JUUstice Washington

A Unitarian Universalist State Action Network

Revolutionary Elders Project , First Event October 24, Online

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Among many cultures elders have an important place in the community, especially during turbulent times. Turtle Island, otherwise known as the United States, is undergoing monumental shifts on all levels: culturally, politically, economically, environmentally and spiritually. It is a time to mobilize, educate, reflect, connect and take action.

Young people are driving the change with energy and passion. Our actions have the potential to be grounded with wisdom and perspective from elders. This exchange is not only necessary, it is essential if we are to sustain for the long haul.

People from all backgrounds of any age are invited to join this virtual elder council to listen and engage with elders who generously share their stories to support us all in sustaining ourselves, each other, and the planet.

OCTOBER 24 ELDER COUNCIL: Featuring elder activists from the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense: Gary Lilley,  James Robert Ford, and Brad Lilley.

REGISTER TO ATTEND
(Registration gives you access to all three events. New passcodes will be sent each month to join the virtual elder council.)

Monthly themes (subject to change)

OCTOBER — “Community Organizing / Mutual Aid”
NOVEMBER — “Spiritual Activism”
DECEMBER — “Arts Activism”

Get Involved

Community is at the heart of revolution!
If you have time, talent, or monetary means to help this project realize its full potential, please reach out: zhaleh@mandalaforchange.com. Support of any kind is welcome: networking, organizing, funding, idea exchange, or other ways.

  • If you are a BIPOC elder interested in sharing your story and participating in a virtual event.
  • If you are a ‘younger’ from any racial/ethnic background with organizing skills or interest in multi-generational dialogues.
  • If you are a person in a position to support financially or in other non-monetary ways (e.g. gifting elders or directly offering financial honorariums).

Documenting the Struggle: A Conversation with Filmmaker Stanley Nelson (available online)

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Documenting the Struggle:  A Conversation with Filmmaker Stanley Nelson

Recording Available now – go to online link to view.

Conversation with filmmaker Stanley Nelson on his acclaimed Civil Rights films.  American Experience and WORLD Channel tonight for a conversation with filmmaker Stanley Nelson and American Experience Executive Producer Cameo George on the ongoing struggle for civil rights in America. The discussion includes clips from three of Nelson’s films— The Murder of Emmett Till, Freedom Riders, and Freedom Summer — as well as Q&A from audience.

 

 

Mike Yarrow Peace Fellowship Basic Training for Peace Teams, Oct. 25, online

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How can organizers of nonviolent mass protest actions help ensure those actions won’t be “hijacked”, and thus made less effective, by violent flanks, outside groups, and covert provocateurs?  How can we help ensure that health guidelines are followed during protests, to minimize the risk of harm from a deadly virus?

Basic Training for Peace Teams:

Keeping Non-Violent Discipline

October 25, 6:30 to 8:30 pm

 

 

Dr. Tom Hastings, of Portland State University Conflict Studies Program and Adam Vogal of Portland Peace Team will provide a Zoom training on basic peacekeeping and de-escalation theory and skills to keep mass protests nonviolent. This training is designed for those who want to be trained to serve in a “peace team.”

The Mike Yarrow Peace Fellowship is hosting this event as part of our series of elective online workshops for the MYPF, but the event is open to the public.

Training for Election and Post-Election Defense

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So… now that UU the Vote has got all this incredible voter outreach going together and are in striking distance of hitting our new goal of 2 million (!!) we are pivoting to election defense.
UU the Vote is partnering with The Frontline Election Defenders program coordinated by the Movement for Black Lives Electoral Justice Project and Working Families Party – it is 501c3.  You may want to attend the training(s) and/or send your people.

https://www.mobilize.us/thefrontline/event/321224/

UU the Vote Harvest the Power Week of Action Oct. 21-27

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UU the Vote invites everyone to join us for a week of action to harvest the power! Running Wednesday, October 21st through Tuesday, October 27th, this is one of our final pushes to ensure we reach 2,000,000 voters before Election Day. Join us!

Congregational Call-in Days: October 21 – October 27

Organize your congregation to host a phonebank! Join us is activating congregations across the country to organize their members to take contact voters. You assemble your team, and national and state organizers will help you with the rest. To reach 1 million voters and defeat hate in 2020, we need you and your congregation to go all in. Take the pledge to host a congregational phone bank and then download the toolkit with all the steps!

Thursday, October 22nd: National UU the Vote Prop 208 Phone Bank with UU Justice Arizona Network (UUJAZ) & Arizona Education Association

National UU the Vote Prop 208 Phone Bank with UU Justice Arizona Network (UUJAZ) & Arizona Education Association. As Unitarian Universalists we are called to work for justice. Join UUs across the country as we put our values into action by calling Arizona voters to support Prop 208, investing in our children and educators! Register

Saturday, October 24: Let Our People Vote with POWER (Philadelphia)

Pennsylvania is a politically, economically, and racially diverse state, with the majority of its poorest citizens and citizens of color living in Philadelphia. 2016 brought low turnout numbers in Philadelphia, with ramifications across the Commonwealth and country. Join Philadelphia UUs for a phone bank with our local Interfaith Justice Coalition, POWER, as we call low-propensity voters in this pivotal city to Get Out the Vote! Training will be available for newcomers. Join us to make sure all our people are able to have their voices heard in November. Using Thrutalk (you’ll need a computer plus phone) POWER is an interfaith organization committed to building communities of opportunity that work for all. POWER represents over 50 congregations throughout Southeastern and Central Pennsylvania. POWER is a proud member of the Faith in Action (Formerly PICO) and Partnership for Working Families Networks.

Sunday, October 25: Karen’s “All I Want for My Birthday is Good Government” Phonebank

You’re invited, Sunday 10/25, to Karen’s Birthday Phonebank with MUUSJA, the Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance. Karen says, “All I want for my birthday is social justice and good government!” These aren’t the pushy or robotic calls you hate, just give friendliness a try. We’ll be calling lower-turnout, mainly BIPOC precincts in Greater Minnesota towns, where there’s a chance we can help send a more progressive Congressional delegation to Washington this year. We won’t tell people who to vote for, just how to vote if they need and want to know. Reaching people whom the Parties often ignore is social justice work. Asking everyone to be an #OctoberVoter might even save lives, by inviting folks to vote from home, or vote early at their elections office. So even if you think you’ll hate it, try making two or three calls to help celebrate Karen’s birthday? Thank you!

Sunday, October 25: UU the Vote Worship 

Host a UU the Vote worship service! Our UU the Vote service is a full1 hour service with the typical elements of a UU liturgy, as well as some unique components. The entire service, including all worship elements, will be available online for congregations to stream via the platform of their choice. Join UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray, the UU the Vote team, and a lineup of powerful, prophetic UU voices as we explore the intersections of faith, justice, and democracy in this collective virtual service. Sign up!

Already have something planned October 25th? We’ll stream an evening service to the UUA Facebook and Youtube page at 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT.

We are asking congregations to support UU the Vote’s organizing work and to help us cover the costs of production (including remunerating worship leaders), much as you would pay a guest worship leader and/or musician. We recommend using the UU Ministers Association’s Scale of Professional Fees as a guide: $315 for small congregations, $350 for mid-sized congregations, $385 for large congregations.

In addition, we ask that your congregation dedicate the Sunday offering to UU the Vote on the day you use the worship materials. To mark this threshold year of 2020 and all the possibility and peril that it represents, we are inviting the congregation to consider gifts that honor the number 2020 ($2,020, $202, $20.20, and so forth). Please know that every single gift makes a difference in the organizing work we are doing at UU the Vote.

There are a variety of ways you can make your financial contributions.

  1. Send a check payable to the UUA with “UU the Vote worship” on the memo line. You may combine a donation for use of the worship materials and any share-the-plate proceeds into a single check.

Unitarian Universalist Association, Attn: Gift Processing, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210-1409

To speed your congregation’s support to be put to work in the final weeks before Election Day, we encourage you to invite your members to donate directly via:

  1. Contributing by credit card or PayPal at: https://uuthe.vote/give
  2. Texting VOTELOVE to 91999.

Please send contributions within 10 days of your worship Sunday date. Thank you for your generosity.

Monday, October 26: Vote Love Pledge Rally

As we near the close of our Harvest the Power Week of Action, let us celebrate our work and gather in joyful community. We’re inviting everyone that has pledged to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate to a private virtual rally! We’ll have music, speakers, highlights from the week of action and the latest numbers towards our goal of contacting 1 million voters. Come celebrate your work and our UU the Vote community. You deserve it. Haven’t taken the VoteLove Pledge? Sign up now, and get an invite to the rally!

Tuesday, October 27: National Phonebank to Florida

Join New Florida Majority and UU the Vote to make calls to Florida voters to make sure they have the information they need to cast their ballot safely and overcome any attempt at voter suppression.

We’ll be mobilizing Black and Latinx voters as well as expanding the coalition of voters in the state ready to #votelove in 2020 and put issues like police accountability, climate, and economic justice at the top of their priorities when they go to the polls. Sign up!