All members & friends are welcome to join the efforts of the Social Justice Outreach Team
Social Justice and ARE Teams are now meeting in joint session. The sessions at 1 pm on the first Wednesday of each month. Due to rising Covid-19 counts, we are returning to the ZOOM only virtual format.
All are welcome to attend; these meetings are your chance to provide input and contribute to our UUFH justice efforts. Contact Charlotte Corrigan for more information – i.e., agenda, prior minutes, Zoom link – if you would like to participate.
ARE updates and news can be sent to Charlotte Corrigan for inclusion in emails, eBlasts and Justice Worker News.
The monthly RACIAL JUSTICE FORUM series will resume in the fall.
UU Forward Together — The UU Justice Ministry of North Carolina
NAME CHANGE
Recently, recognizing the need to establish a distinct identity for ourselves, we became UU Justice NC – reflecting our core identities: We are Unitarian Universalists, working for Justice, in North Carolina.
Subscribe to UUJMNC to receive the monthly newsletter and action alerts at www.uuforwardtogether.org
UUJMNC: OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION
from Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Executive Director UU Justice Ministry of NC
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. Join us via this Zoom link.
Action(s) of the Week –
Write a Redistricting Public Comment
(UUFH Call to Action – Climate Justice Congregational Project)
The redistricting process is in full swing. Right now, politicians in the North Carolina legislature are in the process of redrawing the maps for Legislative (NC House, NC Senate) and Congressional (US House) districts. We can impact this process by submitting official public comments that advocate for maps that are fair and keep our communities whole.
If you have already attended a redistricting training and feel ready to write your public comment, you can submit it to the Public Comment Portal – Link here OR you can sign up to give in-person testimony. You can see the public hearing schedule here. And sign up to speak here.
For additional support in drafting your comment, we’ll be holding these upcoming events: Western NC – Wednesday, September 8, 7:00 – 8:30pm on Zoom: Register Here! Charlotte Region – Sunday, September 12, 4:30 – 6:15pm (***Now only on Zoom) Register Here! State-Wide Public Comment Workshop, Tuesday September 14, 7:00 – 8:00pm on Zoom Register Here! Additionally, you can attend an upcoming All on the Line NC Public Testimony Training – Register Here!
*** While most of these events are region-specific, everyone is welcome at all events.
CLIMATE JUSTICE CONGREGATIONAL PROJECT
Having received UUFH approval to continue with this vital project, we can now move forward with some on-hold activities and seek new opportunities for congregational education and action, including use of UUA/& UU Justice NC resources, and continuing UUtheVote advocacy, with a focus on fair redistricting and voter rights.
We’ll add a new emphasis on the 8th principle per a separate congregational vote held at our Annual Meeting.
The 8th Principle states: “We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
You are invited to the following UU event:
ARE September Community Caucus: discussions of the 8th Principle
When: 09/18/2021 4:00 PM, EDT
Where: Zoom meeting
Will you be attending?
9/6 update: APPARENTLY THIS EVENT IS NOW FULL, BUT there is a WAITLIST at https://www.uuare.org/event. Erase whatever e-mail address is in the box and enter your e-mail to start the process…
EVENT DETAILS:
We invite White Unitarian Universalists to join the upcoming virtual regional caucus sessions on September 18th at 4 pm to 6:30 pm Eastern. This year’s caucuses will focus on discussions of the 8th Principle. The caucuses are intended to nourish anti-racist community; to inspire attendees with a sense of parallel connectedness to DRUUMM (Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries); and engage deeply in reflection and analysis for sustainable anti-racist work.
DRUUMM is a Unitarian Universalist BIPOC ministry and anti-racist collective bringing lay and religious professionals together to overcome racism through resistance and transform Unitarian Universalism through our multicultural experiences. ARE’s Community Caucuses are being held concurrent with the Fall 2021 DRUUMM Regional BIPOC Caucuses.
UUA Launches Side With Love Action Center
This Sunday, September 12 at 2:00pm EDT join the UUA’s Organizing and Strategy team for the launch of the new Side With Love Action Center. Building on the success and lesson of the past 18 months, this will be a place for UUs across the country to come together to end oppression and build democratic, sustainable, and thriving communities focused on our four key issues: CLIMATE JUSTICE, DECRIMINALIZATION, DEMOCRACY & VOTING RIGHTS, and LGBTQ+ & GENDER JUSTICE.
UUFH NOTE – our Special Congregational Meeting, an update of our financial position, is at this same date and time. However, if you CLICK the registration link and register, you will also be notified when the event recording is available.
A Walk in the Garden: CCA Southern Region Gathering
- Time: Tuesday September 14th, 5:30-6:30pm
- Location: Bullington Gardens, 95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville, NC 28792
- Event title: A walk in the Garden: CCA Southern Region Gathering
Join us in Hendersonville’s beautiful Bullington Gardens for a time of fellowship and flowers. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet Creation Care Alliance (CCA) new director Sarah Ogletree and spend time with others in your region dedicated to loving our human and non-human neighbors well. We’ll walk through the gardens, get to know one another, and think together about what creation care opportunities are blooming in our life and community. Register today to let us know you’ll attend. We look forward to being with you. creationcarealliance.org
A NEW UUFH INITIATIVE – Volunteer Opportunities at Bruce Drysdale School
The UUFH ARE and Social Justice teams have consulted with the leadership at Bruce Drysdale Elementary School to see what help we could provide to the school students and staff.
Present volunteer opportunities include:
Some BDE statistics: -student population: 464 K-5 students. The school’s -minority student enrollment: 55% -student-teacher ratio: 13:1, better than the district. -economically disadvantaged enrollment: 69% -36 equivalent full-time teachers; 1 full-time school counselor. -compared with the district, BDE scored lower in math and in reading: only 40% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math; 36% scored at or above that level for reading. (Henderson County Schools: 50% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading; 57% tested at or above that level for math.)
BDE teachers and staff are passionate about their desire to help their students do better! We can help make a difference in the lives of these young people! Please consider taking a few hours a week to help make that difference by volunteering there.
Current opportunities include:
Library- shelving books: weekly opportunity for a couple of hours. Library book fair: sort and keep shelves organized and stocked. Reading to Kindergarten classes. Serving/Setup for teacher lunches. BDE holds 5-6 teacher lunches a year. Those students who have to catch up on their class work must sit separately, and volunteers are needed to sit with these students to help keep them focused on catching up. Escorting students to and from their classroom for hearing tests. Other opportunities will present themselves through the year and will be added to this list. Thank you in advance for your help in any of these areas! We look forward to working with all of you! |
In order to volunteer, you must pass a background check. This involves completing one form on line and a second form that must be dropped off at the school. Once approved, volunteers receive an ID card from Secure Volunteer which must be presented at each visit.
Contact Jan Partin at janpartin@nullhotmail.com for easy instructions.
NAACP MEMBERSHIP – Henderson County Chapter
A message from Judy Bonner, UUFH SJ Allies for Racial Equity (ARE) leader:
I urgently invite you to join our local chapter of NAACP. It is vital to support our chapter especially at this time. I thank you in advance for your membership.
An Application Form is available from Charlotte Corrigan or Judy Bonner Please complete the membership form and mail with your payment of $30 to:
NAACP 318 N. Main Street Suite #11 Hendersonville NC 28792 Our local unit number is 5477
Check this website to learn about the NAACP mission and vision. https://naacp.org/about/mission-vision
LWV NEWS for CITY of HENDERSONVILLE voters:
Important Dates for the Municipal Primary Election (only candidates for the Hendersonville City Council will be on this ballot):
September 5 – Absentee Ballot by Mail voting starts
September 10 – Deadline to register to vote in the primary
September 16 – One-Stop Early Voting begins. Vote at the Board of Elections
VOTE411 will be available on September 16 for responses from the candidates for Hendersonville City Council.
The League of Women Voters Henderson County will host a Meet and Greet for candidates in the primary election for the Hendersonville City Council. All of the candidates have been invited.
Location: Patton Park Large Pavilion
Date: Monday, September 13, 6:00-7:30 pm
Information about voter registration, municipal elections, absentee ballots, and redistricting will be available.
If you are eligible to vote in this primary, please stop by to speak with the candidates, share your ideas and hear theirs
The more that we work together, the greater impact we have.