I took a peek into the UU Young Adult world today, and saw a lot of empty space, particularly on the once popular and UU Blog Award Winning FUUSE.com.  No posts since June 2008.

1992 was the first year I remember gathering to watch election returns.  I was already in college at the University of Oregon, and was mesmorized that a Democrat could actually win the White House.  Clinton came to campus once, and even played his sax.  I remember gathering with a whole bunch of friends for beers.

1996 I was in Colorado doing political work, and so the place to be was at the Democratic Party at a downtown hotel.  I remember bumping into a few UO grads who were out there campaigning as well!

2000 and 2004 were nights to watch from the road or in graduate school.  2000 was the most disturbing with the whole Republican machine in action. By 2004, our kids were in the picture.  This year, 2008, 3 kids, I’ll be on fivethirtyeight.com and watching the news!

I gave my first of 3 sermons yesterday at my home church of West Hills.  I remarked afterwards that I probably should be taking a break, our littlest baby-3 is now 6 months, still doesn’t sleep through the night, and whew, my brain is pretty mushy.  

I will be preaching at Don Heights in Toronto next week, then in Hood River Oregon.  And I’m writing original sermons for each.  I actually can’t quite bring myself to use the same text twice.  It always gets changed pretty substantially when I sit down to prepare.  

I am not yet an extemporaneous preacher, although I tried that when I was younger.  I remember watching Rev. Stephen Kendrick and loving his ability to do that.  Perhaps we’ll see his son do the same thing (don’t know if he is in seminary, but he was an ambitious youngster in YRUU with leadership).

It is amazing what months and months of sleep deprivation will do.  I actually used to take naps, but now that I am going back to work after a good amount of time off, well, naps just are not in the cards.  I did once lay down on my office floor for 30 minutes of shut eye, no pillow though, and it was hard.

I admit I have not been paying close attention to the recent UU Commission on Appraisal report establishing the first comprehensive point of discussion around revising our Principles and Purposes.  Note:  I just found myself unsure of whether to title these as our “religious”, “associational”, or “faith” principles and purposes.  Hmm…probably associational, but that sounds weird.

Anyway, I generally keep up with UUA politics now through Scott Wells’ blog.  He highlighted some commentary about cultural appropriation.  My thought, which with the power of instant blogging is this.

When I was active in UUA racial justice work…when there was collective and accountable racial justice work with respect to strategy, development and evaluation…we sometimes analyzed how the first principle is often used to bludgeon people with individualism, but is also a powerful social justice reminder.  Someone said, “I always read the first principle, and add …and their Cultures.”  Respecting the Inherent Worth and Dignity of Every Person, and their Cultures.  Its that latter piece that seems to coalesce our social justice activism, when we have a deeper, more mature sense of the worth and dignity for their culture.  At least around racial justice.  Not sure if this plays true for gender, sexual orientation, or physical ability equal access initiatives of the UUA that have been oh so successful.

Patrick Murfin writes a little history about Rev. Preston Bradley.  I read it with great interest.  Years ago, I met a young UU who lived down the street from the Peoples Church UU on the North side of Chicago on West Lawrence St.  We went there several times, and later I attended a UU Urban Ministry Conference there.  It is an amazing facility, 7 stories or so, thousand person sanctuary, and Rev. Bradley’s name is engraved on the outside.  Its story was lumped in with other great urban congregations that declined with White Flight in the 1970s.  I didn’t learn more (nor did I see much at the church about its history…today there are only a handful of memberes).

It is remarkable to read of Bradley’s development, as well as recognize the marginalization he experienced (as has been reported) with peers and UUA leadership.  It makes me wonder if the respect and relationship were stronger, would the great UU ministry he established in a changing, multiracial neighborhood, have been strengthened and spreading among the many cultures that live there today?  The lesson of Theodore Parkers great ministry in Boston and the great decline when he left has taught us much about the need for collective support and care for our faith, to make it sustainable.  I pray that we make this effort with those who minister in communities, or in ways, not always in the mainstream of suburban UU congregations.

This is a snap brainstorm after reading Philocrites comment.

With UUA election spending topping $100,000 (shocking), I think the UUA needs better disclosure rules (Bylaws 9.12.8) for campaign contributions than the first day of the GA where the Elections will be held.

It can’t be that tough, just upload an excel sheet with the contributions.  I’m sure records are being kept as contributions come in.  Even better, post them online for fuller disclosure, although that might raise privacy concerns.  Maybe posted to a place where you can get a password if you’re a member of a UU congregation?

Why not require them to be submitted quarterly, plus the month before the election.  So say Sept 1, Dec 1, Mar 1 and June 1?  Seems this would not be very time intensive, but would be informative to the UUA electoral college.

I don’t know if we need UUA Campaign Finance Reform, but its worth considering.  $100,000 is a lot to have to fundraise to be UUA President.

On another note – does anyone know if the reporting from the last UUA Presidential Elections is available?  I imagine I could write the Secretary…

I’m a bit shocked to read this on Peter Morales UUA for President Blog.

The last two successful candidates spent over $100,000.

I don’t know about our UUA election process, how closely it mirrors the best practices of US elections from our democracy standpoint.  Are all donors revealed?  Whats the timeline?  I know we look closely at Obama and McCain, and then analyze.  I wonder if that will be done more for UUA now that we have the internet?

And I’m not sure how I feel about this Knoxville UU Ad Campaign. I wish this story would come out without having to advertise.

Why not a few million for a good progressive faith?  Or a great activist group?  Or maybe, a great faith activist group?

I’ve used the term regularly to describe us Unitarian Universalists…not in a negative way, but in a comprehensive way. It does not encompass all of us obviously, but gives credit to our history.

UPDATE 8/5/08

I appreciate the deeper discussion that is sprouting here. I also like that folks are raising the anti-oppression analysis. I’m going to think about that more and post a response here later. I read this editorial about how Christian the Unitarian response was in Knoxville, who then proceeded to add fuel to our fire:

“…despite the fact that the Unitarian church is hardly Christian at all…”  (Scolded by Unitarian)

I know a number of UU Churches have podcasts of their services, after the fact.  The UUA has webcasted parts of GA.  Anyone know of a UU Church that webcasts their Sunday Service?

Friday Family Photos.  Aneroid Lake, outside Joseph, Oregon.

Thought I would send along an announcement about an event Aug. 8th – the opening night of the Olympics – to celebrate Tibetan culture.

Please join The Crag Law Center and The Tara Cafe Project on August 8 as we celebrate Tibetan culture with the Portland premiere of /The Unwinking Gaze/. The 2008 documentary by Joshua Dugdale provides behind the scenes insight to the Dalai Lama’s struggle to lead his people to a peaceful resolution with China. Following the film, The Tara Cafe Project will give an inspiring performance of traditional Tibetan music. The Tara Cafe Project works to preserve traditional Tibetan culture and promote cultural continuity of Tibetan music.

• Date: Friday, August 8.
• Location: Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton Street in Portland.
• Tickets: $20. Space is limited and advance purchase is recommended. Call 503-525-2724 or e-mail megan@crag.org <mailto:megan@crag.org> for more information.
• Time: Doors at 6:00, Film at 7:00.

Proceeds benefit The Tara Cafe Project (visit www.taracafeproject.ca<http://www.taracafeproject.ca/> for more information) and The Crag Law Center (Crag provides legal services to local communities working to protect alpine ecosystems, including Mt. Hood. Visit www.crag.org <http://www.crag.org/> for more information).

Thanks to our sponsors:
– Kline Law Offices, P.C.
– Field and Jerger, LLP
– Kristin Winter at Realty Trust Group

I got an invite to be a “face in the crowd” for an upcoming DNC ad that is being filmed in Portland. I’m a Democratic Precinct Person in District 43. You can check out the script and storyboard in this brief 2 minute YouTube video. The text is quite UU, collectivist, but some nice, probably wise and fairly accurate placements of guns, security, and free market symbolism.

You too can be in the closing crowd scene: 2223 NE Oregon Ave on Sunday July 27 at 3:00 pm. Don’t wear white or horizontal line shirts.

One of the folks I enjoyed working with at the NE Coalition of Neighborhoods this last year, Everett Martin, passed away July 12.  He was a community activist and Rider Advocate on the Tri-Met system.  Everett took me on a tour of his work on day, and I admired his rapport with young and old on the streets.  He was the union steward at NECN, and a man with integrity.  He died suddenly of cancer.  He will be missed.  His young son, Everett Jr, was a joy to play with when he came over for dinner last year.  Rest in Peace.

Family Photo Friday. After the GA 2007 Service of the Living Tradition in Portland, OR. Hometown fans (aka Mom)!

Family Photo Friday. Our 2 year-old, carefully inspecting all parts of the playground equipment. With her cute hat!

Pictures by Kuya (big brother)

I love what Willie Stark supposedly said:

“I keep the faith…in the people. Time reveals all things. I trust in the truth.”

Or something like that.

In Portland, OR, Rev. Marilyn Sewall has led First Unitarian Church into the upper echelon of UU congregations.  They are, or have been, the largest UU congregation.  They have nurtured a social justice ministry, led heavily by now Rev. Kate Lore, that has spread the UU gospel across the Tri County region.

One of her particular emphases has been upon economic justice.  In sermons, in action.  The participation of First Church in the Seattle WTO protests in 1999 garnered popular attention, and some criticism.

This week, First Church played host to a wonderful event, a speaking engagement of Chuck Collins (a UU and founder of United for a Fair Economy – the folks who brought us the Racial Wealth Divide curriculum) and Barbara Ehrenrich (Nickeled and Dimed).  Their new project is the Working Group on Extreme Inequity.  Chuck Sheketoff, uber-analyst on economic and social affairs in Oregon, wrote a nice piece for Blue Oregon.

Thanks Rev. Sewall and First Unitarian.

Family Photo Friday!

One Love = Unitarian Universalism

In one of those great Confucian late night efforts of distilling faith years ago, sitting around listening to the hopeful cynicism of Cat Stevens, or the warm embrace of the Indigo Girls, it comes to us young religious UU’s.  One Love.  But then U2 makes a song of it, and we’re not sure if we’ve been co-opted!

One is of course for the Oneness of God, the Unity of the classical Unitarian.

Love is God’s supreme and transformational love, that no part of creation can ultimately obstruct.  And thus, we are all Universally Saved.  Universalism.

These words seem ancient now…from another time in my life.  But they bring a smile, for what they mean, and where they are from.

I’ve spent nearly my whole life organizing people together.  Tonight was a special night, bringing together a dozen Portland-area Asian/Pacific Islander activists to introduce them to APANO (Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon).  Many of us knew one another from various community projects, and some wonderful new connections were made.  I used an outline that I’ve used in many different contexts – UU, Campus, Environmental Justice, People of Color, Neighborhood:

1. Welcome and Brief 1 minute Purpose of Gathering
2. Personal Introductions
3. Brief 2 minute Vision of Who We Are and Who We Hope To Be
4. Why Did You Come/Why Are You Here – round robin, brainstorm, discussion
5. What Would You Like to See

It is hard for many Canadian and American UU’s to imagine, but there are dozens of UU congregations outside North America whose members are economically impoverished.  My ministerial internship was in one of those places, the UU Church of the Philippines (UUCP).  There are 27 congregations on the island of Negros in central Philippines, where the vast majority of members are farmers and fisherfolk.  Their average monthly wage – $100, which puts them in the lower class even in the Philippine context (where $300/month is considered middle class).  Health care, secondary and post-secondary education, quality housing, clean water, transportation, are all virtually inaccessible and unaffordable.

And yet, there is a flourishing UU presence.  For a generation, since the late 1980’s, it has been supported heavily by UUA grants.  $15,000 or so each year, making up 75% of their budget.  It has been a lifeline, one that is changing.  While there is some despair, there is also a generation of relationships with UUA allies, and the UUA funding has supported a number of income generating projects.  Within 3-5 years, they project to make up 50% or more of their lost revenue.

The theological vision of the UUCP is more christian, more patriarchal, and in a more fundamentally Catholic context.  They are experiencing the influence of humanism later than we are, but minister from concepts of liberation theology and liberal religion.  Rev. Nihal Attanayake is the new President of the UUCP, and has been visiting UU Congregations in America over the last month.  He spoke at GA in Ft Lauderdale, and was a part of the UUMA Ministry Days.  He is the first UUCP Minister to come since Rev. Rebecca Sienes was in the USA at Meadville-Lombard.  A former Anglican Priest raised in Sri Lanka, Nihal has been a UU minister for 8 years.  He will be coming to Portland on the final leg of his trip, meeting with UU’s the weekend of July 26.

I’m excited to help host Nihal, a member of my internship committee, friend and mentor.  We’ll be meeting area ministers, lay leaders, and some members of the UU Partner Church Council.

Nihal will be sharing stories and pictures from the Philippines.  He will also be making a pitch for the Quimada Dormitory, a proposed University Dorm built on the UU Headquarters site in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental.  It is a visionary undertaking, and a great group of UU’s in America are working to fundraise.  Check out their website (uudorm.wordpress.com), and consider making a donation.  A similar dorm was built on the ancient Unitarian site in Kolosvar/Kluj, Romania (old Hungary) with substantial UUA support and direct giving.

The UUCP is welcoming ministers and lay persons on annual pilgrimage tours through the UU Partner Church Council, and on an ad hoc basis.  I’m happy to share with any interested parties about my experience and help think through traveling to the Philippines.  There is not a trip scheduled yet, but hopefully in Spring 2009.

I love Rev. Thom’s remembrance of 52 Songs in 52 Weeks.  We share some musical tastes, which are so truly generational.  Thom’s a few years younger than me (we met incidentally when he was a Reedie and I was organizing campus ministry there a decade ago!), and so there are some differences.  I was already out of the alternative scene by the time Sleater-Kinney came through, but happy to see the Pixies represented.

I’ve preached about music as the framework for living peacefully in the world.  There are so many wonderful metaphors.  It is truly the medium for so much exchange, learning, and for many of us young UU’s, for spiritual growth.  I had many a sit around in friend’s basements listening to Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley.  Sometimes it felt counter-culture (Led Zeppelin), but most often it was affirmed in Sunday Services (Simon and Garfunkel).  We would study, memorize, repeat, even discuss the lyrics.

Some of my early young adult worships centered around listening and sharing in music.  We go through a lot of effort to decide what we like, why we like it, and what it means to us.  Now though, I’m older, just turned 35, and well, I don’t hear *new* music all that much.  I’d like to, and when I shared this lament with a friend in the Philippines, she pointed me to a great new website: last.fm

At last.fm, you can put in the bands you like, and see what similar bands come up!  I’ve been surfing the site, and found some new groups based on my past loves:

Dispatch via Dave Matthews
Hieroglyphics via Disposable Heros of Hiphopricy
Lucy Kaplansky via Dar Williams

Check it out, they even have short clips!

Friday Family Picture

I grew up in probably the most anti-growth congregation. Whenever more members would come, crowding our small sanctuary, bursting our busy RE program, taking every last coffee mug off the trays in Forest Hall, folks would shrug, and say that we don’t care about growth. Efforts at being intentional about growth encountered serious resistance. Accusations of evangelizing, breaking with our tradition, and just being downright “evil”, would ensue, and nothing would happen.

I experienced these sentiments at the district level, and continentally. I experienced it within YRUU, C*UUYAN, and among the congregational leaders I interacted with as a congregational board member for 3 years. It took me years to develop a pro-growth analysis, and part of it was directly related to my anti-racism training. But I have to applaud the administration of Bill Sinkford for really taking the lid of the growth debate. It sure doesn’t seem like a debate anymore!

I’ve loved the high profiling of growing congregations, the use of stories, and the efforts at supporting innovative ministries and ministers in their organizing and growth efforts. I don’t think it is perfect, and I’ll save my criticisms for a UUA survey for the time being, but there has clearly been a dramatic cultural shift in the mindset of many UU’s. It makes me think of Malcolm Gladwell’s “Tipping Point”, a great read (check it out in Google Reader). A serious amount of cash has been infused into these efforts, and I think we’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg. Seeds have been planted that will have influence in years to come.

I talk with UU’s who don’t cringe at the idea of planning for growth, at collaborating with area congregations, at taking to heart the pastoral and ministerial needs of newcomers as well as old-timers. There are so many issues that growing will bring up, not just diversity issues, but theological issues. One of my favorite ministers from my youth days, Rev. Barbara ten Wells, wrote a great UU World article that we should keep at heart as we grow, A Stranger In My Own Hometown (2006).

Her response to why so few young UU’s stay UU as adults:

The main reason, I believe, is this: The primary metaphor that UU adults use to describe our faith is one of exodus. We hear story after story of people who left the church they were brought up in. Too often lifelong Unitarian Universalists are left out of the story of our religion. We are made to feel that if we lack an experience of exile, we are not truly UU.

As we grow, may we keep this in mind. It is something that influenced me greatly in my last year of young adult and campus ministry work.

I’ve been meditating, and at time dreaming about what would be at the core of a new start UU congregation here in Portland.  Several folks have asked if I’m interested, and honestly it is a huge undertaking with many, many levels of endorsements and protocol.  Still, it is great to dream, and feel what comes forth.

Three things have emerged in my mind:

Hiking with the Prophets – a weekly area hike with sharing and perhaps some brief meditation or discussion on the words of prophets.

Peace Choir – a top notch choir, with a strong core group of 8 singers, great accompanist, and well dressed choir director.

Multicultural Family Group – a weekly daytime group with free childcare, and adult discussion time.

More on this later, maybe in a month, maybe in 10 years!

I just read an article 3000 Unitarian Universalists Gather for National Convention, published in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.  It carries a similar theme as the one publised by the Oregonian last year, Unitarian Universalists Find They’re Almost Universally White.  Both came out during the midst of General Assembly, and carry a similar theme about racial diversity and race relations/justice making efforts internal to our congregations and association.

The article last year generated intense buzz.  The 2007 Oregonian article was generated by a reporter who interviewed me in 2001 in relationship to the US Census adopting the policy of allowing persons to check multiple racial identities.  To be frank, it was an article that complicated several relationships for me, perhaps more due to the negativity of the headline than anything.  I followed the protocol of informing my UUA superiors and UUMA Colleagues in the Pacific NW.   I regret that the article did not emphasize the vision and innovative ministries that I shared.  I have followed up with colleagues, and particularly the ministers at First Church Portland several times, and I’ve reached a level of understanding and peace with those I’ve had dialogue with.

I was surprised at the similar theme in the Florida Sun Sentinel article (although far less in-depth), and have not seen any response from the UUA as Bill Sinkford had published the next day (which is not available any longer at OregonLive.com unfortunately).  I don’t know what the reaction has been against Nick Allen and Alice Mandt, both youth anti-racism leaders and trainer-organizers, and I expect it would not be as serious.  I expect that as a minister, and UUA staff at the time, I’m held to another standard.  Still, my heart goes out to them after my experience.

I’m curious about your impressions.  I’m doing a 4 part worship and workshop series on Race and Class in the fall, and plan to use these articles as part of the learning.  Would love your commentary to be included, with your permission of course.

Full Text of the Florida article is below.
3,000 Unitarian Universalists gather for national assembly

By Jennifer Gollan |South Florida Sun-Sentinel

June 29, 2008

Alice Mandt, 19, a black Unitarian Universalist, said she welcomed open discussions about race and religion. Mandt and dozens of members of the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly Youth Caucus, ages 14 to 20, brainstormed ways to thwart racial, gender and sexual discrimination at the anti-racism seminar.

“There aren’t many people of color in the church,” said Mandt, a community college student from Madison, Wis. “So it’s important to have honest conversations about race. It is directly connected to broadening the appeal of the church.”

To that end, young clergy could effectively proselytize social justice and human dignity — among the church’s core principles — by learning to organize social movements, explained Jyaphia Christos-Rodgers, 47, a Unitarian Universalist who helped lead the anti-racism discussion.

“Teaching youth to engage in social movement building helps them to advocate our values,” said Christos-Rodgers, an HIV/AIDS program evaluator from New Orleans.

And it appears the message is getting through.

“This is the first time I had ever heard of Unitarian Universalists,” said Mercedes Duchange, a 59-year-old fashion designer from Pembroke Pines who attended the conference to network with clergy for Hispanic Unity, a nonprofit group that helps Hispanics learn English and gain citizenship. “Everyone is so spiritual here. If you want to join, they will accept you the way you are.”

Jennifer Gollan can be reached
at jgollan@sun-sentinel.com

or 954-385-7920.

In many circles I’m a part of (POC, Ministers, Lefty Anarcho Syndicalists) within the Unitarian Universalist world, General Assembly is getting a full wrap up discussion.  On the subject of ID Checks at GA, required due to the Ft Lauderdale Convention Center being within a Homeland Security Zone…folks are reporting varied experiences from the easy “they didn’t even check my ID”, to “they were waiting to take me away.”  It seems a lot of folks appreciated the GA Chaplain Presence at the Security Gate (now risen to a UU Historical Event – aka, ‘were you there at the Gates?’ will be heard at future meetings I’m certain).  Many folks did also comment on feeling a bit humiliated, frustrated, and at times scared with the constant government surveillance of our little religious gathering.

Footnote: Interestingly, I learned that the great State of Vermont, which we have a special kinship with as Oregonians, still permits State ID without Photo in circulation.  Some of the Homeland Security Agents had an issue with that.

After experiencing another UU GA Worship with admonishments for celebratory behavior in worship, my heart is even sadder.  I’ve already heard the criticisms of young children’s voices taking away from worship.  I’d love to see a rock band on the dias every day!  I did love singing in the Service of the Living Tradition Choir this year with fellow ministers.  My tenor voice needs some improvement on the high D and above notes though.

The conservative American Family Association’s policy of replacing “Gay” with “Homosexual” took a hilarious hit this week when it replaced American Sprinter Tyson Gay’s last name.

Tyson Homosexual was a blur in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster than anyone ever has…”It means a lot to me,” the 25-year-old Homosexual said.  “I’m glad my body could do it, because now I know I have it in me.

Not only is this totally rude, but isn’t there an ethical rule against changing the content of copyright stories?  Says Fred Jackson, news director of OneNewsNow which manages the “Gay-Homosexual Filter”, “The G word he said, has been “co-opted by a particular group of people.”  I say “How extremist!”

My 8 year old told me about a new HydroPark near his elementary school.  I was thinking a huge waterworks with fountains, fun interactive water toys and maybe a wading pool.  Instead, I found this short YouTube clip of the pocket park in NE Portland.

Like Quincy Jones, I’m Back on the Block.  Hopefully third time is a charm.  Got radicalhapa.com registered, and moved the site over to the free wordpress.com from typepad.  Looks like I’ll lose my photos with posts, but for now, was able to get all my posts transferred over.

I’ve been posting more regularly within my Facebook community.  That is a great feature, including the ability to “tag” friends.  Seems that most of my close friends are on facebook, and I’m beginning to buy into the philosophy that there is no need to check email, just facebook messages, at least for personal correspondence.  I did get an earful about the privacy concerns of facebook while at UU Ministry Days in Ft Lauderdale.  The main issue being that we lose ownership rights to the material posted.  Something to be mindful about.

Now that I’m at a time in my life where I’ll be primarily a stay-at-home parent, look for me to blog more regularly.

I am so excited to report that one of my mentors and good friends from my student ministry with the UU Church of the Philippines received his Visa to travel to America this summer.  He will be at GA, and will be visiting several UU congregations across the states.  We’ll hopefully have him in Portland for a spell.

Rev. Nihal Attanayake is a former Anglican Priest from Sri Lanka, and new President of the UU Church of the Philippines.  He has been staff director of the Faith in Action Department for nearly a decade, leading church building, partner church, and very innovative social enterprise efforts including microfinance.

Getting a Visa to America from the Philippines, or anywhere in SE Asia for that matter, is so Freakin Hard.  I’m so excited and a little surprised.

My generation is stepping up into the co-ministry.  Congratulations!

For years now, government, business and community have been planning to make major changes to the Interstate 5 bridge spanning the Columbia River between Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA.  Environmental Justice activists have been monitoring the situation from nearly the beginning.  There has been some concern about the emphasis on adding more vehicle lanes, and efforts to make it the only alternative to "do nothing".  Still, public officials continue to voice the expectation that the MAX Light Rail will cross.  As a resident nearby, I certainly hope so!

There are 3 Options: #1 No Build – keep the same.  #2 Expand with Rapid Bus.  #3 Expand with Light Rail.   My vote is for (they call them Alternatives) #3.

Anyway, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been released.  Deadline to give feedback: July 1st, 2008.  It is all available on the web.  Highlights include:

• The affected area impacts "EJ Populations".  This is a term I haven’t seen in policy documents before, but it refers to low income and communities of color.  There is a chapter on "Neighborhoods and Environmental Justice".  Most of the poverty is in Washington, racial minorities in Oregon (Kenton Neighborhood).  Check out their maps.
• Condemnation or "taking" of private property will mostly occur on the Washington side, and some in Oregon’s Hayden Island.  Appendix D outlines the "Potential Property Acquisitions".  Always a hot issue that turns out folks.
• Long term they expect air quality to improve.  Even without factors such as toll and mass transit.  CO emissions have dropped steadily over the last 20 years.  This was a major concern of EJ activists.

Leave feedback online or attend one of their upcoming Open Houses May 28-29.

It has been a busy week of community activism.

Last weekend we attended the Filipino-Environmental film Moonrise Film Festival.  My partner was a key organizer, with filipinos and a group new to me – Green Empowerment.  Their program staff who spent time working on water and power issues in rural Filipino villages was very impressive. 

Monday we attended a Mayorial Candidate roundtable with Community of Color delegates from 4 primary groups – Center for Intercultural Organizing, Oregon Action, Latino Network, and the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon-PAC.  We’ve been involved with the latter, code named APANO-PAC.  Sho Dozono and Sam Adams were invited to meet with about 50 leaders of color.  We had simultaneous Spanish language translation, very impressive!  The first 3 groups are a part of an innovate City of Portland organizing effort to build stronger relationships with communities of color.  Code named: Diversity and Civic Leadership, it is being managed largely by an old friend and organizer Jeri Williams out of the Office of Neighborhood Involvement.

Then Friday was a whirlwind!  I was on local community radio, KBOO 90.7 in Portland, for a Hapa Issues roundtable, talking about Mixed Asian American identity with several good friends.  Professor Patty Duncan of Portland State moderated.  There was a fabulous interview with Kip Fullbeck, who did a wonderful book entitled Part Asian, 100% Hapa, and has Project Hapa online.  It is a great compilation of photos and persons self-written racial-cultural-ethnic identities.  He collected over 1200!  All voluntary.  All self-identified.

Afterwards, a brief baby viewing trip to Western States Center, and then the baby and I went to the monthly gathering of YEPOC (Young Environmental Professionals of Color).  Mostly API folks there, we made some really nice connections in our first visit.

Finally, this morning, to top it all off, we’re co-organizing a half day API Vote Training at the NW Health Foundation for activists from several of Portland’s Asian communities.  I’m doing some relationship building exercises and childcare, but excited to be with a new cohort of organizers.  This is being sponsored by APANO-PAC, and we’re working with leaders from the Viet, Cambodian, Filipino, Chinese and Korean communities.

Just like her sister.

We love Rock Band!

Beautiful afternoon.  We love this garden up the street.  Softball in the park.  This stone wall look is common around our block.

Received my annual invitation to graduation and alumni/ae activities at Harvard Divinity School.  Great to see old friend and activist Rev. Karen Tse of International Bridges to Justice being honored with their First Decade Award.  I can’t believe it has been 10 years since she graduated from HDS!

Karen has put her vision as a lawyer and minister into work in starting an amazing global NGO.  The UUWorld did a nice piece on her recently (Spirited Defender).  Karen, if you’re reading, Miyka loved the keyboard you got her!

I got a nice "baby congratulations" card today in the mail, from the ministers gathered at the spring retreat.  It was sweet!  Love the collegiality here.  Thanks to Rev. Maginn for the yummy vege stew and fabulous garlic bread.  Rev. Pomerantz, I promise to take you up on time with the kids!  Thanks Rev. Ayer for sending the card along.

Angry Asian Man

A tourist destination, the former political and cultural seat of native hawai’i, has been taken over by 60 activists.  News is just coming out.  Another occupation, in the mold of the 1960’s?

Link: Native Group Occupies Grounds of Palace – New York Times.

HONOLULU (AP) — A group of Native Hawaiians on Wednesday locked the gates of Iolani Palace, the former home of Hawaiian royalty, and took over the grounds.

I’ll try and get more news from my network of friends.  Until then, check out this great group of API singers from Hawai’i – Kupa’aina.  An amigo from UO plays in the group, we heard them last year at one of Portland’s only Hawai’ian hotspots, Bamboo Grove in SW.

Iyara in her first week.

If there was to be a UUA Power Rating, what criteria would you use?

Influence – financial, theological, organizational?
Connections, established network?
Professional credentials (oh so very UU)?
Written work?
Reputation?
Congregational leadership?

We attended a Jewish Seder for the second year in a row with a progressive Jewish friend here in Portland.  He made his own Haggadah, as many do.  We were a dozen, from a dozen different racial backgrounds.  It was a long and beautiful Seder, with some amazing passages pulled together for the ritual.  Wine as a part of the experience was clearly affected the mood. 

One of the culturally Jewish guys there, who grew up practicing a Conservative Seder, commented on how engaged everyone was.  How it wasn’t about waiting to be done.  He mentioned how he has a classic photo of his father, at a Seder, looking at his watch.

We left full, of both vegetarian and chicken matza ball soup.  We left enriched by the connecting, and reflection on liberation.  I don’t have a copy of the Haggadah to share (yet), but there is another wonderful Haggadah called "Love and Justice" in times of war by Dara Silverman and Micah Bazant.  Dara has been a keynote speaker at UU Young Adult conferences in the past, and is connected with a fellow radical Jewish UU who served the Continental UU Young Adult network for many years.

I’ve been wondering if ever there was a UU group that engaged in full body worship.  That is, worship with regular physical rituals.  I know we’re not a religion that is often "on its knees", or letting our body go to the spirit in ways common to other traditions.  I experienced a little of this with the UU Faith Healers in the Philippines, generally elders who practiced a form of shaman ism in the rural villages, some who were also "ordained" UU ministers with the UU Church of the Philippines.  In some of their rituals, they held their patient amidst a crowd and made prayers and ministrations where the patient seemed to let go in a full body way.

Among young adults, we experimented for several years with Techno Cosmic worship, thanks to Rev. Thomas Anastasi of Shoreline UU.  I heard that his congregation also build a sweet sanctuary fit for such movement and full body inspired worship.  I haven’t been yet.

I’ve been getting to know my neighborhood better over the last month.

We live in North Portland, right on the edge of Northeast.  This is the same neighborhood where my father grew up.  In fact the Piedmont Neighborhood Association meets at the Catholic Parish and School where my dad and grandfather were active – Holy Redeemer.

I walked about 10 blocks around my house last month with the kids to get to know folks, and to extend an invitation to a Mayorial Candidate house forum we had at our home.  A lot of beautiful craftsman style houses, tall, squat homes.  A lot of fences and barking dogs.  The part of the neighborhood where I live is one of the more isolated nooks, as we are bounded by the Interstate 5 freeway on the West, the train tracks to the North, and the Vancouver Ave Bridge to the East.  We’ve got to go up to N Lombard to go anywhere. 

We live close to the Farraguat Park, a beautiful and quiet spot next to the former Applegate Elementary which was closed a few years ago during the massive Portland schools closures and K-8 schools development.  The gangsters who used to dominate the place are no longer.  And while it is not busy like our main neighborhood park – Penninsula – with their rose gardens, community center, pool and great BBQ spots, it is a perfect place to practice sports, bicycle with the kids, and has a nice playground.

FYI – There is a neighborhood clean-up this weekend, free drop-off for all your great junk at the church on 7412 N Mississippi for all you Portland area folks with junk to get rid of.

We’re making our last major family trip to the Philippines for the foreseeable future given the high cost of travel.  It will be a big reunion for all of us after spending last year there, me as a student minister with the UU Church of the Philippines.  I did go back in February briefly, and was impressed to see the growing numbers of the Metro Manila/Quezon City UU group that I helped ground, and the urban poor fellowship of Bicutan.

Here are some of the numbers that we’ve  been pondering in preparation for the trip:

• 1 new baby, born April 9.
• 5 business days needed to receive new passport.
• $180 dollars needed to expedite and express ship the new passport.
• 4 round-trip plane tickets, 2-stop, using the last of my 240,000 United Airline miles.
• 10% of full fare plus taxes for the infant seat – roughly $400.
• 12 bags allowed, 2 per fare passenger, 3 for me as I’m a United Premier 1K, and 1 for the infant.
• 840lb of luggage allowed, including 50lb promised to UU Philippines for books, 10lb for rice to a family friend, and several hundred pounds of gifts.
• 10% Value-Added Tax potentially applied to all imported gifts.
• 1 used electronic per returning Filipino citizen allowed (we’re planning to bring an LCD TV).
• 2 in-country trips planned, to Dumaguete and Bohol.

The UU Youth and Young Adult Anti-Racism Collective, aka Groundwork, has successfully established a "spokecouncil" to better manage the organization.  In addition, we’re hosting bi-weekly calls, one business, one support/social.  Erik Kesting from the UUA Young Adult and Campus Ministry Office is providing administrative assistance.  Mimi LaValley is helping identify and assign trainers – something both Laurel Albina and I were doing in the past.

We’ve had a surge of energy this year, thanks to the Training of Trainers in May 2007 that brought another dozen activists into our midst.

Upcoming, we’re leading various programs at GA, District Assemblies, and conferences.

The DRUUMM Steering Committee has authorized me to start back up a regular DRUUMM communique.  I’m preparing the first "e-news" for May 1st, which will go out monthly.  The first print newsletter, what will probably be a twice annual, will be available at GA.  Sign up at www.druumm.org

Aimee and I went to the Holladay Park Plaza by Lloyd Center this evening for a special banquet and screening of Batad, a Filipino Cinemalayan film.  One of Aimee’s old friends Erwin had a cool cameo in the beginning…a story of belonging to an indigenous tribe told from the point of view of a youth.  A little slow at times, there was good comedy as he seeks his first pair of shoes.

   

It was shot in beautiful banue in the famous Batad Rice Terraces.  Speaking of which, there was a front page Oregonian article today about the incredible price of rice – nearly $1000 for 100lb of the international standard Thai White B rice.  This is starting to create some real havoc overseas, not as much locally, but in places like California with lots of Asians eating rice, it is a problem at places like Costco.

There will be several more films Saturday.  I reached out to my Filipino neighbors across the street, the grandma is going to come tommorow.  I also dropped off some of the yummy (so I’m told), Bistek and Chicken Adobo food.

There was some serious organizing going on this evening, with a good intergenerational crowd.  Some of the youth got organized through a Tagalog language class taught at Portland State last year, that was awesome to learn about.  There were elders that Aimee organzied.  I met several folks from a new group that I want to get more involved with – YEPOC – young environmental professionals of color activists.  It is gathering up some of the old Portland EJAG (environmental justice action group) friends that I used to be active with before I went to Harvard.

I’m upset that the designers of the Portland Free WiFi have chosen to start providing the coverage in the richest parts of town – SW and SE Portland.  I see a budding effort in St Johns/far North, but NOTHING in the inner N/NE Portland.

Check out the coverage map – it is like internet red-lining.  Made more frustrating by the fact that the tax-payer program may be disconnected.

The title question is mine, and inspired from reading UUA President Bill Sinkford who gave a nice interview in Tampa Bay.  His excerpt about why more Blacks are not Unitarian Universalist caught my eye.  His "standard response" is actually something I’d like to see expanded on a bit more – that inviting persons of color for the purpose of whites feeling better is not spiritually grounded. 

I have generally found myself in agreement with Sinkford’s analysis of racism despite different hopes about the UUA effort.   While probably not new, I was discussing with several ministerial colleagues the linkage of our spiritual grounding to racial diversity as a barrier for welcoming any newcomers.  This makes me cheer the ongoing releases of the Tapestry of Faith curricula for Unitarian Universalist formation, many of which are being made available online.  I’d also like to see a growth in the collectivizing and mentorship of younger persons of color in our faith. 

Indeed it is tokenizing and ultimately marginalizing to invite POC into UU churches solely based on race.  In this, I understand Sinkford’s point. 

Your thoughts on where our spiritual grounding needs to develop in order for our religious home to be a place welcoming of persons of color?

Maxwell: Although the UUA had more ministers in the civil
rights movement, including the march from Selma to Montgomery with Dr.
Martin Luther King, why does the UUA have such a hard time attracting
black members today?

Sinkford: That’s probably the most
commonly asked question I get as I travel extensively in the United
States to our congregations. My standard response is that for a faith
community that is still predominantly white, it is not spiritually
grounded to go out and try to acquire a few more dark faces so that the
white members of the congregation feel better about themselves.

First,
we have to look back in history. There was a time — in the 1960s
particularly — when a significant number of African-Americans joined
our congregations, and it was based entirely on the kind of public
witness for civil rights. Our ministers were out in public. They were
leading demonstrations. As you suggested a moment ago, hundreds of our
ministers went to Selma to march with Dr. King. We were clearly a group
of allies in the struggle, and many persons of color came, checked out
our congregations and found them welcoming spiritual communities and
joined.

In 1968, 1969 and 1970, there was what most of us
experienced as a retreat. In 1968, the Unitarian Universalist
Association had made a commitment to reparations for the black
community, even before the call for reparations was made. Many of us
were buoyed and enthusiastic that this was a continuation of that
witness for justice. But things got complicated. The reaction to that
commitment was controversial in the Unitarian Universalist
congregations, and finances were tight. And so that commitment, it was
then a million dollars, was never fulfilled. Only half of it was ever
paid.

And the reaction of many persons of color in our movement
was, and I am among them, was one of a deep sense of betrayal. You
know, this was a faith community that offered us so much hope, and for
that commitment to be withdrawn was more than I could tolerate. And it
actually led me to leave Unitarian Universalism for a number of years.

A
second reason for the difficulty in attracting people of color has to
do with where our congregations are located. In the period of the rapid
development of the suburbs, many of our downtown congregations elected
to move out into essentially lily-white, often legally lily-white,
suburban communities. And so it’s really no surprise for those
congregations that they don’t have a significant number of people of
color there. And I preach this, as well. You have to look at the
decisions you’ve made and the impacts those decisions have on who’s
able to be present.

The third thing is that Unitarian
Universalists are the most highly educated people in the United States,
and much of our worship came to be dominated by the intellect rather
than by the heart. One of the things happening now in Unitarian
Universalism is that we’re reclaiming some of that heart, and I think
that opens us to membership by a broader range of persons. We’re not
just the crowd of university professors and the terminally overeducated
folks anymore.

Gotta have some pride in my hometown Portland State Vikings, who never played my Oregon Ducks when I was a Duckster in the early 90’s.  They were Division 3, but now they have moved up to Big Sky, and just took the Tournament!

Thanks to the Vikings, who I last was into when Curtis Delgado was Running Back in the 1980’s, I’m now aware that the NCAA Selection Sunday is this coming Sunday.  Whoo hoo.

Eating a bowl of banana’s while I wait for the family to return for din din.  Stumbled back upon my old friend Mimi Lavalley’s Myspace and listened to some of her punk folk rock music.  Check it out (The Meems).

Mimi worked at the UUA with me, and has been one of our visionary justice making youth activists.

Hilarious, and completely relevant.  Here are the first 4.  From the Seattle Post-Intelliger and I believe on the UCC.org website.

Link: Articles of Faith: Seven habits of highly ineffective churches.

1. Elevate mediocrity to a spiritual discipline. Figure out where average falls and aim below there. Doing things with excellence, joy and flair may make someone uncomfortable. God doesn’t really expect much anyhow.

2. Take no risks. A successful practice of risk avoidance is often best
achieved by sending any and all new ideas to a minimum of four boards
or committees who understand it’s their role to say no to any new
ideas. This process may need to be reinforced by remarks noting how a
particular idea might make the church liable, cost money or ruffle
feathers.

3. Practice the following evangelism strategy: "If they want us, they
know where to find us." Assume that everyone does know where you are
and what you are. It also can be helpful if your building looks like a
medieval fortress. If you don’t have that going for you, encourage
ushers and greeters to look like palace guards as they perform their
role.

4. Blame early and often. Maintaining dysfunction in a congregation is
made easier if scapegoats are regularly identified. In some
congregations, ministers make wonderful scapegoats. You may also blame
"newcomers," or "people who don’t understand how we do things in this
church." If all else fails, blame the conference, the denomination or
Satan.

ChaliceChick seems to be the first UU Blogger to note the comedic and hard hitting site Stuff White People Like.  I learned about it first from RaceWire, then back tracked (Alex Jung Feb 29).  Jung does a nice 1-2 punch, affirming its inspiring its effort to develop "a critique to the colorblind Lexus liberal rather than the raving skinhead", yet criticizing that it’s "cleverness is getting stale because it hasn’t exhibited ways to think differently."  Seems to be getting a lot of attention, and it was fun to take an initial look.

CC noted that she found herself 50/50 on the different items posted (I’m Sure I’m Taking This Too Seriously Feb 26).
In terms of taking it seriously, it made me think about the philosophy
of community organizer Saul Alinsky.  He was a strong advocate of using
parody and humor to illuminate the injustices of the world.  To create
a situation where those on top look immature and/or ridiculous if they
try to be defensive or counter-attack, and it strikes that special
funny bone virtually everyone else.

These humor tools in social justice are needed more and more.  We seem
to have gotten quite serious, at least during my youth and young adult
years.  While I haven’t found a lot of hilarious sites that address
economic justice, there are a number that address race that I’ve
loved.  Check out my local Portland blogger and artist Damali Ayo as a nice example.  She recently did a fantastic panhandling for reparations
in downtown Portland OR that got some great media coverage.  These
things really break through our consciousness, especially in this era
of total saturation and a lot of apathy.

Dozens of UU Ministers of Color and several other religious professionals (Seminarians and DRE’s I believe) are gathering in Northern California for a weekend of caucusing, community-building and dialogue.  This is the 2nd year of this evolving initiative, coordinated and organized out of the UUA Identity Based Ministries Staff Group.  There have been other efforts before this, but this particular event seems to be taking root as an annual program, fully funded by the UUA, with a commitment to maintain it long-term.  Very exciting!

New UUA Director of Ministry Beth Miller (uuworld.org introduction) is expected to join us for part of the retreat.  On the agenda is talking about a possible support system for seminarians of color.  As one of the organizers of seminarians of color over the last 4 years, this is a wonderful development (being led I believe by the UUA Diversity of Ministry Team, or DOMT).  The UU World Magazine gave some insight into the charge of this UUA committee (Sinkford Outlines Plan for More Diverse Ministry Feb 6, 2007).

We’re back in the general area of where DRUUMM was founded in 1997-1998 by a similar configuration of religious professionals of color.  They were called together by the African American UU Ministries, Latino UU Networking Association, and UUA Staff of Color.  While I was not there, it is worth noting that UUA Presidential Candidate Rev Peter Morales wrote at least one of the general invitation letters that I reviewed while researching my Harvard Thesis on A 25 Year History of Unitarian Universalist People of Color 1980-2005.

Reading the recent reports about the Record High Number of Americans in Prison, reminded me of the intense and meaningful efforts by the youth to understand and act for prison justice issues.  From my experience at the UUA, here were the top justice priorities of young UU’s (youth and young adults):

1. Accessibility – physically accessible conference sites, dietary issues, child care for young adult events, economic cost particularly for young adult events.
2. Gender and Sexual Orientation – transgender education, gender dynamics among staff and volunteers, Our Whole Lives curricula for young adults, activism with UU Women’s Federation and Interweave.
3. Globalization – the Seattle WTO protests, Washington DC IMF protests, presence within various global justice movements domestically and overseas.
4. Anti-War – School of the America’s Watch, including young people serving time for protesting in Columbus Georgia, and the Peacemaking Initiative coming out of GA.
5. Racial Justice – Groundwork Youth and Young Adult Anti-Racism Trainer Collective, now on hiatus Transformation Team for Youth and Young Adults, training, adoptee panel at GA, support for young adults of color.

I checked out Dr. James Lowen’s Sundown Town Database, and contributed to my hometown’s history.  Oregon was something of a Sundown State as far as I’m concerned.  Still seems to be in some parts unfortunately.  Nice UU World article about all this.  GA has featured Dr. Lowen in the past.

Over the last 10 years I’ve had the privilege of networking among UU youth and young adults around the world.  I haven’t met everyone I’d like to see in a room together, but I’ve met, worked with, and encouraged many of them in their ministry – and been encouraged back.  There is something special about this generation, our access to communication, information, and our taking leadership in the soon-to-be Baby Boom vacuum.

From Transylvannia, there is a small group of former youth activists, among them David Gyero and Lazi Scabo, both ministers now.  David may be the future Bishop.

From England there is Aaron Brown, who is one of the few young ministers, and a wonderful bass player.

In the Khasi Hills, Darihun Khriam and Derek Pariat are two who are leading their Unitarian Union into the new milenia.  Darihun is the first woman minister.

UU Philippines has two excellent women young ministers, Susan Quisel and Elvie Sienes, along with Elvie’s husband Persie Sienes and his minister brother Pere.

In Canada the only young adult minister I know well is Laura Friedman, who was a sexy sister performing artist when I was a youth, and is someone who has felt the call to minister with young folks and on the margins.  Nice hat at the SLT last year!

In the USA is where I know so many…Marlin Lavanhar has travelled many of these places and already knows a number of folks.  Plus, a congregation I visited in remote Negros Islands, Philippines, remarked at how he tried the local perro delicacy!  Marlin gave me one of my first books on the Khasi Hills as well.  Spokes to Spokane was just his last leg of biking around the world.  Alison Miller has been to Transylvannia and led the UUA at virtually every level of young adult and campus ministry.  Kristin Harper is the first in a lot of areas, and helped motivate a whole generation of young UU’s of color (including me).

It has been nearly 9 months since I gave up active blogging.  It was a conscious decision, minus any public fanfare.  I still read other UU blogs occasionally.  Yet the time has come that I found the energy to start blogging again.

I gave it up in part with my return to the USA from the Philippines, passing the Ministerial Fellowship Committee, and transitioning out of the UUA and into local community development work.  The backlash from several influential folks related to the article about my ministerial fellowshipping at GA also contributed.

There are some huge shifts in the UU landscape that I look forward to contributing to:

1) UUA Presidential Elections
2) Identity Politics
3) Leadership and Structure within Youth and Young Adult communities
4) Activism
5) Campaign for a Spiritual Anthology

Thanks to all who keep our voice alive in this medium.  I look forward to joining you again.