Today starts the observance of Día de los Muertos. For many, Día de los Muertos is a celebration in memory of those who have died. This holy day is a distinctly Mexican holiday, though some in other Latin American countries have adopted it. In the words of Rev. Marisol Caballero, "When white people 'celebrate' el Día de Los Muertos not as the personal, invited guest of Mexicans, it feels to me like someone has crashed a family funeral or a wake." To learn more about the ways that cultural appropriation serves to re-center whiteness and support structures of oppression, watch this expansive discussion of applying anti-racism work to Unitarian Universalist worship.

https://bit.ly/3mxpqGB


The third of three webinars about Decentering Whiteness in Worship.

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With the 2020 election day a year behind us, we recognize and remember the Unitarian Universalists who gathered to put our shared values into powerful action. We are grateful for the Unitarian Universalist volunteers who supported fair and safe voting across the country.

The fight for voting rights and true equity for all continues. As Unitarian Universalists, our values hold that all people should have a voice and a vote in choosing their leaders and determining what is best for ourselves and our communities. This is a continuation of our collective power. Learn how you can continue to help at https://bit.ly/2Y7y5pV.


Together. By adding your email, you will receive updates from the UUA and local state action networks. UU the Vote was imagined as an “all hands on deck” project to articulate UU values in the public…

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U.S. Supreme Court justices on Monday signaled they are reconsidering their positions. Monday's argument saw several justices treating the two cases on SB8 as being about the rule of law rather than the right to abortion, and that was bad news for Texas.

Even some of the court's conservatives seemed concerned about the attempt by Texas to structure a law that deprives residents of a constitutional right but is intended to make it impossible to challenge the law in federal court.

Unitarian Universalists proclaim that all individuals and communities have the right to self-determination, safety, and the resources that are necessary for health and sustainability. Our faith tradition has a long legacy of advocating for safe, legal, accessible abortion care for anyone who needs it. We must continue to fight together for permanent federal legislation that enshrines the national right to abortion care.
https://cnn.it/3BC5g2v


Law professor Mary Ziegler writes after Monday's Supreme Court oral argument on SB8, Texas's restrictive abortion measure, that while the justices' questions implied that the Texas law is in trouble, they also showed that Roe v. Wade is in trouble too.

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The UUA continues to turn to the public health professionals who have been advising us throughout the pandemic. As we gather more data about what works and what no longer works to lower the risk of transmission, we update our recommendations.

It is important for congregations to regularly assess the transmission risk for their local and surrounding areas as determined by trusted health authorities and the particular risk factors for staff and members of the community.

We all know the importance of continuing to minister to and provide for the spiritual needs of our communities, maintaining inclusion for all, and mitigating risks for our people, and larger communities.

The UUA is here to support you in that work and we should all make space to support those tasked with making these decisions and plans in our congregations and communities.

https://bit.ly/3EEO1Qb


Here is the UUA's updated guidance around gathering, updated for Fall 2021.

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We have new job openings here at the UUA, including:

Junior Developer
Executive Editor, UU World Magazine

And there will be more to come! Learn more about these exciting opportunities and join us in this transformational work.

https://bit.ly/2rLDAqh



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Today starts the observance of Diwali. Diwali is the Indian festival of lights, and India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (or deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. In addition to Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs also celebrate Diwali in such countries as Nepal, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore.

Unitarian Universalists have many kinds of connections with Hinduism.
Ideas and practices from Hinduism are welcome in Unitarian Universalism. Our worships have drawn from Hindu sources: poetry, scripture, philosophy, and kirtan. We share many values with Hinduism—most centrally, that there is unity at the core of religious diversity.



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Writing for Braver/Wiser, Diane Dassow reminds us to give up needing to know the answers to every question that might arise, and instead live with the questions. She reflects "I allowed my being to live at low tide, to love, and to look for inspiration in nature. Rather than jump into “wrapping up my affairs,” I relaxed my soul, practiced tai chi, and let the questions float by." Read the entire passage and sign up for Braver/Wiser here:https://bit.ly/3o1Mflt


I am learning to give up needing to know the answers, and instead live with the questions.

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Most Unitarian Universalists are strong believers in science, medicine, and epidemiology. We encourage everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as possible. However, some Unitarian Universalists, and staff of UU congregations, have personal values or fears that lead away from choosing vaccination. How can we as congregations who want to minimize the spread of this potentially deadly disease encourage, or even require, vaccination against COVID-19?

https://bit.ly/3l92NXd


Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 makes our communities safer. How do we encourage vaccination with sensitivity and kindness?

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Brian Kemp's office has cancelled over 1.4 million voter registrations since 2012. Nearly 670K registrations were cancelled in 2017 alone, but the voter registrations on hold with Kemp's office are nearly 70% Black. **VOTERS IN GEORGIA: if you are one of the people who has been removed from the rolls (your status says “pending” on the SOS site), you can still vote if you bring your ID and the name matches. (Thank you Patti Angelina for sharing this information from Electionland.)


As Election Day nears, Georgia residents fear that voter purges and delayed registrations will hurt black voters.

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As some of us are impacted by rainy weather patterns, it seemed fitting to share this Braver/Wiser from Rev. Lindasusan V. Ulrich. "Emotional tempests aren’t always easy to weather — pain, grief, disappointment, even love — but the flatness of life without such currents is the slow silence of drowning."


Emotional tempests aren’t always easy to weather, but the flatness of life without such currents is the slow silence of drowning.

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The following is a statement from our president regarding hate mail that targeted a board member and her son, two UU people of color.


Dear Ones, It is with such a heavy heart that I share with you a terrible incident that happened at the UUA this weekend, when both the UUA Board of Trustees and the General Assembly Youth staff were in town. On Friday, the UUA received an anonymous, hateful letter addressed to one of our GA Youth staff volunteers, a youth of color, who is also the child of the UUA Board’s Secretary, Christina Rivera. The letter was an expletive laden note insulting and attacking Christina and her child. This is completely unacceptable in our faith community. This letter was meant to hurt and intimidate our leaders of color. We cannot as Unitarian Universalists argue about whether racism or a culture of white supremacy exists in our faith. It does, and it is actively harming people of color. It is especially heartbreaking that this was directed at a youth of color, because our young people must be able to be safe in our faith. And yet, this vile letter was but the latest example of egregious harm directed at leaders of color. We must make this violence stop. We are moving incredible change in our faith – to live more fully into our deepest held values and theology as Unitarian Universalists. We are committed to making this a radically inclusive faith that welcomes every person in love and wholeness. We are building a liberating community that centers, values and believes people who have been harmed by systemic racism and oppression and that nurtures a redemptive love in those (myself included) whose hearts and perceptions are distorted by the culture of whiteness and white supremacy. Two things I have said this year - this is no time for a casual faith and no time to be in this alone. We need to protect and love each other, allowing the fullness of our humanity to lead us to courage and solidarity in the work ahead. We know that when we do the work of radical change we will get push back. We will get resistance, both passive and direct, as this letter shows. Yet we will not let it turn us back, because our faith, our theology and our aspiration call us forth. And we will transform our righteous anger into action. This also means we’re going to need to get much more serious in how we hold one another’s safety, acknowledging that the system of policing does not protect everyone’s safety. We have many social movement partners we can turn to in order to help us think about security and wellbeing in new ways. And I ask that you too be ready to report instances of racial harassment. In the wake of this letter, we made immediate changes to help protect Christina and her family, and will be thinking differently about protection and risk going forward. We are doing this work in the midst of a rise in hate crimes, fear, persecution and overt attacks on democracy across our country. These are difficult and painful times. And I believe Unitarian Universalism can help us find resilience and courage through a community of love and spirit. In times that are literally life and death, we are called to a great practice of love and interdependence – a greater practice of Beloved Community. If you are a UU of color, this is your faith. You belong here. And I want to be your partner in the change we need to bring to this faith. I’ve got your back and my virtual door is open. I would love to hear from you about how I can be of help. I also want to encourage you to connect to DRUUMM (Diverse, Revolutionary, UU Multicultural Ministries), a ministry for and by POCI UU’s and to BLUU (Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism). If you feel dismissed by Unitarian Universalism because of any identity you hold, this is still your faith. You belong here. TRUUST (Transgender Religious professional Unitarian Universalists Together) creates community for UU religious professionals who are transgender, and EqUUal Access connects UUs who live with disabilities. There is community within our faith that honors your identity, and I hope you will connect with this life-saving space. The UUA Board and I also talked deeply this weekend about the support that these identity-based communities need for sustainability, and will be continuing those conversations and commitments in the months ahead. If you are a white UU and have not read Centering and While Fragility, I ask you to do so. As white people we need to understand both the stories of people of color in our movement, and the dynamics that shape our own enculturation into whiteness. If you are not a reader, you can find video clips from Robin D’Angelo, the author of White Fragility, on http://www.uua.org. If you’ve read these, then move on to Revisiting the Empowerment Controversy by the Mark Morrison-Reed and learn more about Unitarian Universalism’s own history of racism in our culture and practice. I shared the news of this letter, which UUA staff saw and intercepted, with the more than 40 leaders gathered at the UUA this weekend, including the Regional Leaders Group and the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee. At the end of sharing the news, we prayed for the safety and strength of all those putting themselves on the line to move this faith forward in the way of liberation; and we prayed for more courage and more brave souls joining in the work. We ended with the song from Emma’s Revolution, “Keep on Moving Forward.” “We’re gonna keep on moving forward, keep on moving forward, keep on moving forward, never turning back, never turning back.” So may we all together, in answer to the calling of this faith, keep on loving boldly, keep on singing loudly, keep on living proudly, keep on moving forward, never turning back, never turning back.

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"Memoirs of disability are often studies in suffering...But today, disabled writers are pushing back. Today, we’re recognizing that the normate memoir genre doesn’t fit disability stories. And not only when it comes to truth, but when it comes to everything." In this piece from Katie Rose Guest Pryal, she explores through a thorough study of memoirs how this desire for catharsis from stories of people with disabilities warps all our expectations.


We expect stories of disability to reveal suffering and redemption. But it doesn't always happen like that.

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Find more information and get involved here: https://bit.ly/2pVwGhq Florida's Amendment 4 Voting Rights Restoration for Felons Initiative could restore voting rights to formerly incarcerated people who have completed all the requirements of their sentences. Defending the right to vote has been central to the work of the UUA and at the core of Unitarian Universalism for decades—from expanding enfranchisement for women and Black people to advocating for a path to citizenship for immigrants; from our history of civil rights engagement to taking on the New Jim Crow and white supremacy today. As a faith community UUs are vocal and active about voting rights and have contributed to change throughout history. In the past few years, UUs have been part of a groundswell of voting rights, electoral work, and democracy movements that have emerged and gained even more momentum since the 2016 US elections.



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"[It's] hard for survivors because people are always saying, “Tell your story.” It’s like a balancing act because I have to acknowledge that stories are important, and sometimes saying the words, “This happened to me” and “This is what he did” is cathartic to get out. I think there’s enough evidence in this world of survival and recovery to show that repeating that doesn’t help you, though. Reliving that doesn’t help you. I want to teach people to not lean into their trauma. You can create the kind of joy in your life that allows you to lean into that instead."


One year after #MeToo upended Hollywood and politics, Tarana Burke talks about the movement’s future, the #HimToo backlash and advice for survivors.

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A new report says the Unitarian Universalist Association is one of two faith movements with the highest percentage of women clergy. According to the report, "Fifty-seven percent of UUA clergy were women in 2017, while half of clergy in the UCC were female in 2015." Thank you to all women who serve or have served as leaders of our faith tradition.


(RNS) — The two traditions with the highest percentages of women clergy, according to the ‘State of Clergywomen in the U.S.,’ were the Unitarian Universalist Association and the United Church of Christ.

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A volunteer with No More Deaths, a migrant justice group that often leaves water and other supplies for people crossing the Arizona desert, was arrested and ultimately charged with two federal criminal counts of harboring illegal migrants and one count of conspiracy to harbor and transport them. But he has pleaded not guilty, citing it is his religious beliefs that call him to do this work. "I am compelled to act. I am drawn to act. I have to act when someone is in need."


The Justice Department wants to get tough on illegal immigration and boost religious freedom. But a case involving aid to migrants has put the two on a collision course.

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Our president, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, is in Florida asking people to vote "Yes on Amendment 4". Amendment 4, if passed, will have a major impact by returning voter eligibility to more than 1.4 million people with past felony convictions. Read more and get involved: https://bit.ly/2pVwGhq



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Significant, ongoing support for DRUUMM is essential for Unitarian Universalism to live up to its commitment to dismantling white supremacy culture and creating a community where people of all identities are able to thrive.


This commitment acknowledges the history of fractured relationship between the two organizations and the harm this fracture has caused UU people of color.

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[Content Warning: The reflection that follows includes an explicit reference to sexual violence.] Sometimes our intent doesn't match our impact. Rev. Misha Sanders open up about the prevalence of fatphobia, of misogyny, and how something as well intentioned as a compliment can cause harm. Thank you Reverend, for your fierce bravery in sharing this story.


I trusted the woman at the pharmacy to be capable of hearing hard truth. Bless her wounded heart with its internalized misogyny. She just wants women to love and support each other. Thank you. Me too.

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As many of us begin our weeks, we'd like to share this powerful essay from Rabbi David Wolpe on Chiune Sugihara. Sugihara used his position in the Japanese consulate in Lithuania to write visas for Jews fleeing from German-occupied Poland. He credited with writing over 6,000 visas. “I told the Ministry of Foreign Affairs it was a matter of humanity. I did not care if I lost my job. Anyone else would have done the same thing if they were in my place.”


What the astonishing Chiune Sugihara teaches us about moral heroism.

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On Saturday, October 20th, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray attended the Get Out the Vote rally, hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota and the Second Chances Florida in support of Amendment 4. Florida's Amendment 4 for Voting Restoration would restore voting rights to people with past felony convictions upon completion of their full sentence and probation. Visit https://www.uucsarasota.com/get-out-the-vote-rally.html for more amazing photo coverage!


On Saturday, October 20th, we hosted a day of support for Amendment 4, the Voting Restoration Amendment, in coordination with the Second Chances Campaign and the Unitarian Universalist Association...

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On Sunday, the New York Times reported that the Trump Administration is considering "narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth” in an effort to undermine federal civil rights protection for transgender people. Our Unitarian Universalist faith affirms that no person’s identity is dictated by laws and legislation. In accordance with our First Principle, transgender, genderqueer, non-binary, and ALL persons possess inherent worth and dignity, which includes the right to define who we are. The Trump Administration’s attempt to erase trans identity is an attack on our Beloved Community as a whole and is the latest in a series of human rights violations that feed cruelty and threaten the inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We unapologetically reject any effort to erase transgender people and their identity and demand that President Trump put an end to any and all policies that bring further harm to marginalized communities already at risk. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm the inherent worth and dignity, the full humanity and beauty of our trans siblings. Beloveds, we see you. We will follow your lead. My fellow UU’s, we’ve also got work to do to be communities of inclusion and solidarity, protecting and advocating with the transgender, genderqueer and non-binary community. We call all people of faith and conscience to join us by TAKING ACTION in the following seven ways: If you live in Massachusetts, vote YES ON 3 and encourage your friends and neighbors to do so as well. Visit freedommassachusetts.org for more information. Get out the vote. Visit UUA.org/votingrights. Contribute to trans-led organizations. Understanding that trans people are criminalized, contribute to bailout funds. Cis Allies: Call or text three cis people in your life about a measure they can take to support trans people. Pay attention to proposed federal and state legislation Support trans and non-binary journalists. As Unitarian Universalists, we are with Chelsea Manning who declares, “Laws don’t determine our existence - *we* determine our existence...we will keep fighting.” May it be so! - Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray (via UPLIFT: https://bit.ly/2yWuAlM)



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"I have news for Donald Trump. I do exist. Trans men and women exist. Genderqueer people exist. We have been part of this country for hundreds of years — since before the Revolution, in fact. Redefining us won’t make us go away. It won’t restore your world to its precious, boring binary — which, I hate to tell you, never existed in the first place. All it will do is make people suffer."


The administration seems to think transgender people like me are as imaginary as hippogriffs.

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Tell the youth in your congregation about this amazing opportunity! Applications are due by November 15. Transcription of Image: Attention UU Youth Leaders! The UUA Nominating Committee is extending the deadline for applications to positions on the UUA Board Trustees. We are currently seeking youth applicants with some or all of the following skills and experience, and the ability to follow through with time requirements: Experience as youth caucus dean or other youth leader experience. Solid follow through with commitment. Holds analysis of anti-oppression dynamic and be willing to learn and grow with regards to this work. Meet four times in person. Required attendance at General Assembly. Meet once a month over Zoom meetings. If you are interested, please apply here: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/volunteer by November 15, 2018.


Attention YOUTH LEADERS!

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As UUs, we are called to do work that affirms the worth and dignity of all. We're so thankful to Out Magazine for this list of ways we can all get involved in supporting the trans/GNC community.


Chase Strangio of the ACLU offers a call-to-action against Trump's transphobic memo.

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This November as we look to changing our country for the better, we must highlight Issue 1 in Ohio. Issue 1, much like Florida's Amendment 4, will provide much needed opportunity and healing to some of the most marginalized people. Join the movement: https://vote.standupforohio.org/


Our people came together this year with Ohio Student Association and partners to gather 730,000 signatures in every corner of Ohio, putting Issue 1 on the ballot. This was a labor of love, sweat, and tears - some of us got matching “730k” tattoos, giving our bodies to the fight because Issue 1 will keep 10,000 people out of prison by making non-violent drug offenses no more than misdemeanors. Freeing people will save $130 million annually which will funnel directly into treatment and rehabilitation programs to heal families and to heal our state. But we did not stop there. Now, through OSA and the #midwestculture lab, we are envisioning the future through our own artistic expression. We made this video as a part of a regional community that is co-creating a new story that does not leave us out. This video is our collaborative offering of love. Our expressions of hope and change were woven into a script by Amber J. Phillips and the video was shot by the exceptional Kailah Ware. Music by Crewsheff sourced by Mariah Johnson, who’s song Ode to the Midwest captures our community’s spirit. Starring Malaya Nicole, Darsheel Kaur, E'Shira Gooden, Graph The Great, I Breathe Art and all of the Midwest Culture Lab community. We are #midwestcreatives and we are changing the story. Vote #YESonIssueOne November 6. Keep that same energy and join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohiostudents/ Join the movement: https://vote.standupforohio.org/ and #stopthewarondrugs

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[Image Description:Yellow background with purple ring in the center, the flag for Intersex People] [Image Text Reads: On Intersex Awareness Day, we recognize and honor individuals whose biological sex defies binaries. May you been seen and held as you are. May there be bodily autonomy for all. May you know you have always been complete. May all of you be respected and celebrated.]



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Rafael Cantón, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ventura, California, inspires us to come together in a physical sense through the power of a good warm hug. “Touch binds us together in a way that is warm and builds community.”


‘Touch binds us together in a way that is warm and builds community.’

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Our president, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, released the following statement about the shooting at Tree of Life synagogue: We grieve with those who are mourning the horrific mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. We grieve the lives lost to senseless violence at the hands of domestic terrorism. We grieve for those who were injured in body and spirit during this shooting. In our grief, we will also speak truths that need to be named. This was anti-Semitism. This was extremism. This mass shooting was a hate crime. This mass shooting reflects unapologetic bigotry that we are all called to denounce and resist. May Jewish communities, both within and outside of Unitarian Universalism, feel especially held in tender love and care today and in the days to come. We are in this together. May we all hold each other especially tight, knowing this life is tender and precious, and love will help us find a way.


May Jewish communities, both within and outside of Unitarian Universalism, feel especially held in tender love and care today and in the days to come.

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In the battle for separation of church and state and religious freedom, there are those whose faith (or lack thereof) can fall between the cracks. In this article from the New Yorker, Casey Cep explores what he calls the "American antipathy for atheism," in how atheism has been regarded since country's founding. (UU History Buffs will spot a few well-known names from our history!)


Two new books explore what unbelievers actually believe.

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May we dig deeper and find the strength to love harder. Reconsider what we might have called impossible. Maybe between you and your neighbor you can actually offer housing to an asylum-seeker and transform their life and your own in the process. Maybe you can gather your co-workers for a conversation about your economic links to companies that profit from their contracts ICE. Maybe your friend group can throw a party or five for your local workers’ center or bond fund. May we fight every day harder for our own souls and the soul of our communities."


We may be overwhelmed by the onslaught of confusing, heartbreaking news about new forms of family separation but here are five ways to respond.

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Thank you Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray for this message. Our voices do matter!


I'm on my way to Cleveland to canvass with area UU's and local activists to get out the vote for Yes on One! I hope every eligible UU will vote in this election. Your voice matters! And I hope you will speak with your friends and neighbors about our values and what matters to us and ask them to vote.

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As we celebrate Halloween and Samhain this week, we also hold that many of us are also galvanizing ourselves politically. To all, we wish you strength, peace, and bright blessings. "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." - Arundhati Roy



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[Content Warning: mentions of gender affirmation surgery] What a powerful video on growing up trans from the perspectives of an 11 year old girl and 70 year old woman. Be prepared to cry! (And Massachusetts voters - don't forget it is a #yeson3.)


11 year old trans girl (Poppy) chats with a 70 year old trans woman (Josie), compare their experiences of growing up. #TransRightsAreHumanRights

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Have you voted yet? If so, we made this cover photo just for you! To use, you'll need to selection "options," then "download." Then upload it to your profile!



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You've seen the cover photo. Now get the FB frame version! You voted your UU values, and we made a frame to commemorate that action, and all the work UUs are doing in their communities this election season.



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ICYMI: Last Friday, several of us at the UUA watched the live stream of this beautiful ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. The Right Rev. Gene Robinson, the first openly gay man elected a bishop in the Episcopal Church, gave testimony that was so truthful and powerful.


Twenty years ago, the brutal killing of a young gay man in Laramie, Wyo., drew national attention and led to an expansion of a federal hate-crimes law.

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At a time when so many families have felt the impact of a loved one incarcerated and so many more are now dealing with the opioid crisis, there’s not a better moment to make amends for past approaches and re-orient as we continue to deal with the crisis of addiction.


Issue 1 is about making sense of a system that is currently senseless by making prison the default option for those of color, writes the Rev. Susan Frederick Gray, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

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Thank you Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and all those who showed up in Ohio to Get Out the Vote!


Report from Ohio - we canvassed 4093 doors and 2146 calls in Cleveland this weekend! Plus reached out to 131,020 of the 200K Ohioans restored to the voter rolls. Thank you to the Ohio Organizing Coalition and the Lighthouse Community Center, UU Justice Ohio and the UU’s from Ohio and those who came from sibling congregations around the country. What a weekend. I am tired and inspired in the best kind of way - tired and inspired from the work of justice and love. Thank you to the Sunday team I got to canvass with today.

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Some more coverage from the good work out of Ohio from this weekend. Yes on Issue 1!


This morning in Ohio, we have already canvassed 1699 doors and reached out to over 16,000 of the 200,000 people in Ohio who were just restored on the voter roll! That is faith in action! Yes on Issue 1 in Ohio! What a great crew today and we’ll be back at it tomorrow

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“People who refuse to treat their transgender neighbors with respect and dignity have forced a ballot question in Massachusetts that could result in a rollback of anti-discrimination protections for transgender people. We cannot let hate win. We should all vote ‘yes on 3.’” Massachusetts Voters: If you're still mulling your votes over for tomorrow (and didn't take advantage of early voting), we'd like you to vote Yes on 3! #yeson3 #transrightsarehumanrights


We cannot let hate win. We should all vote ‘yes on 3.’

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A California reverend is upset that his church can no longer be a polling center on election day because of their ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign. Reverend Tim Kutzmark of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno is learning he will not be opening his doors to voters.


"If we had a sign that says 'He has risen', would you be stripping that church as a role of a polling place?"

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Thank you to everyone who voted. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. As we await results, be lifted up by the words of Maya Angelou: "We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated."



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For this midterm election, the UUA supported local organizing for key ballot questions in states such as Florida, Ohio, Georgia and Massachusetts. Tomorrow evening, join Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and other UU ministers and organizers for a post-election conversation to discuss how our faith showed up for the midterms, what we learned from our work, and how we were nurtured by sacred organizing. Tune in via this link: https://zoom.us/j/727386553



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"What is halfway between moral and immoral?"


Tayari Jones addresses the myth of the moral middle

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Text Reads: "There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." by Edith Wharton. Have a joyous #diwali #uus



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Thank you for voting your UU values this election season. In so many close races, we know that it was through your generous labor we are here now and will continue moving forward. What victories are you taking part in celebrating? What sadness do you carry into this Wednesday after? What tools (quotes, take-aways, photos, etc.) are you using to stay on the path?



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For many, November is a time for remembrance. It can also be a time where we honor our Ancestors and take special notice to those who are still with us. May we express gratitude for those lift us up, and meditate on how we might live this connectedness year-round. Thank you to Katie Sivani Gelfand and, by extension, First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans - UU



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The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) opposes the Trump administration’s new rules that would deny contraceptive insurance coverage for millions of people who aren’t cisgender men.


Employers shouldn’t impose their religious beliefs on their employees.

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Democracy means we fight for every vote and make every vote count. Can you support from where you are?

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McBath first came to national attention as a gun control advocate after her teenage son, Jordan Davis, was killed in 2012 in an act of racist gun violence. On Tuesday, she unseated Republican Karen Handel as the rep for Georgia's 6th District.


The gun control advocate and "Mother of the Movement" unseats Republican Karen Handel in Georgia’s Sixth District, one year after a major Democratic loss.

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The fires in California are having devastating impact. Your generous donation to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund will help provide UU congregations, their people and their communities, with the tools they need to recover.


Make a gift to the UUA's Disaster Relief Fund.

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19 year old Kalan Haywood just became Wisconsin's youngest EVER lawmaker! He ran for office with a platform focused on job creation, more funding for schools, and ending mass incarceration.


Meet the 19-year-old who just became the youngest lawmaker in the country

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The fires in California are having devastating impact. Your generous donation to the UUA Disaster Relief Fund will help provide UU congregations, their people and their communities, with the tools they need to recover. Give Here: https://giving.uua.org/disaster-aid



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Stacey Abrams's isn't giving up! #CountEveryVote


Brian Kemp has declared victory, but a string of recent court rulings supports Stacey Abrams’s call for all votes to be counted.

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Of the 13,000 firefighters battling blazes across the state, more than 2,500 are prisoners. While salaried firefighters earn an annual mean wage of $74,000 a year plus benefits, prisoners earn $1 per hour when fighting active fires.


We go behind the scenes of California’s raging climate-fueled wildfires with the hidden men and women on the front lines of the state’s ever-growing fire season: prisoner firefighters. Of the 13,000 firefighters battling blazes across the state, more than 2,500 are prisoners. While salaried fire...

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Sen. Nikema Williams (D) was one of several protesters arrested Tuesday at a protest at the Georgia state Capitol building in Atlanta calling for uncounted ballots from last week's midterm elections to be tallied. Sen. Williams's actions should be a model for every politician who represents the American People. #CountEveryVote
This state senator was arrested while rallying for every vote in Georgia to be counted

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Born in 1921, Ames knew she was transgender before she even had language to describe her "difference," and didn't transition until she was well into her 50s. At a time when trans people left familiar places in favor of metropolitan areas, Ames refused to be cast out and remained in Buffalo, organizing and creating models for trans liberation many rural area still use today. “Three words that come to mind when I think of Peggie Ames are ‘Brave,’ ‘Strong,’ and ‘Stubborn,’” said veteran Buffalo gay rights activist Carol Speser.


It's time Ames was recognized for her role in the transgender activism movement.

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Over 70% of Americans connect via social media. Then why is losing an online friend considered less serious?


We often use technology to form meaningful relationships with virtual strangers. But what happens when the person on the other side of the screen dies?

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The report, which relies on data from the National Former Prisoner Survey, reveals that it’s nearly impossible for formerly incarcerated people to make up for lost time once their education has been replaced with a prison sentence. More than half of formerly incarcerated people cite a GED or high school diploma as their highest level of education, and a quarter “have no credential at all.”


Data sheds light on the educational mobility of formerly incarcerated people.

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For many, November is a time for remembrance. It can also be a time where we honor our Ancestors and take special notice to those who are still with us. May we express gratitude for those lift us up, and meditate on how we might live this connectedness year-round. Thank you to Katie Sivani Gelfand and, by extension, First Unitarian Universalist Church of New Orleans - UU!



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A victory in the fight for intersectional climate justice! Judge Brian Morris of the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana has blocked the Keystone XL Pipeline. While not a permanent ban, it will require the stoppage of work until the federal government does more environmental impact studies. The pipeline would damage the climate via oil extraction, destroying trees and energy consumption that would increase greenhouse gas emissions. The pipeline is also a threat to Indigenous groups. #climatejustice


"The Court enjoins Federal Defendants and TransCanada from engaging in any activity in furtherance of the construction."

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"In the wake of recent events and the Trump administration’s continued assault on trans lives, TRUUsT calls on Unitarian Universalists everywhere to take immediate action to live out the above truths and directly support trans UUs. Unitarian Universalism’s commitment to trans lives is all too often aspirational rather than true today. According to a recent survey, only 28% of trans UUs feel that their congregation is fully inclusive of them as trans people. We need this to change, because trans lives are at stake." Thank you TRUUST for speaking Truth and calling on us to take action. #TDOR #WontBeErased


In the wake of the continued assault on trans lives, TRUUsT calls on Unitarian Universalists everywhere to take five immediate actions to support trans UUs.

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We're calling on YOU to push back on #ClimateChange and support the #GreenNewDeal https://www.sunrisemovement.org/gnd/


Sunrise is a movement of young people uniting to stop the climate crisis. This dark hour in America cannot last. Welcome to Sunrise.

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If you were unable to attend #TDOR services in your area, we ask that you read and reflect on this piece from Rev. Theresa I. Soto: https://bit.ly/2zivYjC


A Prayer: We Are Holy. We Are Sacred. We Are Divine.

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Some activists in attendance cited Proverbs 31:8-9: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.”


(RNS) — The students argued their demonstration was in the spirit of Notre Dame's former president, the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, who protested with Martin Luther King Jr.

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Sean Sherman, an Oglala Lakota chef and founder of The Sioux Chef, shares his perspectives on Thanksgiving. "The thing is, we do not need the poisonous “pilgrims and Indians” narrative. We do not need that illusion of past unity to actually unite people today. Instead, we can focus simply on values that apply to everybody: togetherness, generosity and gratitude. And we can make the day about what everybody wants to talk and think about anyway: the food."


Breaking news and analysis from TIME.com. Politics, world news, photos, video, tech reviews, health, science and entertainment news.

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Thank you, Side with Love, for these important words: Instructions for when your government betrays you (again): *Remember that governments betray. And many have gone before us who know how this goes. Listen to them. *Remember that we can’t heal white supremacy or white Christian nationalism today or tomorrow. But we can touch some healing, some justice, every day, every moment. *Raise money for a bond or a bail. *Go with someone to court. *Tell the truth about your family and how they migrated or were forced to or did not. *Remember that we answer to the laws of love and justice. *We work for our ancestors and our children’s children. There is no higher accountability. *Remember that everyone who found their power and freed themselves or their kindred, also faced powerlessness, despair, overwhelm, teargas (or their century's version of it). *Remember that everyone who has ever defected from fascism or resigned from state violence or put their body on the line for family or opened their home has doubted, wrestled, given up, tried again and found a way to love through it.

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Giving Tuesday is tomorrow! But you don’t have to wait… put your faith in action today, and your gift will DOUBLE thanks to a generous $25,000 match. Now is no time for a casual faith. In these uncertain times, we are all called to act on our values to promote love and justice. Speak the hope that is in your heart. Give for 2X the impact today! Giving.uua.org/givingtuesday



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So many of us have put our hands and hearts to work to support those who are migrating. We also know many more of us want to help but are trying to discern the best role for how we can support given our skills, gifts, and resources. What can you do? Check out this list, and then join Side with Love for a webinar Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. Eastern to hear from folks on the border and to discern how to live our values now. Use this link to sign on: https://bit.ly/2FJ6pOl


We share useful and faithful ways to provide support and solidarity to those in this current exodus and to build strong networks to support all migrants

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It’s Giving Tuesday! Celebrate the hope and possibility of this special day by giving to your UU community. Take advantage of a special, limited time opportunity to have your gift to our Association DOUBLED, thanks to a $25,000 matching gift from the UU Veatch Program at Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock (UUCSR). Our faith is asking more of us than ever. More leadership, more hope, more selflessness. Live your faith and make a gift now. giving.uua.org/givingtuesday



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Thank you, South Bay UUs, for all the powerful work you are doing in your community and your leadership in advocating for the migrants' rights and humanity.
A message from our ministers: Our hearts break as we witness the violence taking place at the border. The cries of people fleeing violence and then facing violence as they come to seek asylum at our borders must be heard. Spirit of Life, help us to see that our political leaders’ refusal to fix our broken immigration system, that our fear-filled response to the migration of people fleeing organized crime, hunger and violence – all of this and more has helped create the environment and actions happening at our border. We are called to shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those imprisoned. We denounce all violence and are committed to affirming the worth and dignity of every person. Stay tuned to this page for more information about how you can help to ensure a more faithful and humanitarian response to people in need. Rev. Kathleen Owens, Lead Minister Rev. Tania Márquez, Assistant Minister Rev. Ian W. Riddell, Minister of Music and Worship Arts Stevie Carmody, Intern Minister

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There’s still time to put your faith into action and take advantage of our $25,000 Giving Tuesday matching gift. Our UU faith teaches us we are all loved, valued, worthy. And more than ever … we are all needed to create a future defined by love, justice, and faith. It’s not too late…Live your faith. Give to your UUA—for twice the impact—now! giving.uua.org/givingtuesday



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"Multipurpose spaces lower the barriers to entry. When someone using a co-working space experiences a personal crisis, they have a comfortable place to turn to." This quote about a church using its space in an innovative way really resonated with us. It helps their community know they are welcome there. How can you open up your congregation to your community?


Religious communities often face a choice: Sell off the buildings they can no longer afford, or find a way to fill them with new uses.

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Thank you to everyone who contributed to a successful Giving Tuesday. With the matching gift, we raised nearly $50,000 for UU programs like Our Whole Lives, Side with Love, and others that equip our congregations for health and vitality. Thank you for joining this special opportunity to have twice the impact.



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Despite the "end" of family separation, there are families stuck in the middle, like Vilma and Yeisvi Carrillo. Because Yeisvi is a US Citizen, her mother Vilma risks losing custody of her under current immigration policy.


A Guatemalan migrant separated from her daughter at the border has been told she faces the possible loss of her parental rights, in part because her daughter was born in the United States.

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Recent reports from the US government and the United Nations reveal a dire future awaits if we do not act comprehensively to curb climate change. Ahead of December’s UN Conference of the Parties (COP24), we take a look at how the US must step up to set a strong example alongside other major emitting countries and protect vulnerable communities.

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See below for some concrete and immediate ways, gathered by multiple faith, human rights, and immigration justice partners, that you and your community can respond to, welcome, and support families and individuals migrating from Central America. bit.ly/BorderSolidarity

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Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Unitarian Universalist and secular groups joined together on Thursday to call for Whitaker to step down from his post. Their displeasure stems from comments he made four years ago that appear to suggest he would only support federal judicial nominees who are Christian.


Muslim, Christian, Jewish and secular groups issued a joint letter opposing acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker.

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"December 1st is World AIDS Day, a day to be reminded that HIV/AIDS is still with us. A day to remember that for many in the world and in the United States, AIDS is still a death sentence. Since 1988, HIV/AIDS activists have been reminding the world that the fight to end AIDS is very much active, as 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS and more than 1.1 million people are living with the virus today." Thank you Rev. Michael J. Crumpler for your words on this World AIDS Day, and your call upon UUs to get involved in advocacy for the most affected by HIV/AIDS. Read the full statement with the asks here: https://bit.ly/2E8Ghuz



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We are so grateful for the presence of Rev. Theresa I. Soto. Their powerful, prideful work in challenging us to truly affirm the worth and dignity of all is changing Unitarian Universalism for the better. "I am expecting my community to save me a seat in just the same way that I save them a seat. I imagine a world in which we are all, each of us, ethically and spiritually connected and nourished."


My bodily differences are part of my dignity and humanity.

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Thank you Yes! Magazine for these photos showing there is no "crisis" at our border, only people seeking asylum. “This is a humanitarian crisis. These are desperate families trying for a better life.”


Photojournalist Rob Wilson has been traveling with the caravans from Central America to document the journey of people looking for a better life.

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Are you interested in helping migrants? Considering hosting an asylum seeking family but don't know where to start? Showing Up For Racial Justice is an organization providing support in these areas. We ask that you get involved in your local chapter TODAY! http://www.showingupforracialjustice.org/
​SURJ has been proud to support many asylum-seekers from the spring 2018 #RefugeeCaravan who were looking for sponsors in order to have a chance at pursuing their asylum claim from outside the...

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Director of the Unitarian Universalist United Nations Office, Bruce Knotts, recently visited Taiwan to speak out about the three anti-gay rights referendums. Thank you Bruce for your unwavering support of the LGBTQ+ community worldwide. https://bit.ly/2BPg55F


Bruce Knotts considers it ridiculous to have human rights issues voted and thus decided by the mass population. A United Nations official criticized the three anti-gay rights referendum held last Saturday in Taiwan, during a human rights forum in Taipei on Monday.

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"Dressed in her traditional regalia, Ruth Buffalo (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation) was sworn in as a state representative on Monday, December 3, 2018, at the state capitol in Bismarck, North Dakota." We are so excited to witness this amazing moment and reflect on what this means for indigenous peoples. You deserve this and more.

Published December 4, 2018 BISMARCK, N.D. — Dressed in her traditional regalia, Ruth Buffalo (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation) was sworn in as a state representative on Monday, December 3, 2018,…

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Congratulations to Dr. Janice Marie Johnson! We are so excited to have you co-lead Ministries & Faith Development with Rev. Sarah Lammert.


UUA announces that Dr. Janice Marie Johnson will become the Co-Director of Ministries and Faith Development on January 16, 2019.

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Right now, our planet is at a critical point if we are to save it. Climate change is REAL, and is hurting communities all over the world. In the United States alone, we've seen the loss of life from hurricanes, fires, as well as from the lack of clean water. As the situation worsens, we are thankful for the work that is being done to push back on naysayers and reclaim our planet from corporate interests and greed. And a special thank you to the UUs who are headed to Poland to advocate for the planet and all the beings who live on it!


At a world gathering on climate change this weekend, nations will face a key political test: whether they can transcend the narrowness of nationalism in favor of cooperation. All eyes will be on the US and China.

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#loveknowsnoborders


Live now: join faith leaders around the country for an interfaith service in support of the action on Dec. 10th and to launch our week of action.

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Thank you Pres. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, and everyone present in San Diego for representing our faith tradition so boldly. #LoveKnowsNoBorders
Grateful to be here in partnership with Rev. Mary Katherine Morn, President of the UUSC: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. Together, the UUA and UUSC show that #LoveResists #LoveKnowsNoBorders

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#LoveKnowsNoBorders
Look at this powerful group of Unitarian Universalists gathered to walk to the US Mexico border to proclaim boldly, clearly and faithfully on this 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that all people have a right to seek asylum. People have a right to migrate. To close our borders to refugees is to turn our backs on human rights. And the cost is human lives. #LoveKnowsNoBorders

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‪Love Know No Borders: Over 200 faith leaders from many traditions and their supporters join AFSC in solemn walk to the U.S./Mexico border.‬ ‪We stand with the people of the migrant caravan, who seek a chance to live in safety and peace. ‬


‪Love Know No Borders: Over 200 faith leaders from many traditions and their supporters join AFSC in solemn walk to the U.S./Mexico border.‬ ‪We stand with the people of the migrant caravan, who seek a chance to live in safety and peace. ‬

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In her holiday message, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray says, “Joy is not always easy to find, especially amid the daily onslaught of injustice and loss, so thank you, Unitarian Universalist congregations and communities, for fighting back against despair with hope, courage and joyful, loving, resilient community.” **Canon and Variation by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/



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Please read this important message from the UUA's Board of Trustees: "The Board of Trustees asks the Association’s forbearance in filling the Moderator position via the regularly scheduled election at General Assembly (GA) 2019. The transformational work that the Board has undertaken continues in earnest." "We ask potential candidates to wait until 2020 to run so that the Board will have more time to develop a more sustainable and effective Moderator role and job description that embraces the learnings from the Moderator Search process as well as the broader institutional change work of equity, inclusion, and dismantling white supremacy culture in our institution."


UUA Board of Trustees' announcement about the 2019 Moderator election.

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**UPDATE: Leber has been released! WHAT'S HAPPENING: Matthew Leber, an organizer with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and the Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice week of action, was detained by Border Patrol yesterday while participating in a peaceful direct action. He has not yet been released. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Call the Imperial Beach Border Patrol Substation at 619-628-2900 and ask for Matthew Leber’s immediate release.


Organizer violently detained by Border Patrol has not been released San Diego, CA (December 11, 2018) – Matthew Leber, an organizer with the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) and the Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice week of action, was detained by Border Patrol yeste...

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The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Board of Trustees received the resignation of trustee Christina Rivera, effective December 31, 2018. Ms. Rivera shared some reflections about her time on the UUA Board: “I have put the best of my abilities to work for our faith, serving with a deep and abiding love for Unitarian Universalism. Some of my proudest moments as a UU are intertwined with my Board service, and it is with deep sadness that I tender my resignation.”


Board announcement about the forthcoming resignation of Christina Rivera.

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Tribal members haven’t forgotten the days when Indian children were sent to boarding schools in Salem, Ore., and Lynden and Everett, Wash., in the early 1900s. They were forbidden to speak their tribal dialects and by the 1980s, certain Coast Salish languages were almost extinct. They have been reclaimed only through extensive efforts by the tribes. Tokitae is seen as a modern-day “child” undergoing the same exile that Indian children once did and to this day, her removal from Puget Sound is referred to as an “abduction.”


BELLINGHAM, Wash. (RNS) — In the summer of 1970, a few dozen orcas were snatched and sold to various theme parks, decimating the gene pool of remaining whales. Only one survived. Now, the Lummi tribe wants her back.

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We can save Cyntoia Brown; call or write his office to demand clemency. Governor Bill Haslam (615) 741-2001 1st Floor, State Capitol Nashville, TN 37243 [CW: human trafficking, violence] Cyntoia is a survivor of human trafficking who was charged with the murder of her john when she was 16 years old after he became violent and threatened her with guns.


Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam said he will have an answer about clemency before he leaves office in six weeks

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🎶"Somebody's hurting our siblings, and it's gone on far too long. And we won't be silent anymore."🎶


Religious leaders peacefully marching in support of asylum seekers were met with guns at the border

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The UUA would appreciate caregivers giving their youth yet another "gentle reminder" that applications for GA Youth Staff are due this Saturday, December 15. Why? Tell them it's an amazing opportunity and more impressive than their current Fortnite emote.


Know a youth who's pretty neat but might not think they are? Encourage them to give GA Youth Staff a shot! They'll get an amazing leadership opportunity, a free ride to GA, and memories to last a lifetime.

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