In these turbulent times, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the extraordinary efforts of UUs across the country who contributed to our UU the Vote work during this election season. No matter the results of the election, your commitment to justice and strengthening our democracy has made a real difference. Together, we mobilized, educated, and inspired thousands of people across key states, demonstrating the transformative power of our faith in action.

A few highlights from UU democracy organizing across the US: 

Arizona: UU the Vote volunteers canvassed tirelessly, focusing on pivotal ballot initiatives, including Proposition 139 (expanding abortion care) and Proposition 314 (an anti-immigrant measure). Alongside local partners and out-of-state volunteers, we knocked on doors, educated voters, and grew relationships with grassroots partner organizations.

North Carolina: With legislative and judicial races on the line, UU volunteers and partners connected with over 12,000 voters, with a chorus that uplifted spirits at early voting sites, demonstrating that resilience and hope are powerful antidotes to intimidation and fear.

National Efforts: Phone-banking efforts in collaboration with State Action Networks in MI, NC, PA, and TX ensured voters were informed and empowered to make their voices heard. In Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Wisconsin, UU volunteers canvassed the weekend before Election Day.

Through every conversation, song, and step, you embodied our faith’s commitment to justice, love, and equity. Thank you.

As we reflect on these efforts, we also invite you to consider an essential question posed by UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt during a recent fireside chat with UUSC President Rev. Mary Katherine Morn: How do we make our interdependence faithful and value-driven? These two theologians and leaders discussed the UU theological grounding for climate justice, highlighting that interdependence is not always positive—someone upstream polluting has an interdependent relationship with those downstream. This question challenges us to align our interconnectedness with values of justice, compassion, and care.

You are invited to explore this conversation further by watching the UU Theological Grounding for Climate Justice Fireside Chat, a 32-minute recording that includes reporting from small group discussions across the UUA. 

3 Resources to Empower Your Community as We Move Forward

While the election is behind us, there is still much work left to be done. The challenges ahead demand that we remain resilient, adaptable, and deeply connected to one another. In response, we have three resources to empower your community as we move forward.

1) Tap into the Community Resilience Hub
The election may be over, but the work continues! The Community Resilience Hub is your go-to destination for tools, resources, and inspiration to help your congregation and community stay organized, advocate for justice, and heal together. Dive into everything it offers to stay grounded and connected as you move forward.

2) Contribute to the Congregational Asset Map Survey
Your congregation’s unique strengths matter! By filling out the Congregational Asset Map Survey, you’ll help us build a comprehensive view of our collective resources. Together, we can ensure that our movement remains strong and impactful in the years to come. (Email socialjustice at uua.org with your congregational affiliation to receive the link.)

3) Share Your Insights in the UUA Community Care and Resilience Survey
Let your voice shape the future! The UUA Community Care and Resilience Survey is an opportunity to share your perspectives and help us strategically address challenges and opportunities ahead. Don’t miss your chance to contribute before the end of the year! (Email socialjustice at uua.org with your congregational affiliation to receive the link.)

As we move forward, we will continue to provide you with information, updates, and resources to empower you to be a witness for love and justice in your communities and beyond. But until then, may this blessing ignite a spark within your soul that empowers you to press onward with faith and hope:

May the love that binds us together bring the healing we seek.

May the hope that ignites our souls keep our eyes fixed on the prize of collective liberation.

May the peace that comes from knowing we are each other's strengthen our resolve.

May the joy inspired by the vision of a more just world propel us into the work ahead.

May the faith that sustains us guide our path with courage and grace.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to our collective liberation. Your efforts are a testament to the transformative power of our faith and the boundless possibilities of what we can achieve together.

In gratitude and solidarity,

your Side With Love team

2024 UUA Social Justice Award Nominations Wanted!

Bennett Award for Congregational Action on Human Justice and Social Action

The Bennett Award for Congregational Action on Human Justice and Social Action honors a Unitarian Universalist congregation that has done exemplary work in social justice and is accompanied by a $1,000 cash award.

Submissions must be received by April 25, 2025.  

Submissions consist of a short description form, and if applicable, a testimonial from a partner organization or community group, and any relevant media about the congregation's justice ministry, including news articles or photos. Learn more and submit your nomination.

Skinner Sermon Award

The Skinner Sermon Award honors Clarence Skinner, the late dean of the Tufts College School of Religion in Medford, MA. and a major voice of prophetic religious liberalism, and is presented annually to the preacher of the sermon best expressing Unitarian Universalism's social principles. It comes with a $500 honorarium. 

We particularly encourage and invite sermons that speak to one of our four intersectional justice priorities (bodily autonomy inclusive of reproductive justice and trans liberation; decriminalization; democracy and electoral justice; and climate justice). 

Submissions must be received by April 25, 2025. 

Submissions may be offered as a document of the sermon text and/or as a video recording of it being offered. Please be sure to include the author's name, address, church affiliation, phone number, email address, and indication of when and where the sermon was delivered in your email submission. Learn more and submit your sermon.

On November 21, Side With Love, BLUU, and DRUUMM hosted Tools for Tending: Post-Election Spiritual Care Space. This 2-hour special event was designed to help tend our spirits through somatic practices, spiritual grounding, and small group connection. Combining structured elements, reflection time, music, facilitated caucus spaces, and visioning exercises, we hope participants felt grounded, strengthened, and held. Watch the recording here.

Resources from the meeting:

• Rev. Rhetta Morgan: https://www.reverendrhetta.com

• Rev. Dr. Megan Visser: http://www.copingincommunity.com

• Marchaé Grair: https://marchaé.com

• Carry This All by Alexander Blakely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBhCFsatU0Y

• Black Lives of UU Worship: https://blacklivesuu.org/resource/spiritual-gatherings/

• DRUUMM Programming: https://druumm.org/events/

• UUA Community Resilience Hub: 
  https://www.uua.org/safe/community-resilience

• UU Mental Health Network: https://www.uumentalhealth.org/

• Pray Up Stay Up by SAULT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE3k_qqgkLA

After this year’s election, we must come together to nourish our spirits and move in our collective power. This is about more than one election; it is about grounding ourselves in the values and communities that drive our fight for justice. No matter your issue — climate justice, democracy, gender justice, or decriminalization — we are in this work together. 

This final session included an invitation for congregations to do the preparatory groundwork for meeting this moment as well as analysis from UUs in organizing who shared what they see as immediate needs for UU response.

• Missed the first session? Recording & resources for Session One: After Election Day

Resources

Where we've been & where we might go

Rev. Angela Tyler-Williams, Co-Director for Movement Building for SACReD (Spiritual Alliance of Communities for Reproductive Dignity

• Pastoral Care from Black Lives of UU for Black UUs

• Vespers and other spiritual tending spaces from DRUUMM for BIPOC UUs

• UURISE

• UUSC CAPAS Program

• United We Dream

• Detention Watch Network

• List of local bail and bond funds

• List of resources and calls to action around immigration

• How to map your congregation’s assets to put in service of community

• SACReD

• Woven Together webinar series

• Curriculum Facilitator Training Registration

• Community Resilience Hub

Save the Date

• Tuesday January 14 8-9pm ET: UU the Vote Celebration

• Tuesday January 28 8-9pm ET: Good Trouble Congregations Celebration

Music Played

• Human Nature by Beautiful Chorus

After this year’s election, it is critical that we come together to nourish our spirits and move in our collective power. This is about more than one election; it is about grounding ourselves in the values and communities that drive our fight for justice. No matter your issue; climate justice, democracy, gender justice, or criminalization, we are in this work together. That’s why we are excited to invite you to join us for Forward Together: Anchoring in Community Post Election, a virtual series designed to offer space for reflection, spiritual grounding, and practical organizing in response to the evolving political landscape.

Session One: After Election Day

Resources

• Feelings Wheel

• UU the Vote Congregational Action, Activity, and Story Reporting Form

• UUA Community Resilience Hub

• UUA & Side With Love Skills Survey

Upcoming Events

• Forward Together 11/19, 8-9pm ET. Register now.

• Tools for Tending with BLUU and DRUUMM, 11/21, 7-9pm ET. Register now.

Tonight, the final votes will be cast in this election. As we await the results, many of us feel the weight of uncertainty. This moment brings tension but also invites us to lean into the steady presence our faith calls us to embody. Now, more than ever, your strength and leadership in your communities are essential. Together, we can be a grounding presence, steady and unwavering, whatever may come.

While the outcomes of key races are yet to be decided, we remain united by a shared commitment to our core values—values held by communities of all backgrounds, rooted in the freedom to shape our futures, protect our communities, and make our voices heard. In this moment, let us stay steadfast in our commitment to one another and to the common good, keeping our eyes on our ultimate goal: the collective liberation of all people.

As we move through this day, may this blessing spark hope within you:

On this Election Day,
One of us will joyfully cast a vote, hoping we are moving closer to a just world—
This act renews our inner strength,
Challenges closed minds,
And lifts our spirit with hope.

On this Election Day,
One of us will serve as a poll worker—
Guardians of democracy who show up with patience and courage,
Ensuring every vote is counted and every voice is heard.
A sacred act of love for every person in our country.

On this Election Day,
One of us will vote with our focus on communities in need,
Disrupting cycles of oppression,
Loving our neighbors as ourselves,
And seeking to bring peace to a world marked by division.

On this Election Day,
One of us will vote with righteous anger aflame within,
Encountering barriers to our right to be heard,
To share our sacred stories,
And feel the sting of ignorance working against our dignity.

On this Election Day,
One of us will show up as our fullest self, without fear, demanding recognition and affirmation—
Trusting in the power of “we the people,”
Believing anew in the promise of democracy,
And finding courage birthed within us once again.

As we embark on this sacred work today,
Let us release that which has made us afraid,
Hold close what stirs our spirit,
And renew our faith in the strength of the Beloved Community.
For as we bless the world with our voices and votes, we, too, are blessed in return.

As we continue forward together, here are essential actions that can support your communities during this time.

• Embrace Connectedness: Remain closely connected to your faith community, using this moment to check in on one another and nurture the deep relationships we’ve formed. Whether through emails, phone calls, virtual gatherings, or in-person meetings, ensure that no one in your community feels isolated during this time.

• Prepare for a Range of Outcomes: While we all hope to see a peaceful transition of power, it’s important to be ready for any unrest that may arise or the spread of misinformation. Utilize the resources we’ve developed to encourage calm and critical thinking in the days ahead.

• Support Our Community: We must prioritize care for those most at risk in our communities—migrants, trans and nonbinary individuals, queer communities, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. Take time to reach out to trusted local coalitions and offer support where possible.

• Mobilize When Necessary: Whether through public demonstrations or behind-the-scenes support, remain flexible and discerning in the days ahead. Keep our organizing and accountability networks active for a coordinated, compassionate response should it become necessary. Resources on risk discernment, safety at protests and more can be found on the Community Resilience Hub.

The Unitarian Universalist Association, along with our Side With Love and Congregational Life teams, is here with you through this time of unknowns. We’ve developed a broad range of tools, resources, and events to help us move forward together, and we will continue to provide thoughtful updates and support in the days ahead with a steady commitment to our shared values.

In times like these, it is natural to feel overwhelmed. Yet we’ve prepared for this. With courage, clarity, and deep love, we will navigate this journey together—whatever the outcome.

In faith and solidarity,

Nicole, Amanda, Amarin, Audra, Brandan, Cathy, G., Jeff, Nora, Ranwa, and Rachel
the Side With Love staff Team

by Rev. Brandan Robertson, Senior Communications Manager, Side With Love

On this Election Day,

One of us will joyfully cast our vote

in hopes that we are moving closer

to a just world—

This act renews our inner strength,

Challenges a closed mind,

And causes our spirit to leap with hope.

On this Election Day,

One of us will serve as a poll worker

and watcher—

Guardians of democracy who show up with patience and courage,

Ensuring every vote is counted

and every voice is heard.

A sacred act of love

for every person in our country.

On this Election Day,

One of us will cast a vote

with our focus set

on a community in need,

Disrupting cycles of oppression,

Loving our neighbors

as we love ourselves,

And seeking to bring peace

to a world marked by division.

On this Election Day,

One of us will vote with holy

and righteous anger aflame within,

As we encounter barriers to the right to have our voices heard,

Barriers to sharing our sacred stories,

Or feel the sting of ignorance working against our dignity.

On this Election Day,

One of us will show up as our fullest self, without fear, demanding to be recognition and affirmation—

Trusting in the power of “we the people,”

Believing again in the

promise of democracy,

And finding courage birthed within us once again.

As we set out in this

most sacred of work today,

Let us release that which has

made us afraid,

Hold close to that which stirs our spirit,

Renew our faith in the strength of the Beloved Community,

For when we bless the world

with our voice and our vote,

we, too, are blessed in return.

 

 

In these challenging times, we draw strength from the sacred truth that people of faith and conscience have been essential to every justice movement in our nation’s history. We are called to be faithful witnesses, to live our values through action and care. This has been true of Unitarian Universalism, from standing for abolition to advancing civil rights and marriage equality. This is our truth. And this is our time.

Let our history of prophetic witness guide us now, so that we may rise to meet every challenge and a commitment to building the Beloved Community. We recognize the sacred work many of you are doing—taking action, providing care and bearing witness within your communities. Though the path ahead may be uncertain, our faith calls us to move forward with clarity and courage, trusting in our shared power to shape a more just and compassionate world.

As we approach November 5th, be aware of the rising disinformation and increasing political violence. While Unitarian Universalist congregations may not be primary targets, we have a moral obligation to be in solidarity with our neighbors—particularly migrants, trans and nonbinary people, queer individuals, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. In these times, we have the opportunity to embody the highest aspirations of our faith. Together, through our care and preparedness, we can take faithful action to respond to the threats facing democracy and our communities. Our connections and shared values are boundless resources. Let us draw deeply from this well in this important moment of our history. 

Here are a few ways we can move forward together in this moment:

• Check in and Communicate: Regularly connect with your communities. Draw on lessons from the pandemic to ensure you have effective communication systems and nimble decision-making strategies for uncertain times.

• Focus on Safety and Security: Be mindful of who enters and exits your building when your community gathers. Utilize de-escalation tools and other resources to ensure the safety and security of your congregation.

• Connect with Local Leaders: Ensure you are in touch with regional UUA staff, local congregations, and organizers in your area. The leadership and experience of those accustomed to working in coalition and responding under pressure will be invaluable. Now is the time to decide whose leadership you will follow in moments of potential post-election instability.6

We at the UUA are committed to staying in close communication with you during this time. Our Side With Love and Congregational Life staff teams are gathering resources to help congregations navigate these uncertain times. Please keep an eye on your inbox, as well as our social media channels and other platforms, where we will share this information.

Throughout this election cycle, we will face many decisions about how best to uphold our values. Some situations will require bold, public action, while others may call for quieter, steadfast support for those who have been targeted by political violence. We must rely on the relationships within our congregations and communities to meet these challenges with wisdom and courage.

Thank you for everything you do in the name of love, justice, and democracy.

In faith and solidarity,

Nicole, Amanda, Amarin, Audra, Brandan, Cathy, G., Jeff, Nora, Ranwa, and Rachel

the Side With Love staff Team

As we approach Election Day, it is critical that we come together to nourish our spirits and move in our collective power. This is about more than one election; it is about grounding ourselves in the values and communities that drive our fight for justice. No matter your issue; climate justice, democracy, gender justice, or criminalization, we are in this work together. That’s why we are excited to invite you to join us for Forward Together: Anchoring in Community Post Election, a virtual series designed to offer space for reflection, spiritual grounding, and practical organizing in response to the evolving political landscape.

RSVP TODAY

Event Details:

Forward Together: After Election Day

• Date & Time: Wed, Nov 6, 8-9 PM ET

A time for spiritual tending, regional connections, and holding space for emotional responses.

Forward Together: Meaning Making & Immediate Action

• Date & Time: TBD (The day the election is called), 8-9 PM ET

A focus on immediate action steps, regional assessments, and spiritual nourishment.

Forward Together: The Way Forward

• Date & Time: Tues, Nov 19, 8-9 PM ET

An opportunity to make political and organizing assessments and care for those navigating post-election challenges.

Our Commitment to the Long Haul 

For more than a decade, Side With Love has brought people of faith together to harness the power of love to overcome fear and oppression and build a world where all people are free and thriving. In 2024, our work through UU the Vote takes up that work in a critical election where our collective action can protect and expand democracy, advance voting rights, and support climate justice, racial justice, and bodily autonomy.  

Faith calls us to the promise and the practice transformation. Forward Together is a part of this long-term strategy. Through this series, we’ll gather to reflect on our faith, values, and next steps as a community committed to justice and love. 

Explore the UU Community Resilience Hub

As part of our commitment to building resilient, safe, and thriving communities, we encourage you to visit the UU Community Resilience Hub a comprehensive resource offering tools, training, and support to help protect our communities and democracy. The hub contains everything from conflict de-escalation to leveraging spiritual and physical assets during critical times. We will be updating this space often to bring you the latest information and resources to equip our communities to meet the challenges and opportunities of this moment.   

Get Involved with State Action Networks

Our Unitarian Universalist State Action Networks (SANs) are crucial in mobilizing local communities for justice. They will also have the latest and best information for state specific actions and community support. For more information on how to get involved with SAN events in your area and to see how you can contribute, visit CUUSAN to find your local SAN. 

Why This Matters 

Moments that define us are made in the actions we take together. Forward Together will include on-the-ground updates, political analysis, and messaging guidance for leaders and partners.  Let us use our time meeting the urgency of the moment while nourishing the networks that build hope and resilience.   

Whether you are passionate about racial justice, environmental resilience, or democracy, we invite you to join us in grounding, reflecting, and organizing in solidarity with the most impacted people.

RSVP TODAY

Together, we can respond to this moment with courage, compassion, and collective action. I hope to see you there.

In faith and solidarity,

your UUA Side With Love team

Earlier this year, Side With Love and UU the Vote program and field staff were joined by UU State Advocacy Network staff and UU volunteers to talk about the impact of UU the Vote on the 2020 and 2022 elections as well as plan for what we will be doing in 2024. This interactive workshop invites us to dive deep into the practices, relationships, and strategies of our electoral organizing that helped us to reach over 5 million voters since 2020.

View the workshop now.

Yesterday morning, two Unitarian Universalist ministers, Rev. Dave Dunn and Rev. Jeff Jones, joined a non-violent direct action to protest the escalating anti-democratic actions of the Georgia Attorney General and the Atlanta City Council. Over the past year, these two tax-funded institutions have waged an ongoing campaign of disinformation, intimidation, and criminalization to repress the grassroots movement to Stop Cop City.

Revs. Dunn and Jones, along with three additional community leaders, were arrested yesterday after halting construction on the site. Side With Love and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee honor the courageous moral witness of these leaders and remain committed to showing up in solidarity with them and the movement to Stop Cop City. To support those who have been arrested, please click here to donate to the bail fund.

Join us to take action and support our local leaders by signing up for rapid response action alerts!

From City Hall to the Attorney General’s office, Republicans, Democrats, and corporate interests have colluded to intimidate activists, silence voters, and repress a movement of people who are simply asking to have a voice in the future of their community. Last month, the Atlanta City Council announced that they would use the “exact match” system to verify the more than 100,000 petition signatures from communities asking for a referendum vote on Cop City. Courts continually ruled that signature verification methods like “exact match” are subjective and discriminatory, with many Georgia voting rights organizations and elected officials condemning its proposed use in the 2018 Georgia election. In late 2018, a U.S. district judge ruled that the system is a “severe burden” for voters.

On Tuesday, 61 Stop Cop City environmental defenders and organizers were indicted in Georgia on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) charges, part of a federal law aimed at punishing criminal enterprises.

Among the list of charges, the indictment explicitly cites “mutual aid, collectivism, and social solidarity” as presumably dangerous ideas that were being promoted by the activists. Make no mistake, this is political repression.

The campaign to Stop Cop City is not about one single issue but about resisting the systems designed to make us all less free in the United States and around the globe.

Commit to joining the movement to Stop Cop City! Join our weekly Action Hour on Thursdays at 3 p.m. EDT.

Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed the criminalization of voting, protests, abortion, and trans and gender-expansive bodies. We’ve witnessed book bans and the rejection of facts and history in American public schools. Doctors, teachers, librarians, and poll workers are being threatened with violence and losing their jobs. As Unitarian Universalists, we not only condemn these actions, but we support people and communities through mutual aid. We build power for justice through collectivism and deepen our relationships and capacity for liberation through social solidarity. These practices are the expression of the core principles we uphold as covenantal faith. The care for our communities is central to a democracy that is truly for the people and by the people. It is what we do when we love one another, in public and in community.

In faith & solidarity,
Side With Love & UUSC: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee

This can be a bittersweet time of year for so many, but we are taking joy in what UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt reminds us is the time when we “come back to each other in our congregations and communities.”

Whether you are coming back to your community after a long time away or whether you have been there all summer, we are grateful for your shared ministry toward collective liberation and beloved community. 

This summer, Side With Love program and field staff created a wealth of events, resources, and opportunities to balance the need to rest and play with the necessity of honing our skills and staying informed and prepared to respond to the ongoing attacks on communities and people beloved of us.

Whether you need a space to grieve and pray, the opportunity to gather with others doing the work, or dedicated time to learn, we have something that will serve you.

Learn

Skill Up Series: Summoning Courage

Skill Ups are our monthly training series on various organizing skills to help strengthen our congregational and community justice teams. These trainings incorporate spiritual fun and hands-on exercizes to help deepen the lesson. Skill Ups occur every 3rd Sunday for 90 minutes, starting at 4 ET / 3 CT / 2 MT / 1 PT.

• Oct 15: Risk Discernment for Congregations

• Nov 19: Faith Out Loud

• Jan 21: Community Safety and Security

Check out the collection of past Skill Ups here.

Gather

Faithful Gathering

Join our Side with Love Fun & Spiritual Nourishment Squad for an hour of spiritual sustenance and grounding with others organizing on the side of love. 

Show up as you are, with whatever is in your heart, and have your camera on or off as you need.

Come drink in the music, meditation, play, and prayer.

We end with a Connection Cafe for those who wish to talk together.

This gathering happens monthly on the 4th Thursday of the month at 4:30 PT / 5:30 MT / 6:30 CT / 7:30 ET.

Register Now

• September 28

• October 26

• November 23

• December 28

• January 25

• February 22

• March 28

• April 25

• May 23

Connect

Monthly Mixers

Following the success of our virtual and in-person mixers for General Assembly, we're thrilled to announce our virtual monthly Side With Love Mixer.

This mixer will be held the 2nd Monday of every month at 5pm PT / 8pm ET.

We know that these times ask a lot of us -- and we know we need one another to stay in the work with hope, joy, impact, and accountability. Join us if you are doing the work on the ground; if you are showing up for and with Side with Love; and/or if you are just learning about Side with Love. Come connect with one another, build community across issues, and have some facetime with our staff.

Register now!

• September 11

• October 9

• November 13

• December 11

• January 8

---

We continue to be committed to our four intersectional justice priorities, work that is even more urgent as we daily see attacks against our climate, democracy, reproductive rights, and our trans and non-binary beloveds.

Create Climate Justice

Register for our Green Sanctuary 2030 Community Meetings, view past trainings, download our Climate Resilience through Disaster Response and Community Care toolkit, subscribe to our dedicated email newsletters for climate justice and the Green Sanctuary 2030 program, and plan a screen of our powerful event, Abolitionist Visions on Climate Justice, with UUA President Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt. Learn more.

UPLIFT Action

Sign up for our dedicated email on reproductive and gender justice (including trans rights), download our Congregational Reproductive Justice Action Guide, learn about our monthly gatherings for Trans/Non Binary+ UUs, and view our past trainings including Responding to Far Right/White Christian Nationalist Threats; “Moral Obligations Transcending Legal Codes”: The Clergy Consultation Service on Abortion; and The Body Politic: Faithful UUs Showing Up for Trans Justice. Learn more.

Love Resists

Find spiritual practices for challenging moments, connect with Stop Cop City organizing, subscribe to our dedicated Love Resists newsletter, download our curriculum for the 2021-2022 Common Read Defund Fear: Safety Without Policing, Prisons, and Punishment; and view our training on arrestee support, What do we do when our conscience goes to jail?: UUs showing up for UUs who show up. Learn more.

UU the Vote

UU the Vote is now a proactive, year-round program to advance voting rights and democracy. Subscribe to our dedicated newsletter for campaign updates, learn about how UUs are protecting democracy throughout the year, and stay up-to-date on events and trainings. Learn more.

The regressive politicians who would force pregnant people to bear children against their will know their position is unacceptable to most voters. Accordingly, they’ve engaged in a systematic campaign to undermine the ability of citizens to use the ballot initiative process in the 24 states that enable proactive initiatives. 

Thankfully, many states only allow elected officials to propose changes to the initiative process and empower voters to accept or reject the proposal. Those states include Ohio, where voters overwhelmingly thwarted a referendum last week that would have raised the threshold to pass a ballot measure from a simple majority to a rarely-achieved 60 percent. The referendum was placed on the ballot by Republican legislators with the intent to stop Ohioans from passing an initiated constitutional amendment in November that would embed abortion rights in the state constitution. 

By a 14 percent margin, Ohioans voted down the invitation to undermine their own political power (Issue 1 on the ballot). While the GOP deliberately scheduled the referendum for a time with notoriously low turnout, voters showed up in force, more than quadrupling turnout from 8 percent last August to 38 percent this year.

Another state battle looms as Missouri Republicans also are seeking a way to obstruct the passage of an expected abortion rights initiative there. Such supermajority requirements are one of three broad categories of tactics currently in use to strip citizens of their lawmaking ability, along with erecting barriers to initiatives reaching the ballot and corrupting voters’ intent post-passage.

As with Issue 1, Unitarian Universalists will be working to register Ohio voters and encourage them to use their democratic power to enact policies reflecting their values and their communities.

Randy Partain, Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cleveland (a hub for signature gathering), notes that many of the folks gathering signatures to place the reproductive rights amendment on the ballot went through Side With Love’s organizing school last fall. They came through with hope, enthusiasm, and a new set of organizing tools,” said Partain.

Taking the Offensive to Protect Voting Rights

Of course, attacks on voting rights aren't limited to direct democracy, and when Congress returns from vacation in September, one of our key tasks will be to refocus their attention on the recently reintroduced Freedom to Vote Act (FTVA).

Attempts to pass restrictive, anti-voter bills, driven by GOP legislators, continue nationwide. At least 11 states already have enacted 13 restrictive voting laws this year, creating barriers for many eligible voters but disproportionately (and intentionally) impacting youth, voters of color, and voters with limited mobility. The FTVA is one essential piece of legislation to fill the gaps created by the U.S. Supreme Court's sabotage of the Voting Rights Act ten years ago with its Shelby v Holder ruling, which enabled states to enact many previously banned voter suppression schemes.

We expect the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, which will implement other needed voter protection measures, to be reintroduced this fall. The Unitarian Universalist Association is part of a team of more than 100 pro-democracy organizations that have united via Declaration for American Democracy, We also have great news to share! As of September, we’ll transform UU the Vote from a bi-annual campaign to a proactive, year-round program to advance voting rights and democracy as we add a Democracy Strategist will join the team.

Along with protecting citizens from being denied their vote, the FTVA includes key actions to shrink the influence of big money in politics, guarantees congressional districts provide fair representation for all, and creates national standards to ensure the integrity and security of federal elections. While the bill fell short of passage last year, it’s far too important to let go of. Please review the key elements of the FTVA, reach out to your community, and contact your federal representatives to demand passage of the FTVA.

One of the nation’s most culturally consequential referendums is underway in Atlanta.

Locals, professional UU organizers, other spiritually grounded activists—including your fellow volunteer UUs—and others from around the world are actively leaning into the work, going door-to-door and busy community sites to collect the signatures needed to bring this issue to a vote.

The City of Atlanta will contribute nearly $70 million to the deletion of at least 13,070,000 square feet of the Weelaunee Forest—developing it into a training ground that militarizes and equips police forces with the skills of insufficient care that (ironically) threaten the safety of the officers and (unironically) threaten the security of the community—if we don't collect enough signatures.

You can contribute to this referendum from wherever you reside, when—and how—you feel called. This is what UUs do.

Join us for the Week of Action July 27th - August 5th

• Online Volunteer Recruitment Phone Canvass Sign Up (Online | Thursday, July 27 at 7:00-8:30 PM ET / 6 CT / 5 MT / 4 PT)

• National Online Action for UUs Sign Up (Online | Thursday, August 3 at 7:00-8:00 PM ET / 6 CT / 5 MT / 4 PT)

• Stop Cop City Volunteer Recruitment Phone Canvass Sign Up (Online | Thursday, August 3 at 7:00-8:30PM ET / 6 CT / 5 MT / 4 PT)

• Weekend of Action Canvas to Stop Cop City Sign Up (Atlanta | Saturday, August 5 at 12:00-3:00 PM ET)

#LetAtlantaBreathe: A UU’s contribution to the #StopCopCity & #DefendTheForest movement.

The UU principle of interdependence may sequentially follow those of justice, peace, and dignity, but respecting, “the interdependent web of all existence” may be the bedrock of those other principles. Can you think of it as the unsurfaced molten rock, the magma of the other principles? Interdependence generates heat, heat generates energy, energy that is transferred to our work in human and environmental rights. What energy will you transfer on?

You have breathed the oxygen made by the trees of the Weelaunee Forest and you’ve felt the rain drops made by its water, too, regardless of where you live.

Such is the interdependence of things.

If the forest is disassembled and replaced by a “city” that trains police but is unable to house the many unhoused, if it is forced to relive being kidnapped from Native stewards and plundered for gain, then its energy is being mis-transferred and misused.

This is a moment of justice. As much as it feels like a fight, it is a moment for you to contribute to peace.

The idea of this development sprung from the protests following George Floyd’s murder. The corporate sponsors and police want to protect their interests, property and capital. We must protect and defend our collective interests: clean air, responsible stewardship of the land, safety and care for our neighbors, and a democratic and accountable government. For all of our collective interests, this project is an immediate threat.

We must #LetAtlantaBreathe.

Responding to the call to contribute, no matter where you are.

#StopCopCity & #DefendTheForest is historic, and you belong in its fold. This is what UUs do.

This referendum will be a first in the city’s 186-year history. Referendums are relatively common in other parts of the United States—particularly the west—but Georgia and the majority of southern states don’t have citizen-led processes like these because most states with enslaved people did not want to create the opportunity for people to directly decide on policies.

• Read the 2023 Action of Immediate Witness Stop Cop City

  As Unitarian Universalists, we recognize the momentum of collective action to demand social change, and we call upon the UUA and its member congregations to stop Cop City;

  As Unitarian Universalists, we will take action through self-organized phone zaps, mass email campaigns, personal and institutional divestment from banks funding Cop City construction, and other solidarity actions against investors, funders, and other corporate partners across the U.S. and Canada;

  As Unitarian Universalists, we will support those engaged in direct action to stop Cop City with spiritual and material resources, by writing letters to incarcerated activists and calling for their immediate release from jail, demanding that all charges against them be dropped, and providing spiritual care for protestors and survivors of police violence; and

  As Unitarian Universalists, we will continue to deepen our theological grounding in issues of environmental justice and policing.

• Donate Now

• Sign up form to get involved

To join, sign up for one of our Week of Action educational activities and learn about phone banking and canvassing. If you’re in Atlanta on Saturday, August 5, come collect signatures with us. Who else will you invite?

With the deepest gratitude and in solidarity,

Nicole Pressley
Field & Programs Director for Side With Love

The Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team is hiring!

Our Democracy Strategist will work with Unitarian Universalist individuals, congregations, and institutions to equip, engage and mobilize them for impactful, values-based pro-democracy organizing. This person will deepen collaborative organizing partnerships with secular and multifaith coalitions and organizations who are working on voting rights, electoral justice, building multi-racial democracy, and fighting authoritarianism and fascism.

If you have 5+ years’ experience with electoral and/or voting rights campaigns at the local, regional, and/or national level, look at the job description and apply!

Democracy Strategist

Title: Democracy Strategist

Location: Open*

Hours/Week: 35, with benefits

Purpose

To equip, engage, and mobilize Unitarian Universalist individuals, congregations, and institutions for impactful, values-based pro-democracy organizing through Side With Love’s campaigns and programs. To maintain and deepen collaborative organizing partnerships with secular and multifaith coalitions and organizations working in the areas of voting rights, electoral justice, building multi-racial democracy and fighting authoritarianism and fascism.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Serves as the lead strategist of the UU the Vote campaign; designs and leads the execution of a national, multi-strategy, hybrid program that engages our base to build power, deepen leadership capacity, and take impactful action in alignment with Unitarian Universalist values and pro-democratic movements for justice. Convenes the SWL team and related UUA partners to execute the strategy.

2. Creates year-round programming that incorporates longer-term democracy organizing with short-term campaign work related to electoral cycles, including primaries, direct democracy campaigns, ballot initiatives and referenda, and general elections.

3. Manages and develops strategic partnerships. Nurtures and serves as primary liaison for partnerships between UU congregations and statewide, regional and national partners within the broader ecosystem of pro-democracy and voting work.

4. Designs accessible, inspiring volunteer recruitment and training strategies that allow UUs with diverse identities, skills, capacities, and passions to meaningfully participate in electoral and pro-democracy work.

5. Identifies strategic opportunities within the democracy and voting rights landscape to mobilize UU communities for concrete, impactful, on-the-ground engagement with non-partisan campaigns in key places. In consultation with the Field Organizing team, identifies and provides direct support to these congregations/communities to develop leadership, grow capacity and skill, and mobilize in support of local and state campaigns and movements.

6. Engages in regular assessment of program effectiveness and impact, including qualitative and quantitative metrics. Provides comprehensive annual analysis and reporting on the overall program.

7. Oversees online programs that support UU the Vote leaders around the country, including coaching, political education, organizing training, and spiritual grounding. In consultation with Field Organizing Team, develops training programs to equip volunteer leaders and congregational teams with the concrete skills needed to develop organizing plans for their own religious communities, and effectively recruit and mobilize fellow congregants to carry out those strategies.

8. Plans and executes in-person and online gatherings to train, coordinate, and mobilize UUs and their partners at critical moments.

9. Supports the use and implementation of voter contact tools and other technologies, such as dialers, mobile apps, and the voter file for UU participants.

10. Stays up-to-date on electoral landscape and provides briefing for UUA staff, UU partners, and congregations.

11. Researches and analyzes electoral and voting rights landscape of target states.

12. Supervises UU the Vote Fellows, interns, and other UU the Vote-specific paid or volunteer staff.

13. Other responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

This is exempt Grade 12 position (expected hiring range of $62,000-$70,000 depending on experience). Note that qualifications may be met as a result of lived experience, volunteer work, professional experience, and/or formal or informal training. Requirements include:

• Must be able to work independently and be highly self-motivated, demonstrate creative problem-solving and excellent professional judgment, possess resiliency and ability to work in a rapidly changing and fast-paced environment

• 5+ years’ experience with electoral and/or voting rights campaigns at the local, regional, and/or national level

• Experience managing program or organization budgets

• Preferred proficiency with digital tools critical for organizing, such as EveryAction, VAN, Slack, dialers, Google Suite and social media platforms

• Excellent skills in building and maintaining partner and constituent relationships, including strong preference for experience working with faith leaders, congregations, and coalitions

• Commitment to developing organizing strategies and partnerships that align with Unitarian Universalist values and principles.

• Ability to act collaboratively and flexibly as a member of a remote staff team, including proficiency with technologies such as Google docs, Slack, Asana, Zoom, etc.

• Solid verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

• Proven ability to design and facilitate group experiences (in person and remotely) that engage, educate, and empower participants to deepen their leadership skills and mobilize others to work for justice.

• Deep commitment to countering systems of oppression and leading with intercultural fluency and humility. Worked or lived experience with Black/Indigenous/communities of color, LGBTQIA+ communities, and poor and/or rural communities is of particular value.

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.

• Ability to travel if and when pandemic conditions allow

• Willingness to work with volunteers whose schedules require convening meetings and events on evenings or weekends.

* Location is open in the continental United States. You should have easy access to a major airport due to the travel requirements of this position.

How to Apply

People with disabilities, people of color, indigenous people, Hispanic/Latinx, and LGBTQ candidates are encouraged to apply. The UUA is committed to developing a diverse and talented staff team. If you are excited about this role, but are unsure whether you meet 100% of the requirements, we encourage you to inquire and/or apply. Send cover letter and résumé—indicating “Democracy Strategist ” in the subject line—via e-mail to careers @ uua.org, via fax to (617) 948-6467, or to Human Resources, UUA, 24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210. E-mail submissions preferred.

About the UUA

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive religious denomination headquartered in Boston’s waterfront Fort Point Innovation District. Our faith community of more than 1,000 self-governing congregations brings to the world a vision of religious freedom, tolerance, and social justice. Our normal workweek is 35 hours, we pay 80% contribution towards health insurance premiums, 10% towards retirement (after one year), and have generous paid time-off policies.

We are a great place to work and we value diversity. The UUA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all. As part of this commitment, the UUA will ensure that applicants and staff with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (617) 948-4648 or humanresources@uua.org.

Proof of a full course vaccination against COVID-19 is a requirement of employment, in alignment with the UUA's commitments to science and equity, protecting those who are most vulnerable. Medical exemptions are considered upon recommendation from a provider.

Please contact the Office of Human Resources at (617) 948-4648 or humanresources@uua.org. For more information on the UUA, visit us online at UUA.org and uuworld.org.

Support for the Mission and Values of the Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association is a progressive and historic religious denomination. While it is not generally required or expected that an applicant/employee identify as a Unitarian Universalist (UU) or be a member of a UU congregation in order to work at the UUA, all UUA staff members are expected to perform their job duties in accordance with the UUA’s values, principles and mission. In particular the following points, drawn from the Seven UU Principles, are of particular importance for the UUA’s work environment and staff culture:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every human being: We affirm the need for a human-centered workplace that allows our diverse staff to flourish. We also understand that our wider culture and society oppresses and denies human dignity, and we seek to counter the effects of that oppression in our hiring and workplace culture so that each person feels whole and valued.

• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all: We speak openly and publicly of our support for social and political issues, including LGBTQ equity, racial justice, climate justice, gender equity, and reproductive justice.

• The interdependent web of existence: We recognize that the liberation of all people is interwoven, and we work to counter patriarchy, white supremacy, colonialism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, environmental exploitation, and other interrelated systems of marginalization.

As part of this commitment, the UUA will ensure that applicants and staff with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something. – John Lewis

 Today would have been John Lewis’ 83rd birthday. Millions of people have been inspired by Lewis’ courageous commitment to racial justice and electoral justice. Along with other people of faith and conscience like James Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, John Lewis is a spiritual elder and ancestor who invites us to side with love rather than fear. 

Last year, hundreds of UU congregations and individual UUs worked tirelessly ahead of the 2022 election, which helped us reach more than 2 million voters during a time when voter suppression was strong. Inspired by Lewis’ famous quote – Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. –  UU the Vote debuted Good Trouble Congregations, an ambitious effort for congregations to support democracy in their communities with the following goals:

• Average 20 postcards or letters per member

• Average 200 text messages per member

• Average 20 calls per member

• Average 20 doorknocks per member

• Reach 20 percent volunteer engagement

• Average 2 newly registered voters per member

• At least 2 congregants are line warmers, poll workers, or poll watchers

We are delighted and thrilled to announce the congregations who fulfilled 4 or more of the above criteria to become Good Trouble Congregations.

• Aiken Unitarian Universalist Church (SC)

• All Souls Church Unitarian (DC) 

• All Souls Unitarian Universalist Congregation (CO)

• Bay de Noc UU Fellowship (MI)

• Borderlands UU (AZ)

• Chalice UU Fellowship of the Conejo Valley (CA)

• Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church (GA)

• High Plains Church Unitarian Universalist (CO)

• Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church (WI)

• Unitarian Society of New Haven (CT)

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Surprise (AZ)

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg (SC)

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester (MA)

• Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica (CA)

• Unitarian Universalist Community of the Mountains (CA)

• Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport (CT)

• Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Frederick (MD)

• Unitarian Universalist Society of Schenectady (NY)

• Universalist Unitarian Church of Farmington (MI)

• UU Congregation of Caldwell County (NC)

• UU Congregation of Phoenix (AZ)

• UU Fellowship of Marshfield (WI)

• UU Westside Congregation (NM)

• Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation (AZ)

Join us on February 28 at 7:00pm ET/6pm CT/5pm MT/4pm PT for the Good Trouble Congregation Celebration. Come hear from partners, President Susan Frederick-Gray and keynote speaker Tiffany Flowers from The Frontline.  There will be a special recognition ceremony for congregations as well as folks who served as poll workers and Election Defenders. 

RSVP for the Good Trouble Congregation Celebration on February 28th!

We are delighted and honored to announce The Frontline’s Campain Director Tiffany Flowers will be the Keynote speaker for our Good Trouble Congregations Celebration on Tuesday, February 28 at 7pm ET/4pm PT.

She will join Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray and other special guests, including our Good Trouble Congregations!

The Frontline was our lead partner in training crucial Election Defenders in 2020 and 2022, and is a powerful coalition made up of  Working Families Organization, Working Families Party, United We Dream Action, and by the Movement for Black Lives Electoral Justice Project. 

RSVP Now

“Speak up, speak out, get in the way. Get in good trouble, necessary trouble, and help redeem the soul of America.” Late Rep. John Lewis’ words call on us to find the moral courage to build democracy and society where all of us can thrive. It calls on us to be uncomfortable, to take risks, to engage our communities and face injustice with prophetic imagination and action.

From phonebanks, talking to neighbors, and showing up at the polls and drop boxes to protect voter access, the stories and activities of our UU the Vote community has been inspiring. On February 28, let us share those stories, celebrate our work, and prepare for the work ahead. Join us on February 28 at 7:00pm ET/6pm CT/5pm MT/4pm PT for the Good Trouble Celebration.

I'm In!

When we organize, we build power in our communities for justice, accountability, and healing. In the last two years, UU the Vote has built new networks of spiritual and political communities to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate. We know what's at stake; LGBTQ rights, abortion access, voting rights and democracy itself are all on ballots all over the country

 With UU the Vote 2022 we’re organizing on the state and local levels to fight for fair elections, advance voting rights, protect abortion access, and resist the targeting and criminalization of Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities. 

 Last weekend, we officially launched UU the Vote 2022 and you're invited to join us!

• Watch and share the recording of UU the Vote 2022 Launch

• Download the new 2022 UU the Vote Launch Guide

• Download the slides from the event

UU the Vote Campaign Manager JaZahn Hicks shares his two asks now that we've launched:

“I know the amazing work that you all did in 2020, and hearing from you at the launch, I can see how you did it. You are all dedicated, passionate, fired up about justice and grounded in your faith and principles. We lift up and are truly thankful for those of you who have already started the hard work in your congregations and communities, and we want to hear about it!”

1) Get counted! We know many of you are already acting in primary elections, voter registration drives, and much more. Share your work in the Story and Report form and give your work counted in our national goals.

2) No good campaign can exist without a good volunteer base. Volunteers are the backbone of every movement and ours is no different. We need YOU! We need phonebankers, canvassers, tech and data specialists, trainers, volunteer coordinators and so much more if we are going to be successful in 2022. Be a part of that.

Find a role that works for you at our Volunteer Activation Huddle, Apr 21, 2022, 7:30pm-8:30pm EST! Sign up and share the link to 5 of your friends.

This campaign is only going to work when we all get involved. We have opportunities all over the country and priorities we need to address and we can’t do it alone. We have to join together and fight for our beliefs, our values and our democracy. Take that next step with us on April 21st at 730pm EST. I hope to see you all there."