This set of questions is meant for congregations holding a values based event or one about or for marginalized groups asking what kind of outreach and publicity should we do?

There is no one right answer. These questions are meant to help you with your discernment. Reach out to your regional staff for more conversations!

Examples of events might range from showing a film about transgender youth to discussing reproductive justice. Each of these has different risks in different places.

Please note the centering of those most impacted by the issue in these questions. This includes the layered impact on people with multiple marginalized identities.

Questions for Discernment

Is this an event that could put attendees at risk?

• Look at your state laws, reach out to your state ACLU
• Talk to your congregation members who hold relevant identities and ask them about the level of risk locally right now
• Talk to your local partners engaged in this issue and find out more
• Consider what kind of harassment is currently happening locally and could happen with wider advertising for your event

Could this event put marginalized people who attend your congregation more at risk?

• If your congregation gets real publicity for this event, would it mean that you become known for supporting a group of people who could then be less safe attending your congregation week to week?

Who is your main audience?

• Is the event to designed to support people who are impacted by the issues? It’s best to keep publicity within communication channels used by those groups.
• Is this event an educational one for people not impacted by the issue? People impacted may still attend an educational event but the publicity level might be broader.

What Security Can You Provide?

Security measures to consider:

• Cameras to deter vandalism before the event
• Parking lot attendants, trained in de-escalation, to deter vandalism during the event and possibly escort attendees inside
• Greeters, trained in de-escalation, ready to ask disruptors to leave and take their protest off your property (your building is private property)
• Keep all doors locked except one, and post a greeter or two at that door

Would we hire event security? Consider:

• Talk to your impacted congregation members and local partners and ask who they might feel safe(r) with. It may not be the police (who often serve off-duty as security guards).
• Look for a local organization who runs de-escalation training or provides such volunteers. Ask them to help train you too!
• Your local partners may have suggestions! Examples of event security include: local Dykes on Bikes chapters, women’s rugby teams, and others.

Strategies in Event Planning

What range of publicity and outreach do you want to consider?

• We’ve usually thought of “publicity” as public Facebook posts, flyers, press releases. It’s also:
  • Newsletter, email to congregation, even targeted email to specific groups in your congregation
  • Asking congregation members to invite friends and family
  • Invitations to local partners including them forwarding to their participants
• Publicity only through your local partners and your congregational newsletter may be an effective campaign to reach impacted people in a way that creates a safe(r) event.
• Consider that this doesn’t need to be on the internet to be “real.” You also can:
  • Put a calendar placeholder on your website like “community event” or even “private event” for a smaller thing. “See email announcement for details.”
  • Instead of a pdf where Google can scan the text, consider a jpg or png image
• If you’re raising awareness and primarily hoping to attract those not impacted, you might choose more publicly visible methods. 
  Consider:
  • Be sure internal publicity and sharing with local partners makes clear that this is a widely publicized event. This will allow impacted people to make the best choices for themselves.
  • Include values-based language

What if we want to raise awareness without putting people in our congregation more at risk?

• Consider doing this event in another location in partnership with other groups instead of under your name and in your building.
  • Ask if your library would host that film discussion
  • Ask another congregation in town who wants to help and doesn’t have members with this identity

What should we include in publicity?

• Include information about how widespread the invitation is. Examples:
  • “We have invited our congregation and spread the word through Really Awesome Community Partner. We encourage people to share with friends and family who would benefit. We are purposefully not putting the event topic or details on the internet publicly. Please assist us in keeping this event more secure.”
  • “Please know we are hoping to better educate our wider community and have put information about this event on Facebook and other local channels. We encourage you to share it too!”
• Consider including accessibility information such as:
  • Covid mitigation: e.g. masks optional, we have a high level of air filtration and can provide a masks only seating area
  • Sensory information: e.g. quiet room available
  • Disability access: headsets available for better hearing, event is wheelchair accessible
  • Childcare availability
• Security information
  • Include a “Community Care Agreement” or other covenantal language for the event to articulate expectations around appropriate and problematic behaviors.
  • “Please thank our local rugby team for being on site for security” is very helpful information for folks.
• Any other information that would help people make decisions for themselves about their attendance.

Additional Resources

https://sidewithlove.org/responding-and-organizing-toolkit

UUA Community Resilience Hub

A collection of resources gathered for Unitarian Universalists, UU congregations, and communities for guidance and support for the sacred work of making meaning in a time of instability and fear.

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