICE, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, IT IS A SKILL. IT REQUIRES PRACTICE AND EDUCATION AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT COMMITMENT. AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE WAYS IN WHICH WE'VE CALLED US TO FOLLOW THE BEAUTIFUL AND POWERFUL LEADERSHIP OF FOLKS OF COLOR IN OUR ASSOCIATION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT, THAT DOESN'T JUST MEAN SITTING ASIDE AND WAITING FOR ORDERS. SOMETIMES IT MEANS SPEAKING UP. SOMETIMES IT MEANS BEING QUIET AND FIGURING OUT AND LISTENING AND FIGURING THAT OUT IS A BIG PART OF THE WORK OF BEING SUPPORTIVE, AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE BURDEN FALLING UNEQUALLY, THE BURDEN OF MAY HAVE GATING THAT IS PART OF WHAT IS FALLING UNEQUALLY. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF TRANSFORMATIVE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE TRYING TO HAVE IN OUR CONVERSATION, IN OUR CONGREGATIONS IN THE COMING YEAR, AND I, AS A LEADER, HAVE BEEN SKILLED AND PRACTICING PARTNERS IN THE WORK. >> [INDISCERNIBLE] SPECIAL ADVISOR TO THE PRESIDENT ON INSTITUTIONAL INCLUSION, EQUITY, AND CHANGE. AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS QUESTION, WHAT CAME TO MIND FOR ME WAS A TIME WHEN MY CONGREGATION IS GOING THROUGH A CONFLICT AND MY MOM SAYS, WELL, IT IS THEIR CHURCH. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THE TIME AND TALENT AND TREASURE WE HAD GIVEN TO THE CONGREGATION AND NOT TO FEEL THAT OWNERS OF THAT COMMUNITY. JUST REALLY STRUCK ME AS WEIRD. SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE CHANGE IS REGARDING PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OWNERS AND NOT TEN ORS OR REASONERS IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. [APPLAUSE] >> AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IS PUTTING RACIAL EQUITY AT THE CORE BEFORE WE HIRE, BEFORE WE DO OUTREACH, BEFORE WE HAVE PEOPLE COMING TO US AND AFTER. . THE WORK IS CON US AND LIKE ANY RELATIONSHIP, IT'S NEVER OVER. RIGHT RELATIONSHIP IS A CONTINUING SPIRITUAL PRACTICE. AND AS I THINK, WHEN PEOPLE OF COLOR COME IN, WE DON'T KNOW. WE AREN'T AS QUESTION. WE DIDN'T GROW UP AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND THE FAITH. AND THEREFORE, WE DON'T HAVE FULL BENEFITS OF BEING PART OF IT. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE US BEING VALUED FOR WHAT WE BRING VERSUS OUR GIFTS EXTRACTED FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE EXCEPT US. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M JESSICA YORK, YOUR CO-DIRECTOR OF MINISTRIES AND FAITH DEVELOPMENT AND FAITH DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AT THE UU A. AND LIKE CARRIE, IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO PICK ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT. BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND RELATE THAT GO TO EXPERIENCES OF OTHER RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR. AND IT SEEMS TO ME THAT QUITE OFTEN IT'S EITHER FEAST OR FAMINE. THAT SO MANY OF OUR RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR ARE HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING PLATES WHERE THEY CAN TRULY LIVE OUT THEIR MINISTRY. AND THEN OTHERS, SORT OF A SELECT FEW ARE PUT UP ON A PEDESTAL AND KIND OF THE FAMOUS GO TO RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR, THE ONES WHO ARE ALWAYS ASKED TO SPEAK. THE ONES YOU ALWAYS SEE PRESENTING. AND BECAUSE OF THE CAREER TRAJECTORY I'VE HAD, I FIND MYSELF SOMETIMES IN THAT POSITION AND THAT POSITION CAN LOOK REALLY NICE TIMES FROM THE OUTSIDE. AND YET THE REALITY OF IT, TOO, IS WHEN WE PUT PEOPLE ON SUCH A HIGH PEDESTAL, WE ALSO ARE CREATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A GREAT FALL. SO WE'RE HOLDING PEOPLE SOMETIMES TO SUCH HIGH IDEALS THAT THERE IS NO WAY THEY COULD BE POSSIBLY LIVE UP TO THEM BEING FLAWED HUMAN BEINGS THAT WE ALL ARE. AND NONE OF US ARE PERFECT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE PUT ON THAT HIGH A PEDESTAL AND WE MAKE THAT INEVITABLE MISTAKE, THAT'S A REAL LONG FALL DOWN. AND IT'S HARD TO COME BACK FROM THAT. SO WHAT I'M SOMETIMES SEEING IS THAT RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR ARE NOT GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE, NOT WHEN THEY'VE HAD THAT MIGHTY A FALL. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL START TO ASK THEMSELVES WHO ARE GIVEN SECOND CHANCES IN OUR FAITH? THIRD AND FOURTH. RIGHT? THOUGH WE'VE BROKEN OUR VOW A THOUSAND TIMES, WE SAY, AND WHO DOES THAT APPLY TO AND WHO DOESN'T IT APPLY TO IN AND TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NOT JUST EMPLOYERS IN OUR CONGREGATIONS, THAT WE ARE HOUSES OF FAITH IN OUR CONGREGATIONS AND COVENANTED COMMUNITIES AND UU INSTITUTIONS. WE NEED TO ACT AS PEOPLE OF FAITH. WITH WE NEED TO ACT WITH MERCY AND GRACE AND PRACTICE FORGIVENESS AND THAT LOVE THAT WE WANT TO SEE RETURNED TO US. [APPLAUSE] >> I'M MELISSA CARVILLE ZEEMER, CURRENT ACTING DIRECT HE OF THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST MINISTER'S ASSOCIATION AND NEXT YEAR I'LL BE ONE OF THE CO-EXECUTIVES. UUMA IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE WORK OF DISMANTLING WHITE SUPREMACY AND THE IMPACT WHITE SUPREMACY CULTURE HAS ON MINISTERS AND PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR AND WE'VE ALREADY BEGUN TO DO SOME THINGS IN TERMS OF THE WORK WITH OUR LEADERSHIP, BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO LIFT UP FOLLOWS ON WHAT CARRIE SAID. WE HAVE NOT ACHIEVED THIS YET, BUT WE ARE WORKING THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION TO ESTABLISH EXPECTATIONS FOR A LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING EDUCATION POST OFFICE MINISTERS AFTER WE HAVE ACHIEVED FINAL FELLOWSHIP, AND ONE OF THE PARTICULAR AREAS OF CONCERN FOR US IS THAT WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPECTED MINISTERS TO CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR SKILLS IN ANTI-RACIST, ANTI-OPPRESSIVE MULTICULTURAL PRACTICE, BECAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT?-- WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN IN SEMINARY AND BE SET FOR THE DURATION OF OUR CAREERS. THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP LEARNING, KEEP PRACTICING, KEEP PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WAY THAT WE ARE CHANGING, THE WORLD IS CHANGING, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM IS CHANGING, AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD NOW, THAT WE'RE LOOKING?-- THAT WE BELIEVE COULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT, NOT ONLY ON RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS, BUT ALSO ON UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM AS A WHOLE. [APPLAUSE] >> MY NAME IS JESSE KING AND I SERVE AS IT IS CHAIR FOR THE MINISTER YEAR FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE. I HAVE BEEN LEARNING A LOT IN THIS ROLE. I AM A STUDENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BEING LEADERS WITHIN OUR DENOMINATION, AND ONE OF THE MESSAGES THAT I KEEP GETTING BACK FROM MINISTERS, BOTH THE NEW MINISTERS THAT ARE GOING OUT INTO THE WORLD AND THE MINISTERS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED, MINISTERS OF COLOR WHO SAY THE EXPECTATION SEEMS TO BE ON US THAT WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE TO HELP OUR CONGREGATIONS MOVE FORWARD. AND AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE STATED BEFORE, THAT IS OUR JOB AS CONGREGANTS TO DO THE WORK AND NOT EXPECT OUR MINISTERS JUST TO CARRY THE BURDEN AND PARTICULARLY NOT EXPECT THE MINISTERS OF COLOR TO CARRY THE BURDEN OR TO PUSH BACK ON THEM WHEN THEY RAISE THE ISSUES. [APPLAUSE] THE OTHER THING WE NEED TO DO AS A SYSTEM, I THINK OUR FAITH IS STRONG OR I WAS REMINDED OF HOW OUR FAITH FITS WELL OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING, BUT IT'S OUR SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES THAT NEED TO CHANGE AND EVOLVE, AND IT'S BECOME IMMINENTLY CLEAR TO ME THAT THE SYSTEM OF HOW WE BRING LEADERS, LAY AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERS INTO OUR WORLD NEEDS TO ADJUST AND GROW. AND IF IT IS NOT WELCOMING, IF IT IS NOT BECOMING?-- IF IT DOESN'T CHANGE IN A WAY THAT ALLOWS PEOPLE TO COME IN AND HAVE AUTHORITY AND THAT WE CAN SEE THE SPARK OF THE DIVINE, AS NATALIE HAS TAUGHT ME, WITHIN EVERYBODY WHO WALKS IN IN THOSE ROLES, THEN WE ARE FAILING. SO I ASK US TO ASSIST IN OUR CHANGE IN EVOLUTION, AND WHEN SOMETHING FEELS REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE, AND IT'S GOING TO FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN WE START CHANGING HOW WE MOVE TOWARD CREDENTIALING AND EVOLVING OUR MINISTRY AND OUR LEADERSHIP PRACTICES, REALIZE THAT IS PART OF OUR FUTURE, THAT WE HAVE TO GROW. [APPLAUSE] >> THANK YOU. I'M LESLIE TAKAHASHI WITH THE INSTITUTION ON INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND I WANT TO ASK MY FELLOW COMMISSION STORES RAISE HANDS ON THE STAGE, BECAUSE SOME OF YOU MAY NOT HAVE SEEN THEM WHEN THEY WERE INTRODUCED. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT SYSTEMATIC AND CULTURAL CHANGE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS WHEREVER THOSE LEVERS WHERE WITH WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? PEOPLE HAVE STOPPED ME THROUGHOUT THIS GA TO SAY WHY ARE WE FOCUSING SO MUCH ON RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR? AND IT'S BECAUSE OUR RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR US TO HAVE COMMUNITIES AND CULTURES IN WHICH PEOPLE OF COLOR AND OTHER MARGINALIZED PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY THRIVE AND FLOURISH. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT. [APPLAUSE] WE ARE WORKING WITH A PREMISE THAT IF WE CAN BE GOOD COMMUNITIES FOR THOSE WHOSE IDENTITIES ARE MOST MARGINALIZED WITHIN OUR GREATER SOCIETY, THEN WE WILL BE BETTER COMMUNITIES FOR ALL. AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ASKED FOR YOU TO JOIN YOUR VOICES WITH OURS TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR CONCERNS ARE AND TO LET US HEAR FROM YOU. IT IS VERY KENNING THAT FOR THE LAST THREE DAYS, WHAT WE HAVE HEARD MOST FROM PEOPLE IS IN 2018, THOSE MARGINALIZED AMONG US DO NOT FEEL AS IF THEIR VOICES CAN BE HEARD. WE ARE HERE TO SAY TO YOU THAT THEY CAN. AND IN HONOR OF MY BIRACIAL TRADITION AND FROM THE JAPANESE, I HAVE COMPOSED A TRUNKA TO CONCLUDE THIS SESSION. FOR MAKE OUR BOLD FAITH THE MEETING GROUND OF REMOVED LIVES, HELD WITH EXUBERANCE, A GROUND FOR TRANSFORMATION. TAKE VOICE. TELL DEEP TRUTH. CENTER ALL. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> PLEASE WELCOME ELIZABETH NGUYEN, STRATEGIC ADVISE FOR SIDE WITH LOVE AND SUSAN FREDERICK GRAY, THE PRESIDENT OF OUR ASSOCIATION. >> I KNOW THAT YOU'VE FELT IT. THE HEARTBREAK, THE POWERLESSNESS, THE VIOLENCE. THERE IS SO MUCH OF IT. WE COULD FILL THIS WHOLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY WITH LITANIES FOR ALL OF THE INJUSTICE. BUT HAVE YOU FELT THE OTHER THINGS TOO? THE HEALING, THE POWER, THE RIGHTING THE OF WRONGS, THE SOMETIMES QUIET AND SOMETIMES NOT SO QUIET ORGANIZING THAT LOOKS INJUSTICE AND DESPAIR IN THE FACE AND FIGHTS BACK. HOLDING THE TENSION OF HEARTBREAK AND RESISTANCE IS AT THE CORE OF OUR WORK. AT SIDE WITH LOVE WE UNDERSTAND THAT CREATING AND RESPONDING TO THOSE TENSIONS IS OURS TO DO, AND AT THE CORE OF OUR FAITHFUL COMMITMENTS AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS. THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY A NAME THAT CONTAINS ABLEIST LANGUAGE, AND THE BEAUTY OF A IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, SIDE WITH LOVE STAFF, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, PROVIDED COMMUNICATION AND LOGISTICAL SUPPORT TO THE FAITH PRESENTS THERE. FOLLOWING THE ATTACK, WE SUPPORTED WITH OFFLINE AND ONLINE HEALING AND PROCESSING SPACES FOR THOSE HARMED ALONG WITH MEMBERS OF THE BROADER COMMUNITY.AS OUR UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION AND OUR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITIES ENGAGE THE TRANSFORMATIVE WORK OF RESISTING WHITE SUPREMACY AND OPPRESSION INTERNALLY, WE KNOW IT CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM THE JUSTICE WORK THAT EMBODIES OUR VALUES IN THE WORLD. THESE BOTH FLOW FROM OUR SHARED THEOLOGICAL CORE. INTERDEPENDENCE MEANS THAT NONE OF US ARE FREE UNTIL WE ARE ALL FREE. AND UNIVERSALISM MEANS THAT NO ONE IS OUTSIDE THE CIRCLE OF LOVE. >> WHEN WE SIDE WITH LOVE DOES NOT TRY TO OUR COMMITMENT TO THE BELOVED COMMUNITY ARE WHAT WE TOLD MOST SACRED. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THIS YEAR SIDE WITH LOVE HAS BEEN CALLED ON MORE AND MORE TO RESPOND TO THESE URGENT CRISES AROUND THE WORLD AND AROUND OUR COUNTRY, AND YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE? I WANT US TO BE ABLE TO SAY COLLECTIVELY, YES, TO RESPONDING, WITH THE MOST POWERFUL YES THAT WE CAN. AND SO TODAY I WANT YOU TO PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO LIBERATION, TO COMMUNITY, TO THIS STRUGGLE, TO OUR ANCESTORS, AND TO THE GENERATIONS WHO WILL FOLLOW US. AND MAKE A GENEROUS GIFT THAT SAYS YES, I SIDE WITH LOVE. SAY QUESTION TO OUR PROPHETIC CALL TO LIVE OUR VALUES THROUGH OUR WORK THIS YEAR, THROUGH THE UPCOMING ELECTION CYCLE AND THROUGH ALL THE AREAS IN WHICH WE ARE CALLED TO RESPOND TO BRING LOVE INTO PLACES OF PEER INJUSTICE. SO TODAY I ASK YOU TO MAKE A GIFT TO SUPPORT THE UUA'S WORK OF SIDE WITH LOVE. MAKE A GIFT TODAY THAT MATCHES YOUR PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL, ETHICAL COMMITMENT TO SIDE WITH LOVE IN YOUR LIFE AND YOUR COMMUNITY. HELP US RESPOND STRONGER WITH ONE ANOTHER. INVEST RIGHT HERE, TOGETHER IN THE STRUGGLE. THANK YOU FOR GIVING GENEROUSLY FOR SIDE WITH LOVE. [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> AMEN, AMEN, AMEN. GRATITUDE, JEROT, JAVON, AND NOTE THAT IF YOU TRY TO GIVE MY TEXT, YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED AN ERROR. PLEASE TEXT SSL, SSL INSTEAD OF SWL. AND NEXT YEAR IT WILL BE SWL, BUT THIS YEAR SSL. THANK YOU. >> THE JOURNEY TOWARDS WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE WAS ESTABLISHED IN JUNE 1997 BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AS PART OF THE 1997 GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUSINESS RESOLUTION "TOWARD AN ANTI-RACIST UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION. PLEASE WELCOME THE JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE FOR THEIR REPORT. [APPLAUSE] >> YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE INCLUDES CO-CO SHARES TERESA SOTO, TED FEDDER, BEN GABLE, TRACY ROB BE SON HARRIS, CARRIE STUART, ELIZABETH MOUNT, MANDOLIN-RESTIVO, AND VIOLA ABBOTT. >> AS THE JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO GO DEEPER WITH ANTI-OPPRESSION AND ANTI-RACISM, TO DEDICATE OUR ENERGIES TO CREATING A TRANSFORMATIVE AND LIBERATORY FUTURE IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM. >> WE MUST ROOT OUT OUR HABITUAL CULTURE OF WHITE SUPREMACY -- TOGETHER, OF COURSE, WITH OUR PATRIARCHAL, HETERO- CISGENDER-NORMATIVE, AND ABLEIST CULTURE. WE MUST ENGAGE IN BUILDING A NEW CULTURE NOT BECAUSE WE ARE BAD PERSONS, BUT BECAUSE SO MANY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS ARE PART OF THE LARGER WESTERN, EURO-AMERICAN CULTURE WHERE THE PATTERN OF CENTERING WHITE EUROPEAN CULTURE IS AN ESTABLISHED PRACTICE. TOGETHER WE CAN USE OUR ABILITY TO GROW AND CHANGE SO WE MAY INSTEAD EMBODY OUR IDEALS AND ASPIRATIONS AS LIVED EXPERIENCES. >> YOUR JOURNEY TOWARD WHOLENESS TRANSFORMATION COMMITTEE HAS UNDERTAKEN A STUDY OF POWER MAPPING. THROUGH THIS PROCESS WE ARE ASKING QUESTIONS THAT CAN HELP TO TRANSFORM OUR FAITH: WHERE DOES THE POWER TO CHANGE OUR INSTITUTIONS LIE? WHO CONTROLS THE LEVERS OF CHANGE? WHAT ARE THEIR MOTIVATIONS TO CHANGE, AND WHAT ARE THE FACTORS INHIBITING TRANSFORMATION? WHO ARE THE ADVOCATES FOR BUILDING THE BELOVED COMMUNITY, AND WHAT POWER DO THEY HAVE? WHO ARE THEIR ALLIES, AND HOW CAN COALITIONS OF CHANGE-AGENTS BE ESTABLISHED? >> CHANGE HAS OCCURRED IN THE ASSOCIATION AS PEOPLE DIG INTO QUESTIONS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO DECENTER WHITE SUPREMACY IN WORSHIP. CONGREGATIONS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA PARTICIPATED ENTHUSIASTICALLY IN THE WHITE SUPREMACY TEACH-IN. >> UNFORTUNATELY, A DEMONSTRABLE PATTERN OF CONFLICT WITH RELIGIOUS PROFESSIONALS OF COLOR SHOWS THAT WHITE SUPREMACY SEEKS TO MAINTAIN ITS INFLUENCE. WE CLOSELY FOLLOW THESE INCIDENTS AND SUPPORT THE WORK OF THE COMMISSION ON INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. IT IS BECAUSE REAL PEOPLE ENCOUNTER THE HARMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND THE CONFLICTS IT CAUSES THAT THIS WORK MATTERS. >> WE WANT TO BE INTENTIONAL, TO IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL FOR GROWING A NEW CULTURE, ONE THAT CAN SAVE OUR FAITH IN A TIME OF DISTRESS. PART OF THE FOCUS IS WITHIN THE UUA, THE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS, THE MINISTERS ASSOCIATION, AND THE OTHER NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. BUT A GREATER PART IS IN THE CONGREGATIONS, WHERE MOST UUS ASSOCIATE AND ACT OUT THEIR FAITH. NONE OF US SHOULD SAY "THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM IN MY CONGREGATION," BECAUSE IT SURELY IS. NOTICING THE HABITS OF PRIORITIZING THE NEEDS AND NARRATIVES OF WHITE PEOPLE AND WHITE SYSTEMS IS THE JOB OF EACH CONGREGATION. OUR POLITY CALLS US TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR NEIGHBORING CONGREGATIONS, AND NOTICING AND ACCOUNTING FOR WHITE SUPREMACY, MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES. >> OUR COMMITTEE WILL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMISSION ON INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF BLACK LIVES OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM, DRUUMM, AND OTHER PARTNERS IN THIS GREAT WORK. WE LONG TO WORK WITH YOU. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE TRANSFORMATION BEFORE US. [APPLAUSE] >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I TIMES PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE CLOCK THAN I DO THE PROCESS AND THE CONTENT, AND I JUST WANT TO NAME THAT, BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WATCHING YOUR CLOCK, WE MAY APPEAR TO BE FACING THE IMPOSSIBLE, WHICH IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO DO SIX BYLAW REVISIONS IN 22 MINUTES. WHILE GIVING FULL PROCESS AND 30 MINUTES TO EACH OF THOSE BYLAW CHANGES. WHEN I SAID YESTERDAY THAT I LOVED BYLAWS, I WAS REALLY MEANING IT, BECAUSE HOW WE DO THE WORK MATTERS AND IT MATTERS NOT JUST IN TERMS OF TAKING TIME FOR GOOD PROCESS, BUT THE PROCESS ITSELF. SOMETIMES WE GET SO FOCUSED ON THE MUST BEES THAT WE FORGET THE CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES. SO A COUPLE MUST BEES. YOU MUST BE A DELEGATE TO SPEAK AT THE MICROPHONE, AND YOU'VE ONLY GOT TWO MINUTES IF OTHERS ARE WAITING. NOW WE'VE DONE A LOT OF DISCUSSION AND DEBATE AND VOTING YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND WE'RE GETTING REALLY GOOD AT IT. IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND GET A LUNCH BREAK BEFORE OUR NEXT WORKSHOP, IF YOU WOULD, AS YOU ARE APPROACHING A MIC OR BEFORE YOU MOVE TOWARDS A MIC, THINK ABOUT WHETHER WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO OFFER IS A NEW PERSPECTIVE OR REPETITION OF SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID EARLIER, AND IF IT'S BEEN SAID EARLIER, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER ACCEPTING THAT IT HAS BEEN PUT OUT THERE INTO THE COMMUNITY. PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED IT AND YOUR VOTE WILL REFLECTER THE SUPPORT THAT YOU HAVE FOR YOUR PHYSICIAN OR POSITION. REMEMBER THAT AFTER 15 MINUTES OF DEBATE, MOTIONS TO TABLE OR REFER ARE IN ORDER IF THAT MUCH TIME IS NEEDED. MOTIONS MUST COME FROM THE PROCEDURAL MIC.F THAT MUCH TIME IS NEEDED, IT MEANS WE COULD BE DO IT EARLIER IF WE NEED TO. ONCE FIVE MINUTES HAVE EXPIRED, AND NO ONE IS AT EITHER THE PRO OR CONCERN MIC THEN A MOTION TO CALL THE PREVIOUS QUESTION IS IN ORDER ONCE 7 MINUTES HAS EXPIRED AND THERE ARE PEOPLE AT THE PRO AND CON MIC. ONCE 5 MINUTES HAS -- YOU CAN YOU IS SPENT ANY TIME BY GOING TO THE PROCEDURAL MIC. READY TO DO BYLAWS? LET'S GET GOING. >> RECOGNIZE THE TRUSTEE AT THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE TO MAKE THE MOTION SETTLEMENT MOVE THAT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE EIGHT, SECTION 8.3 AND 8.1 ONE, ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 1.1, ARTICLE TEN, SECTION 10.12, RULE 4.6 AND RULE G9.13.FIVE TO REPLACE HE, HIM, HIS, AND SHE, HER, HERS WITH THEY, THEIR, THEIRS. AS DETAILED ON PAGES 78 AND 79 OF THE FINAL AGENDA AND AS AMENDED IN MINI-ASSEMBLY BE ADOPTED. >> THIS IS IN THE PACKET FROM THIS MORNING. NUMBER FIVE. ALSO ONLINE, GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS. IS THERE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT. THE MOTION TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT TO REPLACE HE, HIM, HIS, AND SHE, HER, HERS, PRONOUNS WITH THEY, THEM, THEIR PRONOUNS HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED. THE CHAIR CALLS ON SARA DAN JONES, TRUSTEE-AT-LARGE, TO MAKE THE BOARD STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THIS BYLAW AMENDMENT. >> THANK YOU. AS OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GENDER HAS EVOLVED, IT IS NECESSARY TO MODERNIZE THE LANGUAGE OF THE BYLAWS TO REPLACE PRONOUNS WHICH LIMIT GENDER WITH PRONOUNS THAT ALLOW FOR MORE INCLUSIVE INTERPRETATIONS OF GENDER. THE BOARD SUPPORTS THIS ALTERATION OF THE LANGUAGE OF OUR BYLAWS FOR THE USE OF GENDER KNEW YOU TRAVEL PRONOUNS. >> THANK YOU. BEFORE WE GET TO THE PROCEDURAL MIC WE'RE GOING TO MOVE INTO DISCUSSION TIME. FOR THE REMAINING BYLAW AMENDMENTS, WE WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES RATHER THAN THREE MINUTES OF DISCUSSION TIME. YOUR DISCUSSION QUESTION DURING THESE TWO MINUTES ARE HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE CALLED BY THE NAME THAT YOU USE? HOW DO YOU FEEL WHEN YOU ARE CALLED BY THE NAME THAT YOU USE? DISCUSSION TIME BEGINS NOW. THANK YOU, DELEGATES. WE'LL COME BACK TOGETHER AS LARGER COMMUNITY. WE RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PRO MIC. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MINDY BUTLER SWILATCHE AND I HAIL FROM THE UNITED CHURCH OF NOR WOKE IN VIRGINIA. I HAVE SPENT THE LAST TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS WALKING ALONG MY NOW EX-PARTNER AS HE TRANSITIONED FROM EXPRESSING A FALSE FEMALE PRESENTATION TO LIVING AN AUTHENTIC LIFE AS MALE. ALONG THE WAY, I HAVE BECOME EDUCATED TO THE STIFLING, PAINFUL, AND DISPARAGING EFFECTS THE STRUGGLE OUR NONBINARY FELLOW HUMANS FACE IN A VAIN ATTEMPT TO FIT INTO THE GENDER BOXES MOST OF US HAVE NEVER EVEN THOUGHT TO CONSIDER. ON THE VERY FIRST DAY HERE AT GA, DURING MY VERY FIRST SESSION, WE WERE ASKED TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES AND TO SPECIFY WHAT PRONOUNS WE PREFERRED. I WATCHED AS A FEW OF MY FELLOW ENLIGHTENED UU-ERS SHIFTED UNCOMFORTABLY IN THEIR CHAIRS AND STAMMERED THEIR DESIRE TO BE CALLED HEY YOU OR WHATCHAMACALLIT, STATING I'M OLD-FASHIONED, YOU KNOW. THESE STATEMENTS WERE FOLLOWED BY LAUGHTER FROM OTHERS. WHILE SOME LAUGHED, I FELT PAIN AT HOW EASY THE JOKES SEEMED TO FLOW AND HOW WELL THEY WERE ACCEPTED. AS MAYA-ANGELOU SAID, DO THE BEST YOU CAN UNTIL YOU KNOW BETTER, THEN WHEN YOU KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER. AS UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN WE WERE NOT DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE ALL FEEL INCLUDED AND EQUAL. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SIT IN OUR DISCOMFORT, TO OPEN OUR MINDS, TO DEEPEN OUR UNDERSTAND AND GO LEAD THE WAY TOWARD CONSCIOUS CHANGE. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >> RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE IT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >>AL SALLY GELLERT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK IF WE CAN SUSPEND THE TIME LIMIT ON THE AMENDMENT. I THINK WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO BE GENDER KNEW YOU TRAVEL AND COMFORTABLE AND I THINK THE AMENDMENTS HAVE GREAT VALUE TOWARD THAT, BUT IF WE HAVE TO WAIT 15 MINUTES, WE MAY NEVER GET THERE. SO PLEASE HELP. >> JUST A MOMENT. >> IT IS TO BELIEVE A DELL GATE TO PROPOSE SUSPENDING THE RULES. WE WOULD NEED A SPECIFIC MOTION TO DO THAT, SPECIFYING WHAT AMOUNT OF TIME AMENDMENTS COULD BE CONSIDERED. >> OKAY. I PROPOSE AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF DISCUSSION WE CONSIDER AMENDMENTS. >> WE HAVE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES SUCH THAT AMENDMENTS COULD BE CONSIDERED AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF DISCUSSION. IS THERE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED. IT REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY OF DELEGATES IN ORDER TO PASS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE COULD BE AS MANY AS THREE OR FOUR AMENDMENTS, SO THE DELEGATES PRESENT SHOULD BE AWARE OF THAT. AND THE DISCUSSION THAT THAT MIGHT ENTAIL. WE HAVE A MOTION THAT'S BEEN SECONDED. WE'LL GO TO A VOTE ON THAT. IT REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY. IF YOU ARE IN IT FAVOR?-- WE'LL OPEN VOTING FOR ONLINE DELEGATES, PLEASE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AS MOVED SO THAT AMENDMENTS CAN BE OFFERED AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF DISCUSSION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARDS. PLEASE LOWER YOUR CARDS. IF YOU OPPOSE THE MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW FOR AMENDMENTS AFTER FIVE MINUTES, PLEASE RAISE YOUR PLACARDS. AND COULD WE PLEASE GET THE ONLINE DELEGATE VOTING COUNT, PLEASE. THE MOTION OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES. AMENDMENTS CAN BE OFFERED AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF DISCUSSION. WITH THAT MODIFICATION TO OUR PROCESS, WE'LL NOW RETURN, TURN TO THE CON MIC. AND MY NAME IS SUSAN MASHIAMA AND I AM FROM THE BERKLEY FELLOWSHIP OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS. THIS IS MY FIRST GA. I DID NOT EXPECT TO BE HERE AT THE MIC. I'M RATHER INTIMIDATED. I'M ALSO THE ONLY PERSON HERE. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST STATE THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY OBJECTION TO THE SENTIMENT OR MOTIVATION OF THIS AMENDMENT. IN FACT I APPLAUD IT QUITE VIGOROUSLY. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN DEFENSE OF IS TO DEFEND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE WHERE THEIR IS ACCEPTED CURRENTLY AS BEING PLURAL. SO YOU HAVE THINGS THAT ARE NOT CLEAR GRAY MA TECHILY IN THE TEXT. SO YOU HAVE ONE PRESIDENT WHO IS BEING ELECTED AND RIGHT NOW IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S SINGULAR. THERE'S NOT MORE THAN ONE PRESIDENT. IF YOU CHANGE IT TO THEIR, THAT IS PLURAL. HE FEEL THAT ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE CLEARLY WITH EACH OTHER THAT THE DEGRADATION OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN OUR FORMAL BYLAWS IS SOMETHING THAT I OBJECT TO QUITE STRONGLY, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE DO HAVE WORDS THAT COMMUNICATE THESE THINGS COMPLETELY CLEARLY, AS WE DID ON A FORMER AMENDMENT WHERE WE USED THE WORD PERSON. WHY CAN YOU NOT USE A LITTLE BIT MORE INK AND SAY THINGS CLEARLY AND GRAMMATICALLY CORRECTLY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PRESIDENT SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF SIX YEARS AND UNTIL THAT PERSON'S SUCCESSOR IS ELECTED AND QUALIFIED. AND PECK USE THE WORD PERSONS FOR PLURAL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. OUR LEGAL COUNSEL IS JUST HELPING US SEE THAT OUR CURRENT WORDING IN THE BYLAWS DOES ACCOUNT FOR THE LANGUAGE, THROWING A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED BY THE CON THE ACCIDENT. >> I'M JESSE FORD FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP OF CORVALIS. I LISTENED WITH SURPRISE AND CARE YESTERDAY AS SOME OF MY FEMINIST COLLEAGUES EXPRESSED THEIR PAIN AT GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE ERASING IDENTITY, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO OFFER IN RETURN IN SUPPORT OF THIS AMENDMENT IS IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE SHIFT FROM GENDERED LANGUAGE TO GENDER-NEUTRAL LANGUAGE IS THE SAME AS THE HISTORICAL SHIFT FROM MISS AND MRS.?AND ON MS. YOU DON'T GET TO KNOW WHAT MY MILES AN HOUR TALL STATUS IS, AND GENDER KNEW YOU TRAVEL PRONOUNS IS WE ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHO EACH OTHER ARE. AND SO IT'S JUST POLITE AND COURTEOUS. I AGREE THAT GRAMMATICALLY IT'S PROBLEMATIC, BUT I THINK THIS IS A CASE WHERE WE NEED TO NOT FOCUS ON THE SEMICOLONS. >> WE HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> AS THERE IS NO DELEGATE AT THE CON MICROPHONE, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION OF THE PREVIOUS ECONOMY, PLEASE. >> THANK YOU. >> IT'S OUT OF ORDER FOR 19 SECONDS. WE ARE NOT AT THE TIME WHERE THAT MOTION -- >> I WENT OVER THIS JUST A COUPLE DAYS AGO. IT WAS A QUESTION OF WHETHER?-- >> I UNDERSTAND THAT. YES. AND WE AMENDED, WE JUST SUSPENDED THE RULES TO ALLOW FOR AMENDMENTS, AND WE DO HAVE SPEAKERS AT THE AMENDMENT MIC. >> I DON'T BELIEVE WHEN WE SUSPENDED THE RULES THAT IT CHANGED THIS OTHER RULE AS WELL. >> IT'S JUST NOW 18 SECONDS. >> YOU'RE ASKING ME TO WAIT 19 SECONDS? >> 18 SECONDS. 17 SECONDS NOW. >> I'M NOT SURE HOW THIS WOULD WORK IF THERE WAS AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR. >> WE HAVE NOT REACHED THE TIME LIMIT TO MAKE THE MOTION THAT YOU'RE OFFERING, AND THERE IS A DELEGATE AT THE AMENDMENT MIC AND THAT IS IN ORDER. >> SO IF YOU COULD JUST LET THE THING GO FOR 19 SECONDS, THEN YOU CAN COME RIGHT BACK. >> WE RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE AMENDMENT MIC. >> MY NAME IS DIANA DEWEESE WITH THE ABRAHAM UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION IN SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS. I MOVE THAT THIS MOTION BE AMENDED BY REPLACING THE PRONOUN THEIR AS IT APPEARS IN THE AMENDMENT WITH THE TITLE OF THE OFFICER OR THE TITLE OF THE OFFICER IN POSSESSIVE FORM. THIS IS IN SECTION 8.3, 8.11, 9.9, RULES 4.6.TWO AND RULE G9.13.5. FOR EXAMPLE, STARTING IN LINE 196 WHERE IT SAYS THE PRESIDENT SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF SIX YEARS OR UNTIL THEIR SUCCESSOR IS ELECTED. MY AMENDMENT WOULD CHANGE THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE. IT WOULD READ THE PRESIDENT SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF SIX YEARS AND UNTIL THE PRESIDENT'S SUCCESSOR IS ELECTED AND QUALIFIED. ALSO AMENDING IN SECTION 10.12 WHERE IT USES NOUNS, PERSONS, INDIVIDUALS, OR SUCH PERSONS TO USE THOSE SAME NOUNS OR THE POSSESSIVE FORM OF THOSE NOUNS RATHER THAN THE PRONOUN THEIR OR THEY. FOR EXAMPLE, STARTING IN 9248 WHERE IT STATES THE PERSON TO BE INDEMNIFIED APPEARS TO HAVE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH. AND THEN THE REASONABLE BELIEF THAT THEIR ACTION WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ASSOCIATION. MY AMENDMENT WOULD CHANGE THE PROPOSED LANGUAGE. IT WOULD READ THE PERCH TO BE INDEMNIFIED APPEARS TO HAVE ACTED IN GOOD FAITH AND IN THE REASONABLE BELIEF THAT THE PERSON'S ACTION WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE ASSOCIATION. >> THANK YOU, DELEGATE. WE'VE PUT THE PROPOSED TEXT UP ON THE SCREEN FOR THE OTHERS IN THE HAG TO BE ABLE TO SEE. THAT PROPOSED AMENDMENT REQUIRES A SECOND. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED. WE NOW ENTER INTO DEBATE ON THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT. BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE DO HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> MY NAME IS MARCUS FOLIANO FROM THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF PEORIA. I HAVE A POINTED OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE TO READ THE DEFINITION OF THEY FROM THE OXFORD DICTIONARY. THIRD PERSON PLURAL, SINGULAR, USED TO REFER TO A PERSON AS UNSPECIFIC GENDER, FOR EXAMPLE, ASK A FRIEND IF THEY COULD HELP. >> THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> THANK YOU. CURRENTLY CARL PONENAN FROM THE GREATER UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN LANSING, MICHIGAN. CURRENTLY RISE OKAY A POINT OF ORDER, PLEASE. I BELIEVE THAT THE AMENDMENT THAT HAS JUST BEEN PROPOSED FROM THE AMENDMENT MICROPHONE IS OUT OF ORDER UNDER ROBERTS RULES OF PROCEDURE, BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE TO THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR, BECAUSE IT'S JUST A CHANGE IN WORDING AND DOES NOT CHANGE THE EFFECT OF THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR. IT IS OUT OF ORDER, ACCORDING TO ROBERT'S RULES OF PROCEDURE. >> GIVE ME A MINUTE TO CONSULT ON THAT. COULD THAT DELEGATE PLEASE COME OVER TO CONSULT WITH US? WITH OUR LEGAL COUNCIL? WE ARE CONSIDERING THE POINT EVER ORDER THAT HAS BEEN RAISED AND WILL ADVISED ASSEMBLY IN JUDGMENT. RUNNING THE PROCEDURAL MIC TO THE DELEGATE WHO HAD JUST OFFERED A POINT EVER ORDER. >> THANK YOU. HELLO? I WILL BE WITHDRAWING MY MOTION SO THAT IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, WHILE IN THE MEANTIME I AM DOUBLE-CHECKING THE BOOK, BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I WILL WITHDRAW THE MOTION. >> THANK YOU, DELEGATE. THAT RETURNS US NOW TO DEBATE ON THE AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED AND SECONDED. SO IF YOU ARE AT THE PRO OR CON MICS, WE ARE NOW CURRENTLY HAVING DISCUSSION ON THE DEBATE. WE DO HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. BEFORE WE GO TO THAT, WE'RE GOING TO RETURN TO THE PROCEDURAL MICROPHONE. >> CHRISTINE HAAGER, UU RIVER ROAD CONGREGATION, BETHESDA, MARYLAND. AMENDMENTS WERE PRESENTED IN MINI-ASSEMBLIES. THIS ONE WAS PRESENT AND REJECTED. >> SO DISCUSSION AT MINI ASSEMBLY IS NONBINDING AND THERE ARE AMENDMENTS OFFERED 20 CONSIDERATION, AND THIS PARTICULAR PROPOSED BYLAW AMENDMENT DOES HAVE UNINCORPORATED AMENDMENTS THAT WERE OFFERED TO THE MAIN MOTION F THAT CLARIFIES. WE'RE CONTINUING WITH THE PROCEDURAL MIC IF THERE'S A DELEGATE THERE. >> MARCUS FILIANO, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST UNITARIAN CHURCH OF PEORIA. I USE THEY/THEM PRONOUNS AND I'D LIKE TO CALL THE QUESTION. >> OKAY. SO CALL THE QUESTION HAS BEEN OFFERED. IT IS A CALL TO QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR. DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THE CALL TO QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED? IT HAS BEEN SECONDED. THAT MEANS WE'RE IMMEDIATELY GOING INTO VOTING ON THE AMENDMENT THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED THAT IS CURRENTLY ON THE FLOOR. COULD WE GET THE LANGUAGE FOR THAT AMENDMENT UP? OKAY. CALM THE QUESTION ON THE AMENDMENT. THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. WE ARE VOTING?-- THANK YOU. WE ARE VOTING ON WHETHER TO STOP DEBATE. SO WE'RE VOTING ON THE CALL TO QUESTION. IF YOU'D LIKE TO VOTE AFFIRMATIVELY TO THE CALL TO QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. WE WOULD OPEN OFF-SITE VOTING, PLEASE. PLEASE LOW YOU ARE YOUR VOTING CARDS. IF YOU'RE VOTING AGAINST THE CALL TO QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARDS. THE CALL TO QUESTION PASSES THAT. NOW MOVES US INTO VOTING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR GRACIOUSNESS. . THIS REQUIRES A MAJORITY VOTE. WHAT'S UP? COULD WE GET THAT LANGUAGE UP AND CLARIFY THE MAIN MOTION IS TO SHIFT THE LANGUAGE TO THEY/THEM/THEIRS. THIS PROPOSED AMENDMENT, WHICH IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON, IS TO SHIFT THE LANGUAGE TO THE TITLE THAT IS BEING REFERRED TO OF THE POSITION THAT'S BEING REFERRED TO IN THE BYLAWS. I NOW WANT TO WAIT FOR THE LANGUAGE OF THAT AMENDMENT TO COME UP, SO WE'RE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON. OKAY? THAT IS THE LANGUAGE. SO THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE NOW VOTING ON. IT REQUIRES A SIMPLE MAJORITY. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF IN AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARDS. PLEASE LOWER YOUR CARDS. COULD WE GET THE OFF-SITE TOTALS, PLEASE? THAT WAS VERY CLOSE. WE HAVE FIVE 2%, 53% OFF SITE VERSUS 48%. WE WANT TO DO ANOTHER VISUAL COUNT. WE MAY BE VERY CLEAR THE ASSEMBLED DELEGATES AND ONLINE DELEGATES UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE. IF YOU'RE VOTING AFFIRMATIVELY FOR THIS AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, YOU'RE VOTING THAT THE LANGUAGE SHOULD BE ADJUSTED TO REFER TO THE TITLE OF THE POSITION, THAT EVERYWHERE WHERE IT CURRENTLY SAYS HE OR SHE OR SOME GENDER/SPECIFIC PRONOUN, THAT IT WOULD SAY THE PRESIDENT OR THE MODERATOR. IN ALL OF THOSE INSTANCES VERSUS THE MAIN MOTION, WHICH AS CURRENTLY WORDED WOULD CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF HE AND SHE TO THEY AND THEM AND THEIRS. SO THIS AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION TO PUT THE TITLE OF THE POSITION INIAL ALL OF THOSE PLACES. WE JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON. ATTEMPT TO CLARIFY IT'S PAST ON VISUAL SITING. IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT TO CHANGE TO REFER TO THE TITLE OF THE POSITION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. PLEASE LOW YOU ARE YOUR CARDS. IF YOU ARE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. IT IS VERY CLOSE. WE'RE GOING TO CALL -- >> HOLD ON. WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDST OF VOTING. IT WAS TOO CLOSE TO CALL ON A VISUAL. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE I REALIZE MY ROLE LAST YEAR WAS TO DO SOMETHING. WE ARE AT 11: 53. EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE? 11: 53. IF WE DO A TELLER COUNT RIGHT NOW, DO YOU REMEMBER HOW LONG IT TOOK? SO I'M JUST SAYING, WE ARE REALLY CLOSE. WE HAVE TO DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A TELLER COUNT OR NOT, AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO GET THROUGH. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS CLEAR WHERE WE'RE AT. OUR PROCESS IS INTERESTING, BUT THAT'S A WRAP. >> ALL RIGHT. >> OKAY. TOO CLOSE TO CALL VISUALLY. I'M GOING TO INVITED THE USHERS TO ASSIST US WITH A TELLER COUNT AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ANOTHER STAB AT TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER THIS AMENDMENT PASSES OR NOT. ARE THEY IN PLACE AND READY TO ASSIST ON THE COUNT? ALL RIGHT. IF YOU'RE IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. OKAY. WE NEED THE USHERS IN PLACE TO DO THE VOTE AGAINST THE AMENDMENT. ARE THE USHERS AVAILABLE IN OKAY. IF YOU ARE VOTING AGAINST THIS AMENDMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. USHERS BACK IN PLACE. WE'LL CALL FOR ABSTENTIONS. IF YOU ARE ABSTAIN OKAY THIS VOTE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. AND IF OUR USHERS COULD PLEASE TAKE THE ABSTENTION COUNT. HAVE THE USHERS TAKEN THE ABSTENTION COUNT? WHILE WE ARE WAITING ON THE TABULATION THAT HAVE VOTE BY THE USHERS, I'M GOING TO GO TO THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> MY NAME IS [INDISCERNIBLE] I BELONG TO [INAUDIBLE] VALLEY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN GRAY, TENNESSEE. AND I HAVE AN INFORMATIONAL QUESTION. I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT GUIDANCE THE BOARD USED IN CREATING THIS AMENDMENT, IF IT'S MEANT TO BE INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE ON THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM? I'M WONDERING WHAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ON BOTH ENDS OF THE SPECTRUM, BUT EVERYBODY IN THE MIDDLE, PREFERS? >> THANK YOU, DELEGATE. THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I'M GOING TO INVITE OUR CO-MODERATOR, BOB GREVE, TO SPEAK TO THAT. >> GREAT QUESTION. IN THE CRAFTING OF THIS BYLAW, THE BOARD WORKED WITH SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MOST IMPACTED BY THIS CHANGE. WE HAVE TWO CO-MODERATORS, BOTH OF WHOM ARE NONBINARY. WE WORKED WITH TRUST, THE TRANSGENDER UU RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION THAT'S THE ONLY REAL REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATION WE HAVE FOR TRANS AND NONBINARY FOLKS IN OUR FAITH RIGHT NOW, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS THAT WERE PART OF THE BYLAWS PROCESS. SO THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS YES, BUT I WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE LANGUAGE ANSWER. AND I'M SPEAKING TO THE MAIN MOTION. >> THANK YOU. >> WE HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC? NO. >> AND I INVITE THE USHERS TO BRING THEIR TABULATION FORWARD WHEN THEY'RE READY. IS THE CHAIR OF OUR COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS IN THE HALL? WHILE WE ARE WAITING ON THE USHER COUNT ON IS THAT VOTE, WE ARE GOING TO INVITE THE CHAIR OF OUR COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS TO SHARE THE RESULTS OF THE AIW VOTE. >> ALL RIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU, IN TERMS OF THE ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS GETTING ONTO THE FINAL AGENDA, IT IS?-- THE VOTE WAS TO SELECT ISSUES TO PLACE ON THE AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION, NOT A VOTE TO ADOPT THE STATEMENTS. SO THAT VOTE WILL OCCUR TOMORROW. SO WE'VE GOT TELLERS TALLYING FOR THE AMENDMENT VOTE. WE'RE GOING TO HEAR THE RESULT OF THE VOTES PUT THINGS ON AN AGENDA. YOU ALL WITH ME? ALL RIGHT. SUSAN, TELL US WHAT WE'VE GOT. >> BEFORE I GIVE THE RESULTS, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THIS YEAR, I KNOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF SERIOUS ISSUES GOING ON THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO SPEAK OUT ON. AND THERE WERE MANY WORTHY ONES, NOT ONLY THE ONES THAT WERE SUBMITTED, BUT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT. THE VOTE WAS VERY CLOSE. AND IF YOUR ISSUE WAS NOT ONE OF THE THREE SELECTED, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU CANNOT TAKE THE OTHER ISSUES HOME, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU CANNOT WORK ON THEM. IT JUST MEANS THAT THERE WEREN'T BE A FORMAL STATEMENT HERE. SO PLEASE KNOW THAT IT WAS VERY CLOSE AND THAT I'M SURE IT WAS A VERY DIFFICULT CHOICE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE AS THEY MARKED THEIR BALLOTS. I'M WILLING TO ANNOUNCE THEM IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE IN THE LETTERING BASED ON WHICH ONES HAD ENOUGH VOTES, HAD THE TOP THREE VOTES. SO PROPOSED AIW-A, END FAMILY SEPARATION AND IS HE TENSION OF ASYLUM SEEK MINORS AND ABOLISH ICE IS ONE OF THE THREE. PROPOSED AIW-C, END PRISON FOR HIS PROFIT. DISMANTLE PREDATORY MEDICAL CARE PRACTICES IN PRISON WAS ALSO ONE OF THE ONES THAT GOT THE TOP VOTES. AND FINALLY PROPOSED AIW-F, WE ARE ALL RELATED, SOLIDARITY NOW WITH THE INDIGENOUS WATER PROTECTORS. [APPLAUSE] THOSE STILL HAVE TO BE ADMITTED TO THE AGENDA A BUT LET ME ANNOUNCE THE MINI-ASSEMBLY IS AT 1:30 TODAY. WHICH ONES WILL BE IN WHICH ROOM, IF YOU WANT TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO ANY OF THOSE THREE. AND THE FULL TEXT OF THOSE THREE WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE MINI-ASSEMBLIES. FOR NUMBER ONE ON THE DETENTIONS WILL BE IN ROOM 2101. FOR C ON PRISON REFORM WILL BE IN 2102A. AND F ON INDIGENOUS WATER PROTECTORS WILL BE IN 2102B. AND FOR THOSE OFF-SITE, YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN OFF-SITE MINI ASSEMBLY AND YOU'LL GO TO THE GA BUSINESS CHAT SPACE. >> THANK YOU, SUSAN. SO JUST FOR CLARITY, WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THAT YET. WE WITH WILL BEFORE WE END THIS SESSION, BUT WITH WE JUST WANT YOU TO HAVE THE INFORMATION WHILE COUNTING WAS HAPPENING TO SAVE US TIME LATER. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BEAUTIFUL FOLKS. SIBLINGS IN FAITH. WE HAVE THE RESULTS OF THAT VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT. IN FAVOR OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION, WE HAVE 448 VOTES. OPPOSED TO THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION WE HAD 485 VOTES, TEN ABSTENTIONS. THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION FAILS. THE AMENDMENT TO THE MAIN MOTION DID NOT PASS. WITH THAT, WE RETURN?-- THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORBEARANCE WITH ME AS I'M LEARNING. WITH THAT, WE RETURN TO THE FLOOR AND WE HAVE A DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MODERATOR. CARL PONENAN, UNITARIAN CHURCH OF GREATER LANSING. I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION, PLEASE. >> WE ARE VOTING ON WHETHER TO CALL THE QUESTION. IT HAS BEEN SECONDED. IF YOU ARE IN FAVOR OF CALLING THE QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. PLEASE LOWER YOUR CARDS. IF YOU ARE OPPOSED TO CALLING THE QUESTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE OFF-SITE DELEGATE VOTE COUNT, PLEASE. THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION CLEARLY PASSES. WE ARE NOW MOVING TO VOTING ON THE MAIN MOTION AS IT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IN ITS ORIGINAL WORDING. IT REQUIRES A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY, AFFIRMATIVE VOTE IN ORDER TO BE ADOPTED. IF UNDER IN FAVOR OF THAT MAIN MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. PLEASE LOWER YOUR VOTING CARDS. IF YOU ARE OPPOSED TO THE MAIN MOTION, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. AND WE ARE WAITING FOR THE OFF-SITE DELEGATE VOTE COUNT. ABSTENTIONS? THANK YOU. THE MAIN MOTION OVERWHELMINGLY PASSES. THANK YOU. [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] >> I SEE WE HAVE AN OFF-SITE?-- NO. THEN I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE ON-SITE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KIMBERLY [INDISCERNIBLE] AND I'M A DELEGATE FROM THE BRADFORD UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, AND I WOULD LIKE TO CALL FOR A SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. AS THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO AMENDMENTS ON THREE OF OUR BYLAW AMENDMENTS, THAT IS COMMITTEE TERMS, MODERATOR ROLES, AND DISTRICT AND REGIONAL UPDATES, THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO MINI ASSEMBLY. WE HAVE ALREADY AN AGREED THAT WE AGREE WITH THEM. MAY WE HAVE A SUSPENSION OF THE RULE AND VOTE ON ALL THREE OF THEM AND AN OFFICIAL VOTE IN PLENARY? >> I HEAR A SECOND. THERE'S NO DISCUSSION ON THIS. CORRECT? SO THANK YOU. SO TO BE CLEAR, WE ARE VOTING TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO COMBINE COMMITTEE TERMS, MODERATOR ROLES, AND DISTRICT AND REGIONAL UPDATES. >> IN A PLENARY MIRACLE. MAYBE. >> SO THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE VOTING ON. IF YOU WANT TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND COMBINE THOSE THREE, YES. IF YOU DON'T, NO. THOSE IN FAVOR? ALL RIGHT. THOSE AGAINST? I'M WAITING ON THE OFF-SITE VOTE. MOTION PASSES. >> OKAY. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> DAVID FREEDMAN, FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK. I'D LIKE TO MOVE THAT WE SUSPEND THE RULES SO WE CAN CALL THE QUESTION IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT A TIME LIMIT. >> IS THERE A SECOND? THEN WE'RE READY TO PROCEED TO A VOTE. WE'RE ON THE MOTION TO CALL THE QUESTION ON AN END OF DISCUSSION ON THE THREE COMBINED BYLAW PROPOSALS. TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO CALL THE QUESTION. SORRY. OKAY. ANY OPPOSED? ALL THOSE OPPOSED TO SUSPENDING THE RULES TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THE COMBINED BYLAW AMENDMENTS, RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS, PLEASE. AND WE'LL WAIT FOR THE OFF-SITE DELEGATES. OKAY. THE OFF-SITE DELEGATES ARE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF SUSPENDING THE RULES. SO WE ARE ON THE MAIN MOTION. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> HELLO? OH. CARL PONENAN, CHURCH OF GREATER LANSING. WHAT IS THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? A POINT OF THIS WAS. >> THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS NOW YOU TO AMEND THE UUA BYLAWS AS SPECIFIED REGARDING COMMITTEE TERMS, THE CO-MODERATOR ROLES, AND STRICT AND REGIONS UPDATE. -- DISTRICT AND REGIONS UPDATE. SO WE HAVE THREE THAT HAD NO AMENDMENTS AND NO DISCUSSION. I RECOGNIZE THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> CALLED THE QUESTION? >> YOU ALREADY DID. WE'RE ON THE MAIN MOTION. SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE PRO BYLAW AMENDMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. OH, OKAY. THIS IS A VOTE TO CALM THE QUESTION. I APOLOGIZE. WE HAVE TOO MANY THINGS GOING ON. CALLING THE QUESTION ON DEBATE. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OPPOSED TO CALLING THE QUESTION? OFF-SITE DELEGATES? OKAY. WE'RE OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR OF ENDING DEBATE. NOW WE'RE ON THE MAIN MOTION. OKAY. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE BYLAWS PROPOSED AMENDMENTS, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VOTING CARDS. THANK YOU. ANY OPPOSED? ALL THOSE OPPOSED? SORRY. OFF-SITE DELEGATES? OKAY. THE MOTION TO AMEND THOSE THREE SECTIONS OF THE OF THE BYLAWS PASSES. [APPLAUSE] AND YOU GUYS ARE SO READY TO DO THIS. YOU'RE VOTING BEFORE I EVEN ASK YOU TO. GOOD FOR YOU. >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M JUST GRATEFUL AND PROUD OF OUR FLEXIBILITY AND CREATIVITY AS WE MOVE INTO NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS. [APPLAUSE] PART OF THAT NEW WAY OF DOING THINGS IS REALIZING TIMING, SO FOR INFORMATION, WE WILL DISCUSS THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS AND THE DISTRICT AND REGIONAL BYLAW CHANGES?-- SORRY, JUSTICE ON COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS TOMORROW MORNING. WE WILL, THOUGH, TAKE THE VOTE ON THE ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW MINUTES AGO, BUT HAVEN'T VOTED ON YET. SO JUST TO ADD IT TO THE AGENDA. WE'RE NOT DISCUSSING THE ACTUAL ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS. WE'RE JUST VOTING TO ADD THEM TO THE AGENDA SO WE CAN DISCUSS THE ACTUAL ACTIONS OF IMMEDIATE WITNESS TOMORROW. YOU WITH ME? ALL RIGHT. CSW, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION ON THIS ONE? SHE'S COMING. JUST GO TO THE AMENDMENT, SUSAN. GRAB THE NEAREST MICROPHONE. >> BASED ON THE VOTES OF THE DELEGATES, THE COMMISSION ON SOCIAL WITNESS MOVES TO ADMIT THE FOLLOWING THREE ISSUES TO THE FINAL AGENDA FOR A VOTE ON SUNDAY. THE THREE ISSUES ARE?-- CAN YOU PUT THEM UP ON THE GREEN, PLEASE? -- ON THE SCREEN, PLEASE? ENDS FAMILY SEPARATION, END PRISONS FOR PROFIT, AND WE ARE ALL RELATED. THOSE ARE THE TITLES. >> FANTASTIC. SO ALL IN FAVOR OF ADDING THESE THREE TO THE AGENDA TOMORROW, PLEASE VOTE. AND WE'LL NEED TWO-THIRDS. ALL RIGHT. PUT YOUR CARDS DOWN. IF YOU ARE VOTING AGAINST ADDING THESE TO THE AGENDA, PLEASE RAISE YOUR CARDS. AND DO WE HAVE THE OFF-SITE VOTES? MOTION PASSES. >> OKAY. QUICK, I RECOGNIZE THE TELLER, THE DELEGATE AT THE PROCEDURAL MIC. >> MICHELLE COLLINS, UUS OF SOUTHERN DELAWARE, LEWIS, DELAWARE. I'M NOT CALLING FOR A REVOTE, BUT A POINT OF INFORMATION. THE OFF-SITE DELEGATES DID NOT GET TO VOTE ON THE LAST MOTION. SHE'S REFERRING NOT TO THE AIW, BUT THE ONE BEFORE THAT. THE POLL DID NOT GET POSTED IN TIME. >> WE ARE SORRY. WE'RE STILL LEARNING ON THE TECHNOLOGY SIDE OF THINGS, AND WE WILL DO BETTER. >> SO THIS AFTERNOON, THERE ARE SOME DISCUSSIONS. WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH YOUR PRINCIPLES, OUR BYLAWS, OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION, AND WHAT THAT MEANS AROUND BECOMING A DIFFERENT FAITH THAT HOLDS ALL OF US. PLEASE COME TO THE DISCUSSIONS THIS AFTERNOON. WE REALLY WOULD LIKE YOUR INPUT. NOW, CAN YOU COME, CHRISTINA, FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENTS? AND THEN DICK WILL DO OUR CLOSING READING. >> HEY, Y'ALL. ALL RIGHT. AS I SAID YESTERDAY, WE'RE GETTING MORE COMFORTABLE WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH MEANS WE'RE FORGETTING SOME OF OUR MORE COMMON COURTESIES. PLEASE ALLOW FOLKS THAT ARE USING THE MOBILITY DEVICES TO EXIT FIRST. REMEMBER THEY CANNOT STOP ON A DIME, SO WHEN YOU ARE PASSING IN THE HALLWAYS, PLEASE DO NOT CUT RIGHT IN FRONT EVER THEM. -- OF THEM. GIVE SPACE TO FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO BE HOW THEY NEED TO BE HERE. ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH WHITE SUPREMACY SHOWS UP IS AN HE RAY SURES OF PEOPLE FROM?-- ERASURE OF PEOPLE FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES SUCH AS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND TRANSGENDER PEOPLE. WE'RE NOT SEEING THIS IN OUR WHOLENESS. ONE OF THE WAYS THIS PLAYS OUT IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND IN OUR CONGREGATIONS IS BY BEING CALLED BY SOMEBODY ELSE'S NAME. WE ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE. PLEASE HELP SEE US IN OUR WHOLENESS BY CALLING US BY OUR NAME, USING OUR NAME BADGES. REMEMBER, WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO BE WEARING THOSE? YOU CAN USE THOSE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS ISSUE, PLEASE DO NOT FIND THE NEAREST PERSON FROM A MARGINALIZED COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS IT WITH. RIGHT? PLEASE FIND, INSTEAD, SEEK OUT YOUR CONGREGATIONAL ANTI-RACISM/ANTI-OPPRESSION/MULTICULTURAL RESOURCES. IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO FIND OUT. THANKS. [APPLAUSE] >> WE WILL HAVE THE SLIDE FOR WHERE YOU GO FOR YOUR DISCUSSION GROUPS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. CAN I HAVE THAT SLIDE UP ON THE SCREEN, EVERYONE? WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE SLIDE BACK DOWN FOR NOW, BUT ON THE WAY BACK IN THE HALL WE'LL SEE THIS. BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HALL, MAKE SURE YOU NEED TIME FOR MORE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY USE MOBILITY AID DEVICES OR NEED MORE TIME EXITING THE HALL. THANK YOU. >> THIS READING IS FAITHLESS WORKS BY THE REVEREND DR.?JONATHAN WONG FOUND IN TO RISE, MEDITATION MANUAL EDITED BY REVEREND BILL SINKFORD. THEY SAY FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD, SO I WORKED FOR EQUALITY. NEXT TO MY QUEER FRIENDS WHO WANTED TO GET MARRIED, I WORKED FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM NEXT TO MY MUSLIM FRIENDS WHO ARE ACCUSED OF BEING TERRORISTS. AND I WORKED FOR RACIAL JUSTICE NEXT TO MY BLACK FRIENDS WHOSE LIVES WERE AFFECTED BY POLICE BRUTALITY. YET I DIDN'T FEEL FULLY ALIVE, EVEN AFTER WORKING MYSELF TO DEATH UNTIL I LET MY WORK BECOME A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE. UNTIL I LET GO OF MY ATTACHMENT TO THE OUTCOME. UNTIL I STOPPED CHASING OFF POLITICAL ISSUES ONE OF THE OTHER. I STILL BELIEVE THAT FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. BUT WORK WITHOUT FAITH IS JUST AS LIFELESS. SO BE IT. [APPLAUSE] >> THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE US, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCHEDULE SET FORTH IN YOUR PROGRAM BOOK, I DECLARE THAT THIS SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL STAND IN RECESS UNTIL 11:00 A.M. TOMORROW MORNING. THANK YOU TO Y'ALL. WE DID LOTS OF THINGS TODAY. **********DISCLAIMER********** THE FOLLOWING IS AN UNEDITED ROUGH DRAFT TRANSLATION FROM THE CART CAPTIONER'S OUTPUT FILE. THIS TRANSCRIPT IS NOT VERBATIM AND HAS NOT BEEN PROOFREAD. TO DO SO IS AN EXTRA FEE. THIS FILE MAY CONTAIN ERRORS. PLEASE CHECK WITH THE SPEAKER(S) FOR ANY CLARIFICATION. 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