Greetings from the Racial Justice Committee of the UU congregation in Charlottesville, VA!
This committee serves as a coordinating and support group for our racial justice efforts, within and beyond our congregation. We join together and with others in the community to work for racial justice, learning together and acting to end disparities and oppression caused by white supremacy.
Who: Any congregant is welcome to attend meetings and work with the committee.
What: Monthly committee meetings, various events and campaigns, racial justice actions
What Day: First Sunday of the month
What Time: Between Memorial Day and Labor Day: after the 10:15 am service, approx 11:30 – 1 pm.
Between Labor Day and Memorial Day: after the 2nd (11:15) service, approx 12:45 – 2 pm
Where: In the room at church called Lower Hall 2
Why: Because we want to transform our congregation and the world into anti-racist, anti-oppression, multiculturally centered places!
How: One event, one conversation, one law, one action at a time…. Join your efforts to ours!
Contact: Christine Gresser
Public Witness Statement
In October 2016, a public witness statement of a long-term nature in support of, and in solidarity with, the national Black Lives Matter movement was passed by the Congregation. (Read more about the history of racial justice initiatives at our congregation.)
Committee Meeting Minutes
The PDF files may take a few moments to open, so please be patient.
2019
Feb 2019 Mar 2019 April 2019 – no meeting May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 Aug 2019 Sept 2019
2018
March 2018 March 2018 April 2018 July 2018 October 2018 December 2018
Committee Annual Report
Keep up with racial justice activities in our community on our News & Views page.
Ongoing projects of the committee include:
- Coordinating with the Director of Religious Education in planning and teaching racial justice education programs for children and for adults– both those who are new to the effort and those who have been doing racial justice work for some time.
- Hosting tables in the Social Hall to provide information and to encourage actions like signing petitions, writing letters to elected officials, and keeping up with the local justice issues.
- Maintaining a Racial Justice Library in Summit House, room Summit 2. Library by author Library by title
RESOURCES THAT INFORM OUR WORK FOR RACIAL JUSTICE
This is the website of an anti-racism movement among white Unitarian Universalists in partnership with DRUUMM, a UU People of Color Organization. Check out the link to “Accountability” under “Get Involved,” and the great list of resources.
DRUUMM is a Unitarian Universalist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural organization of People of Color, including Lay Leaders, Ministers, Seminarians, Religious Educators, and UUA Staff.
This website describes a program for congregations to talk about race on a deeper level.
In the spirit of small-group ministry (or what many call “covenant groups”), Beloved Conversations is an experiential and evocative curriculum that provides a container for exploring the spiritual and intellectual dimensions of racism in our lives. Over eight two-hour seminars, the group encounters ways in which issues of race and ethnicity shape individual and group assumptions and, also, considers the spiritual dimensions of what is learned.
Resources and suggestions on how to respond to the Black Lives Matter Movement with love.
- Resources from the Unitarian Universalist Association – click on “Introduction to Multiculturalism”
You will then see sections on:
- A Dialogue on Race and Ethnicity
- Engaging in Multicultural Ministry
- Cultural (Mis)appropriation
- New Jim Crow
- UU People of Color Gatherings and much more.
- Videos from the Marching in the Arc of Justice Conference
http://www.uulivinglegacy.org/
http://www.uulivinglegacy.org/workshop-and-special-videos.html
These videos include keynote presentations by the Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed, the Rev. Dr. William Barber, II, and Opal Tometi, plus workshops and excerpts from a remarkable play (“Night Blooms”), about the complex relationships between white families in Selma and their black domestic workers in 1965. The website also includes a list of resources.
- Unitarian Universalist Church of Delaware County
Anti-racism, Anti-Oppression Multicultural programs offered at this church
- Monthly gathering of the Virtual Community of UUs of Color.
To join or for information, contact Jessica York, Faith Development Director. jyork@uua.org
- UU World This Quarterly UU magazine often features articles on racial justice issues pertaining to our faith.
- UUA Prison Ministry (Volunteers appreciated)
Teach through correspondence or become a Pen Pal with Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) Prison Ministry.
Contact worthynow@clfuu.org for more information.