Our country, indeed our world, faces extreme threats and challenges to the dignity of our people, the sustainability of our environment, and the creation of democratic processes for living together on this planet.
The Unitarian Universalist Association has a commitment to organizing at the intersectional engagement of the multiple identities of our humanity and unapologetically centering the dismantling of white supremacy. In the context of our times, it has become clear that the lack of an intersectional approach is harming our movements for justice. Our work is deeply informed by and narrated through both libratory theology and a critical analysis of the political moment we are living in, grounded in prophetic faith and in solidarity with those suffering from and on the front lines of disrupting white supremacy. As a result of this determination, the UUA is focusing on four key intersectional priorities to strategically build power for creating justice at this time.
- Climate justice, inclusive of indigenous sovereignty and climate resilience
- Criminalization, inclusive of racial justice and immigrant justice
- LGBTQ and gender justice, inclusive of LGTBQ equity and reproductive justice
- Electoral justice, inclusive of voting, democracy and election year engagement.
If you’re called to get involved in intersectional organizing for justice, here’s how!
- Guide on Intersectional Organizing and forming an intersectional justice 'Love Resists' team.
- We use the fantastic "The Characteristics of White Supremacy Culture", which includes helpful antidotes, excerpted from Dismantling Racism: A Workbook for Social Change Groups, by Kenneth Jones and Tema Okun, ChangeWork, 2001.
Climate Justice
- Spiritual grounding: "We believe in the profound lessons which nature teaches; lessons of struggle and adaptability, tenacity and purpose, endurance and growth, patience, balance, and the inevitability of cause and effect..." from "I Believe in Nature" by Florence Emmons
- Why now? We are of Earth. Science tells us we have little time remaining to halt let alone reverse impacts of climate chaos. Each of the guiding principles of our faith are unattainable with widespread climate injustice and chaos. The current US government centers the rights of corporations over people and Earth, and sanctions state violence to protect corporate gains. We are called to engage this at every level possible.We can bring our vision, our resources and our selves into relationship with communities most impacted who are leading the way into sustainable and equitable futures.
- What you can do: Join the growing UU movement; set up your account at createclimatejustice.net and subscribe to the Create Climate Justice Newsletter
- Sign up for Promise to Protect in collaboration with Indigenous Water Protectors and resistance to destruction of land, water and culture for fossil fuel development.
- Join us and other UUs on Sept 15-17 Washington DC UU convergence action and advocacy day about the Green New Deal and how we can change US policy efforts to create a just transition.
- Join the Global Climate Strike Sept. 20-27.
Criminalization
- Spiritual grounding: Universalism means no one is disposable and interdependence means that none of us are truly free as long as people are in jail or facing detention and deportation.
- Why now?: Accompaniment programs help stop deportations, reduce bond fees, and keep families together. By centering people’s dignity and choices in a system that takes away dignity and choices, we care for those who are criminalized for their being. The money bail system unfairly jails individuals and saddles them with unreasonable financial burdens. Individuals awaiting trial -- people who haven’t been convicted of any crime -- spend months incarcerated simply because they can’t afford bail.
- What you can do: More and more congregations are looking for ways to do this effectively; to resist the current administration’s racist actions and to stop unnecessary deportations.Get involved in local and national work to end criminalization through accompaniment programs. Join Love Resists and participate in our joint end money bail campaign with Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU).
- Accompaniment
- Open your home and heart to sponsor asylum seekers.
- Partner to defend and protect through immigration justice accompaniment.
- Watch this free 4-session webinar series: Changing systems, changing ourselves: Anti-racist practice for sanctuary, accompaniment & resistance
- Join a volunteer team to support frontline justice-makers.
- Support a local or national immigration bond fund.
- End Money Bail
- Take BLUU’s End Money Bail Faith Resource Assessment to share what resources you and your congregation need to engage in this work.
- Watch BLUU’s Babies & Bailouts End Money Bail Panel
- Download the End Money Bail Community Workbook and sign up to facilitate a group
- End Mass Incarceration - Follow Side with Love on Facebook
- Accompaniment
LGBTQ+ and Gender Justice
- Spiritual grounding: Bless all of us queer and lesbian and gay and trans and bi and nonbinary and beyond who lead in the path of spirit whether we are wanted or not, whether we are fearful or brave, whether we are out or not. from "Bless those who practice love: A blessing from the LGBTQ+ community of faith and spirit"
- Why now? Learn more about LGBTQ+ and gender justice in this political moment.
- What you can do: Ensure your congregation is continuing to practice welcome and inclusion by participating in the annual Five Practices of Welcome Renewal.
Follow Side with Love on Facebook
Election Engagement 2020 and Democracy
- Spiritual grounding: Our prayer is for democracy to be a spiritual practice of accountability that resists fascism. -Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen
The Fifth Principle of Unitarian Universalism calls for the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large.
- Why now? With the increasing control of our government by corporate and special interests and the alarming rise of authoritarianism, we face many challenges to ensure democracy. At GA 2019 delegates will vote on a Statement of Conscience on the Corruption of Our Democracy.
- What you can do: Join Us for a Webinar on Democracy & Electoral Justice 2020 on Wednesday, August 14th, 7 pm ET/4 pm PT. Speakers include:
- Adam Eichen--Co-Author of Daring Democracy (Beacon Press, 2007)
- Charlene Sinclair--Center for Race, Religion and Economic Democracy
- Everette Thompson--Side with Love Campaign Manager
- Susan Leslie--Congregational Advocacy & Witness, and others.
We will explore strategies from now through Elections 2020 and beyond, focusing on three phases of engagement from massive voter registration, ballot initiatives and advocacy, and all out Get Out the Vote! Register now.