All members & friends are welcome to join the efforts of the Social Justice Outreach Team
The next Social Justice Outreach Team meeting is Wednesday, July 7th at 1:00 pm. All are welcome to attend; contact Charlotte Corrigan hcorrigan@nullmsn.com for more information and the virtual link if you would like to participate. This meeting will be our annual planning session.
ARE (Allies for Racial Equity) Updates:
Contact Judy Bonner judybonner1@nulloutlook.com for more information New members are welcome
JUSTICE WORKERS EMAIL LIST
We’ve created a new merged list “Justice Workers”. The decision to unite was recommended by the leaders of the various groups (SJOT, ARE, Voter Justice, and Climate Justice) and approved by our UUFH Social Justice Team; our debut message was issued on Monday, April 12. The list is comprehensive and contains actions, events, and links that will inform and enable your justice efforts. The more that we work together, the greater impact we have. To join the Justice Workers list, contact Charlotte Corrigan hcorrigan@nullmsn.com with your request to OPT IN.
UUJMNC FAIR REDISTRICTING Campaign Volunteer needed
The N. Carolina UU Justice Ministry is calling UU congregations across the state to participate in helping assure FAIR REDISTRICTING. Congregational representatives are asked to attend two “zUUm” events – a learning session about Redistricting/Mapping in June or July and the second in September or October to write (letters/email/text) public comment to the Commission. Kitten Bulen has agreed to coordinate our UUFH effort, but she needs a co-leader to help and attend the two training sessions with her. Please call or email Kitten to participate: (828-890-8454) or buckeyebbobulen@nullbellsouth.net
For information on upcoming training sessions with UUJMNC partners such as You Can Vote and Democracy NC, contact Charlotte Corrigan and sign up for weekly Justice Worker News emails.
OUTREACH COLLECTION: ends June 11
SJOT kicked off our last Outreach Collection for the year on MAY 16 to support Affordable Housing needs. Collection recipients will be Habitat for Humanity ( habitat-hvl.org ) and Housing Assistance Corporation ( housing-assistance.com ).
Watch our collection launch on the recorded Sunday May 16 service; ( UUFH Youtube channel ) UUFH members Stefanie Kompathon and Rich DeSimone presented an insider’s view of the work of these two organizations during the service.
Henderson County has a severe shortage of decent, affordable housing. This problem affects people in all walks of life, young and old, renters and homeowners who are living in substandard housing – decrepit, unsafe, unhealthy or overcrowded. Per HUD guidelines, the monthly payment for housing (mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities) should be no more than 30% of household income. Individuals paying more are deemed ‘cost burdened’ and sacrifice food, clothing, healthcare, home upkeep, heating and insurance to pay their rent/mortgage. In Henderson County, 43% of renters and 18% of homeowners are considered cost burdened. Sadly, in HC almost 50% of the jobs don’t pay enough to enable a family to rent a 2 BR apartment – these include jobs in food service, child care, construction, and health care. Finding a place even if you have the money is a difficult search as vacancy rates are quite low. Home prices are even more out of reach. Average home prices in Henderson County are above the national average, nearly twice the state average, and still rising. There is a great need for houses priced under $200,000 for those with incomes below $60,000.
The positive effects of living and growing up in a safe, stable and healthy home have been extensively documented: better outcomes in education, health, jobs, community involvement. Beyond this, home ownership is the primary means by which American families build wealth; an avenue long denied to large segments of our population.
UU Forward Together — The UU Justice Ministry of North Carolina
Subscribe to UUJMNC to receive the monthly newsletter and action alerts at www.uuforwardtogether.org
UUJMNC: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION
Action(s) of the Week –
from Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Executive Director Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of NC
Lisa is on vacation!
FRIDAY ACTION HOUR
Join UU Forward Together every Friday at 11:00am for Friday Action Hour. Gather in community to recap the week and take action on issues impacting our state and country. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/91029655107
Does the Friday session not work for you? You can still act; the link below will give you the talking points, addressee contacts and actions for this week’s Action Hour session.
JUNETEENTH EVENTS in Henderson County — Black History Collective
When we learn and grow culturally together as a county, we will become stronger intellectually, better role models for the present and future generations, and interact with civility toward one another when knowledge is gained,” organizer Crystal Cauley stated.
Proclamation for Juneteenth in Hendersonville: Thursday, June 3, 5:45 pm – City Operations Building, 305 Williams St., Hendersonville Proclamation requested by the Black History Collective of Henderson County
Black History Collective of Henderson County: Saturday, June 12, 2-4 pm – Hola Community Arts, Jackson Park, 801 Fourth Ave. E. Hendersonville
The event can be viewed live on the Black History Collective of Henderson County’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com
Educational exhibit: “Juneteenth: Celebrating 156 Years of Black History” Henderson County Public Library – 301 N. Washington St., Hendersonville June 1-30 – Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday, Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Sundays
Cultural exhibit: “The African Dream of an Emancipated Descendent” June 1-30 – Exhibit hours: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Hola Community Arts, Jackson Park, 801 Fourth Ave. E. Hendersonville
GROW OUR OWN FUND Launch
A new initiative has started in our county to promote diversity of our staff members in our public school system. GROW OUR OWN is an informal coalition of community groups and citizens coming together to raise awareness of the needs of BIPOC (black, Indigenous and people of color) in Henderson County NC and to encourage private donations to the ‘Grow Our Own’ Fund at the Henderson County Education Foundation. The Fund has been established to support diversification of Henderson County teachers. Research is clear that children who have teachers who reflect their ethnicity do better in school, are more likely to graduate from high school, are more likely to continue their education and are more likely to become contributing members of their community, benefiting everyone.
Visit the group’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2850939068493291; there you’ll find an informative flyer outlining the need and the path forward:
“This is an investment in our community – a community that we love and want to see grow and develop as a place in which all children/students have the best education possible. It is up to all of us to help provide such an environment.”
At UUFH, the Social Justice and Allies for Racial Equity teams have been anticipating the official launch for several months and are planning to support for this effort through a donation from UUFH.
CLIMATE JUSTICE CONGREGATIONAL PROJECT
At our meeting in May, SJOT formally approved renewing the Climate Justice Congregational Project for another year. Covid restrictions and vaccines likely will permit gatherings and activities on site in the coming months such as our long-postponed CJCP activities and events. The UUFH Board approved proposed renewal at their May 11 meeting. The project was originally approved in February 2020 for 18 months ending on June 30.
A request to renew for another year will be on the agenda at the June 13 Annual Meeting for a Fellowship vote of approval.
League of Women Voters WEBINAR
The LWV-Wake County, NC is offering a “Timely Topics” webinar: “Environmental Injustice: Why Should We Care” on June 16th at 5:00pm.
This webinar is open to the public. The webinar will discuss how the negative effects of pollution and environmental degradation particularly impact low-income communities and communities of color. We have two guest speakers—a Leland town council member from Brunswick County and an environmental scientist from the NC Department of Environmental Quality.
You can find more information and register HERE
UUSC – 10th ANNUAL HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD — JUNE 17
From Mary Katherine Morn UUSC:
“I am delighted to invite you to UUSC’s 10th Annual Human Rights Award, a virtual celebration featuring a conversation with U.S. Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. We have great respect and appreciation for Congresswoman Pressley’s strong support for human rights and progressive change, including her co-sponsorship of the BREATHE Act, which UUSC strongly endorses. The event will be an evening of hope and inspiration on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT.
If you would like to join us, we ask that you please register here. While donations are not required to attend, we ask that you please consider a special gift in support of UUSC’s work to advance social justice around the world.”
BONUS: there will be a special musical performance by SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK®.