OWL Taking Flight webinars are offered on the first Wednesday or most months of the year. Information about upcoming programs and their registration links can be found on the Our Whole Lives Facilitator Resources page. OWL Taking Flight webinars are free learning opportunities that can be enjoyed during live streaming or recordings. They are co-sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

View recorded webinars:

• Raising Kids Beyond the Binary (YouTube) Jamie Bruesehoff, author of Raising Kids Beyond the Binary: Celebrating God’s Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children, joins us to discuss her book, in which she helps us dream of a church and a world transformed by the bold celebration of all children. Jamie Bruesehoff is an award-winning LGBTQ+ advocate, speaker, and mother of three, including a transgender child. Jamie has twenty years of experience working with youth and adults in and outside the church, she strives to create a world where LGBTQ+ people thrive.
• May is Sex Ed for All Month (YouTube.com) Rev. Amy Johnson (UCC) welcomes OWL trainers Rev. Tandi Rogers and Rev. Naomi Washington-Leapheart tp discuss the importance of sexuality education in faith communities. Rev. Rogers is the director of the Spiritual Direction Formation & Certification program at Meadville Lombard Theological School’s Leadership Institute for Growth, Healing and Transformation. Rev. Washington-Leapheart is a Board Member for the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) and is the strategic partnerships director at Political Research Associates.
• Yes, Your Kid (YouTube). Dr. Melanie Davis (UUA) and Rev. Amy Johnson (UCC) welcome Debby Herbenick, PhD, author of "Yes, Your Kid: What Parents Need to Know about Today's Teens and Sex." Dr. Herbenick is a renown sexuality researcher and provost professor at the University of Indiana School of Public Health.
• Updates to the OWL 10-12, 2nd Edition (YouTube) Rev. Amy Johnson (UCC) and Mary Benard, UUA Publications Director share exciting news about the forthcoming second edition of Our Whole Lives Sexuality Education for Grades 10-12.
• Meet Airlie Anderson, Author of "Neither" (YouTube)
  Author/illustrator Airlie Anderson joins Dr. Melanie Davis (UUA) and Rev. Amy Johnson (UCC) for an engaging conversation about her much-lauded pre-K book titled, "Neither." From the Amazon description: "In this colorful and touching story that celebrates what makes each of us unique, a little creature that's not quite a bird and not quite a bunny—it's "neither"—searches for a place to fit in...This story promotes diversity and offers a valuable lesson to the youngest of audiences: it is our differences that unite us." Airlie also wrote and illustrated Cat’s Seasons, Cat’s Colors, and several other children’s books. She has won the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, the Independent Publisher Book Award, and the Practical Preschool Award. She creates her illustrations using gouache on paper and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Airlie currently lives in New Jersey. You can visit her online at Airlie Anderson
• Reclaiming Sexual Identity Through Carnival (YouTube). With Dr. Melanie Davis (UUA), Rev. Amy Johnson (UCC), and guest Onika Henry, MEd, who revisits what many traditionally think about carnival. She challenges the idea that carnival is about unbridled debauchery and presents it as a time to reclaim our sexuality. Ms. Henry is an OWL trainer and sexologist with a private practice in Tobago. She has an MA in Human Sexuality from Widener University, a background in Expressive Arts, and she co-founded the top-performing arts company in Tobago. She was a US Fulbright Scholar in 2012.
  • Onika Henry, Theatre Artist and Sexologist: Focusing on decolonizing sexuality, anti-racism, and reclaiming ancestral wisdom Website.
  • Onika Henry's: YouTube Channeel with TEDx Port of Spain Talk
  • Additional Resources from Slideshow: “Toward a Decolonial Feminism,” by María Lugones for Hypatia (published by Wiley), Volume 25, Number 4 (Fall 2010), pages 742-759.
  • “Heterosexualism and the Colonial / Modern Gender System,” by María Lugones for Hypatia (published by Wiley), Volume 22, Number 1 (Winter 2007), pages 186-209,
  • “The Psychology of Rituals: An Integrative Review and Process-Based Framework,” by Nicholas M. Hobson, Juliana Schroeder, Jane L. Risen, Dimitris Xygalatas, and Michael Inzlict for Personality and Social Psychology Review (an Official Journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.), Volume 22, Issue 3 (2018), pages 260–284.
  • “The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient Teachings in the Ways of Relationships,” by Sobonfu Somi (1999).
  • UUA OWL Program Manager Dr. Melanie Davis mjdavis@uua.org
  • Quarterly Our Whole Lives newsletter (open to all--not just OWL users).
• LGBTQ Aging (YouTube). With Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and guests Rev. Willamina Perry, Dr. Jane Fleishman, and Rev. Meg Riley. 
  • Our Better Half (Podcast) Episode #174: Space for Trans and Gender Expansive Elders, #174 (YouTube)
  • Stonewall Generation (Book, by Jane Fleishman, published by UUA Skinner House Books:
  • Trans Sex (Book)
  • LGBTQ-Friendly Senior Living Communities (directory)
  • Ruth Frost Parker Center for Abundant Aging - United Church Homes
  • The View from Here: Musing of a Sassy Sistah (Dr. Perry's Facebook Blog)
• Tips for Successful Parent/Caregiver Orientation for OWL and SoF Programs (YouTube). With Dr. Melanie Davis and guests Kat Good, Asst. Director of Religious Education at the Community Church of Chapel Hill Unitarian Universalist, and Jenn Ringgold, Program Associate for Communication, Resource, and Youth Ministries for the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ.
  • Kat Good's Presentation Slides
  • Jenn Ringgold's Presentation Slides
• Trans Action (YouTube). With Dr. Melanie Davis and Rev. Amy Johnson and their guests share a wealth of inspiring programming and resources for trans youth, teens, families, and allies. Guests include Rev. Ashley Horan, UUA Organizing Strategy Director; Rachael Ward, UCC Team Lead and Minister for Gender and Sexuality Justice Ministries; Adrian Ballou, UUA LGBTQIA+ and Gender Justice Program Coordinator; and Rev. Yadi Martínez-Reyna, is bilingual Latinx gender non-binary artist and founder of Color Splash Out, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating safe and brave spaces for LGBTQ+ Youth and their ally friends.
  • Our Faith Our Vote - UCC
  • UCC Open & Affirming Coalition
  • UU the Vote Campaign for Electoral Justice and Democracy
  • Preparing for Pride Webinar
  • Pastoral Care Group Space
  • Transgender / Nonbinary Monthly Gathering Space
  • General UU trans/nonbinary focused resources:
  • UPLIFT Action
  • UPLIFT Resources to support trans and nonbinary siblings
  • Report on the Experiences of Trans Unitarian Universalists | TRUUsT
  • The Five Practices of Welcome Renewal
• Mental Health Awareness While Offering Our Whole Lives (YouTube). With Dr. Melanie Davis; Rev. Amy Johnson; and their guests Jennica Davis-Hockett, youth ministry specialist for the Unitarian Universalist Association; and Rev. Sarah Lund, United Church of Christ minister for mental health and disabilities. Resources highlighted in the webinar:
  • UU Mental Health
  • UCC Mental Health Network
  • UCC Disabilities Ministry
  • UU World Article supporting youth
  • UCC Youth Ministries
  • Spiritual Care Course on UUI
  • Trauma Resource Institute
  • Young Unitarian Universalist Project Instagram
  • Blessed Youth Breaking Silence book
  • Blessed Youth Survival Guide
  • The Awakened Brain
  • Autism Inclusive OWL webinar: Autism-Inclusive OWL Programs
  • UUA Leader Lab Neurodiversity series
• Child Safety and Mandatory Reporting (YouTube) with Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and their guest Dr. Verena Brown, a nationally renown child abuse pediatrician and educator specializing child protection, child physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect.
• "I Heart Orgasms": Pleasure, Sexual Health, and Consent (YouTube) with Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and their guests Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller, co-authors of the book, I Heart Orgasm, sharing their research and experiences as popular college campus speakers.
• The Importance of Continuing Education in Sex Ed (YouTube) , with with Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and guest Tanya Bass, PhD for a discussion of Dr. Bass' research and development of the construct of "dispositional humility," i.e., one's commitment to ongoing learning. The following resources were shared during the webinar.
  • Beneath the Sweater and the Skin poem
  • National Sex Ed Conference
  • NCSexCon
  • S.L.A.M.
  • Amaze
  • Amaze Educators Conference
  • Answer: Sex Ed, Honestly
  • Advocates for Youth
  • UUA LGBTQ and Multicultural Ministries
  • UCC Trans Resources
  • UCC Open and Affirming Coalition
  • UUA Resources for OWL facilitators
  • UCC Resources for OWL facilitators
• OWL Taking Flight: A New Breed of OWL, Formatting for K-1 and Beyond! (YouTube) , with Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and UUA Publications Director Mary Benard. Learn about exciting new changes coming to Our Whole Lives and Sexuality and Our Faith that will make using OWL/SoF easier. update content faster, and offer more free resources all in one place!
• You Know, Sex (YouTube) , with Dr. Melanie Davis, Rev. Amy Johnson, and sexuality educator Cory Silverberg, author of "What Makes a Baby," "Sex is a Funny Word," and "You Know, Sex" for children and adolescents.
• Amazing AMAZE (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis, Amy Johnson, and Dr. Rachel Gibson, Amaze Senior Education Manager at Advocates for Youth. We explore the challenges and rewards of providing public-facing sexuality education that young people and families in the US and internationally find empowering, helpful, and fun.
• Autism-inclusive Our Whole Lives (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis, Amy Johnson, OWL Trainers Ramon and Shellie Selove and their son Nathan Selove, a young adult OWL "graduate." Ramon and Nathan are autistic, and the family shares facilitation tips based on their personal and OWL experiences.
• Addressing Anti-LGBTQ+ Initiatives (YouTube) Dr. Melanie Davis and Amy Johnson welcome Rev. Michael Crumpler, Rev. Evin Walter, Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer, and Rev. Yadi Martinez-Reyna-- all of whom are on the front lines in the UU and UCC fight for LGBTQIA+ justice. We discuss where OWL fits into national LGBTQ+ advocacy efforts.
  • Advocacy Resources (PDF)
• Building an OWL Program From the Ground Up (YouTube) Dr. Melanie Davis and Amy Johnson welcome Kat Good and Jennifer Ringold to share program implementation and growth strategies.
• Introducing An Our Whole Lives Adaptation For Older Adults (YouTube) Dr. Melanie Davis explains how to adapt OWL for Older Adults for online use.
• Under Your Wing: OWL (Our Whole Lives) Taking Flight (YouTube), Introducing videos for parents and caregivers of children in grades K-1, with Dr. Melanie Davis and Amy Johnson.
  • Under Your Wing videos 1-8
• OWL Revisions: Flight Status, January 2022 (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis and Amy Johnson.
• Sex Trivia!, December 2021 (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis and Amy Johnson.
• Online Training Sneak Peek AND Ask Us Anything OWL!, October 2021 (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis and Marshall Miller.
• OWL: Why We Do the Things We Do, September 2021 (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis, Anna Bethea, Rev. Michael Schuenemeyer
• Framing Conversations About Restarting OWL Programs, July 2021 (YouTube), with CB Beal, Candace Woods, and Tina Lesley-Fox
• HIV/AIDS: What We Can Learn from the Framework for Dialogue, June 2021 (YouTube), with Rev. Arthur Butler and Rev. Michael Crumpler.
• Consensual Non-Monogamy and Faith, May 2021 (YouTube), with Vyda Ng, Rev. Michael Crumpler, and Gabriela De Golia.
• Trauma-Informed Sexuality Education, April 2021 (YouTube), with Eva Fiallos-Diaz and Rev. Dr. Sarah Lund.
  • Handouts (PDF) (including a Word Cloud created by participants in the training) Speakers’ slides (PDF).
• 5 Tips for Selecting Fabulous OWL Facilitators, March 2021 (YouTube), with Dr. Melanie Davis and Rev. Kelly Burd
• Parents and Caregivers As Sexuality Educators, February 2021 (YouTube), with Robin Slaw
• New Ideas about Intimacy During a Pandemic, January 2021 (YouTube), with James Wadley, Ph.D.
• Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, December 2020 (YouTube), with Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson and Beka Choate of the UCC
  Resources from the webinar include:
  • UCC Webpage for Thursdays in Black Campaign
  • UCC Webpage for 16 Days of Activism
  • Action Alert for Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
  • Action Alert for Covid Relief
  • Thursdays in Black Zoom Background
• K-1 OWL Upcoming Revisions, November 2020 (YouTube), with authors Marshall Miller and Dorian Solot
• Racial Justice and OWL, October 2020 (YouTube), with moderator Anil Oommen and panelists Kim Kendrick, Aisha Hauser, and Cedric Harmon
• Gender and Related Language, September 2020 (YouTube)
• Taking Flight webinar, August 2020 (Vimeo) (includes Jackbox demo)
• Taking Flight webinar, July 2020 (Vimeo)
• Taking Flight webinar, June 2020 (Vimeo)
• Taking Flight webinar, May 2020 (Vimeo)