Greetings!
 Thank you to the many UUs who attended the Faith Rally for Marriage Equality last Thursday. It was a great event and we were a strong presence in UU numbers, in UU clergy, and in UU energy.
Working with partner OutFront Minnesota, we hope to get a marriage bill through committee hearings this year as a way to build towards successful passage in just a couple of years. It is long term social change work, and it is buoyed up by powerful events like this rally.
As the legislative session is now in full swing, our work with the HIRE Minnesota coalition is a key focus. We are at the Capitol this week lining up Representatives and Senators to co-sponsor a hiring equity bill. This bill would ensure that bonding funds offer real opportunities for low income people and people of color to find meaningful work in infrastructure and the new green economy.
We will keep you posted about ways you can help move this racial equity legislation and a bonding bill that is equitable and will create jobs. If you can join us tomorrow morning, the annual release of the Report Card on Racial Equity is an excellent way to show support for our ally organizations.
In other MUUSJA news, our Reproductive Rights-Sacred Choices campaign invites you to this Friday evening's film and inter-generational discussion night.
Our working groups are all busy with preparations for General Assembly (registration opens March 1!), and the Prairie Star District annual conference is just around the corner!
Ralph Wyman
MUUSJA Director/Organizer
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| MUUSJA Action News |
 Film: I Had an Abortion
Friday, February 19
7:00 pm
First Universalist Church
3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis
Cutting across age, race, class and religion, this film - by Gillian Aldrich and Jennifer Baumgardner - movingly shares personal narratives of 10 women who candidly describe experiences spanning seven decades
from the years before Roe v. Wade to the present day.
Join AUW & MUUSJA's Reproductive Rights Sacred Choices for this screening and an intergenerational discussion among UU parents, teens, young adults, mentors and friends.
Free admission, refreshments served. RSVPs appreciated to Sara:
612-729-2028 mckru@comcast.net
 UUs Out 4 Marriage
Wednesday, March 3
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship
10715 Zenith Avenue South
Bloomington, MN 55431
We'll be planning out the details of our exciting "Beyond 'Duh': UU Youth Speak on Marriage Equality" workshop for General Assembly this June.
UUO4M wants at least 500 UUs to march, with a float, in the Pride Parade on the Sunday of GA. There is also a Pride booth to staff so we can reach out and connect to LGBT people and allies who may be looking for our unique liberal religious communities. G.A. Saturday Advocacy event, too. FFI Ralph: 612-998-6624 or rwmuusja@gmail.com
MUUSJA Board Meeting
Thursday, March 4 7 - 9 pm First Unitarian Society 900 Mount Curve, Minneapolis All
are warmly welcomed to attend and to join in conversation at our monthly board
meeting. Contact Ralph at 612-998-6624 or rwmuusja@gmail.com for information or to request an agenda.  Voting RightsSaturday, March 6 10:00 am - noon First Universalist Church Room 206 3400 Dupont Ave S, Minneapolis Voting Rights is presenting a workshop at GA that will feature Mark Ritchie and highlight Minnesota's 36 year successful history of same-day voter registration. A Revitalizing American Democracy Congregational Study Action Issue has also been proposed for consideration at this year's General Assembly. FFI Jenny jjt@jjthomas.net Thursday, March 11 7:00 - 9:00 pm First Universalist Church 3400 Dupont Ave S Keep up with the notes and activities of MUUSJA EcoMinds via our announcement list, and join us for this next monthly meeting. EcoMinds is our connection point to the HIRE Minnesota coalition, and is also working on a General Assembly workshop as well as a networking event for climate change-minded UUs during GA. FFI Catie: catiechi@ix.netcom.com
Save the Date!
 MUUSJA Spring General Meeting
Sunday, April 11
Location TBA
Featured speaker: Dane
Smith, President, Growth & Justice
Dane is a member of Unity Church Unitarian in St. Paul and the organization he leads "believe[s] that at a time of deep partisan division, Minnesotans can
unite around one goal: a strong and growing state economy that provides
a decent standard of living for all. Social justice cannot always be
imposed by governments. It more often flows naturally from widespread
access to economic opportunity."
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Prairie Star District Annual Conference
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Roots and Wings : Weaving Multigenerational Dreams
April 23-25, 2010
Davenport, Iowa
Registration is now open for the District's Annual Conference. Early registration discount and hotel block rate guarantee ends March 16th.
Friday Pre-Conference Workshops
MUUSJA works with the Prairie Star District Social Justice Network to support the annual Pre-Conference Workshops. Pre-conference training is Friday, April 23rd, 9 am - 3:30 pm, and ends in
time to attend the evening's activities. There are two sessions: Roots and Wings for Anti-Racism (morning) and Politics of Marriage Equality (afternoon), with lunch available. Pre-conference event registration is just $5-$13 depending on sessions selected and optional lunch.
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UU & Allied Social Justice Events
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 Organizing Apprenticeship Project
Legislative Report Card Release
Thursday, February 18th
10:00 a.m.
Minnesota State Capitol
Room 125
75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
St. Paul, Minnesota
The Organizing Apprenticeship Project works to advance racial,
cultural, social and economic justice in Minnesota through organizer
and leadership training, policy research and strategic convening work. Their annual Report Card on Racial Equity release is a much-anticipated event during the legislative session. Come see how the legislature - and your representatives - did for 2009. A great way to work for an even better outcome in 2010!
Afghanistan in Diplomatic Perspective:
William Davnie on "The Curse of Bilateralism in U.S. Policy"
Thursday, February 18
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Free admission
Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church
511
Groveland Avenue, Minneapolis
There are various ways to analyze the current
situation in Afghanistan and critique the justifications for the sharp
increases in U.S. troops there. Hear William Davine's perspecitve as a 26 year foreign service veteran. Now retired, he served in Tajikistan, adjacent to Afghanistan,
and was in Baghdad in the summer of 2007 during the "surge" in that
country.
 ProChoice Lobby Day 2010
Thursday, March 4
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, such as restoring funding for family planning at the Health Department, bringing comprehensive sex ed to our schools, and the basic right of women to choose. Registration (no charge) is now open.
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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
ralph@muusja.org
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Re-Imagined Valeitine's Day
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Minnesota UUs Stood on the Side of Love on February 11th! And we were part of a much larger "re-imagining Valentine's Day" movement that included events in over 100 locations around the country, and around the world, for Freedom to Marry week.
You can watch video of UU Director of Advocacy and Witness Rev. Meg Riley speaking at the MN capitol right on the home page of MUUSJA. We have a beautiful photo gallery of the February rally on our Facebook page (need not be a Facebook member to view).
And check out Standing on the Side of Love for photos, blog reports, and more from the 100+ SSL actions around the nation!
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Like seeing UUs take action on your issues?
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Support us!
Help make MUUSJA a clear moral voice for justice with your donation to MUUSJA. We accept secure, tax deductible, online donations via Paypal: Checks can be mailed to: MUUSJA c/o PSD 122 W. Franklin Ave Suite 303 Minneapolis, MN 55404 Thank you to the Prairie Star District of the UUA, our fiscal sponsor. |
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Getting ready for GA in the Twin Cities
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MUUSJA has been fielding some inquiries already, so we offer the following tips:
If you want to be an official GA volunteer to receive free registration, applications are accepted Mar 1 - Mar 31. Volunteers work 24 hours during GA. Conference hotel rates range from $115 to $164/night. Limited U of M dorm space is offered at a flat rate of $260/5 nights. MUUSJA is hosting three workshops during GA. The workshops are scheduled for 1 pm, 2:45 pm and 4:30 pm, all on Thursday, June 24th. This summary program grid is a handy way to get an overview of the whole sequence of GA. Hope Community will be the service project this year, and there are hands-on opportunities during GA. Twin Cities Pride Weekend is during GA! There will be a public witness event in Loring Park at lunchtime on Saturday, June 26. And on Sunday, June 27th, right after the morning worship, MUUSJA and the other UU State Advocacy Networks invite GA attendees to join local UUs as we march with a float in the annual Pride Parade. |
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Would you like MUUSJA to speak at your congregation?
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Representatives of MUUSJA are available to speak at adult forums, RE classes, and for Sunday morning worships.
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Contact Ralph to find out more:
612-998-6624
ralph@muusja.org
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