FIA News Archive
Catch a ride on the Pride Bus and March with us on Sunday, June 8th
This is going to be the 10th anniversary of our church’s participation in the Gay Pride Parade. About seven years ago, I was marching along with our Santa Monica UU group and I heard a voice yell out from the crowd:, “Hey, Janet!” I looked and I didn’t recognize the person running toward me in the beautiful dress, sunglasses and heels. “Janet, it’s me, Brent!” A few years before, Brent had been one of my very best students at UCLA. We hugged each other like long lost friends. And then, before I left to rejoin my rapidly disappearing fellow UUs, he did something I did not expect — he thanked me for marching. Actually, people all the way up and down the parade route thanked us. They saw that we were young and not so young, gay and straight, singles and families with kids. They read our banners: “Standing on the Side of Love” and “Unitarian Universalists Blessing Gay Marriages since 1959.” Why do I march? I march because I want the world to know that our church welcomes the LGBTQ community. I want everyone to be able to march with pride. I march with pride. You can too.
— Janet Goodwin
FAQ: LA Pride Parade on Sunday, June 8
Q: How can I get to the parade?
To make it easier and to promote participation, we are canceling the 11 a.m. service on June 8 and we are chartering a bus to take 55 people from UU Santa Monica to the parade and then bring them back after we march. We are asking $15 round trip, but we can arrange a family discount. The bus will leave UU Santa Monica after the 9 a.m. service (~10 a.m.) and return to UU Santa Monica around 2 to 2:30 p.m.
Q: What if I want to drive?
If you choose to drive (and some of you will HAVE to because we want way more than 55 people to march!), you’ll want to park near the END of the route near SM Blvd. & Robertson. There will be some street parking and during the parade ALL parking meters in West Hollywood are FREE, so the posted rules don’t apply (just for West Hollywood, though, not Hollywood, OK?). The Pacific Design Center has a parking structure as well, but it’s not free; it’s about a 15-minute walk to the head of the parade (see, it’s a REALLY short distance).
Q: What is the exact parade route?
The parade route begins at the intersection of Santa Monica and Crescent Heights and progresses along Santa Monica Blvd. to Robertson Blvd. Here is a link to the map: http://lapride.org/ parade.html The route is 1.2 miles and takes no more than an hour and a quarter at a leisurely “parade” pace. The staging area (where we meet to line up) consists of the 3 feeder streets: Crescent Heights (north and south of “step-off”) and Santa Monica (east of “step-off”). I will receive the information about where our group will line up when I attend the parade’s safety workshop (late May).
Q: What time do we meet?
By ~10:45 a.m. is good. If you park near the end of the parade (Santa Monica and Robertson), you need to factor in a 15-minute walk to the parade. Just call me that morning to get an update. Even though we won’t start till after 11 a.m., it’s still FUN to be together and to see the other marchers! If you’re late, just call us and try to join us en route.
Q: What time do we march?
I will get a “number” when I check us in Sunday morning, June 8. That number tells us how many units/floats/groups are before us. The first group will start moving at 11 a.m. and although we won’t know until we check in on Sunday exactly what our start position will be, I hope that we’ll be in the first hour of marchers.
Q: What does our “unit” consist of?
This year we will rent either a pickup or a flatbed. If you come early enough, you can help us decorate it. It will be moving slowly — with us marching beside/behind it. We have also invited other UU marchers from the L.A. area to join us! We also have multiple banners — “UU Santa Monica standing on the side of love,” and another that Debbie Menzies made: “Unitarian Universalists Blessing Gay Marriages Since 1959.” The Sepulveda UU Society has typically brought the official Standing on the Side of Love banner too. Traditionally, we’ve used banners to define the beginning will probably be at the head of our group. We encourage every congregation to bring a congregational flag if they have one. Many of us also carry signs with a supportive message: “We teach love not hate.” “Service is our prayer.” “Love is love. No H8.” Feel free to make one and bring it!
Q: What should I wear?
Any colorful shirt is FINE. If you would like to order one, please order one immediately from the youth planning
to go to Mexico on a service trip. If you don’t need/want a shirt, just wear whatever you want. I try to bring a few extra in various sizes but any colorful shirt or tie-dyed shirt or UU shirt or “Standing on the Side of Love” shirt would be fantastic!
Q: What should I bring?
• A cell phone (if you have one). It might be a good idea to add our numbers to your contact list.
• Water bottle
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• A little rainbow flag if you have one
• Colorful leis, if you have them
• Sign with a supportive UU message!
Just to give you an idea of the pride experience, here’s a video made by a group of UU churches in Dallas: http://vimeo.com/49690449
Wouldn’t you like to be part of a similar group here in L.A.? Join us on Sunday, June 8, as we stand on the side of love, equality, and justice for all.
— Janet Goodwin
UUJMCA Justice Training
Join us at the Spring Justice Training!
Saturday, May 31
9:30 - 3:00
UU Church of Studio City
12355 Moorpark Street, Studio City
For more information or to register, visit uujmca.org/justicetraining
Sponsored by: The Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California,
Los Angeles & San Fernando Valley Cluster
$20 per person, no one turned away
UUJM sustaining members receive $5 discount
FIA Program on Syria
More than 30 people heard UCLA doctoral candidate Ziad Abu-Rish speak on “Making Sense of the Syrian Tragedy” on April 20. The conflict began in 2011 when a group of boys in Daraa, inspired by the Tunisian uprising, publicly asserted that the people wanted the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad to fall. Their arrest and execution ignited the uprising, initially a civilian non-violent mass movement, which evolved into a militarized conflict between various factions and the regime and among the factions. Now, more than 130,000 people have been killed, 50% require direct aid to meet basic needs, and more than 9,000,000 have been displaced internally or externally.
Abu-Rish stressed Syria’s strategic importance to external powers: U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Russia as well as the U.S. government’s insistence that Russia and Iran not be included in any negotiations to end the conflict. Please go to www.sdaid.org if you would like to donate to aid Syrian refugees.
-- Roberta Frye
Green Living Committee News
In celebration of Earth Day, we would like to highlight and focus our attention on recognizing some green and sustainable leaders in our UU Community. The built environment contributes to 40% of our greenhouse gas emissions. Our members are leading the way towards making the built environment a better place to live and having less of an impact on our treasured Blue Marble, Earth.
John Zinner’s whole work life (and outside work) is centered on sustainability in the built environment. He advises Whole Foods and other large companies on how to make themselves more sustainable and have less impact on the earth. In acknowledgment of John’s pioneering contributions to the field of green building and sustainability, he was recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council as a LEED Fellow in 2012. He continues to advise our congregation on how to improve our sustainability in our buildings and campus.
Christine Hardin is a UU Santa Monica member and owner of Pickett Design Associates in Culver City. Christine is a leading interior designer in the healthcare industry as well as an experienced residential and commercial designer. She and her team (including Beth Brownlie) donated interior consulting services to the UU Forbes Hall and kitchen renovation. Function and sustainability were part of the goal in creating an aesthetically pleasing environment. She tirelessly pushes the envelope with her clients and project vendors to place environmental sustainability at the forefront of her design efforts.
A big thank you to both of you from the Green Living Committee and your UU community. Thank you for taking our Seventh Principle and promoting it in the workplace, the community, and at home.
Next month we will feature all the sustainable features we put into the new staff offices and sanctuary restroom.
— Beth Brownlie
Hunger Fund Donations
The UUCCSM Hunger Fund is running low! Monetary donations are needed to feed the participants at Step Up on 2nd — the monthly meal served by Faith in Action volunteers, and our sack lunch effort for P.A.T.H. through Lunches for Bunches. Make checks payable to UUCCSM — please mark “hunger” on your check memo line or envelope. For more information send an email to hunger@UUSM.orgSave the Date
The LA Pride Parade is Sunday, June 8.
Save the Date! LA Pride Parade is Sunday, June 8!
(Can anyone help us organize a UU Pride bus?)
“I’m goin’ marchin’ in the morning
Ding, dong, the bells are gonna chime
Pull out the stopper, we’ll have a whopper
But get me to the p’rade on time!”
Always wanted to show your support for the LGBTQIA community by marching in the Pride Parade but didn’t want to miss church? This year, for the first time, there will be just ONE service on parade day, Sunday, June 8. So you can come to church at 9 a.m. and still get to the parade on time!
To encourage participation, we’d like to try organizing transportation to West Hollywood, maybe even a UU Santa Monica PRIDE bus! Ideally, it would depart from 18th and Arizona just after 10 a.m. and drop marchers off as close as possible to the starting point of the parade (Santa Monica Blvd. and Crescent Heights). Then, it would pick us up closer to the finish line (Santa Monica Blvd. and Robertson) and bring us back to the church by 2 p.m. or so (time is approximate). If you have”bus connections” (no pun intended) and could help us coordinate a bus or even a couple of vans, please contact Janet Goodwin or Interweave
The actual route is not that long and requires only about 45 minutes of walking. Since it’s a parade, we have to wait for our turn to begin marching (our number in line will not be available until the day of the parade). For other details about the parade and the route, go to: www.lapride.org/parade
Last year we had a record number of marchers — 69 people from 3 different UU congregations. Weíd love to have you stand on the side of love with us this year!
— Janet Goodwin
Professor Speaks on Mass Deportation, Racism, and Global Capitalism
The massive increase in the detention and deportation of immigrants in the United States is part of a cycle driven by global capitalism, according to Tanya Golash-Boza, a sociology professor at the University of California, Merced. Golash-Boza has published several studies on immigration and deportation issues. In a stimulating and wide-ranging presentation at UU Santa Monica February 2, she examined how growth in foreign investment in low-wage countries in Latin America and Asia and cutbacks in public expenditures and services in many of these countries, as well as the United States, have resulted in economic disruptions. These disruptions have in turn been a factor in the growth in immigration to the U.S. from Latin America and Asia. At the same time, cutbacks in public services in the United States have led to social unrest and the growth of law enforcement, including mass incarceration and the detention and deportation of immigrants.
Golash-Boza explained that although deportations of immigrants began in the late 19th century, they increased dramatically in 1997, following the 1996 immigration law which authorized increased spending on immigration enforcement. Deportations surged again after 2003 with the creation of Homeland Security to oversee immigration and its enforcement arm, ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement). Homeland Security now has a budget of $60 billion— close to that of the Department of Education’s $80 billion. Half of its budget is spent on enforcement, including the apprehension, detention, and deportation of immigrants ó more than all other federal law enforcement agencies. In the five years of the Obama administration, there have been two million deportations—more than all deportations prior to 1997. There has also been a ten-fold increase in the deportations of immigrants who have children that are U.S. citizens, which reached 100,000 in 2011.
Racism is evident in the likelihood of being detained and deported according to nationality and ethnicity. A Honduran immigrant has an 8% likelihood of being deported in a given year; for Mexicans, the likelihood is 4%; for Asians, less than 1%. Ninety-eight percent of those deported are sent to Latin American or Caribbean countries.
Another trend is the increase in deportations of people who have established lives in the US. This is demonstrated by the decline in the proportion of immigrant apprehensions by the border patrol relative to those apprehended by ICE. Of the latter, some have been detained through such measures as Secure Communities, which calls on local law enforcement agencies to collaborate with ICE in checking the immigration status of anyone they pick up. The majority are deported as criminal aliens. Many of these, however, are individuals who have been prosecuted for nothing more than illegal entry or re-entry.
How can this massive increase in deportations be explained? According to Golash-Boza, it is linked to global economic changes over the past two to three decades, which have included the privatization of public enterprises, trade liberalization, the promotion of foreign direct investment, and reductions in public expenditures. Prior to the 1970s, most items sold in the United States were made here. Beginning in the 1970s, U.S. companies began to invest in countries where wages were lower, a process that accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s. Middle class manufacturing jobs in the United States declined, while low wage manufacturing and service jobs increased. These jobs attracted immigrants who had in many cases been displaced from villages and pulled into the global economy through foreign investment in their countries. Some came to the U.S. after working in US companies in their respective countries.
Prof. Golash-Boza’s presentation was sponsored by the Peace and Social Justice Committee, which has had a focus on immigration issues, including the detention and deportation of immigrants, and is participating in a visitation program to immigrants in detention in the Los Angeles area.
After the forum, several participants went out to put up flyers on windshields calling for a boycott of Santa Monica and Millennium Car Washes. Past and current employees of these car washes have sued the owners for over a million dollars in stolen wages, and for two years the owners have resisted workers’ efforts to improve their pay and working conditions, including firing workers they know or suspect are in favor of unionization. The workers at these car washes are virtually all Latino immigrants.
— Nora Hamilton
In this slide from Prof. Golash-Boza’s presentation, one arrow points to the spike in annual deportations following the law increasing spending on immigration enforcement signed by President Clinton in 1996. The other arrow points to the spike following the creation of the Homeland Security Department in 2003, which brought even more funds into immigration enforcement.
(The graphic was prepared by Prof. Golash-Boza. The primary sources are the 2011 and 2012 “Yearbook of Immigration Statistics,” published by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Immigration Statistics. )
We Shall Overcome, Today!
On Monday, January 20, members of the Peace & Social Justice Committee attended the 29th Anniversary Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration presented by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Westside Coalition. Afterwards we shared news and information about the activities of the Peace & Social Justice Committee from a table at the Community Involvement Fair at the SGI Culture of Peace Resource Center. The morning’s program included presentation of awards and scholarships to local students.
Gerald Rivers then took us back to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 27, 1963, with a stunning rendition of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. As the main screen projected images from that day, Mr. Rivers’ performance marked Dr. King’s cadence, voice and rhythm with eerie precision, imparting a “You Are There” experience to that momentous event.
Mr. Wilson had said that his repertoire includes 30 of Dr. King’s speeches, and in a co-performance with Charles Holt we heard samples by which the live experience, before an engaged audience, brought the intimacy of Dr. King home to us all.
Later in the program, the Westside Coalition presented its Community Light Award to Tim Robbins and The Actors’ Gang, an organization Mr. Robbins founded more than 20 years ago to engage local communities with the power and connection of live theater. By 2006 they had realized a profound need within California’s expanding prison population for the experiences of their workshops, and they shared personal stories of the effects of their work.
The program concluded with the audience crossing arms to join hands while singing “We Shall Overcome.” Mr. Rivers asked us to sing “We Shall Overcome, Today!” and the audience responded enthusiastically. The morning’s presentation was an inspiring commemoration of Dr. King’s life and activism.
Following the Benediction, many in the audience crossed the street for refreshments and information at the Community Involvement Fair. It was a chance to learn about a range of local groups active in achieving social justice. There were tables representing local Juneteenth celebrations, the Brady Bill, clean water, and various other efforts. The Peace & Social Justice Committee sponsored a table with our colorful rainbow banner backdrop.
We described our activities throughout the year, concentrating on the Clean Carwash Campaign and the visit on February 2 of immigration scholar Dr. Tanya Golash-Boza. We had conversations with perhaps 30 individuals, several of whom asked to be put on our Peace and Social Justice email list.
— Peggy Rhoads
St. Valentine sends cards to Immigration Detainees!
Fifty letters “Standing on the Side of Love” were sent February 11 to immigration detainees. Our congregation came to the Faith in Action table after the Sunday service February 9 to sign Valentine cards for those men and women who have been detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) at several detention centers in Orange County.
Rev. Rebecca and Catherine Loya inspired us with their program on the meaning of Love and made that meaning real in this outreach to our brothers and sisters facing an indeterminate future and likely deportation for the civil offense of entering the U.S. without papers or staying beyond the terms of their visas. Several UUCCSM members have joined the group Friends of Orange County Detainees (FOCD) in their expanding program of visitation, and several more signed up to do so at the February 9 service.
The messages were simple but direct: “You are in my thoughts,” “Please know that you are loved,” “We hope for a positive resolution in your fight for justice.” Thank you to all of you who joined us in this expression of solidarity.
— Peggy Rhoads
WANTED:
Responsible, caring and committed individual to coordinate the afternoon meal at Step Up on 2nd, 2-3 times a year. Duties include wrangling the food items, delivering them to Step Up and coordinating volunteers to serve the meal. Salary & Benefits: intangible gratitude, heart enlargement, warm fuzzies Contact: Rhonda Peacock, hunger@uusm.org
Green Living Hosts Second-Sunday Supper and Program on February 9
The Green Living Committee will host the February 9 Second-Sunday Supper at 6 p.m. and present ideas for making your own home more sustainable at 7 p.m. Leslie Reuter converted her 1970s tract home to one that uses less energy, less water, native plants, and low impact materials, and that creates less waste. Architect Alison Kendall, LEED AP BD+C, remodeled her 1920s historic home to produce renewable solar energy and illustrate green building and landscape design. She provides architectural and landscape design using the LEED and GreenPoint Rating systems to homeowners with green remodeling projects.
Come hear Alison and Leslie share their stories, and learn how you, too, can start the transition to a more sustainable home, which will save you energy, water, and money, while contributing to a healthier environment for us all for years to come.
Please bring a salad, vegetable dish, or dessert to share at the 6 p.m. supper, enjoy entrees and drinks from the Green Living Committee, and stay to explore ideas you can incorporate into your own home and daily life. It’s Sunday, February 9, in Forbes Hall. For more information contact Alison Kendall.
Progress for Santa Monica Hotel Workers Celebrated
Local hotel workers were joined by the faith community and Santa Monica activists to celebrate recent victories in Santa Monica, which create a precedent for new hotels to agree to pay a living wage or have a union as part of what they offer to the community, at an evening event on Wednesday, January 15.
“Celebration with a Vision,” hosted by our church and co-sponsored by Unite-Here Local 11 and CLUE-LA, brought together current and former activists to hear music and speakers, who included Tom Walsh, President of Local 11; Rabbi Jonathan Klein, Executive Director of CLUE-LA; community member Ana Jara; and City Council member Kevin McKeown.
The evening was highlighted by the words of hotel employee Elsa Mercado, who talked about the physical demands of hotel housekeeping, the challenges of working for low wages, and Progress for Santa Monica Hotel Workers Celebrated the inspiration workers receive from the support of community members. She was joined by Unite-Here Lead Organizer Soldedad Garcia, a former hotel worker at Santa Monica’s Viceroy Hotel. The Lefteous Sisters provided music and led the group in singing “We Shall Not Be Moved” in English and Spanish.
The event recognized the many large and small victories of Santa Monica activists since 1995, when the movement came together in response to a management attempt to decertify the union at the Miramar Hotel. The
Miramar is now one of four Santa Monica hotels with a union contract, to be joined shortly by new hotels at 710 Wilshire and at 5th and Colorado.
A comprehensive history of the movement to support workers in Santa Monica hotels was written by Frank Gruber, Abby Arnold, and Vivian Rothstein.
Peace and Social Justice Committee to Explore Immigration Policies
Tanya Golash-Boza, Associate Professor of Sociology at UC Merced, will speak at 1 p.m., Sunday, February 2, in our Sanctuary. Discussion will follow. The Peace and Social Justice Committee invites you and your friends and families to hear Prof. Golash-Boza describe how the immigration policies under George Bush and Barack Obama have caused a massive increase in the numbers of undocumented workers in detention centers and workers’ subsequent deportation. In 2001 the number deported was 186,000; in 2012 it was 409,849. The num er of immigrants held in detention increased from about 190,000 in 2005 to just under 400,000 in 2010. Those masses of workers are about 76% Latino and a great majority (73% in 2008) have families who are residents or U.S. citizens. Their arrest, detention, and deportation leads to disruption of family life, loss of income, and impoverishment and provides an excuse for racist treatment by police, in employment, and in social services.
Prof. Golash-Boza is the author of “Due Process Denied” (2012), which describes how and why noncitizens in the United States have been detained and deported for minor crimes, without regard for constitutional limits on disproportionate punishment, and “Immigration Nation” (2012), which provides a critical analysis of the impact that U.S. immigration policy has on human rights. She has written for scholarly journals and popular magazines and newspapers, such as “The Nation” and “Counterpunch.” Her website is radprof.weebly.com. For more information, contact Peggy Rhoads.
Cluster Meeting of UU Justice Ministry
On Saturday, January 11, the UU Community Church of Santa Monica hosted a meeting of the regional cluster of the UU Justice Ministry, which included 28 representatives from 8-10 congregations in the Los Angeles area. As was explained at the meeting, the UU Justice Ministry replaces the UU Legislative Ministry and broadens its function to incorporate the broader issue of social justice advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. The main purpose of the meeting was to work toward selecting a specific issue to be the focus of social justice work
by the regional cluster and to discuss how a disparate group of UU congregations could most effectively work together on that issue.
Discussion among the representatives of different congregations revealed some of the difficulties in coming up with a single overarching issue: some congregations are small and/or have only a limited number of people invested in social justice work, and those congregations that are already involved in social justice work are focusing on a range of different issues — such as immigrant detention, carwash and hotel workers, health care, mass incarceration, minimum wage and wage equity, fracking, water issues, GMO and food issues, among others. The next step is for representatives to consult with their respective congregations regarding preferences for selecting a particular issue.
— Nora Hamilton
Empty Bowls Program Works to Fight Hunger
UUCCSM youth and adult volunteers using donations from chefs, local merchants, and ceramic artisans will present an interesting event. Empty Bowls is an international grass roots effort to fight hunger. Guests are asked to make a cash donation for a simple meal of soup and bread. In addition, they are invited to take home a handmade ceramic bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to alleviate hunger and food insecurity.
The event, on Saturday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Forbes Hall, will increase awareness of hunger in our community and raise funds for Westside Food Bank to assist in its work with 70 different agencies that provide food to those in need in our area. Please support this effort by your donation and your presence and by volunteering to help if you can. Pre-sale for the event will take place on February 9 following both services. Donations will also be accepted on the day of the event. Come and bring your friends. If you are willing to volunteer on March 8 please contact Bettye Barclay or Gena Garrett.
Interweave Hosts a One-Day-Late Valentine’s Potluck
Saturday, February 15 / 4 to 7 p.m. at Janet Goodwin and Karl Lisovsky's house
Please join us for a celebration of love and connection on Saturday, February 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. Janet Goodwin will make a vegan chili and a vegetarian pumpkin soup. Karl Lisovsky will make some pizzas. You bring whatever you like. We’ll eat, drink, and be merry — then we’ll take a little time to talk about our goals this coming year for Interweave (our LGBTQ & allies group). Please RSVP to Janet Goodwin.
MLK Jr Day of Service
MLK Jr Day of Service is a powerful day of activism and reflection. Each year volunteers across the nation commemorate this day with meaningful service, learning, and remembrance. On Monday, January 20, volunteers from our church will join L.A. Works and more than 1,000 community and corporate volunteers to make MLK Jr Day of Service a “Day On, Not a Day Off.” We will revitalize the campus of Title I school Hillcrest Drive Elementary in South Los Angeles whose physical grounds are in great need of care.
Research has shown that children learn better in an environment in which they feel proud and comfortable. School gardens and gardening have an impact on science, math, social studies, language, and visual arts. In addition, the students have the benefit of learning teamwork and responsibility by caring for the garden. The students will also see firsthand the wonders of fresh food, healthy nutrition, and benefits of exercise.
Hillcrest Drive is a Title I school; 40% or more of students at the elementary school come from families that are low-income. What to expect: Murals across the campus that are dated and peeling will be repaired or replaced, school buildings and grounds will be painted, and landscaping will be rehabilitated. While volunteers will work across the entire campus on the day, the focus will be on building an enlarged school garden.
The fine print: The volunteer commitment is from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Lunch will follow. Volunteers must be at least 5 years of age. Children under the age of 14 must have a parent/guardian with them. To participate, sign up at the Faith in Action table in Forbes Hall on Sundays or contact volunteer@uusm.org
— Rhonda Peacock
Remembering Nelson Mandela
Edna Bonacich lit the chalice in honor of Nelson Mandela on Sunday, December 8. She lived in South Africa from 1950 to 1960 (ages 10 to 20, so she attended part of elementary school, high school, and college there). Her father had taken his family to Durban to be the first Rabbi of the Reform Jewish Congregation there. The experience of living in South Africa at that critical period shaped Edna’s career towards an interest in race and labor. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Support Workers’ Rights via Facebook
In cooperation with CLUE-LA and the Clean Carwash Campaign, we have created a Facebook page to spread awareness about the boycott of Millennium Car Wash and (now included) Santa Monica Car Wash. As you may know, workers at these two businesses have alleged a host of abuses including unfair pay and denial of rest and water breaks. They also claim that fellow workers who have spoken up or attempted to organize for better conditions have been intimidated and/or fired. The family that owns these two car washes is currently the defendant in a class action lawsuit to recover stolen wages. This congregation has been involved for some time in standing up for the worth and dignity of car wash workers, who are among the poorest and most vulnerable members of our community. We have joined with other local faith and community groups in calling for a boycott of these businesses until the owners agree to sit down and negotiate with their employees. Now, with weekly pickets at the car washes currently suspended, social media is an important tool we can all use to spread the word to our friends and neighbors. Please go to www.facebook.com/boycottcarwashes, ”like” the page, share it and encourage others to do the same.
— James Witker
Peace and Social Justice Committee Review of 2013
Activities of the Peace and Social Justice Committee during 2013 included specific events as well as long-term campaigns that reflected concerns in several areas: peace, including support for alternatives to war; economic justice, with a particular emphasis on labor issues; immigration, particularly issues related to immigrant detention; and racial justice, focusing on incarceration and alternatives to prison, which particularly affect African Americans and other ethnic and minority groups.
PSJ continued to support peace vigils on the first and third Fridays of each month at the corner of Barrington and National. In January, the committee co-sponsored, with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, a film and presentation which covered the production and use of drones for domestic surveillance as well as targeted killing in several countries. PSJ also supported campaigns to close prison facilities at Guantanamo, Cuba. On Sunday, October 13, there was a discussion of Syria; there will be a follow-up event in 2014, probably with a guest speaker.
Efforts on behalf of economic justice have focused on supporting carwash workers in their struggle for the right to freely organize and for better wages and working conditions as part of the CLEAN Carwash Campaign, which targets carwash owners in the Los Angeles area. With the exception of Bonus Carwash, on Lincoln and Ashland, none of the carwash workers in Santa Monica — for the most part Latino, including many undocumented workers — are unionized. PSJ has worked with CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) and the Clean Carwash Campaign in targeting two carwashes in Santa Monica owned by the Damavandi family, which has been guilty of numerous labor violations and has resisted unionization, including firing many pro-union workers.
Members of the congregation have participated in pickets, vigils, and delegations to owners and managers of the carwash facilities. Beginning October 13, members of the congregation have joined CLUE in picketing Millennium Carwash every Sunday. The pickets have had some success in convincing would-be customers to turn away, but the owners, who are facing a class action suit to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, continue to resist the workers’ demands. After the sixth Sunday picket completely closed the carwash, the owners organized a group of workers to confront picketers with anti-union signs. Not wanting to give the owners a media opportunity, we suspended the picketing and will spread news of the boycott by other means.
On August 18, PSJ presented the film “Without a Home,” depicting homelessness in the United States. On October 22, the ACLU of Southern California and PSJ co-sponsored a film, “Two Americas,” which demonstrates the vast inequality in the United States by focusing on two families, one wealthy, the other barely getting by, both parents having lost their jobs and seeking new ones. The film was followed by a discussion with the filmmaker.
On the issue of immigration, members of the congregation are working with CIVIC (Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement) and with the Friends of Orange County Detainees. Beginning in March, several members of the congregation have been visiting immigrant detainees at the James Musick facility in Orange County, in some cases establishing ongoing relations with the detainees they visit. PSJ has also supported the Trust Act, a California legislative initiative in opposition to a directive by ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) requiring police to send fingerprints of all those they pick up to ICE, which could then request that anyone suspected of being undocumented be held an additional 48 hours to enable ICE to check their status. The Trust Act, which would require that the police officials issue ICE detainers only to those accused of serious or violent crimes, or who could be considered dangerous, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in early October.
With respect to racial justice and incarceration, the PSJ participated, with other Unitarian Universalist congregations in Southern California, in raising funds for textbooks for incarcerated students who were taking courses through a community college program. The fund-raising campaign originated with a letter sent by an inmate, who is himself a Unitarian Universalist, to all the UU congregations in Southern California requesting help in obtaining books for inmates. He pointed out that while courses are free, textbooks are not, and some inmates cannot afford them. UUCCSM and several other congregations contacted the college, which agreed to set up a textbook fund in its foundation, and the respective churches collected funds to be sent to the foundation, which would in turn make them available to qualified students. At UUCCSM, the PSJ established a target of $750, which would provide textbooks for one course for five students; but through the generosity of the congregation, over $2,000 was raised. The hope is to make this an annual event in order to expand the number of students receiving books.
Last winter Peggy and Rick Rhodes led two discussion groups of Michelle Alexander’s book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in an Era of Color-Blindness.” In April, the PSJ sponsored a talk and PowerPoint presentation by Mary Sutton of the Center for the Study of Political Graphics on the prison industrial complex and particularly its growth in California. At the UUA General Assembly in July, Peggy and Rick joined several others in presenting a resolution condemning the “Stop and Frisk” policy targeting people of color, which passed unanimously. PSJ also sponsored or cosponsored several films highlighting issues related to incarceration and racial justice, among them “The House I Live In,” “The Central Park Five,” and “Unlikely Friends.”
Other activities included responsibility for the service for the Thanksgiving dinner on November 23, and a discussion of the Affordable Care Act led by Angie Jimenez of CLUE on December 7. PSJ has also worked with other organizations such as NRCAT (National Religious Coalition Against Torture) on issues related to solitary confinement and prisoners at Guantanamo, CLUE-LA on the car washers campaign, CIVIC (Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement) on visitation to detained immigrants, and CURB (Californians United for a Responsible Budget) on alternatives to prison in the context of realignment.
The next meeting of the Peace and Social Justice Committee will take place on Sunday, January 19 at 12:30 p.m. Please join us!
Conference Addresses Re-Entry Programs for Incarcerated Women
How has California’s realignment affected women in the criminal justice system? This was the subject of an all-day conference sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of California on December 5 at Loyola Law School. Roberta Frye and Nora Hamilton of the Peace and Social Justice Committee attended the conference as an expression of the committee’s concern with issues related to incarceration and, in the context of realignment,
with alternatives to building more prisons.
Much of the conference focused on the process of re-entry, whereby women released from incarceration (as well as other vulnerable populations) are provided with the services and support they need to become healthy and contributing members of society. Several re-entry agencies were represented, including some focusing on such issues as health, housing, and employment and others providing a wide range of services. All stressed the importance of coordination among services to ensure that the individual re-entering society has full access to all the opportunities available. In some cases, the founders and leaders of these agencies, as well as members of their staff, had themselves been incarcerated, some of them recycling through the system several times before finding the help and treatment they needed.
Other issues raised at the conference included the need for agencies to establish relations not only with other service providers but also with officials in the criminal justice system, the challenge of connecting women released from incarceration with the services available, and the need for increased resources that would enable service providers to expand the range of their activities.
According to one speaker, in Los Angeles less than 20 percent of realignment funds are spent on services. The information provided by the speakers and panelists provided strong support for shifting these funds from prison construction to services that will provide support and treatment for women leaving prison and also help reduce recidivism, thus limiting the total population in prison.
— Nora Hamilton and Roberta Frye
Boycott of Millennium Continues; Owners Feeling the Pressure
“I feel liberated,” said UUCCSM member Teri Bond as she picketed Millennium Car Wash November 3. “You’re helping me find my voice,” Teri added, noting that she was glad she’d finally been able to make it to the picket line, which has been going on every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. since October 13.
Our picket lines have significantly impacted Millennium’s business. By 2 p.m. there’s a lot of bare pavement
where there had been lined-up cars. Many of the cars that had started to turn into the driveway leave after we
tell the drivers about the conditions workers face and why they want to unionize.
On the fourth Sunday of picketing six police officers showed up. We suspect that management called them in an effort to intimidate us. The cops said that they were concerned that we might be struck by cars entering or
leaving the driveway. That hadn’t happened for the previous three Sundays, we said, and as we were careful to make a space for cars to go through, we didn’t expect that it would. When we firmly said that we had the legal right to picket in the driveways and that we were going to continue to do so, the cops backed down. “I never said you couldn’t picket,” said the officer who had been doing most of the talking.
During the cops’ visit, we chanted loudly to keep up our morale and let car wash workers, drivers, and passersby know we were not about to be moved. “What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? Poverty wages!” was among the calland- response chants that resounded on Lincoln Blvd.
The boycott is sponsored by Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE-LA) and the CLEAN Carwash Campaign, in support of the Carwash Workers Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO.
Millennium has a history of firing pro-union workers and punishing them with fewer hours of work. About 20 UUCCSM members and friends have participated in at least one Sunday picket.
The owners of Millennium, part of a family that also owns Santa Monica Car Wash and Bubble Bee Car Wash in Long Beach, are defendants in a classaction lawsuit to recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen wages.
Millennium is at 2454 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice, just south of Venice Blvd. An alternate destination for your dirty
car is Bonus Car Wash, the only unionized car wash on the Westside. It’s 1.6 miles north of Millennium, at Lincoln Blvd. and Ashland Ave. Drivers and passersby received a CLEAN Carwash Campaign flyer that itemized some of the notorious practices of the local car wash industry, including:
• Paying less than minimum wage
• Not paying overtime
• Violating labor laws requiring rest breaks and access to shade and clean water
• Not providing gear for protection against dangerous chemicals
Please help us keep the boycott going by showing up any Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. or signing up at the Faith in Action table in Forbes Hall for a particular Sunday. During December we plan to add windshield flyers to spread awareness of the boycott; we need volunteers for flyering as well.
Almost all car wash workers on the Westside are Latino immigrants, and many are undocumented. That the car wash owners get away with their illegal practices is an example of the ongoing institutional racism and anti-immigrant bias in our society. Car wash workers are fighting back. In this period of cutbacks in wages, benefits, and social services, they are an inspiration. Their fight is our fight. Join us!
— Rick Rhoads
UUCCSM at the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition breakfast celebration
The Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition has celebrated the success of homeless people making the transition to successful living with an annual breakfast celebration for 18 years. Our church has participated in this celebration for the last 11 years. This photo shows our members at our UUCCSM table this year. Left to right: Jonathan Bijur, Catherine Farmer Loya, Cynthia Cottam, Ellen Stuart, Christine Haskell, Parsa Tayefehnowrooz, Sue Stoyanoff, and Jila Tayefehnowrooz. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Tom Early (shown here with Timothy Sweeney of Venice Community Housing) was recognized by the Westside
Shelter and Hunger Coalition for his work with the Venice Family Clinic. The Community Support Award from the coalition cited his dedication to seeing a full grid of Venice Family Clinic patients each Friday for the past 21 years!
Our Annual Coming Out Sunday Was October 6
Left to right: Liam Mina, Ian Lawrence, Kate Harlan, Rev. Rebecca, Geoff Lee, and Janet Goodwin. Photo by Charles Haskell.
Every year, our Coming Out Sunday service celebrates living proudly and loving boldly. This year’s service on October 6 was no exception. Longtime member Jay Roberts shared his gorgeous voice, singing “Everything Must Change.” During the Time for All Ages, the kids reenacted a mini-Pride Parade, wearingrainbow leis and carrying the signs our Interweave group made for the June event. The Generous Congregation contribution for
October went to the Trevor Project, an organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth. Recent member Liam Mina, who works at the Trevor Project, told us firsthand about talking with desperate teens contemplating suicide.
Our guest speakers, Ian Lawrence and Kate Harlan, spoke on the theme of bisexuality. They are leaders of a Los Angeles group called “amBi,” a social community for bisexuals, their partners, and allies . Ian clarified common misconceptions about bisexuality and talked about, in his words, the “Queer Majority.” Kate shared her personal story of growing up bisexual. Both speakers described the feeling of invisibility, of having your
existence denied or distorted, and of discrimination — even by other members of the LGBTQ community. The process of “coming out” for a bisexual can be a never-ending one.
It was an informative and moving service and we thank all those who participated. The strong message of coming out as yourself — whoever you are — remains with us. [To see additional photos of the service, go
to the Interweave Facebook page: Interweave at UUCCSM.]
— Janet Goodwin
Textbook Fund for Incarcerated Students
Donations for the Textbook Fund now total over $2,000! Faith in Action would like to again thank all those who have donated so generously so far. Your contributions will help incarcerated students to buy books for community college courses while in prison, which can lead to an AA degree and/or prepare students to attend a four-year college upon leaving prison. Taking courses in prison can enable inmates to turn their lives around, and has been shown to reduce recidivism. After they have completed their courses, students may contribute
their books to prison libraries or pass them on to other students, making them available to be used more than once.
We also want to remind everyone that this is an ongoing project, so if anyone is still interested in donating, the contributions will be gratefully received. The forms are available at the FIA table in Forbes Hall every Sunday and on the UUCCSM website. Checks should be made out to FIA–Textbook Fund, and can be left at the FIA table or sent directly to the Church.
— Nora Hamilton
Picketers Call for Boycott of Millennium Car Wash; Join Us Every Sunday Afternoon
Sunday, October 13, from 1 to 3 p.m., 15 adults, 4 kids, and a dog picketed Millennium Car Wash. The dog and nine of the adults — including one of our YRUU youth — came from UUCCSM. Many drivers turned away, leaving the car wash almost empty by 2:15.
In collaboration with the CLEAN Carwash Campaign and Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), we plan to picket Millennium every Sunday afternoon until they allow workers to freely organize to form a union. Millennium has a history of firing pro-union workers and punishing them with fewer hours of work. Please join us! Information is available at the Faith in Action table in Forbes Hall or from Rick Rhoads at fia@uusm.org.
The owners of Millennium, who also own Santa Monica Car Wash and Bubble Bee Car Wash, in Long Beach, are defendants in a class-action lawsuit to recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen wages. The picket lines are part of an effort to encourage Westside residents to boycott Millennium, as a focus of the CLEAN Carwash Campaign.
An alternate destination is Bonus Car Wash. Bonus is the only unionized car wash on the Westside. It’s 1.6 miles north of Millennium, at Lincoln Blvd. and Ashland Ave.
Drivers and passersby received a CLEAN Carwash Campaign flyer that itemized some of theincluding:
• Paying less than minimum wage
• Not paying overtime
• Violating labor laws requiring rest breaks and
access to shade and clean water
• Not providing gear for protection against
dangerous chemicals
A speaker at the picket line explained over the bullhorn that almost all car wash workers on the Westside are Latino immigrants, and many are undocumented. That the car wash owners get away with their illegal practices is an example of the ongoing institutional racism and anti-immigrant bias in our society. Even though they are highly vulnerable, the car wash workers are fighting back. In this period of cutbacks in wages, benefits, and social services, they are an inspiration and an example for the rest of us. Their fight is our fight. Join us Sundays
from 1 to 3 p.m. Millennium is at 2454 Lincoln Blvd. in Venice, just south of Venice Blvd.
— Rick Rhoads
Green Tip:
Recycle your technology. Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and IBM, among others, offer recycling programs.
Textbook Fund
Faith in Action is launching a campaign to collect funds for textbooks for people incarcerated in the California prison system who are taking courses through a community college while in prison. The campaign is part of a collaborative program between the college and several UU churches in the state of California. Our current goal is $750, which would provide funds for textbooks for five students. Further information and forms for those wishing to donate are available at the Faith in Action table in Forbes Hall. Checks should be made out to UUCCSM with “FIA textbook fund” in the memo line.
Update as of 9/30/13: The Peace and Social Justice Commission is happy to announced that donations for the textbook fund are now more than double our initial goal of $750! We want to thank everyone who has contributed so generously to make this a success. We also want to remind everyone that this is an ongoing project, so if
anyone is still interested in donating, the contributions will be gratefully received.
We have been in contact with the Foundation at the community college which is responsible for the courses regarding the possibility of reducing the cost of textbooks. The Foundation is of course interested in having the funds go as far as possible, and is in contact with the bookstore regarding the possibility of obtaining used books and/or discounts.
CLUE in the Pulpit
Our service for the Labor Day weekend is traditionally dedicated to social justice, usually given in collaboration with Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE). On September 1 we were pleased to welcome CLUE to the pulpit to tell the story of efforts to keep two new Santa Monica hotels as union workplaces. Shown here are Gabriella Rosco of CLUE, the Rev. Rebecca Benefiel Bijur, Arturo Hueso (who told his story in Spanish about working at the Fairmont Miramar, which is a union hotel), and Francis Engler (CLUE translator).
Faith in Action Movie Night
The Peace and Social Justice Committee and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) are cohosting the movie “Two Americas”on Tuesday, October 22, at 7 p.m. in Forbes Hall. It will be followed by a Question and Answer session with the film’s director, Jon Henion. “Two Americas” profiles a month in the lives of two
families in very different income brackets, showing the growing economic disparity in America. It is part of the
Emmy-winning Vanguard series, a series of investigative reports from Current TV (soon to be Al Jazeera
America). John Henion has been awarded the Livingston Award for Young Journalists, the largest all-media,
general-reporting prize in the country. He was also nominated for a Genesis Award for his investigation into illegal tiger trading in China. For further information contact Cathie Gentile, co-chair of the Peace and Social Justice Committee, at fia@uusm.org
What is FIA?
Faith in Action consists of the Peace and Social Justice Committee, Interweave, the Green Living Committee, and the Hunger Task Force. Every Sunday the Faith in Action table provides information about these various programs and provides an opportunity for one-on-one conversations about these programs. After many years of faithful coverage by a handful of volunteers, 
Faith in Action is reaching out for possible additional volunteers to help with this service. Two people are needed every Sunday. Ideally, the table should be set up and staffed at 10 a.m., while volunteers after the second service provide coverage and cleanup at 12 noon. This is a great volunteer opportunity, especially for newcomers. For further information contact Cathie Gentile at fia@uusm.org
Faith in Action is reaching out for possible additional volunteers to help with this service. Two people are needed every Sunday. Ideally, the table should be set up and staffed at 10 a.m., while volunteers after the second service provide coverage and cleanup at 12 noon. This is a great volunteer opportunity, especially for newcomers. For further information contact Cathie Gentile at fia@uusm.org
Textbook Fund for Incarcerated Students
In April, UUCCSM received a letter from Jacob Reed, an inmate at Avenal prison (near Fresno) and a member of the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship, who was taking courses at Avenal through a community college distance learning program. As he pointed out, inmates may take courses for free, but must pay for textbooks, which very few can afford. He has been in contact with the Church of the Larger Fellowship on the subject, and has written to every UU church in California to ask for help in raising funds to purchase textbooks for incarcerated students.
Several churches have responded to this request, including UUCCSM, where Faith in Action is administering the program. Most of us are in contact with each other and with the college through the Associate Dean of Distance Learning and Professional Education who coordinates the prison education program. As he informed us, the college provides courses for approximately 2,000 inmates throughout the California prison system; last fall these students were enrolled in some 3,600 courses. But the cost of textbooks is a problem for many students; textbooks cost $15 to $300 each, and average about $150 per course. He is very enthusiastic about the idea of a textbook fund, pointing out that prisoners who participate in education programs in prison have much lower recidivism rates than others who are incarcerated, a fact demonstrated by numerous studies. Many of the incarcerated students complete their AA and/or transfer to a four-year college.
The college foundation has set up a fund to collect donations for textbooks and provide scholarships of $150 for incarcerated students throughout the California prison system. Students who receive scholarships use the funds to pay for the books and, once they are finished with them, pass them on to other students or contribute them to the prison library. Individual members of congregations who wish to donate would contribute the funds to their respective churches, indicating that they are for the “Incarcerated Students Textbook Fund.”
The churches will collect the donations and send a check for the full amount to the College Foundation fund. Here at Santa Monica we will begin collecting funds in September. Information will be available at the Faith in Action table in Forbes Hall, as well as on the UUCCSM website.
The textbook fund can be seen as part of an ongoing emphasis at UUCCSM and other UU churches on issues of mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex. Many of us have read Michelle Alexander’s book “The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in an Age of Color-Blindness” (which was the featured book of the UUA in 2012) and/or heard Alexander speak. The Peace and Social Justice Committee has sponsored three discussion series about the book, as well as films and speakers on these issues. The textbook fund represents a wonderful opportunity to “put our faith in action” and to provide help to the incarcerated that can make a real difference in their lives.
— Nora Hamilton
Visitation Program for Immigrant Detainees Suspended
On July 24, ICE (Immigration Control and Enforcement) abruptly suspended immigrant visitation programs at three facilities in Southern California: Adelanto, James Musick, and Santa Ana. The programs are coordinated by CIVIC (Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrant Detainees), a national program with 28 affiliated groups throughout the country dedicated to ending the isolation of immigrant detainees, many of them in facilities far
removed from their families, through letter writing campaigns and visitation programs. Several members of
UUCCSM, as well as other UUs, have been working with CIVIC, touring detention facilities and visiting immigrant detainees.
The rationale for the ICE suspension was an article in the Huffington Post by Christina Fialho, an attorney and
Co-Director of CIVIC, criticizing conditions at ICE facilities such as lack of oversight, insufficient training of officials, and inadequate medical care; comments on Facebook by visitation volunteers have also described conditions in immigrant detention facilities. In addition, Christina, an attorney, was blocked from visiting a client in detention at the Adelanto Detention Center. These actions are contrary to a stated ICE policy recognizing the right of detainees, the media, and community members to speak freely and forbidding facilities to deny access to anyone due to their political or editorial opinion.
CIVIC and the ACLU of Southern California have written to ICE asking for a public explanation for the uspension and the reinstatement of the visitation programs.
The case has been publicized in the media, including an AP article which was also carried in several newspapers, and in interviews with CNN Español and Telemundo. Some of the media coverage, as well as more information about CIVIC and its visitation programs, can be found at www.endisolation.org
— Nora Hamilton
Picnic Thanks
Dear Friends,
The Interweave / Women's Alliance Picnic was another great success, thanks to all of your help!
Attendees donated $566 and we had expenses of $69.07 (beef franks, chicken franks, vegan dogs, buns, condiments), so we have left $496.93, half of which will stay in the Interweave account for expenses such as the Coming Out Day speaker, a movie series, and fees for the June Gay Pride Parade. The other half will be donated to Common Ground, the Westside HIV community center.
Thank you again for the great food, decorations, and music, and for your help in setting up, serving, and cleaning up! As always, this picnic provided a great mid-summer opportunity for fellowship for our church community.
CareNet is UUCCSM’s caring network
We offer rides, meals, and thoughtful cards to those in need. If you have a need or know someone who might, please email carenet@uusm.org
— Kris Langabeer