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Unitarian Universalist Association Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
February 2011 Youth Newsletter
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 Letter from the Editor
FOR WHICH WE STAND
Dear Friends,
On December 11, 2010 Unitarian Universalists from at least five congregations peacefully stood with others between protesters from the Westboro Baptist Church (members of which travel the country targeting events with messages of hate) and mourners attending the funeral service celebrating the life of Elizabeth Edwards in Raleigh, North Carolina. On February 14, 2011 Unitarian Universalists from congregations in Cambridge, Jamaica Plain, and Lexington, MA, representatives of Standing on the Side of Love and employees of the Unitarian Universalist Association stood with a delegation of immigrant rights and faith based advocates peacefully gathered outside the office of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and refused to leave until he heard the argument against Massachusetts signing on to the Immigration and Naturalization Service Safe Communities Program (S-Comm). (S-Comm relies on local and state police to enforce federal immigration law, thus criminalizing immigrant communities, encouraging racial profiling, and spreading the fear of local law enforcement officers in all communities.) Remarkably, upon hearing the argument against S-Comm the Governor pledged not to sign on to S-Comm now, to hold community meetings and to reexamine this policy. Everyday Unitarian Universalists stand on the side of equality and the principle that human freedom flows from equality. We lead by example by building truly diverse and multigenerational congregations, by youth-group sponsored screenings of the Laramie Project, by promoting social justice at home and abroad and by living to our principles of the inherent worth and dignity of every person, acceptance of one another and respect for the interdependent web of all existence.
We stand as Unitarian Universalists in celebration of diversity, inclusion and equality, aspiring to the highest ideals of community and enabling change, and it is for us to make more of these words than just words. It is for us to stand for what we believe in.
Happy reading! UUA Youth and Young Adult Ministries |
 | | Rev. Dr. Monica Cummings |
Pastoral Message
Making room for difference
Hello Family, January was a busy and very fulfilling month for me. I traveled to the Joseph Priestley District and worked with the Journey Toward Wholeness Transformation Committee (JTWTC) and I attended the Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) West Coast Gathering in Oakland, CA.
During my travels I have the opportunity to engage in conversations with Unitarian Universalists of differing ethnicity, ages, abilities, genders and socioeconomic classes. Many of the conversations leave me feeling hopeful that one day all who enter a UU congregation or youth group, regardless of their ethnicity, socioeconomic class, gender expression or disability will be welcomed and invited into leadership. Conversely, some conversations related to racism and multiculturalism cause me to wonder if we as a faith community will ever be able to overcome the rigid and narrow definition of who fits into the category of a Unitarian Universalist. Talking about differences and making room for those perceived to be different can be both exciting and frightening for a faith community. Yet, if we are going to thrive instead of just survive in the growing ethnic diversity in the US, we will need to begin the challenging work of learning about our identity formation and how it impacts our being in relationship with people we see as being different from ourselves. For example, learning that not all African American UU youth are transracially adopted or come from low income families.
To support that work, I have created a Vimeo account where I am posting videos of some of the PowerPoint presentations I have given in the last few months. You can view "White Identity Formation." there now. After you view the video, please feel free to contact me with questions or comments.
As always, I would love to hear from you. You can message me on Facebook at Monica Cummings, email me or leave a comment for me on the YaYA of Color blog, "UU Living Mosaic".
Living My Faith,
Rev. Monica
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SB1070 + Prop 8
Update 02: Talk about it
(source for graphic: http://colorlines.com)
SB1070
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced her intention to challenge the ruling against Arizona State Bill 1070 all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
Prop 8
The Federal 9th District Court of Appeals is waiting for a decision from the California Supreme Court on whether the plaintiff has "standing" to appeal the injunction against implementation of the law California Prop 8. Here is an article on the argument of marriage equality.
The court is expected to give its opinion in a few months. Experts expect the Appeals Court decision to be challenged and that the earliest the United States Supreme Court would hear the case is in 2012.
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Youth View
Your experience counts!
IMPERFECT UUA.org Do you have difficulty finding what you're looking for when searching UUA.org? Well us too, so the UUA is in the process of re-shaping the website and your input as a tester is needed! YOU ARE PERFECT(ING) Testers are given scenarios and then look for information on a sample website structure. It's really easy to test (there are no wrong answers!) and it only takes a few minutes, a computer and internet connection. If interested in being a tester, please go to www.uua.org/about for more information and to apply. PERFECT UUA.org The Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries wants youth to help shape the way the new UUA.org works, feels, and looks. We are recruiting youth, parents and lay leaders to test youth topics to make them easy to find, useful and vital. Non-UUs are welcome, too, so please share this information with your friends! EVEN MORE PERFECT Please send us specific examples of what you have had trouble finding on the UUA website in the past to youth@uua.org and help us make a more perfect UUA.org! Together we will create a UUA website that works for everyone! |
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Events
Opportunities
Training
Gatherings
Teenage Interfaith Diversity Education Conference (T.I.D.E.), May 27-29, 2011. The TIDE Conference is planned by fifty high school students of diverse religious and cultural backgrounds, and held at Northeastern University over Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-29, 2011. The goals of TIDE are to train teens to communicate respectfully and use their skills in discussions about highly charged issues; develop leadership and facilitation skills; and foster bonds as well as lasting friendships among the youth in attendance. Officially designated as a Post-Parliament Event by the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions (CPWR), the TIDE conference is sponsored by Interfaith Action, Inc. in collaboration with the Brudnick Center for the Study of Violence and Conflict at Northeastern University. Information on how to submit a workshop proposal to lead a workshop and registration at www.ifaction.org. Proposal deadline April 1, 2011. Youth Program Testers Needed! Become a field test congregation for new youth programs. A Chorus of Faiths is an eight-workshop program for high school youth on interfaith leadership. Heeding the Call is twelve workshops devoted to developing qualities of a justicemaker in junior high aged youth. Apply even if you plan to use the programs in non-traditional settings: add a workshop of curricula once a month to your regular youth group meetings, use them to launch weeknight programming, or as the basis of a retreat. If your congregation has a relationship with youth groups from other religions, use A Chorus of Faiths to spark interest in doing service work together. Some congregations already envision using A Chorus of Faiths with a cluster of youth from several congregations. For applications email fieldtest@uua.org. Direct questions to Jessica York, Youth Programs Director, at jyork@uua.org.
Common Read: "The Death of Josseline: Immigration Stories from the Arizona Borderlands"
Participate in the UUA the Common Read project by reading and discussing the same book with your congregation. Common Read builds community within congregations and among Unitarian Universalists by giving diverse people a shared experience, a shared language and a basis for deep and meaningful conversations. Purchase Margaret Regan's book in hardcover or paperback from the UUA Bookstore. The book is available in hardcover at public libraries.
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Announcements
Association-wide
International
Regional
Local
Interfaith Leadership Training More than 40 youth/adult interfaith teams have applied for Interfaith Leader training and ten teams have been selected to attend the training in February - but the story does not end there! The UUA is training teams to lead additional trainings in districts and regions all over the country, so look for future opportunities to gain skills leading interfaith service work. If youth in your congregation are eager to become interfaith leaders, consider offering workshops from A Chorus of Faiths, which includes guidance on planning an interfaith service project, now! UUA Youth Project Grant Program - Apply Now! As called for in the Youth Ministry Working Group Recommendations, the UUA has established a grant program for local youth-led projects giving Unitarian Universalist high school age youth opportunities to grow in faith, deepen in spirit, develop skills and offer leadership and service to Unitarian Universalist communities. Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded to youth who pair with an adult advisor in a sponsoring congregation, district or Unitarian Universalist organization. We are accepting applications now, so apply immediately! Learn how to apply, including sample project ideas, at Youth Project Grants. |
 Resources
Books
Videos
Website
Organizations
UU World Winter 2010 Issue -"Reclaiming Krypton: Why a generation that grew up with Buffy and the Power Rangers will demand a different Unitarian Universalism." Doug Muder discusses why a generation that grew up with Buffy and the Power Rangers demands a different Unitarian Universalism.
Resource - "Standing on the Side of Love Activist Toolkit" - download application for your FREE memory stick! This toolkit gives you the tools to further the Standing on the Side of Love campaign in your community and it comes on a cool memory stick!
Video - "A Religion for Our Time, Episode 13:Opening the Doors to Diversity" The thirteenth episode in the "A Religion for Our Time" series illustrates how First Parish in Cambridge, MA, has begun the process of transforming into a multiracial and multicultural congregation. For years, the congregation talked about becoming more diverse, especially as their surrounding neighborhood became home to more and more immigrants. "The most difficult part is the preconceptions, the prejudices that people have..." explains Rev. Lilia Cuervo, "We try to open to other cultures, to appreciate other cultures. Not to 'tolerate,' but to really understand, get to love, and get to embrace other cultures."
Grants - Youth Project Grants Grants are available ranging in value from $200-$2,000 to help support congregations and districts by creating opportunities for youth, including service and spirituality projects. |
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Evolution
We are working on making your newsletter more fun to read and use, with more opportunities to get involved, connect with other UUs and deepen your faith.
Let us know what you think! What's missing? What are you tired of seeing?
E-mail us at youth@uua.org
Keep reading - let's evolve together! 
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