Instructions for Submission:

An Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) is a statement about a significant action, event, or development in the world that necessitates immediate engagement and action among UU member congregations and groups. 
Unlike a Statement of Conscience, an AIW does not carry the full authority of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA); rather, it expresses the conscience and carries the authority of the delegates at the GA at which it is passed.

The AIW process allows Unitarian Universalists to respond quickly to social issues deemed urgent. Adopted AIWs are used by congregations in local efforts and empower them to take action and recommend action through other departments of the UUA and other Unitarian Universalist groups.

Considering an Action of Immediate Witness:

The answers to these questions will guide you as you consider submission of an AIW. Review your AIW and answer these questions:

• Is this issue current and requiring immediate action?
• Does the proposal require specific, meaningful action for congregations or groups to participate in?
• Are there specific organizations or partnerships involved in the creation of the proposal? Who are they? (we strongly recommend that proposers be in communication and partnership with any established groups already addressing this issue, perhaps on a larger scale i.e. coastal flooding would be in partnership with Side With Love: Climate Justice)
• Is this grounded in Unitarian Universalist theology and practice?
• Is the language and proposal written using inclusive language, and crafted in an anti-oppressive framework?

If the answer to ANY of these questions is ‘No’, rewrite the proposal to fit these guidelines.

If the answer to ALL of the questions in 1 is ‘Yes’, proceed to these questions:

2. Review your AIW and ask yourself if it meets these requirements:

• Is this focused on issues within the Unitarian Universalist Association?
• Does this use overt partisan political language, such as the names of political parties or politicians?

If the answer is ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, it will not be considered by the CSW.
If the answer to all of the questions in 2 is ‘No’, you may submit your AIW to the CSW

3. The Commission on Social Witness (CSW) has a policy that an Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) submission cannot be the same as one in the previous five years.

This policy is designed to keep us from being repeatedly asked to vote on AIWs that were not chosen. The following exceptions may allow an AIW to be re-submitted:

• New things have happened: If new legislation has been introduced within the last year or new major incidents regarding the issue have happened;
• This is a new justice area: If the AIW represents a broad area of justice that the UUA has yet to pass any AIW about.
• New support has mobilized: If a new advocacy group has officially formed within Unitarian Universalism that is supporting the AIW.
• The UUA calls for it: If the General Assembly is focused on an area or issue that has had a recent unpassed AIW about, and the UUA Board or UUA President has asked for an AIW to be present at this General Assembly on the issue.

The CSW calls for it: Upon occasion, the CSW may feel there’s a pressing justice issue that needs to be on the floor at a General Assembly, and call for an older AIW that wasn’t passed to be revived.

AIW authors should write the CSW requesting an exemption. If the AIW doesn’t meet one of the above exceptions, all AIW authors may still request an exemption from this rule for their AIW, which the CSW may grant. Authors are asked to include:

• The full text of their proposed AIW.
• Why they feel this should be granted an exemption.
• Recent activity in the area of their AIW addresses.

Dates for submission:

• March 23: Submission for draft AIWs opens.
• April 24: AIW submission closes.
• May 1: CSW offers feedback to AIW proposers.
• May 8: Final drafts due. Authors will be notified if their AIW has been accepted by May 12.
• May 17-23: There will be online feedback sessions for each AIW. Proposers must plan to be present during these dates in order for congregations to engage and discuss the AIW. Presenters will then have a chance to rewrite their proposal in response to this feedback. These revisions must be submitted to the CSW by May 29th.
• June 1: The final AIW will be posted and distributed and submitted to the General Assembly to consider for voting.
• June 7: AIWs responding to last-minute emergent issues ONLY may be submitted until June 7th, but will not be guaranteed the advantage of CSW feedback.
• June 14: General Sessions open.
• June 15: Presentation of all AIWs to the General Assembly. We will ask for ranked voting to advance the top five to the final agenda.
• June 16: Presentation of final 5 AIWs to the General Assembly. We will ask for ranked voting to choose up to three for adoption by the delegates.

Writing your AIW

Submissions should include a brief Cover Page that informs the CSW who to communicate with for questions, feedback and scheduling. This includes the Title of the AIW, names and contact information of all those submitting the proposal (email and telephone). The Cover Page also needs the name(s) and contact information for the delegate(s) who will be available for the online feedback session (May 17th-23rd) and who will present the AIW to the General Assembly on June 15th and 16th (no more than two). This Cover Page does not count as part of the 750-word limit for the AIW.

Cover Page:

1. Title
2. Proposer’s names, email, and telephone contact.
3. Feedback Session presenter names, email and telephone contact.
4. Delegates who will present the AIW at the GA on June 15th & 16th (limited to two people)

Next, on a separate page, include a description of the AIW. This is what delegates will see when considering and voting on the AIWs at the UUA General Assembly.

Guidelines: 

1. No longer than 750 words.

2. Written in clear, easy to understand language.

3. May be written in any format including either Resolution Style or Social Action Style (see below).

4. Include names and contact information of relevant organizations or groups that the proposers are in partnership with.

5. Include a brief description of the process used to write this, such as who was part of the group writing and reviewing the proposal. May include meeting minutes, group photos or supporting documentation.

Resolution Style:  (Example: Stop Cop City)

• Because… (Explains the issue’s grounding in our Unitarian Universalist faith);
• Because… (Explains the issue’s grounding in our Unitarian Universalist faith);
• Whereas… (Explains the details of the issue);
• Whereas… (Explains the details of the issue);
• Therefore, be it resolved…. (Proposes specific action for congregations or participants of the General Assembly to take);
• And be it resolved… (Proposes specific action for congregations or participants of the General Assembly to take);
• And finally be it resolved… (Proposes specific action for congregations or participants of the General Assembly to take)

Social Action Style:  (Example: We Will Not Consent)

1. How the issue is grounded in our UU faith.
2. Explain the details of the issue
3. Description of the specific actions that a congregation or participants can take, including but not limited to:
4. Personal action
5. Advocacy: through media or legislative action
6. Organizing: bringing together congregants or community groups for action
7. Witness: how do we demonstrate support or public awareness
8. Network building: partnering with organizations impacted or engaged in this issue, either within or outside the UU tradition
9. Educate: ways to inform and educate congregations about the issue
10. Fundraise: how to support organizations impacted or engaged in the issue.

Final AIW Proposals should be submitted by document (Word, GoogleDoc or PDF) to socialwitness@uua.org.
Any AIW which has not met the deadline of April 24th will not move forward (unless it is about a last-minute emergent issue; see above).

For more, see The Proposer’s Guide for Social Witness.