Social Justice News: Climate Justice Revival, You Can Vote!, Candidate Info Resources

•
Justice is what love looks like in public.

SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM (SJT)

NOTE our new 6:30PM meeting time:  

  • We hope this new time encourages participation by those in the workforce or with young children.   
  • We have a mix of on-site or  Zoom meetings planned.

Our next SJT monthly meeting will be October 1 at 6:30 PM in person in Fellowship Hall

The SOCIAL JUSTICE TEAM is a self-selecting group open to all UUFH Members and Friends.  We welcome all active participants.  Whether your social justice interests are one or many, you can contribute to our SJT efforts.  Your inputs are welcome.  Contact any team member AND join the team to help carry out your suggestions.

Contact Charlotte Corrigan for the Agenda, minutes and meeting LINK and current schedule 

GS2030 (Green Sanctuary Renewal) is included in our meetings per the Fellowship’s approval of our UUFH Congregational Project for 2023-2024

Join Social Justice Team (SJT)

We meet the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30 -8pm.

All are welcome to attend. These meetings are your chance to provide input and contribute to our UUFH Justice efforts.  To participate, please e-mail Charlotte Corrigan for the agenda, minutes, and Zoom link.

SEPTEMBER OUTREACH COLLECTION:   Democracy in Action initiative funding

The UUA Side with Love/UU the Vote campaign has targeted eight states to help register voters, one of which is again North Carolina.  UUs across the nation are working for us – making calls, writing postcards and letters, and going door to door in populous areas. 

UUFH has committed to sending 3,000 postcards to NC voters. These have been divided into 100 kits/30 cards each. The cost for supplies is $24 per Kit – labels, colored pens, printing, stamps – all obviously not free.  We obtained $700 in grant support through UU Justice NC, but this covers only 30% of the total expenses. The remaining balance is $1360.  Any funds received above our costs will go to UU Justice NC for further work for Democracy in North Carolina. 

You can submit (via Collection Plate) or mail in a check with Democracy in Action / Outreach Collection in the memo line, a labeled envelope with cash donations, OR make your donation via the UUFH website DONATE button. 

JUST 2 MORE SUNDAYS LEFT TO DONATE!

SAVE THE DATES:  September 28 & 29:  Workshop, Services and Action Hour

For more information & the REGISTRATION link for Saturday’s workshop, see the  UUFH Green Sanctuary Renewal email sent to all on September 11 or via this LINK:

Want more NEWS? 

If you’re not following the UUFH jUUstice WORKERS NEWS, you’re missing out on events and actions that support our UU values.
Contact Charlotte Corrigan to join the email list.

link to the current edition:  JW NEWS

This week’s highlights:

  • September Outreach Collection:  Democracy in Action Funding
  • Save the Date:  CLIMATE JUSTICE REVIVAL  September 28 – 29
  • UU JUSTICE NC – News and Friday Action Hour, and more actions
  • UU the Vote:  
    • UUFH Democracy in Action Plan updates
    • You Can Vote: FINAL on-line training sessions 
    • Updates – Phone-banking / letter writing
    • Postcards SIGNUP & KIT DISTRIBUTION & RETURNS
    • Election Schedules, absentee voting portal, resources for candidate information
  • Plus more:  PSS, Progressive Alliance – postcard party for public education, Moms Demand Action, Affordable housing, ARE, CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM, Supreme court Reform, Migrant Workers Proclamation AND Pisgah Legal Services:  JUSTICE FORUM (October 10 – live and live-stream)

UU JUSTICE NC

Subscribe to receive the monthly newsletter & action alerts in your inbox at UUJusticeNC.org   DONATE to UU Justice NC via this link: You Can Donate Here! 

FRIDAY ACTION HOUR 

Every Friday at 11:00 UUs from across the state gather to recap the past week and take action on the issues impacting our state and country.  In the coming month, we’ll be focusing on the upcoming municipal elections and will also keep the pressure on our elected officials to better promote the HOPE program.  And we always have good music to help us feel the justice movement in our bones! 

Join via this Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/91029655107

If you can’t make it on Fridays, you can still take action at any time – just check out our UU Justice NC – Friday Action Hour 2024  to view the materials for the current and previous sessions

BONUS:  

Sign up for the Weekly Friday Action Hour community listserv Email

Each email includes a promo of the week’s actions, the Zoom link, and the link to our Actions List (Google Doc) direct each week to your inbox.   Click here to sign up!

A blue and white sign with white letters Description automatically generated

UUFH has a strong history of involvement in the UU the Vote Campaigns in 2020 and 2022.  This requires many hands – not just those of the SJ Team. members.  This requires many hands – not just those of the SJ Team members.  We have 2 new SJT volunteers, Richard Lottenberg and Elizabeth Ritchie, who are working with guidance from Kitten Bulen to spearhead UUFH efforts for 2024.  As Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, UU Justice NC,  reminded us:

“It is time to go deeper. For most of us, postcarding should only be the appetizer before the meal.  This year our moral legacy is on the line.  And if we can go further than postcarding, we have a moral responsibility to do so.” 

“UUFH Democracy in Action” 

Current UUFH Democracy in ACTION items: 

[1]  FRIDAY ACTION HOUR  – weekly at 11AM with Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, UU Justice NC Join Action Hour via this Zoom. Link: NEW ZOOM LINK  If you can’t make it on Fridays, just check out our Action Hour Link:  Google Doc This link permits viewing, at your convenience, the links & materials for the current and any previous 2024 sessions.

BONUS:  

Sign up for the Weekly Friday Action Hour community listserv Email

Each email includes a promo of the week’s actions, the Zoom link, and the link to our Actions List (Google Doc) direct each week to your inbox.   

Click here to sign up!

[2]  YOU CAN VOTE:  VOTER EMPOWERMENT TRAINING  sessions

See YCV website youcanvote.org  for additional sessions as they are scheduled.  

Training sessions online are scheduled for multiple dates.

Virtual Voter Empowerment Training YCV’s 2024 Voter Empowerment Training is an hour-long virtual webinar designed to mobilize volunteers with how to educate and empower the community for upcoming elections. This comprehensive training educates participants in You Can Vote’s work and key messages, a thorough understanding of how to properly fill out a voter registration form, best practices and the voter ID rules for this year! This training is for those looking to learn more about You Can Vote, updated voting rules, best practices in voter registration, and those interested in volunteering with YCV!

NOTE:  the YCV website also includes materials on  why voting matters: Lawmakers and local elected officials make decisions about education, climate and the environment, the economy, public safety, civil rights, reproductive rights, public health, housing, and more. 

To learn how local, state, and federal officials impact the issues you care about click here to download a printable versions.  Your county commissioner or school board member may impact your daily life more immediately than elected Federal officials.

[3]. Write letters with Vote Forward to encourage voters to register and vote.  Writing personalized, handwritten letters to voters is a proven and effective way to help increase voter turnout and strengthen our democracy.   You can write letters right now from your home. Letter writing is a great way to turn anxiety into action!  You can access this action by going to VoteForward.org.

plus RECLAIM OUR VOTE POSTCARDS
Your NEXT chance to SIGN UP AND RECEIVE POSTCARD KITS is after service (FOYER) OR at Coffee Hour on SUNDAY, September 22nd.  

A message from Kitten Bulen: Wow!   Our Saturday September 21st  POSTCARD PARTY is canceled as it’s no longer needed.  Thanks to all members and friends for putting our UUFH Democracy Plan into Actions!   We have over 200 actions done towards our 300 actions goal.   We have only eight (8) Kits left for volunteers to pick up this coming Sunday.  We want everyone to participate, so we encourage those who have not completed a Kit to sign one out.  If you already have a Kit, try to finish and return completed postcards and your Action Form this Sunday.   All are due Sunday, September 29th so we can prepare for mailing.

We have committed to completing 3000 postcards for Reclaim Our Vote and are well on our way to meeting that goal thanks to our many volunteers.

POSTCARD RETURN:  

The official Reclaim Our Vote mailing period is September 30 –  timed to target the NC EARLY VOTING period which is October 17 – November 2.  

DO NOT MAIL your cards!

ALL completed postcards should be held for return on Sundays now through SEPTEMBER 29.   We will collect your completed postcards in the UUFH Foyer. The UUFH Democracy in Action team will then mail all postcards during the designated period.

SEPTEMBER OUTREACH COLLECTION:  

Help offset the Social Justice Team’s costs for the POSTCARD Initiative; DONATE NOW via the collection plate (label your check or envelope for “Democracy in Action”) or use the DONATE button on the UUFH website.

CANDIDATE INFORMATION RESOURCES

These non-partisan resources can help you learn more about the candidates and their positions.  Some also contain customized information for finding your polling place, checking your registration status, knowing what is on your ballot, and even provide information about upcoming candidate debates.  The first 2 are national while the last is NC specific. 

FYI – sample ballots and candidate info sites such as vote411 have been held up by the RFK Jr. court decision which forced redesign and reprinting of all NC ballots.  Absentee ballots will now be mailed to applicants beginning on 09-24.

Vote411.org created and maintained by the League of Women Voters provides significant information on candidates. When candidate listings are live, this “Candidate Information” link will let you know.

Guides.Vote is a national nonpartisan organization that provides comparisons of candidates for many national and statewide races.  

Blueprint NC is a coalition that has launched this online guide for NC voters. When people put in their address, information for candidates on their ballot will appear. Information is available in Spanish as well.  Blueprint NC works towards inclusive and anti-racist democracy rooted in civic engagement through movement building and mobilization.

VOTING  in North Carolina – – Election schedules

ABSENTEE VOTING

There are new rules for VOTING ABSENTEE, so for those wishing to vote this way, it is important to request your absentee or mail-in ballot NOW or as soon as possible! 

  • For the 2024 election, the NC State Board of Elections has an online portal that you can use to request an absentee ballot. 
  • The online application process only takes about three minutes to complete, but it can take a few weeks to receive your ballot. 
  • You also will need to provide a copy of an accepted photo ID or complete an ID exception form when you mail in your ballot.

EARLY VOTING

EARLY VOTING is ONLY at the Henderson County Board of Elections (75 E. Central Street) and begins on THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17 ending SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2.  

  • Monday through Friday hours are 8:00am – 7:30pm. 
  • Saturday early voting is only on these TWO dates

October 19, 8:00am – 2:00pm AND November 2, 8:00am – 3:00pm.

ELECTION DAY 

Voting is ONLY at your precinct from 6:30am-7:30pm on NOVEMBER 5.

See the State Board of Elections or your County Board websites for more information.