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Full information about both Takiyah & Royce can be found below:
Takiyah Nur Amin is a native of Buffalo, NY and the daughter of Karima and the late Abdul Jalil Amin.
She is an alumna of the UUA's Multicultural Leadership School for Youth and Young Adults of Color (known today as THRIVE) and a former RE Assistant.
An intellectual by training and tradition, Takiyah earned a PhD in Dance and Cultural Studies (with certificates in Women's Studies and Teaching in Higher Education) from Temple University in 2011. She is an active member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, an advocacy organization on behalf of Black women and girls. A lover of reading, podcasts, shopping and travel, Takiyah is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance Studies.
CDR Royce W. James, Ph.D. served with AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) as a Team Leader then graduated from USCG Boot Camp in 1996. Royce attended New Mexico State University and served with the Regional Alliance for Science, Engineering, & Mathematics for persons with Disabilities through AAAS before graduating in 1999. He graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2000. He earned a Master’s of Science Degree from Columbia University, and began teaching at the academy in 2004. Royce completed his Doctorate in Plasma Physics through Columbia’s Plasma Physics Lab at Steven’s Institute of Technology in December 2008.
Now a member of the Academy's permanent command teaching staff, Royce is the current Chair of Physics. He is the founder and Principle Investigator of the Coast Guard Academy Plasma Lab (CGAPL), Department Equity Officer, Co-founder/Director for CGA’s Science Partnership for Innovation in Learning (Project SPIL), Genesis & Spectrum Council Advisor (CGA’s Black and Gay Student Unions) and the Science Department Diversity & Inclusion Officer. He was a member of the team that was instrumental in the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and more recently worked to facilitate the military's change in policy to allow transgendered persons to openly serve.
Royce is co-founder of the former New London Freedom School, active with the youth of All Souls UU Congregation, member of the #Blacklivesmatter South Eastern CT, member of the Science Technology and Mathematics Magnet School Advisory Board, and Member of the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council for the state of CT. Dr. James lives in New London, CT with his wife Jessica (a Graduate Student of Divinity at Andover Newton Theological School) and their four children: Isis, Yemaya, Olorun and Sati.
Full information about both Takiyah & Royce can be found below:
Takiyah Nur Amin is a native of Buffalo, NY and the daughter of Karima and the late Abdul Jalil Amin.
She is an alumna of the UUA's Multicultural Leadership School for Youth and Young Adults of Color (known today as THRIVE) and a former RE Assistant.
An intellectual by training and tradition, Takiyah earned a PhD in Dance and Cultural Studies (with certificates in Women's Studies and Teaching in Higher Education) from Temple University in 2011. She is an active member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, an advocacy organization on behalf of Black women and girls. A lover of reading, podcasts, shopping and travel, Takiyah is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance Studies.
CDR Royce W. James, Ph.D. served with AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) as a Team Leader then graduated from USCG Boot Camp in 1996. Royce attended New Mexico State University and served with the Regional Alliance for Science, Engineering, & Mathematics for persons with Disabilities through AAAS before graduating in 1999. He graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2000. He earned a Master’s of Science Degree from Columbia University, and began teaching at the academy in 2004. Royce completed his Doctorate in Plasma Physics through Columbia’s Plasma Physics Lab at Steven’s Institute of Technology in December 2008.
Now a member of the Academy's permanent command teaching staff, Royce is the current Chair of Physics. He is the founder and Principle Investigator of the Coast Guard Academy Plasma Lab (CGAPL), Department Equity Officer, Co-founder/Director for CGA’s Science Partnership for Innovation in Learning (Project SPIL), Genesis & Spectrum Council Advisor (CGA’s Black and Gay Student Unions) and the Science Department Diversity & Inclusion Officer. He was a member of the team that was instrumental in the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and more recently worked to facilitate the military's change in policy to allow transgendered persons to openly serve.
Royce is co-founder of the former New London Freedom School, active with the youth of All Souls UU Congregation, member of the #Blacklivesmatter South Eastern CT, member of the Science Technology and Mathematics Magnet School Advisory Board, and Member of the Nuclear Energy Advisory Council for the state of CT. Dr. James lives in New London, CT with his wife Jessica (a Graduate Student of Divinity at Andover Newton Theological School) and their four children: Isis, Yemaya, Olorun and Sati.
You can also read more in coverage from UU World here: http://www.uuworld.org/articles/board-commits-5-million-bluu?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=oct17
Rev Carlton E Smith & Leslie Mac present to the UUA Board on Friday Oct 14
We are pleased & excited to announce registration for the 2017 Black Lives of UU National Convening is now OPEN. The very FIRST Black Lives of UU Convening will take place in New Orleans, LA on March 9–12, 2017.
Being held at The Double Tree by Hilton, this historic event will bring together Black Unitarian Universalists from across generations. Over the course of four days together we will co-create spiritual nourishment and healing through ritual, worship and pastoral care.
As a community we will help design what we want for ourselves and our faith now and for the future. Black Lives of UU rose out of the Movement for Black Lives and we need YOU to join us in justice making and liberation through our faith.
All Black Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to attend. Financial assistance is available for registration fees, transportation & housing. Please visit http://www.blacklivesuu.com/convening2017 for full event information & registration.
We are pleased & excited to announce registration for the 2017 Black Lives of UU National Convening is now OPEN. The very FIRST Black Lives of UU Convening will take place in New Orleans, LA on March 9–12, 2017.
Being held at The Double Tree by Hilton, this historic event will bring together Black Unitarian Universalists from across generations. Over the course of four days together we will co-create spiritual nourishment and healing through ritual, worship and pastoral care.
As a community we will help design what we want for ourselves and our faith now and for the future. Black Lives of UU rose out of the Movement for Black Lives and we need YOU to join us in justice making and liberation through our faith.
All Black Unitarian Universalists are encouraged to attend. Financial assistance is available for registration fees, transportation & housing. Please visit http://www.blacklivesuu.com/convening2017 for full event information & registration.
Full information about both Adam can be found below:
Adam is a Unitarian Universalist Candidate for the Ministry and this spring he will complete his M.Div. at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. His life's work focuses on disrupting the lingering effects of colonialism on modern culture. Specifically, he is committed to: liberating faith and spirituality from biases that stem from exclusively privileged world views; exploring healthy concepts of how people experience their bodies as expressions of their lived experience; and working to counter the social oppression that is entrenched in traditional Western economic models. Upon graduation, he will also receive a Certificate in Sexuality and Religion for which he has studied and worked closely with leaders in LGBTQ communities and youth in sexuality education.
Adam sees his ministry developing out of his long held belief in the shared beauty and power of human bodies and his belief that the ability to make healthy, informed choices and decisions about our bodies is at the heart of the divine gift of human life.
Born in New York City and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, Adam attended college at Princeton University where he majored in English Literature and Creative Writing. Early on, he pursued a performing arts career which allowed me to travel around the globe working as a cruise director. Ultimately, Adam had the great fortune to appear in the original Broadway company of Ragtime the Musical. Prior to pursuing the ministry, he became a well known personal trainer, fitness instructor and massage therapist. Learn more about his journey on the Life Beyond Ministry page.
Full information about both Adam can be found below:
Adam is a Unitarian Universalist Candidate for the Ministry and this spring he will complete his M.Div. at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. His life's work focuses on disrupting the lingering effects of colonialism on modern culture. Specifically, he is committed to: liberating faith and spirituality from biases that stem from exclusively privileged world views; exploring healthy concepts of how people experience their bodies as expressions of their lived experience; and working to counter the social oppression that is entrenched in traditional Western economic models. Upon graduation, he will also receive a Certificate in Sexuality and Religion for which he has studied and worked closely with leaders in LGBTQ communities and youth in sexuality education.
Adam sees his ministry developing out of his long held belief in the shared beauty and power of human bodies and his belief that the ability to make healthy, informed choices and decisions about our bodies is at the heart of the divine gift of human life.
Born in New York City and raised in Framingham, Massachusetts, Adam attended college at Princeton University where he majored in English Literature and Creative Writing. Early on, he pursued a performing arts career which allowed me to travel around the globe working as a cruise director. Ultimately, Adam had the great fortune to appear in the original Broadway company of Ragtime the Musical. Prior to pursuing the ministry, he became a well known personal trainer, fitness instructor and massage therapist. Learn more about his journey on the Life Beyond Ministry page.
Pictured: current candidates for UUA President, Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev Allison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke
With it’s first ever National Convening just a month away, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to make an exciting programming announcement. All three candidates for UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Alison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke, will join the convening on Saturday March 11 for a historic Presidential Forum moderated by lead organizers Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD & Royce James PhD.
Dr. Amin shares, "I'm excited about the upcoming BLUU convening and understand its historical importance, growing out of the intersection of engaged faith practice and the long struggle for Black Liberation more broadly. The forum we'll be hosting with candidates for UUA President is especially significant in that it creates a space for candidates to respond specifically and directly to questions from Black Unitarian Universalists."
“We as Black people have been integral to the faith since its inception. Living this legacy, we look forward to the opportunity to renew Black voices in the democratic principles of our faith tradition.” added Dr. James.
With close to 100 Black Unitarian Universalists set to gather in New Orleans from March 9-12, this Presidential Forum is just one of many program elements the collective has planned for attendees. “For us, this convening is an opportunity to learn from our past, be clear about our present & plan together for our future as Black UUs, said Convening Coordinator Leslie Mac.
Black Unitarian Universalists can submit questions for the forum in advance via an online form. Registrants will receive access to the form next week via email with form access also available via the Explicitly Black UU Facebook group run by the BLUU Organizing Collective. The forum will also be broadcast via Livestream for those will not be in attendance at the Convening.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming days from the Convening team.
Pictured: current candidates for UUA President, Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev Allison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke
With it’s first ever National Convening just a month away, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to make an exciting programming announcement. All three candidates for UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Alison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke, will join the convening on Saturday March 11 for a historic Presidential Forum moderated by lead organizers Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD & Royce James PhD.
Dr. Amin shares, "I'm excited about the upcoming BLUU convening and understand its historical importance, growing out of the intersection of engaged faith practice and the long struggle for Black Liberation more broadly. The forum we'll be hosting with candidates for UUA President is especially significant in that it creates a space for candidates to respond specifically and directly to questions from Black Unitarian Universalists."
“We as Black people have been integral to the faith since its inception. Living this legacy, we look forward to the opportunity to renew Black voices in the democratic principles of our faith tradition.” added Dr. James.
With close to 100 Black Unitarian Universalists set to gather in New Orleans from March 9-12, this Presidential Forum is just one of many program elements the collective has planned for attendees. “For us, this convening is an opportunity to learn from our past, be clear about our present & plan together for our future as Black UUs, said Convening Coordinator Leslie Mac.
Black Unitarian Universalists can submit questions for the forum in advance via an online form. Registrants will receive access to the form next week via email with form access also available via the Explicitly Black UU Facebook group run by the BLUU Organizing Collective. The forum will also be broadcast via Livestream for those will not be in attendance at the Convening.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming days from the Convening team.
Pictured: current candidates for UUA President, Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev Allison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke
With it’s first ever National Convening just a month away, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to make an exciting programming announcement. All three candidates for UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Alison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke, will join the convening on Saturday March 11 for a historic Presidential Forum moderated by lead organizers Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD & Royce James PhD.
Dr. Amin shares, "I'm excited about the upcoming BLUU convening and understand its historical importance, growing out of the intersection of engaged faith practice and the long struggle for Black Liberation more broadly. The forum we'll be hosting with candidates for UUA President is especially significant in that it creates a space for candidates to respond specifically and directly to questions from Black Unitarian Universalists."
“We as Black people have been integral to the faith since its inception. Living this legacy, we look forward to the opportunity to renew Black voices in the democratic principles of our faith tradition.” added Dr. James.
With close to 100 Black Unitarian Universalists set to gather in New Orleans from March 9-12, this Presidential Forum is just one of many program elements the collective has planned for attendees. “For us, this convening is an opportunity to learn from our past, be clear about our present & plan together for our future as Black UUs, said Convening Coordinator Leslie Mac.
Black Unitarian Universalists can submit questions for the forum in advance via an online form. Registrants will receive access to the form next week via email with form access also available via the Explicitly Black UU Facebook group run by the BLUU Organizing Collective. The forum will also be broadcast via Livestream for those will not be in attendance at the Convening.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming days from the Convening team.
Pictured: current candidates for UUA President, Rev Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev Allison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke
With it’s first ever National Convening just a month away, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to make an exciting programming announcement. All three candidates for UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Rev. Alison Miller & Rev. Jeanne Pupke, will join the convening on Saturday March 11 for a historic Presidential Forum moderated by lead organizers Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD & Royce James PhD.
Dr. Amin shares, "I'm excited about the upcoming BLUU convening and understand its historical importance, growing out of the intersection of engaged faith practice and the long struggle for Black Liberation more broadly. The forum we'll be hosting with candidates for UUA President is especially significant in that it creates a space for candidates to respond specifically and directly to questions from Black Unitarian Universalists."
“We as Black people have been integral to the faith since its inception. Living this legacy, we look forward to the opportunity to renew Black voices in the democratic principles of our faith tradition.” added Dr. James.
With close to 100 Black Unitarian Universalists set to gather in New Orleans from March 9-12, this Presidential Forum is just one of many program elements the collective has planned for attendees. “For us, this convening is an opportunity to learn from our past, be clear about our present & plan together for our future as Black UUs, said Convening Coordinator Leslie Mac.
Black Unitarian Universalists can submit questions for the forum in advance via an online form. Registrants will receive access to the form next week via email with form access also available via the Explicitly Black UU Facebook group run by the BLUU Organizing Collective. The forum will also be broadcast via Livestream for those will not be in attendance at the Convening.
Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the coming days from the Convening team.
The Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective is pleased to make the full 2017 BLUU Convening Program available. With over 100 Black UUs scheduled to attend the historic gathering in New Orleans, LA, the event program is focused on connection, collaboration and creating a shared vision for Black Lives of UU.
Program Highlights include:
The Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective is pleased to make the full 2017 BLUU Convening Program available. With over 100 Black UUs scheduled to attend the historic gathering in New Orleans, LA, the event program is focused on connection, collaboration and creating a shared vision for Black Lives of UU.
Program Highlights include:
The Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective is pleased to make the full 2017 BLUU Convening Program available. With over 100 Black UUs scheduled to attend the historic gathering in New Orleans, LA, the event program is focused on connection, collaboration and creating a shared vision for Black Lives of UU.
Program Highlights include:
The Black Lives of UU Organizing Collective is pleased to make the full 2017 BLUU Convening Program available. With over 100 Black UUs scheduled to attend the historic gathering in New Orleans, LA, the event program is focused on connection, collaboration and creating a shared vision for Black Lives of UU.
Program Highlights include:
PANELISTS INCLUDE:
• Dr. Takiyah Amin - Assistant Professor, UNC Charlotte & BLUU Lead
• Candace Benbow, M Div - Writer, Educator & doctoral student at Princeton Theological Seminary
• Vicar Lenny Duncan - St. Mark's Lutheran Church & organizer #decolonizelutheranism
• Vahisha Hasan - Founder, Movement in Faith
• Kenny Wiley - UU World Senior Editor & BLUU Lead
Moderator: Leslie Mac - CoFounder Safety Pin Box & BLUU Lead
PANELISTS INCLUDE:
• Dr. Takiyah Amin - Assistant Professor, UNC Charlotte & BLUU Lead
• Candace Benbow, M Div - Writer, Educator & doctoral student at Princeton Theological Seminary
• Vicar Lenny Duncan - St. Mark's Lutheran Church & organizer #decolonizelutheranism
• Vahisha Hasan - Founder, Movement in Faith
• Kenny Wiley - UU World Senior Editor & BLUU Lead
Moderator: Leslie Mac - CoFounder Safety Pin Box & BLUU Lead
Our ask is a simple one: For each congregation participating in the #UUWhiteSupremacyTeachIn to join us in donating $5,000 to the National Mamas Bail Out Day.
We ask you to put your faith into action with this gift and to imagine the impact of this challenge — imagine hundreds of Black & Brown Mother’s reunited with their children & loved ones this Mothers Day.
How to participate:
We hope that you will take the lessons learned during your #UUWhiteSupremacyTeachIn and put them into ACTION right now and support the National Mamas Bail Out Day
READ THE FULL STATEMENT**NOTE: Rev Jeanne Pupke provided her responses to the Black Lives of UU Team on May 26. We post and share them here as a courtesy.
**NOTE: Rev Jeanne Pupke provided her responses to the Black Lives of UU Team on May 26. We post and share them here as a courtesy.
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is proud to publish our full schedule for this year's General Assembly. In addition to programming inside the Explicitly Black Healing Space run by the BLUU Ministerial Network, the schedule includes a joint worship service with DRUUMM, several workshops, a plenary session in the main hall and an opening reception on Wednesday evening opening the Healing Space.
For all information related to #BLUUGA2017 visit http://www.blacklivesuu.com/ga2017 where you can:
We wish everyone a safe journey to New Orleans and look forward to being together next week in faith & fellowship.
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective
Lena K Gardner, Executive Director
Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD
CDR Royce W. James, Ph.D.
Leslie Mac
Rev. Mykal O'Neal Slack
Kenny Wiley
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is proud to publish our full schedule for this year's General Assembly. In addition to programming inside the Explicitly Black Healing Space run by the BLUU Ministerial Network, the schedule includes a joint worship service with DRUUMM, several workshops, a plenary session in the main hall and an opening reception on Wednesday evening opening the Healing Space.
For all information related to #BLUUGA2017 visit http://www.blacklivesuu.com/ga2017 where you can:
We wish everyone a safe journey to New Orleans and look forward to being together next week in faith & fellowship.
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective
Lena K Gardner, Executive Director
Takiyah Nur Amin, PhD
CDR Royce W. James, Ph.D.
Leslie Mac
Rev. Mykal O'Neal Slack
Kenny Wiley
For those who were able to make it to General Assembly this year, the energy was different this time around. Something is changing in our denomination -- and BLUU has been a part of creating that change. You have been a part of creating that change. If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’re a Black UU yourself or a supporter. Without y’all, BLUU would be just a group of folks getting together, arguing, laughing and supporting each other -- which wouldn’t be the worst. But with you, we are building and dreaming something into being that is already changing lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting BLUU, for being a Black UU if you are and sticking it out in a denomination that makes it all too easy to leave.
Last week I had the privilege speaking during plenary and more than once the collective and the work that BLUU has done (and is doing) received standing ovations from a crowd of thousands. Thousands. And that doesn’t include the thousands of others who were with us in spirit, watching the live streaming or just cheering from afar as they tended to work, children, and other responsibilities. This GA was so very different from the feeling of General Assembly even just a year ago.
And yet it is so clear that we still have so much work toward justice to do because even as I write this to you, I am working as part of a team of UU leaders who are advocating for the human rights of the four young Black men who allegedly burglarized UUA staff members Tim Byrne and James Curran. The incident was caught on tape. The BLUU team sends our love and wishes for healing to Tim and James and to their families as they recover from what was a violent encounter. We encourage folks to support them by giving to the UUA Staff Assistance fund here.
And we are called in this moment, along with other UU leaders to encourage a process of restorative justice. We know that the four young men, Dejuan, Joshua, Nicholas, and Rashaad, are young, Black men and face a criminal justice system that does NOT recognize their worth or dignity. In communication and agreement with the James and family of Tim and other UU leaders, we have begun to advocate for a restorative justice process in New Orleans. So the work continues. This wasn’t the note we hoped to end General Assembly on, but if we are to live out our principle that all Black Lives Matter then it is the work we are called to do in this moment.
WELCOME DIDI DELGADO TO THE BLUU TEAM
In the service of that work, we are also very proud to announce the first Black Lives of UU Collaborative Organizer, Didi Delgado, who officially begins work with us on July 13, 2017. Many of you may recognize her from the BLUU Convening in March. We are thrilled to have her on staff. She will be helping build out and support the work of our BLUUMicro30 teams and continuing to deepen our connection with the Black Lives Matter Network and the Movement for Black Lives. Welcome to the BLUU team Didi!
DiDi Delgado - Black Lives of UU Collaborative Organizer
As part of Didi’s work, BLUUMicro30 launched its next step at the convening. The next step is: an in-person local meet up with other Black UUs. You can read about the creation of the #BLUUMicro30 groups and what the projects are on our website. And please look for more details about support for the upcoming meet ups - some are big and some are small, but we are excited to keep building. If you aren’t a on a BLUUMicro30 team yet and are a Black UU, please click here join us!
INTRODUCING 360 COUNCIL
Other big announcements from GA include the establishment of our BLUU 360 Elders Council. We are honored to have Paula Cole Jones, Rev. Susan Newman Moore, Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika and Rev. Mel Hoover serving on that council. You can watch the address in plenary from Rev. Mel and Miss Paula, Baba’s stirring plenary speech as well as the Organizing Collective receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award on the BLUU website here.
Dr. Michael Dumas and Dr. Takiyah Amin right after their Introduction to Anti Blackness workshop, you can see the recap here!
They also head a discussion in the BLUU Healing Space on Black Fugitivity, Joy and Futures. It was a lively discussion and in depth conversation with audience participation.
Drs Michael Dumas & Takiyah Amin (BLUU Organizing Collective Lead)
BLUU PARTICIPATES IN UUA GA 2017 MURAL PROJECT
Natalie Jeffers with Lena K. Gardner and Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika, completing the BLUU portion of the mural, with inspiration from Dr. King’s 1967 Ware Lecture, entitled Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution.
The three purple figurines represent BLUU in the mural and continuation of BAC and BUUC from which you can see with raised fists behind those figurines in the mural.
NEW ROLE!
Last but certainly not least, at General Assembly 2017 we announced Rev. Mykal Slack as our BLUU Community Minister of Worship and Spiritual Care.
We are beyond grateful for his service and ministry and blessed to have him on this team.
It’s the Friday after General Assembly and I’m heading back down to New Orleans to support local organizers in our efforts to live more deeply into our faith values as Black UUs, a few of us from the OC, myself included will be taking some time off in the coming weeks but rest assured we’ll be back into the full swing of things by late July and early August! Love to you all!
Lena K. Gardner
Executive Director, BLUU Organizing Collective
For those who were able to make it to General Assembly this year, the energy was different this time around. Something is changing in our denomination -- and BLUU has been a part of creating that change. You have been a part of creating that change. If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’re a Black UU yourself or a supporter. Without y’all, BLUU would be just a group of folks getting together, arguing, laughing and supporting each other -- which wouldn’t be the worst. But with you, we are building and dreaming something into being that is already changing lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting BLUU, for being a Black UU if you are and sticking it out in a denomination that makes it all too easy to leave.
Last week I had the privilege speaking during plenary and more than once the collective and the work that BLUU has done (and is doing) received standing ovations from a crowd of thousands. Thousands. And that doesn’t include the thousands of others who were with us in spirit, watching the live streaming or just cheering from afar as they tended to work, children, and other responsibilities. This GA was so very different from the feeling of General Assembly even just a year ago.
And yet it is so clear that we still have so much work toward justice to do because even as I write this to you, I am working as part of a team of UU leaders who are advocating for the human rights of the four young Black men who allegedly burglarized UUA staff members Tim Byrne and James Curran. The incident was caught on tape. The BLUU team sends our love and wishes for healing to Tim and James and to their families as they recover from what was a violent encounter. We encourage folks to support them by giving to the UUA Staff Assistance fund here.
And we are called in this moment, along with other UU leaders to encourage a process of restorative justice. We know that the four young men, Dejuan, Joshua, Nicholas, and Rashaad, are young, Black men and face a criminal justice system that does NOT recognize their worth or dignity. In communication and agreement with the James and family of Tim and other UU leaders, we have begun to advocate for a restorative justice process in New Orleans. So the work continues. This wasn’t the note we hoped to end General Assembly on, but if we are to live out our principle that all Black Lives Matter then it is the work we are called to do in this moment.
WELCOME DIDI DELGADO TO THE BLUU TEAM
In the service of that work, we are also very proud to announce the first Black Lives of UU Collaborative Organizer, Didi Delgado, who officially begins work with us on July 13, 2017. Many of you may recognize her from the BLUU Convening in March. We are thrilled to have her on staff. She will be helping build out and support the work of our BLUUMicro30 teams and continuing to deepen our connection with the Black Lives Matter Network and the Movement for Black Lives. Welcome to the BLUU team Didi!
DiDi Delgado - Black Lives of UU Collaborative Organizer
As part of Didi’s work, BLUUMicro30 launched its next step at the convening. The next step is: an in-person local meet up with other Black UUs. You can read about the creation of the #BLUUMicro30 groups and what the projects are on our website. And please look for more details about support for the upcoming meet ups - some are big and some are small, but we are excited to keep building. If you aren’t a on a BLUUMicro30 team yet and are a Black UU, please click here join us!
INTRODUCING 360 COUNCIL
Other big announcements from GA include the establishment of our BLUU 360 Elders Council. We are honored to have Paula Cole Jones, Rev. Susan Newman Moore, Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika and Rev. Mel Hoover serving on that council. You can watch the address in plenary from Rev. Mel and Miss Paula, Baba’s stirring plenary speech as well as the Organizing Collective receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award on the BLUU website here.
Dr. Michael Dumas and Dr. Takiyah Amin right after their Introduction to Anti Blackness workshop, you can see the recap here!
They also head a discussion in the BLUU Healing Space on Black Fugitivity, Joy and Futures. It was a lively discussion and in depth conversation with audience participation.
Drs Michael Dumas & Takiyah Amin (BLUU Organizing Collective Lead)
BLUU PARTICIPATES IN UUA GA 2017 MURAL PROJECT
Natalie Jeffers with Lena K. Gardner and Dr. Mtangulizi Sanyika, completing the BLUU portion of the mural, with inspiration from Dr. King’s 1967 Ware Lecture, entitled Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution.
The three purple figurines represent BLUU in the mural and continuation of BAC and BUUC from which you can see with raised fists behind those figurines in the mural.
NEW ROLE!
Last but certainly not least, at General Assembly 2017 we announced Rev. Mykal Slack as our BLUU Community Minister of Worship and Spiritual Care.
We are beyond grateful for his service and ministry and blessed to have him on this team.
It’s the Friday after General Assembly and I’m heading back down to New Orleans to support local organizers in our efforts to live more deeply into our faith values as Black UUs, a few of us from the OC, myself included will be taking some time off in the coming weeks but rest assured we’ll be back into the full swing of things by late July and early August! Love to you all!
Lena K. Gardner
Executive Director, BLUU Organizing Collective
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to announce the disbursement of disaster relief grants for victims of recent ecological disasters in the amount of $500 each. Originating from efforts by the National UUA Disaster Relief Fund, each grant recipient will receive $500. On October 5, the Rev. Dawn Cooley, a UUA Southern Region staff member, reached out to BLUU to invite us to apply for funding from monies raised to help people directly affected by ecological disasters in recent months, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. After consulting with the BLUU community to see if this was a need, we applied for $5,000 in funding and were approved.
The BLUU OC reached out to three individuals who are a part of our BLUU spiritual family and community, Lisa Rockett, Cet Mohamed Moore and Rocky Rockett, to help coordinate outreach and disbursement, work for which we are compensating them as paid consultants. Lisa, Cet, and Rocky had already been working on disaster relief efforts in their communities, so we knew they were equipped to manage this vital work. With their outreach coordination, we have received 72 applications. As of Tuesday, Dec. 5, 10 people have been awarded grants of $500, with five more pending approval on Thursday, Dec. 7 from the UUA Southern Region. You can read more about these disaster relief efforts from the UUA here on their website. We will be submitting another application for the remaining 57 people. We have also decided to extend the deadline for applying for a grant to Tuesday, Dec. 19.
At the core of our work as the BLUU Organizing Collective is a commitment to living more deeply into our faith values, in expressions particular to the prism of the Black experience. Part of this commitment means being a bridge between our denomination, with its tremendous wealth of resources (spiritual, financial and otherwise) and a community of Black UUs, as well as a diversity of Black communities where many of us (as Black UU and UU-adjacent folks) are connected, come from and live. We believe that systems in place in many organizations create barriers to getting people - particularly Black people - the help they need when they need it, including placing qualifiers on accessing funds or time intensive and intrusive report-backs. We strive as much as possible to create opportunities to be in service and decrease these barriers.
Living more deeply into our faith also means finding ways to assist people financially who don’t have access to traditional banking methods. For instance, some people who may receive these grants cannot cash a check, so we have to come up with alternative ways of assisting them. We have to streamline and be creative in our outreach and do away with time intensive and intrusive reportbacks. We strive to live out our commitment to serve our Black UU and broader Black communities, so we may thrive instead of merely survive.
We know and believe that innovation and experimentation must be built into our work, and we are grateful that our outreach coordinators, Cet, Lisa, and Rocky have joined us in it. This is our first endeavor in working with the Unitarian Universalist Association in this way and utilizing outreach coordinators to carry out this kind of work. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and build together in community. It’s important work that can be a beacon, however small, in a world that seems to be giving us fewer and fewer reasons to hope.
We will be applying for more funding to disburse from the Unitarian Universalist Association for the remaining individuals who have already submitted the application form and for any individuals who complete our application form by Tuesday, Dec. 19.
Please see our FAQ form here for more questions.
The Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism Organizing Collective is excited to announce the disbursement of disaster relief grants for victims of recent ecological disasters in the amount of $500 each. Originating from efforts by the National UUA Disaster Relief Fund, each grant recipient will receive $500. On October 5, the Rev. Dawn Cooley, a UUA Southern Region staff member, reached out to BLUU to invite us to apply for funding from monies raised to help people directly affected by ecological disasters in recent months, including Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. After consulting with the BLUU community to see if this was a need, we applied for $5,000 in funding and were approved.
The BLUU OC reached out to three individuals who are a part of our BLUU spiritual family and community, Lisa Rockett, Cet Mohamed Moore and Rocky Rockett, to help coordinate outreach and disbursement, work for which we are compensating them as paid consultants. Lisa, Cet, and Rocky had already been working on disaster relief efforts in their communities, so we knew they were equipped to manage this vital work. With their outreach coordination, we have received 72 applications. As of Tuesday, Dec. 5, 10 people have been awarded grants of $500, with five more pending approval on Thursday, Dec. 7 from the UUA Southern Region. You can read more about these disaster relief efforts from the UUA here on their website. We will be submitting another application for the remaining 57 people. We have also decided to extend the deadline for applying for a grant to Tuesday, Dec. 19.
At the core of our work as the BLUU Organizing Collective is a commitment to living more deeply into our faith values, in expressions particular to the prism of the Black experience. Part of this commitment means being a bridge between our denomination, with its tremendous wealth of resources (spiritual, financial and otherwise) and a community of Black UUs, as well as a diversity of Black communities where many of us (as Black UU and UU-adjacent folks) are connected, come from and live. We believe that systems in place in many organizations create barriers to getting people - particularly Black people - the help they need when they need it, including placing qualifiers on accessing funds or time intensive and intrusive report-backs. We strive as much as possible to create opportunities to be in service and decrease these barriers.
Living more deeply into our faith also means finding ways to assist people financially who don’t have access to traditional banking methods. For instance, some people who may receive these grants cannot cash a check, so we have to come up with alternative ways of assisting them. We have to streamline and be creative in our outreach and do away with time intensive and intrusive reportbacks. We strive to live out our commitment to serve our Black UU and broader Black communities, so we may thrive instead of merely survive.
We know and believe that innovation and experimentation must be built into our work, and we are grateful that our outreach coordinators, Cet, Lisa, and Rocky have joined us in it. This is our first endeavor in working with the Unitarian Universalist Association in this way and utilizing outreach coordinators to carry out this kind of work. We are grateful for the opportunity to learn and build together in community. It’s important work that can be a beacon, however small, in a world that seems to be giving us fewer and fewer reasons to hope.
We will be applying for more funding to disburse from the Unitarian Universalist Association for the remaining individuals who have already submitted the application form and for any individuals who complete our application form by Tuesday, Dec. 19.
Please see our FAQ form here for more questions.
What is Revival? It’s uplift, transformation, and nourishment of body, mind, and spirit. It’s testimony, music, and dance. It’s allowing space for spirit to move. It’s love and justice being breathed into life anew. Revival is the place where a restoration to life, consciousness, strength and faith is cultivated among people of all ages and stages, where we literally live again. And Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism is ecstatic to host revival in the MidAmerica region this Spring!!
On the weekend of April 28, 2018, BLUU will be hosting RECLAIM., a revival of body, mind, and spirit, in Kansas City, Missouri! This will be a special moment for Black UUs and UU-adjacent folks, local Black organizers, and the communities they hold dear to connect, worship together, and support one another. It’ll also be an opportunity for BLUU to offer a kind of ministerial presence we’ve not offered before - to organize a public space where Black folks can be fortified in song, word, learning, and community, and to help hold sacred space for connection across the faith traditions and spiritual journeys that make us who we are as Black people and as Black UUs. We are grateful for the fundraising efforts of the Office of the MidAmerica Region that will help make this event possible.
This gathering will be an explicitly Black Only space, so if you’re white or a non-black person of color in our faith, please share this announcement with Black UUs and other Black folks in your circles who would value coming together for this special event. And if you’re connected to a congregation that is committed to supporting BLUU and these efforts, the best way to do that is to financially support Black UUs who want to attend. If you have further questions about this, please let us know via our contact page.
We are happy to report that a Regional Team is on board to bring this gathering to life over the next several months! A huge thank you to Pastor Danny Givens, Jr. (MN), Rev. Kimberly Hampton (MO), Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson (NY), Oshara Meesha (KS), Samuel Prince (OH), and Renee Reed (IN), who are all serving on the team so far and offering their time and talent in service to Black UUs in the region and throughout the country! You can get to know them better by going to our website and checking out the Revival page. Also, our hope is to bring on new team members representing other states in the region in the coming weeks.
To help support the work, we are also pleased to announce that BLUU has contracted with the Rev. Marcus Fogliano, who will be joining us as our Revival Coordinator from now through the end of April! They will also serve on the Regional Team and coordinate our efforts on the ground. Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, Marcus has stayed close to home, with the intent on making it better. They have spent considerable time advocating for safe and affirming schools, LGBTQIA rights in public policy, as well as criminal and economic justice for the black community in their hometown. Having been ordained as a Jehovah’s Witness, Rev. Marcus is active in the Central Illinois Interfaith Alliance, and has begun their journey toward Fellowship within their newfound spiritual home in Unitarian Universalism.
African-American Sufi Muslim and beloved colleague and teacher at Starr King School for the Ministry, the late Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajajé, once said: “The things that you love in life, the things that bring you joy, the things that bring you blessing, the things that bring you love: go towards those things, live into those things, embrace those things.”
May it be so as we co-create this moment with our BLUU spiritual family and with the local Black community in Kansas City, and as we welcome Black UUs of all ages and stages to RECLAIM the spirit of Revival in our Unitarian Universalism! So set aside the weekend of April 28th in your calendars and stay updated at www.blacklivesuu.com/revival/. See you there!!
What is Revival? It’s uplift, transformation, and nourishment of body, mind, and spirit. It’s testimony, music, and dance. It’s allowing space for spirit to move. It’s love and justice being breathed into life anew. Revival is the place where a restoration to life, consciousness, strength and faith is cultivated among people of all ages and stages, where we literally live again. And Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism is ecstatic to host revival in the MidAmerica region this Spring!!
On the weekend of April 28, 2018, BLUU will be hosting RECLAIM., a revival of body, mind, and spirit, in Kansas City, Missouri! This will be a special moment for Black UUs and UU-adjacent folks, local Black organizers, and the communities they hold dear to connect, worship together, and support one another. It’ll also be an opportunity for BLUU to offer a kind of ministerial presence we’ve not offered before - to organize a public space where Black folks can be fortified in song, word, learning, and community, and to help hold sacred space for connection across the faith traditions and spiritual journeys that make us who we are as Black people and as Black UUs. We are grateful for the fundraising efforts of the Office of the MidAmerica Region that will help make this event possible.
This gathering will be an explicitly Black Only space, so if you’re white or a non-black person of color in our faith, please share this announcement with Black UUs and other Black folks in your circles who would value coming together for this special event. And if you’re connected to a congregation that is committed to supporting BLUU and these efforts, the best way to do that is to financially support Black UUs who want to attend. If you have further questions about this, please let us know via our contact page.
We are happy to report that a Regional Team is on board to bring this gathering to life over the next several months! A huge thank you to Pastor Danny Givens, Jr. (MN), Rev. Kimberly Hampton (MO), Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson (NY), Oshara Meesha (KS), Samuel Prince (OH), and Renee Reed (IN), who are all serving on the team so far and offering their time and talent in service to Black UUs in the region and throughout the country! You can get to know them better by going to our website and checking out the Revival page. Also, our hope is to bring on new team members representing other states in the region in the coming weeks.
To help support the work, we are also pleased to announce that BLUU has contracted with the Rev. Marcus Fogliano, who will be joining us as our Revival Coordinator from now through the end of April! They will also serve on the Regional Team and coordinate our efforts on the ground. Born and raised in Peoria, Illinois, Marcus has stayed close to home, with the intent on making it better. They have spent considerable time advocating for safe and affirming schools, LGBTQIA rights in public policy, as well as criminal and economic justice for the black community in their hometown. Having been ordained as a Jehovah’s Witness, Rev. Marcus is active in the Central Illinois Interfaith Alliance, and has begun their journey toward Fellowship within their newfound spiritual home in Unitarian Universalism.
African-American Sufi Muslim and beloved colleague and teacher at Starr King School for the Ministry, the late Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajajé, once said: “The things that you love in life, the things that bring you joy, the things that bring you blessing, the things that bring you love: go towards those things, live into those things, embrace those things.”
May it be so as we co-create this moment with our BLUU spiritual family and with the local Black community in Kansas City, and as we welcome Black UUs of all ages and stages to RECLAIM the spirit of Revival in our Unitarian Universalism! So set aside the weekend of April 28th in your calendars and stay updated at www.blacklivesuu.com/revival/. See you there!!
It's an extremely rare moment in our lives as Black UUs to be in a position to hold space for ourselves and not also have to manage what it means for folks who aren't to share space with us. The persistent questions about who and how we're supposed to be in predominantly white spaces can run laps around our psyches and make really remarkable people remarkably tired. You know what I'm talking about. Ultimately the questions (and critiques) do the work of wearing us down to the point where we either forget who we are altogether, or we get real good knowing ourselves, but also hiding what is most true about ourselves. In either case, the covenantal relationship that we have with our own Blackness gets muddled and lost.
It's part of our work in BLUU to expand the power and capacity of Black UUs. And part of how we do that deeply spiritual work is to offer opportunities for us to let our shoulders down and be motivated, uplifted, and fortified by the full context of our Blackness. We do this work because it matters, at a soul-deep level, that we be reminded of what it's like and what it means to only be accountable to one another as Black people first and foremost and not encumbered by what centering whiteness far too often requires of us, from both white folks and from non-Black people of color. We also do this work because white supremacy is specifically grounded in anti-blackness and the insidiousness of anti-blackness in our everyday lives and in American culture more broadly makes Explicitly Black spaces a critical point of healing.
To be clear, this has less to do with who we love and are in relationship with and more to do with what it takes to bring us into fully loving all of ourselves. We'd be here all day if we had to tell you all the times we and other Black UUs have said that we just want a space where all the beautiful magic of being black and UU can be wholly realized and manifested. Folks are hungry for it; so Explicitly Black spaces are the spaces we cultivate and make meaning out of, and RECLAIM will be one of those spaces.
As part of the preparation for this event, we're inviting congregations and communities, individuals and, yes, families, to do a most uncommon thing: to center Blackness in the spiritual groundedness of our Unitarian Universalism. And to get creative doing it! For a congregation, UU or otherwise, to be honest, that may look like sponsoring a Black UU to be able to go to Kansas City for the weekend of revival. For multiracial families, maybe that looks like escorting your black family members to revival and then meeting up with folks from other multiracial families, grateful both for the building of community and for the rare opportunity you've loved your folks into. The sky's the limit!
It can't be up to BLUU or the Regional Revival Team to decide what will work best and make the most sense for everyone because all of us have different needs. How we decide to show up for one another and ourselves in this moment will only come with open and honest dialogue, both about what may be hard and what can be exceptionally joy-filled in these moments. And BLUU and the Revival Team will do our best to support you in the undertaking and invite you to think about how the forthcoming schedule can work for you. There will likely be opportunities for Black children & youth or young adults to gather. There will be a specific gathering or two that are not Explicitly Black spaces. All of this is unfolding as we speak.
In the meantime, prepare your hearts, minds and spirits for something really special. RECLAIM will be a time for us to come alive in ways that, perhaps, we've never come alive before...maybe didn’t even know was possible. And it is our sincerest hope that everyone who can be with us will be. Registration and sponsorship information is right around the corner, so be on the lookout for it. Register!! And if you’re a congregation or a person not attending, sponsor an individual or a family to go! You’ll be glad you did.
See you in Kansas City!
Peace.
Your Regional Revival Team
It's an extremely rare moment in our lives as Black UUs to be in a position to hold space for ourselves and not also have to manage what it means for folks who aren't to share space with us. The persistent questions about who and how we're supposed to be in predominantly white spaces can run laps around our psyches and make really remarkable people remarkably tired. You know what I'm talking about. Ultimately the questions (and critiques) do the work of wearing us down to the point where we either forget who we are altogether, or we get real good knowing ourselves, but also hiding what is most true about ourselves. In either case, the covenantal relationship that we have with our own Blackness gets muddled and lost.
It's part of our work in BLUU to expand the power and capacity of Black UUs. And part of how we do that deeply spiritual work is to offer opportunities for us to let our shoulders down and be motivated, uplifted, and fortified by the full context of our Blackness. We do this work because it matters, at a soul-deep level, that we be reminded of what it's like and what it means to only be accountable to one another as Black people first and foremost and not encumbered by what centering whiteness far too often requires of us, from both white folks and from non-Black people of color. We also do this work because white supremacy is specifically grounded in anti-blackness and the insidiousness of anti-blackness in our everyday lives and in American culture more broadly makes Explicitly Black spaces a critical point of healing.
To be clear, this has less to do with who we love and are in relationship with and more to do with what it takes to bring us into fully loving all of ourselves. We'd be here all day if we had to tell you all the times we and other Black UUs have said that we just want a space where all the beautiful magic of being black and UU can be wholly realized and manifested. Folks are hungry for it; so Explicitly Black spaces are the spaces we cultivate and make meaning out of, and RECLAIM will be one of those spaces.
As part of the preparation for this event, we're inviting congregations and communities, individuals and, yes, families, to do a most uncommon thing: to center Blackness in the spiritual groundedness of our Unitarian Universalism. And to get creative doing it! For a congregation, UU or otherwise, to be honest, that may look like sponsoring a Black UU to be able to go to Kansas City for the weekend of revival. For multiracial families, maybe that looks like escorting your black family members to revival and then meeting up with folks from other multiracial families, grateful both for the building of community and for the rare opportunity you've loved your folks into. The sky's the limit!
It can't be up to BLUU or the Regional Revival Team to decide what will work best and make the most sense for everyone because all of us have different needs. How we decide to show up for one another and ourselves in this moment will only come with open and honest dialogue, both about what may be hard and what can be exceptionally joy-filled in these moments. And BLUU and the Revival Team will do our best to support you in the undertaking and invite you to think about how the forthcoming schedule can work for you. There will likely be opportunities for Black children & youth or young adults to gather. There will be a specific gathering or two that are not Explicitly Black spaces. All of this is unfolding as we speak.
In the meantime, prepare your hearts, minds and spirits for something really special. RECLAIM will be a time for us to come alive in ways that, perhaps, we've never come alive before...maybe didn’t even know was possible. And it is our sincerest hope that everyone who can be with us will be. Registration and sponsorship information is right around the corner, so be on the lookout for it. Register!! And if you’re a congregation or a person not attending, sponsor an individual or a family to go! You’ll be glad you did.
See you in Kansas City!
Peace.
Your Regional Revival Team
Full information about Samuel can be found below:
Samuel’s years in professional ministry and the IT industry served a good pathway when he became involved with Unitarian Universalism after leaving the Anglican faith. This journey took him to Connecticut, where his focus was on Adult Religious Education (chair) and Anti-Racism. He served in leadership in both these areas at the Unitarian Society of New Haven and years later at the UU Church in Meriden, where Samuel also served on the Board of Trustees.
He became a member of the GRACE (Growing Racial And Cultural Equity) Team of the New England Region, leading congregations in AR/AO/MC (Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Multicultural) initiatives. And then relocated to Sandusky, Ohio, and made Oberlin UU Fellowship his spiritual base and served as Board President.
One of his joys was organizing one of the first gatherings of People of Color (POC) in the Ohio Mid-Atlantic District, when ARE (Allies for Racial Equity) held their gathering in Cleveland in 2014. He also served on the General Assembly Planning Committee and currently on the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program.
Full information about Samuel can be found below:
Samuel’s years in professional ministry and the IT industry served a good pathway when he became involved with Unitarian Universalism after leaving the Anglican faith. This journey took him to Connecticut, where his focus was on Adult Religious Education (chair) and Anti-Racism. He served in leadership in both these areas at the Unitarian Society of New Haven and years later at the UU Church in Meriden, where Samuel also served on the Board of Trustees.
He became a member of the GRACE (Growing Racial And Cultural Equity) Team of the New England Region, leading congregations in AR/AO/MC (Anti-Racism Anti-Oppression Multicultural) initiatives. And then relocated to Sandusky, Ohio, and made Oberlin UU Fellowship his spiritual base and served as Board President.
One of his joys was organizing one of the first gatherings of People of Color (POC) in the Ohio Mid-Atlantic District, when ARE (Allies for Racial Equity) held their gathering in Cleveland in 2014. He also served on the General Assembly Planning Committee and currently on the Unitarian Universalist Funding Program.
“ Kimberly’s experience in youth leadership, pastoral care and social justice in the UU faith make her an incredible asset to our Board. we are overjoyed to have her join our team.” - Leslie Mac BLUU OC Board Chair
“ Kimberly’s experience in youth leadership, pastoral care and social justice in the UU faith make her an incredible asset to our Board. we are overjoyed to have her join our team.” - Leslie Mac BLUU OC Board Chair
“ Kimberly’s experience in youth leadership, pastoral care and social justice in the UU faith make her an incredible asset to our Board. we are overjoyed to have her join our team.” - Leslie Mac BLUU OC Board Chair
The Black Lives UU OC Board is proud to share our vision as an organization.
Over the last 4 years we have developed a clear mission:
Expanding the power & capacity of Black UUs within our faith
Providing support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists.
Justice-making and liberation through our faith
We have also created a deeply personal set of working agreements which lay out the values we bring into this work together - we invite you to read those working agreements here: http://www.blacklivesuu.com/working-agreements/
As we continue to grow and develop, we get clearer about our role in our faith and in a broader movement for justice and liberation for Black people. Toward this end of continuing clarity, at the winter 2018 BLUU Board Retreat we tackled the question of what a vision for this unique organization should be.
Today we share that vision with you because it is and has already been a guiding light in our work since we created it together in December:
The Black Lives UU OC Board is proud to share our vision as an organization.
Over the last 4 years we have developed a clear mission:
Expanding the power & capacity of Black UUs within our faith
Providing support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists.
Justice-making and liberation through our faith
We have also created a deeply personal set of working agreements which lay out the values we bring into this work together - we invite you to read those working agreements here: http://www.blacklivesuu.com/working-agreements/
As we continue to grow and develop, we get clearer about our role in our faith and in a broader movement for justice and liberation for Black people. Toward this end of continuing clarity, at the winter 2018 BLUU Board Retreat we tackled the question of what a vision for this unique organization should be.
Today we share that vision with you because it is and has already been a guiding light in our work since we created it together in December:
The Black Lives UU OC Board is proud to share our vision as an organization.
Over the last 4 years we have developed a clear mission:
Expanding the power & capacity of Black UUs within our faith
Providing support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists.
Justice-making and liberation through our faith
We have also created a deeply personal set of working agreements which lay out the values we bring into this work together - we invite you to read those working agreements here: http://www.blacklivesuu.com/working-agreements/
As we continue to grow and develop, we get clearer about our role in our faith and in a broader movement for justice and liberation for Black people. Toward this end of continuing clarity, at the winter 2018 BLUU Board Retreat we tackled the question of what a vision for this unique organization should be.
Today we share that vision with you because it is and has already been a guiding light in our work since we created it together in December:
