*REGISTER NOW!*  Thrive 2021 Summer Kickback begins May 26th so register now!

"Being able to bond with other people of color within the UU faith was honestly something that brought joy and hope to my heart, and makes me feel much more connected in my faith.”
—Rhea, alum 2015

"I am grateful for you and the UUA for giving him the space to openly discuss and gain insight with other UUs of color. I think this experience has changed his perspective on whether he fits in this faith. He is now 'one of many' instead of being 'the one.'"
—Laura, parent of alum

Thrive 2021 Summer Kickback

Liberating Our Stories

We know who we are through the stories people dared to tell. Join other UU Youth of Color (People of African Descent, Caribbean, Native/American Indian, Asian and Pacific Islander, Latina/o and Hispanic, Middle Eastern/Arab, and Multiracial) across the continent for bi-weekly online gatherings where we’ll connect and share the stories of UU People of Color, learn about our legacies and add our own voices to the records.

We will meet 5 times between May and August, each time at: Pacific: 4:00 - 5:30 pm / Mountain: 5:00 - 6:30 pm / Central: 6:00 - 7:30 pm / Eastern: 7:00 - 8:30 pm. Our gatherings will be a little bit of everything: check-ins, worship, discussion, etc. And for three of our gatherings we've invited special guests to engage with us. Check out our schedule below and make sure you put the dates on your calendar!

May 26 - I Am Because We Are - Getting to know each other and our own stories

June 9 - Do It For the Culture! Freedom Arts – With India Harris

July 7 - Trans Stories in Color - With Members of TRUUsT (Transgender Religious Professional UUs Together)

July 21 - Diving Deep: The Sankofa Special Collection - With Dr Elias Ortega President of Meadville Lombard Theological School

August 4 - Let Them Know We Were Here - Wrapping up our time together

Thrive Youth is for any youth of high school age who is in 9th-12th grade during the 2020-2021 school year (or the equivalent for homeschooled). It’s also open to any youth who bridges into young adulthood in the summer of 2021.

For young adults 18-35 see Thrive Young Adult

Register

Registration for Thrive Youth is a two-part process

1. Complete the Online Registration Form.
2. Submit the Youth Participation Form:
   • Fill out and e-sign the form. You'll receive an email invitation to e-sign the form in SignNow after you register for Thrive Youth. Make sure to look for that email in your inbox or junk email box; it will come from the address faithengagement@uua.org.
   • If you are having trouble with the SignNow e-signature system, check out our SignNow System Info Sheet (PDF). If your troubleshooting still isn't working, or you are not able to submit the form digitally, contact faithengagement@uua.org and we'll help you out.

Cost

The total value per participant for Thrive 2021 Summer Kickback is around $150, which covers contracted staff labor and contributions, supplies and shipping costs. This program is funded by the UUA's Annual Program Fund and the Katie Tyson Fund.

We are dedicated to ensuring access to our program is as equitable as possible, so participation is by donation. Please know, no one will be turned away due to finances. If you're able and willing to contribute more than the cost, it will help cover the costs for more youth to participate. You can choose to make a donation to support the work of Thrive Youth when you register.

Staffing

Thrive Youth programs are staffed by UU religious professionals of color with years of experience. This year, Thrive 2021 Summer Kickback will be staffed by Noel Burk, Shannon Harper and Sara Dendy-Green, with special guest facilitators, India Harris, Elias Ortega and others.

Questions

Please contact us at youth@uua.org or 617-948-4355

Learn More About Thrive Youth

Check out these reflections from alumni about their experiences:

• My Voice, My Experiences and My Journey by Byron Herbert '14
• Not the Only One by Aisha Pierre '11
• Daughter, Arab-American, Person of Faith by Ranwa Hammamy '11 and staff '14, '15
• Lifting UU Voices: Anger Welcome by Kenny Wiley '15
• Voices from #MLS2015: Radiating Love by Sunshine Alvarez ‘15
• Voices from #MLS2015: I, too, am Unitarian Universalism by Yashasvi Janamanchi ‘15

Sponsors of Thrive Youth

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Ministries and Faith Development and Organizing Strategy Staff Groups

History of Thrive

Thrive is the newest iteration of the many ways that UU youth and young adults of color have gathered to nurture leadership and sustain spirits. In the past, through Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) youth and young adult gatherings, Leadership Development Conferences and Multicultural Leadership School, UU youth and young adults of color have gathered to form lifelong connections, carve out belonging, create practices of resilience and healing and build skills to lead.