All members & friends are welcome to join the efforts of the Social Justice Outreach Team
SOCIAL JUSTICE & ALLIES FOR RACIAL EQUITY TEAM MEETINGS
We meet on the first TUESDAY of the month 1:00 to 2:30pm. via ZOOM
May meeting only, 2nd Tues May 10th
ARE updates and news can be sent to Charlotte Corrigan for inclusion in emails, eBlasts and Justice Worker News.
Want more JUSTICE NEWS? UUFH JUSTICE WORKER NEWS Contact Charlotte Corrigan to join the email list.
UU Justice NC
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION
from Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Executive Director UU Justice NC
UUSC’s Emergency Response Fund for Assistance in Ukraine
UUSC’s Emergency Response Fund provides vital assistance to people impacted by natural or human-made disasters yet whose access to aid is most limited. Currently, UUSC is using resources from their Emergency Response Fund to support people who have fled the violence in Ukraine after Russia launched a large-scale invasion in February 2022. They are building upon relationships they have established in Eastern Europe to respond to evolving needs on the ground and provide funding where it is needed most. You can make a donation to UUSC’s Emergency Response Fund via this link. You can also click here to learn about other ways to support this important work.
FRIDAY ACTION HOUR
Every Friday at 11:00am 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 Keeping the pressure on our elected officials to better promote the HOPE program. We always have good music to help us feel the justice movement in our bones! Join us via this Zoom link. If you can’t make it on Fridays, you can still take action at any time – just check our Weekly action list.
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MORE Opportunities for Action
Per UPDATES from Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson, Executive Director, UU Justice NC:
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY:
Thanks to Rev. Charlie Davis for volunteering to help lead our state-wide 8th Principle LEARNING COMMUNITY. We are still seeking several more volunteers to serve on the LEADERSHIP TEAM. The vision is to create a monthly space where NC UUs working on the 8th Principle in their congregations can learn, grow together, and support one another. If you are interested (or know someone in your congregation who may be interested) in this volunteer role, e-mail Rev. Lisa at lisa@nulluujusticenc.org
NC Medicaid Expansion Call to Action:
This spring there is new and growing political support to finally expand Medicaid to over 500,000 North Carolinians. We’ve never been closer to getting this done! Join UU Justice NC on Friday May 13 at 11:00 AM for a special Medicaid Expansion Friday Action Hour. We will participate in the state-wide week of action writing Letters to the Editor in support of closing the healthcare coverage gap. You can join via this link.
Second, we are calling on UUs to participate in DownHome NC‘s upcoming Expand Medicaid Phone Banks to rural NC communities on Wednesday May 11 and 18 at 6:00 PM. You can register here.
Save the Date
Trans Rights & Inclusion Event with Alex Kapitan
Tuesday, June 14, 6:00 PM, for UUs in North & South Carolina.
This webinar will give participants an overview of how to think about gender expansively, the experiences and needs of trans, non-binary, and gender nonconforming people; the current landscape of violently anti-trans legislative efforts; and what congregations need to do to be spaces of safety and resilience for trans people and their families. Zr. Alex Kapitan is a lay community minister, educator, editor, consultant and activist. A trans and non-binary lifelong Unitarian Universalist, Alex does interfaith LGBTQ work and supports congregations in becoming places of radical welcome for all. Ze is the co-founder of the Transforming Hearts Collective and co-leader of the program Trans Inclusion in Congregations. Registration info Coming Soon.
OUTREACH COLLECTION for MIGRANT WORKERS:
Launching on Sunday, May 8, our social Justice Outreach Collection dedicated to Migrant Workers through The Migrant Ed Project of the Henderson County Schools and True Ridge. This effort targets the humanity and the material needs of the hundreds of migrant workers (and their families!) who labor in our local fields, orchards, and packing houses. A Project representative is scheduled to speak briefly at this service.
Many of you are already familiar with the Gift Bags for Migrants, which is one of the project efforts. UUFH members and others contributed hundreds of items at our drive-through collection of toiletries, laundry supplies, and bandanas/hats on March 19.
We hope that you will again give generously.
ADOPTION OF THE 8TH PRINCIPLE BY UUFH
At our June 2021 Annual Meeting, UUFH members approved a motion that we study the UUA’s proposed 8th Principle ahead of a vote for adoption at our 2022 Annual Meeting.
The 8th Principle: “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 accountability dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
RESOURCES for the 8th Principle of Unitarian Universalism
Visit this UUA site: 8thprinciplorg
The section is organized by responses to these key questions: What is the origin? — Why now? — Why single out racism? — What is beloved community? — What does it mean to be accountable?
WATCH:
Paula Cole Jones speaks about the 8th Principle
Bruce Pollack-Johnson: the 8th Principle
READ:
BIPOC and the 8th Principle: https://www.uua.org/braverwiser/putting-armor
The Fall 2021 UU World contains several articles of interest, including Our Faith Calls Us to Antiracist Work – by Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, our UUA President https://www.uuworld.org/articles/antiracist-faith
2021 Statement of Conscience “Undoing white Supremacy: A Call to Prophetic Action – adopted at the 2021 General Assembly: https://www.uua.org/action/statements/undoing-systemic-white-supremacy
“EXPLORING DIVERSITY THROUGH LITERATURE”
This SJ-ARE project launched in the past year to donate books that feature the many cultures, distinct traditions, and realities of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to local schools and other institutions.
This project will help nurture the potential of children in Henderson County by providing literature that reflects and honors their lives and experiences. We believe our community will be enhanced by helping children appreciate themselves and others.
See the NEW project page now on the UUFH website: https://uufhnc.org/justice/exploring-diversity-through-literature/
See the IAM website https://www.iam-hc.org/ for news – including the Grand Opening (May 20 & 21) of their new Thrift Store as well as the current needs for pantry and clothing items or SIGN UP to receive the IAM monthly newsletter.
ELECTION INFORMATION:
IMPORTANT PRIMARY DATES:
May 14 ~ One-stop early voting ends for Primary
May 17 ~ Primary election (NO same day registration and voting!)
NON-PARTISAN VOTER INFORMATION RESOURCES:
Youcanvote.org, a non-partisan voter empowerment and education group and a UU Justice NC partner has an in-depth voter guide, You Can Vote- voter guide, that contains important information, such as key dates, polling locations, and more, PLUS direct links to official forms.
The website, vote411.org, the informational Voter Guide provided by the League of Women Voters, has non-partisan information on national, state, and local candidates, as well as aids to See What’s On Your Ballot, Check Your Voter Registration, Find Your Polling Place, Discover Upcoming Debates In Your Area, and more.
Information regarding registration to vote, absentee ballots, early voting, precinct/district locations, polling places, is also found at the websites of the NC State BOE and your county Board of Elections. Printable Forms are also available on these sites.
The more that we work together, the greater impact we have.