Rev. Phillip Lund, Congregational Life Consultant

As part of our ongoing work to dismantle white supremacy culture, the MidAmerica staff team schedules time every month for generative conversations on the subject. The resource we’ve been using this summer is BLUU Notes: An Anthology of Love, Justice, and Liberation, edited by Takiyah Nur Amin and Mykal Slack, published by Skinner House Books.

According to InSpirit, the UUA Bookstore, BLUU Notes, “the first publication from Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism, . . . is a rich and profound collection that amplifies a Black Unitarian Universalist perspective and worldview.”

For our generative conversations, our practice has been to have someone read out loud one of the selections from BLUU Notes, then pause for a time of reflection. Next, we listen attentively as we each share the thoughts, feelings, and insights that may have arisen for us. We pay special attention to how the reading resonates with one or more of the following Seven Principles of Black Lives:

1. All Black Lives Matter. Queer Black lives, trans-Black lives, formerly incarcerated Black lives, differently-abled Black lives, Black women’s lives, immigrant Black lives, Black elderly and children’s lives. ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER and are creators of this space. We throw no one under the bus. We rise together.
2. Love and Self-Love Are Practiced in Every Element of All We Do. Love and Self-Love must be drivers of all our work and indicators of our success. Without this principle and without healing, we will harm each other and undermine our movement.
3. Spiritual Growth Is Directly Tied to Our Ability to Embrace Our Whole Selves. A principled struggle must exist in a positive environment. We must be honest with one another by embracing direct, loving communication & acknowledgment of all that we are and all that we hope to be.
4. Experimentation and Innovation Must Be Built into Our Work. Embrace the best tools, practices, and tactics, and leave behind those that no longer serve us. Evaluation and assessment must be built into our work. Critical reflection must be part of all our work. We learn from our mistakes and our victories.
5. The Most Directly Affected People Are Experts at Their Own Lives. Those most directly affected by racial injustice & oppression should be in leadership, at the center of our movement, and telling their stories directly.
6. Thriving Instead of Surviving. Our vision is based on the world we want, and not the world we are currently in. We seek to transform, not simply to react. We want our people to thrive, not just exist — and to think beyond the possible.
7. 360-Degree Vision. We honor the past struggles and wisdom from our elders. The work we do today builds the foundations of movements of tomorrow. We consider our mark on future generations.

This is only a brief summary of the Seven Principle of Black Lives. The front matter of BLUU Notes goes into much more detail.

Using BLUU Notes as a resource for generative conversations is just one approach to the book. The editors say that their hope is that

you will use this book to accompany you during your personal moments of worship, meditation, and reflection. The offerings in this volume are meant to sustain and encourage you as you journey toward deepening and growing your faith. We hope you will use this resource intentionally and share its depth and beauty as you find opportunity.