Greetings!
 What an amazing turnout we had for The Education of Shelby Knox presented by the AUW/MUUSJA Sacred Choices campaign! MUUSJA congratulates the leadership team for an excellent job, and thanks everyone of the 60 people who attended!
UUs from at least 5 area congregations, including nearly two dozen youth and young adults, gathered together
to be inspired by the story of Shelby, a highschool student who took on her school board and her city to try and address the crisis of teen pregnancy in Lubbock, Texas.
 After the film nine volunteer facilitators took inter-generational groups through a series of questions to stimulate conversation, thoughtfulness and action on this challenging issue.
The Sacred Choices campaign also mobilized the audience: over 120 postcards were signed which will be delivered to legislators, and everyone was encouraged to attend ProChoice Lobby Day on March 25th (see below for details).
Participants also took home 'refrigerator cards' to remind them to call their US representatives in D.C. on March 23-24 for Sexuality Education Call-In Days. Whether you were at the film or not, YOU can join with UUs around the country for this important UUA Social Justice action - easy instructions are at the UUA Action of the Month.
Finally, we hope to see you at 1 pm on March 29th for MUUSJA's Spring Meeting featuring Louis J. King, President of Summit Academy and co-chair of H.I.R.E. Minnesota. H.I.R.E. is building a powerful organization for green jobs and economic justice. See the article just to the right for full details. Come learn about how we UUs can partner with community organizations to ensure that the green economy benefits everyone. We will also conduct some brief business including distributing our annual report. Our nominating committee would like to hear from you with recommendations for new MUUSJA board members. See you soon! In faith, Ralph Wyman
MUUSJA Director/Organizer
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MUUSJA Board Meeting
Thursday, March 12
7 - 9 pm
Unity Church Unitarian
732 Holly Ave, St. Paul 55104
All
are welcome to attend and to join in conversation at our monthly board
meeting. Nominations for MUUSJA board are on this month's agenda to prepare for the Spring Meeting. Please contact us (even if after March 12) for info on being a MUUSJA board member! Contact Ralph at 612-998-6624 or rwmuusja@gmail.com for information or to request an agenda.
AUW/MUUSJA Voter RightsSaturday, March 14 1 - 3 pm First Universalist Church 3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis Work
on the Voter Rights proposed Action of Immediate Witness (AIW) & Voter Rights Workshop: "Does Touchscreen Voting Violate the 5th Principle?" for G.A. 2009 in Salt Lake City! Several federal bills on election integrity have
been introduced and need the support of UUs across the nation. An AIW
is a great way to build national UU interest. Mark
Ritchie is also scheduled to appear at GA. FFI Jenny Thomas jjthomas@skypoint.com or Carol Johnson 612-825-3322.
MUUSJA EcoMinds
Tuesday, March 18
7-9 pm
First Universalist Church
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis
Work on Clean Cars
legislation & postcard campaign, track other legislative objectives
and strategize responses; How can UUs connect to and support the H.I.R.E. coalition? Earth Day is rapidly approaching, too. FFI
contact Ralph at rwmuusja@gmail.com
AUW/MUUSJA Reproductive Rights-Sacred Choices
Saturday, March 21
10-11:30 a.m. (9:30 social time)
First Universalist Church
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis
Recap the wonderful Shelby Knox event. Prep for ProChoice Lobby Day on March 25 (RSVPs at the web site encouraged) - including distribution of the 120+ postcards generated at Shelby Knox. Begin discerning 2009-2010 group goals/priorities. FFI contact Sara mckru@comcast.net.
MUUSJA Spring Meeting
Sunday, March 29
1-2:30 pm
First Universalist, Chalice Room
3400 Dupont Ave S., Minneapolis
H.I.R.E. coalition's Louis King is the featured speaker. Learn about how green jobs are happening right here in Minnesota & what UUs can do to support the effort! Full details are in the sidebar article -->
MUUSJA Monthly Conference Call
Our regular monthly call would be April 5 but we are encouraging everyone to attend the PSD Annual Conference which ends on Sunday, April 5. Be there to connect with other justice advocates in person! Our monthly call will resume on Sunday, May 3. May details in an upcoming Connection.
Jubilee Anti-Racism Workshop
Saturday, April 25
First Unitarian Society
900 Mt. Curve
The Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of D.R.U.U.M. (Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries) invites everyone to join them for an all-day anti-racism training. The curriculum is the Jubilee program - in a more compressed 1 day format - and is facilitated by Janice Marie Johnson. Janice has
served with The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center, as a trustee in our UU United Nations
Office, on the UU Commission on Appraisal, and as president of DRUUMM. Registration is $50 ($40 youth/young adult) and also includes Friday night entertainment. Contact Catie Chi Olson for info: (612) 807-6645; (612) 354-3863. Co-sponsored by MUUSJA.
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Prairie Star District Annual Conference
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 Our Blue Boat Home: Living the Seventh Principle
April 3-5, 2009
Duluth, Minnesota
Make plans now to attend the PSD Annual Conference! Conference Information is now available on the PSD web site. Online registration is still open!
MUUSJA works with the Prairie Star District Social Justice Network to support the annual Pre-Conference Social Justice Training. This year's topic is Successful Strategies for Environmental Justice. Pre-conference training is Friday afternoon, April 3rd, and ends in time to attend the evening's conference activities. Training is only $5 if registering for the Conference/$10 as a stand-alone event. Over 60 people have registered for this workshop, and there is still room for YOU!
Panelists have regional, national and international experience in environmental justice to share with us. Breakout sessions will allow interaction and detailed discussions. See the full-color flyer here.
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MUUSJA's EcoMinds, together with UU Congregation Duluth, and MUUSJA/AUW's Reproductive Rights/Sacred Choices each have workshops during the Saturday sessions of the Annual Conference! And MUUSJA and PSD-SJN will be offering a Saturday morning workshop as well. Details are here and here.
We hope to see you there!!
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UU & Allied Social Justice Events
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Sustainability Film Series: See cutting edge
documentaries!
Bell Museum of Natural History
Thursday, March 12 & multiple dates
7 pm
http://www.sustainability.umn.edu/minor/sustfilm.html
King Corn. By growing an acre of corn in Iowa two friends uncover the devastating
impact that corn is having on the environment, public health and family
farms. This film does an excellent job
of demonstrating the complexity of the industrial food system from seed to
plate, in a lively, insightful, and youthful manner. Directed by Aaron Woolf. Film series continues into late April.
6th Anniversary of the Iraq War - Rally and March
Saturday, March 21
Noon
Martin Luther King Park, 270 Kent St., St.
Paul
Troops Out
Now: Rally at noon at Martin Luther King Park for an end to the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, money for human
needs, funds for jobs, education, housing, veterans' benefits and health care ...
NOT war! Martin Luther King Park is one
block east of Dale near the corner of Marshall and Kent. The march to the
Capitol will begin at 12:30 For more information call WAMM at 612-827-5364 or
Marie Braun at 612-522-1861.
The UUA also encourages you to take action: visit their 2009 Anniversary of Invasion web page for action details.
ProChoice Lobby Day 
Wednesday, March 25
8:45 am - 2:30 pm - training & lobbying
NOON - Rally
Minnesota State Capitol building
75 MLK Drive, St. Paul
Raise Your Voice for Choice! Lobby Day is an
excellent way to get involved -- tell your senator and
representative what issues matter to YOU, their constituent, and how
you are expecting them to vote on issues facing them this legislative
session including comprehensive sex ed. Details and registration at ProchoiceLobbyday.org. Please make plans to attend the noon rally if you can't devote the day to lobbying! FFI visit the web site above, or call NARAL 651-602-7655.
JustFair Lobby Day for LGBT Equality
Thursday, April 23
MN State Capitol
UUO4M invites everyone to join together as UUs as we stand on the side of love! Marriage equality is is a proud part of our Unitarian Universalist legacy - help bring this critical piece of equality to all Minnesotans. JustFair lobby day will be the launch of a multi-year effort for marriage equality, and faith voices like ours will play a crucial role! Registration is open now. Details at OutFront.org. And join us at Unity on Monday, April 6th at 7 pm as UUO4M continues to organize UU engagement in bringing fairness to Minnesota!
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MUUSJA is dedicated to building the UU social justice movement in Minnesota. Please contact us with your event suggestions, questions about how to get involved, or to update your information with us.
Sincerely,
Ralph Wyman, Director/Organizer
MUUSJA
612-998-6624
rwmuusja@gmail.com
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H.I.R.E. Minnesota at MUUSJA Spring Meeting
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Sunday, March 29th, 1:00 pm
First Universalist Church, Chalice Rm. 3400 Dupont Ave S. Minneapolis, 55408 MapCome hear community leader Louis King speak about H.I.R.E. Minnesota - the Health care, Infrastructure and Renewable Energy coalition. H.I.R.E. is working to leverage public investments that grow our economy, provide living wages to low-income people and people of color, and promote a healthy communities. Louis King is the President and C.E.O. of Summit Academy O.I.C., which is the only community-based vocational training and job placement program in North Minneapolis. Summit empowers adults and prepares youth residing in
the most economically depressed neighborhoods in the Twin Cities to
become educated, employed contributing members of their community. Mr. King is an inspiring speaker who will help MUUSJA understand ho wwe can partner with H.I.R.E. to ensure that everyone benefits from the new, green economy!
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H.I.R.E. is calling for 20,000 people to converge on St. Paul to demand green jobs with economic justice! Plan now to attend this major pre-Earth Day rally!! Mon. Apr. 20th:
Capitol Day! 3-5pm
Minnesota State Capitol-South Lawn Details here |
| Thank You! |
We rely on YOU, our members and friends, to fund many of the activities of MUUSJA. Help make MUUSJA a STRONG moral voice for justice by renewing or joining MUUSJA. To make a contribution download this form to mail in your donation. Or call Ralph at 612-998-6624 for more information on memberships and giving. --=-- MUUSJA wishes to thank our funders. We are supported in part by the UUSC and the First Universalist Foundation. The Prairie Star District of the UUA acts as our fiscal sponsor. We are grateful for their support and assistance. |
Greening the Recovery: Van Jones named to White House Council on Environment
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 The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley announced March 10th
that Van Jones -- an early green jobs visionary -- will start Monday as
Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at CEQ:
Van Jones has been a strong
voice for green jobs and we look forward to having him work with
departments and agencies to advance the President's agenda of creating
21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable
resources. Jones will also help to shape and advance the
Administration's energy and climate initiatives with a specific
interest in improvements and opportunities for vulnerable communities.
Jones is the founder of Green For All, an organization focused on creating green jobs in impoverished
areas. He is also the co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights and Color of Change, and was the author of the 2008 New York
Times best-seller, The Green Collar Economy. -=-
UUs witnessed first hand the effect that Van Jones can have on audiences. His 2008 Ware lecture moved and motivated the General Assembly audince to ovation and energized us to work for a green recovery.
MUUSJA congratulates Van Jones and we look forward to future work together!
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