JUUstice Washington

A Unitarian Universalist State Action Network

Side With Love 5-Session Series, “Taking A Collective Breath: Deepening our alignment with the Movement for Black Lives” Begins August 11, 2020

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Hundreds of Unitarian Universalists joined local activists June 20 in support of the Smart Justice Spokane coalition, which opposes the expansion of the Spokane County Jail. (© 2019 Christopher L. Walton/UUA)

We invite you to participate in Taking A Collective Breath: Deepening our alignment with the Movement for Black Lives, a five-session series built around the elements of the BREATHE Act. The webinars will explore the components of the BREATHE Act and utilize its structure as a way to focus our energies to effectively support ongoing racial justice work. Come learn and build with local and national partners who are shaping conditions to make liberation possible. This is an invitation to locate yourself in this moment as well, we each have a role to play.

The BREATHE Act seeks to reform federal laws and eliminate funding for federal programs that criminalize Black, Muslim, and immigrant communities, reinvesting our resources in community solutions for education, health, and the environment.
Register any time, for one session or the entire series. Sessions will be available online for later viewing, with registration. 

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Climate Solutions “Our Climate Leaders Live!” series is back

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Our Climate Leaders Live! series is back (August 13th, 10:00 am) with a look at the future of the built environment. 

While they don’t move, buildings still emit pollution and emissions from buildings are growing at a faster rate than any other source of carbon pollution in Washington. Why? This increase is largely due to our use of fossil gas in homes and buildings (called “natural” gas by utilities). Burning fossil gas not only contributes to climate emissions, but also poses significant health risks for our communities, including children and other vulnerable people. But there is good news! Many cities across the country are increasingly looking to ensure all new buildings are powered solely by electricity. Electrifying buildings is critical to addressing climate change; it is also achievable, affordable, healthy, safe, and creates a more resilient energy system.

This webinar will look at the use of gas in buildings, its impacts on our health (especially indoors), climate, and the prospects and implications of phasing it out.

Join Climate Solutions and guests to hear about action taking place around the state, why we need it, and what comes next. 

Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Martin Luther King Jr.

Join Interfaith Power & Light to view Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek, an award winning film about the unjust impact of climate change on an historic black community, and attend an IPL webinar to learn ways we can practice being allies in the fight for safe and healthy black communities.

Click here to watch a preview and purchase a ticket for the film and webinar.

Come Hell or High Water: The Battle for Turkey Creek follows the painful but inspiring journey of Derrick Evans, a Boston teacher who moves home to coastal Mississippi when the graves of his ancestors are bulldozed to make way for the sprawling city of Gulfport. Over the course of a decade, Derrick and his neighbors stand up to powerful corporate interests and politicians and face ordeals that include Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil disaster in their struggle for self-determination and environmental justice.

Watch a preview and purchase your ticket to view this critically acclaimed film online August 2 through August 4 and attend the webinar.

The webinar will be at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern on August 5 with filmmaker Leah Mahan and Derrick Evans.

Moderated by Susan Stephenson, the conversation will center around the disproportionate impacts of climate change on black and brown communities. We’ll also hear updates on the fight to achieve environmental justice for Turkey Creek and learn measures we can all take through policy and direct action to create more just systems and healthier communities.

$20 for an individual ticket. You will receive the link to view the film and the password, plus access to the webinar.

$50 for a congregational screening ticket. You will receive a link for up to 150 members of your congregation to view the film for free and attend the webinar.

Click here to purchase. Funds will go to support climate justice for Turkey Creek and to reimburse the small independent film team.

May justice and mercy prevail,

Sarah Paulos

Community Engagement and Program Manager

Interfaith Power & Light

Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites Asks for Your Voice at City Council Defund-the-Police Budget Hearing, June 8, 2020

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The Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites is MOBILIZING to DEFUND the SPD by 50% and REINVEST IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. We have until July 17th to influence the city budget. As a people who have historically benefited from the institution of police, we have a responsibility to advocate for its abolition.

We are MOBILIZING TOGETHER to DEFUND the SPD by 50%  and REINVEST IN BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES

This work is not done!  If you have been following the news lately, you likely know that Mayor Durkan is on the offensive.  She has proposed a 20% budget cut, even though if we can maintain a veto-proof majority in city council, she has very little power to implement that proposal.

SO, it is imperative that we keep pressure on our Council Members to hold to their commitment.  The pro-police folks are organizing as well. They’re planning on using our tactics to try to flip Council Members votes.  

Our action is to keep up the calls and emails! They matter- don’t let up and give the pro-police folks the phone lines!  Only a quarter of our Phone Zap spots are filled for today – so sign up. And make the calls even if you don’t sign up!  Below you will find all of the city council members contact information!  

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Black Collective Voice Page Engage Series, Part 2 “From Black Lives Matter to Black Liberation,” July 3, 2020, Seattle

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Friday, July 3rd, 6:30 pm, Jimi Hendrix Park, 2400 S Massachusetts St, Seattle

This week highlights Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor’s “From #BLACKLIVESMATTER to Black Liberation”. This text will help us understand our current moment within the larger context of the historic movement for Black liberation. Black Collective Voice is dedicated to community education, mutual-aid, and taking action alongside our partners from the Seattle protest community.

The Page Engage series will highlight the work of different revolutionary Black authors, activists, and voices. Our series aims to foster discussions between diverse communities in order to mobilize behind intentional direct action.

Page:

We will provide excerpts from each text we read and we encourage you to buy your own copies of these powerful works. Please visit local BIPOC owned bookstores such as Estelita’s Library for your own copy.

Engage:

At each of our events, we will ask you to engage in direct action, as our aim is use education to mobilize our communities.

Be Like Water:

Our goal is to cultivate a sustainable abolitionist movement through liberatory education, community building, and informed action. Black Collective Voice will continue to grow and respond to the needs of our community. Come prepared to listen, discuss, and discover how your gifts can contribute to this movement.