October 2012:   Partnerships for Justice—Here’s Help to Engage Your Congregation

Dear Friends:

This month’s October Social Justice Bulletin has resources and organizing campaigns for congregational justice ministries focused on and creating partnerships for:

• Racial Justice & Mass Incarceration: The UUA Common Read for 2012-13 is The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. See her GA presentation posted on our website (you can watch it with your congregation).  Discussion guide available this week! 
• Economic Justice—Fair Wages & Adopt a Walmart Campaign:      
  • Fair Minimum Wage Act has been introduced. We need Clergy and Religious Leaders to Sign On to the Interfaith Letter.
  • November 23, ‘Black Friday’ Adopt-a-Walmart Campaign from Interfaith Worker Justice: ‘Black Friday’ is the biggest shopping day of the year. Sample prayer services, flash mob ideas and skit suggestions, sample letter to deliver to the store manager available, and a calendar of registered events—find one near you or organize one!
• Immigrant Justice & Stopping Deportations:  Sign up for the interfaith Restoring Trust: Resisting ICE's Secure Communities Mass Deportation Program. Learn how we can help protect thousands of immigrant families, uphold constitutional due process protections, and restore public trust between local police and the immigrant community. 
• LGBTQ Justice-Transgender Justice:
  • October 17, 7pm Eastern: Transgender Identity & Inclusion Webinar: How familiar are you with the infinite variety of gender identity and expression in the world? Find out more about the T in LGBTQ.
  • November 20, Transgender Day of Remembrance: Vigil resources include statement from Rev. Peter Morales, sample opening remarks, sample litany, suggested hymns and readings, sample prayers and additional resources.

See October Social Justice Bulletin for more information and links.  Please post on your bulletin board and website, forward to your committees and task forces, and share with your congregation.

Just In:

• Reproductive Justice—New Curriculum!: With Reproductive Justice as the new 2012-2016 Congregational Study/Action Issue, UUs have an opportunity to transform our congregations and our world to be more loving and more just. On November 1, a new curriculum from the UUA will be available to help introduce ‘reproductive justice’ to congregations. Find out more and sign up.
• Immigrant Justice--A Wish for the Holidays Children’s Activity: This fall, the UUA and Standing on the Side of Love are participating in "A Wish for the Holidays", the children’s letter writing campaign to ask Congress keep all of our families and communities together. At www.WeBelongTogether.org/wish, you’ll find age-appropriate activities to spark letter-writing, background information to help adults explain these issues to children, and more. 

Best Practice: At Justice GA, three congregations shared their stories. See the video of Partnering Congregations and Community Organizations and learn how you can deepen your congregation’s justice ministries.  Together we are building Beloved Community.

Lastly, we’re pleased to announce that Annette Marquis has joined our Multicultural Growth & Witness Team, serving as the LGBTQ and Multicultural Ministries Program Manager.  Learn more about Annette in the October issue of Catalyst.

In faith, Audra, Craig, Jessica, Kat, Meredith, Susan, and Taquiena - UUA Witness Ministries Team  

See www.uua.org/justice for resources, campaign stories, and more!