FIA News Archive
Faith In Action Roundup – Fall Pandemic Edition
CONTINUING OUR IMPORTANT WORK
These are challenging times for our many congregational groups that thrive on in-person connection and collaboration. For FIA groups, it means that much of what we do feels like it has been put on hold. No workshops, screenings or in-person speakers; no assembling lunches for the needy or marching to City Hall; no packed and lively Cottage meetings over coffee and snacks. Still, we have done our best to keep meeting via Zoom, to stay grounded, and to keep the work going, one way or another. As we look ahead to Fall and the new congregational year, with hope that we will all see each other again before too long, here’s some of what’s happening now and coming soon.
2020: The Call of Racial Justice
Summer 2020 has ushered in a civic awakening and re-invigorated the movement against racism and state violence driven by yet more tragic deaths — Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and how many more? — and continuing unrest all over the country. Here in LA, local Black Lives Matter leaders whom we know and support have been attacked, and peaceful protests have been violently disrupted. Many in our congregation are asking how we can continue and strengthen our work against racism under the current circumstances.
How to Be An Anti-Racist: As a redux of its Winter 2020 workshop, the Peace & Social Justice Committee will sponsor another group discussion of this celebrated and timely book by pioneering scholar/activist, Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. Concise and clear, personal and powerful, this work has become something of a “common read” for racial justice this year. Join us! Dates TBD September/October.
Ongoing Anti-Racism Study + Action Group: Beginning this Fall, Peace & Social Justice and Adult Programs are collaborating to launch a new group that will meet monthly, on an ongoing basis, to study racial justice and work together to put our learnings into action in our own lives and the world. Using the viral “100 Things White People Can Do For Racial Justice” as a roadmap, we will focus on one area of study (political, spiritual, and/or personal) and one corresponding action item that we can take collectively or individually per month. The leadership of this group will be collaborative, and we will aim be accountable to one another to stay engaged and accomplish our goals. The work of this group will complement the decades-long work of FIA Commission members to work for racial justice alongside our community and interfaith partners.
Police Reform and Justice for Victims of LAPD Violence: Deaths of (often unarmed) people of color at the hands of law enforcement have been tragically frequent in Greater LA, and are still occurring with near impunity. We continue the work of many years to march — or these days, to socially-distance caravan — alongside community allies such as BLM-LA and others to seek justice, accountability, and reforms. Currently, there are actions centering around the families of the late Alex Flores and Daniel Hernandez, and protests continue to seek action from LA District Attorney Jackie Lacey. Contact Sarah Mae Harper at justice@uusm.org to learn more.
2020 Elections
Our congregation is supporting the UUA’s campaign to #UUtheVote — to amplify our values and defend the democratic process in this year’s elections.
Members of Peace & Social Justice are proud to have helped launch the campaign for Schools and Communities First last Fall, which is now on the ballot as Prop. 15. Learn more about how to participate here.
Just & Equitable Pandemic Response
Healthy LA: The UUSM Faith In Action Commission is signatory to the Healthy LA Coalition, a constellation of local faith and community groups that has helped to guide the city and county’s response to this year’s health and economic crisis. Healthy LA has called for prohibition on evictions, enhanced worker protections and increased support for the homeless community. Join us at an upcoming forum to learn how we can continue to advocate for desperately-needed community health and economic protections during this time.
Interfaith Solidarity
We support our friends at the Institute for Religious Tolerance, Peace & Justice for persevering though the pandemic to hold a virtual edition of the annual LA Interfaith Solidarity March on Sunday, Sept. 13th. As ever, the goals of this community event are to unite with many local faith and secular groups to support the freedom of worship/belief for everyone, and to stand against all religiously-motivated bigotry, oppression, and violence. The Peace & Social Justice Committee and UUSM members have supported and participated in this event since its 2016 inception, at a time of growing threats against our Jewish, Muslim and Sikh neighbors in particular, and together we can continue to strengthen this community event and interfaith network. Register here!
Green Living and Community Support
In addition to meeting regularly via Zoom and hosting occasional guest speakers on climate policy, the Green Living Committee has organized a program to deliver organic produce bags from our longtime time South LA partner Community Services Unlimited to members of our community — and thereby to help fund CSU’s efforts to provide healthy, fresh food at low cost to residents of LA’s largest food desert. Contact Alison Kendall to learn more.
Backyard Bounty Returns
Thanks to the efforts of McCartney Hutchinson, Hunger Task Force is reviving a socially-distanced Backyard Bounty program. Do you have fresh produce from your garden that you can donate? Can you provide dry goods or other needed items to help neighbors who are struggling during this time? Contact hunger@uusm.org to schedule a pickup and have your donations delivered safely to recipient Grass Roots Neighbors, and read more here.
Contact Faith In Action: justice@uusm.org
Join Green Sanctuary Email list: green@uusm.or
Join Peace & Social Justice Email Group: https://groups.google.com/g/uusm-peace
Backyard Bounty Is Back, Fighting Hunger Right in Our Community
August 31, 2020 Newsletter Staff Faith In Action
In past years, the green thumbs among us have brought their surplus produce to church on Sundays and the Hunger Task Force has distributed donations to organizations fighting hunger in our community. During this time when we are not able to congregate, food insecurity among our neighbors is greater than ever. Hunger Task Force member McCartney Hutchinson is spearheading a revival of Backyard Bounty to provide a pickup service (contact-free), collecting extra produce and other donations and dropping them at local agencies.
Our first recipient group is Grass Roots Neighbors in Playa Del Rey. They are a local volunteer organization focused on meeting the needs of those that are experiencing a housing or food crisis. Founded by Stephanie and Vlad Popesce, Grass Roots Neighbors is a lifeline for the households they serve with regular food deliveries. With a long waiting list, demand is easily double what they can currently serve. They are in urgent need of increased donations.
In addition to produce, Grass Roots Neighbors welcomes pantry staples, personal care and baby items, and cleaning supplies. Of course, cash donations are gratefully received.
Rice/ Beans
Pasta
Pasta Sauce
Canned Goods (tuna, chili, etc)
Oil
Canned fruits and veggies
Cereal/ Oatmeal
Condiments
Baby formula
Snacks – granola bars, chips, cookies Toilet Paper
Paper Towels
Laundry Detergent
Disinfectant (Lysol, Clorox, Bleach)
Hand and body soaps
Shampoo and Conditioner
Toothbrushes and toothpaste
To donate your produce or other grocery items, email hunger@uusm.org to schedule a contact-free pickup.
Community Services Unlimited Produce Bags
UUSM’s long-term relationship with Community Services Unlimited (CSU) is flourishing during the pandemic. About 20 Westside friends and congregants pick up deliveries of CSU’s locally grown, organic produce bags every Friday in Santa Monica, which supports sales of half-price produce to South LA residents. For more information on the great work that CSU does in in its community, and their partnership with UUSM, see this month’s Generous Congregation article.
In addition to pickups, everyone is welcome to drop off donations for the Backyard Bounty project, produce or other, at the CSU Friday-afternoon pickup point in Santa Monica. Email hunger@uusm.org for the address.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, food insecurity is surging across the US and right here in Los Angeles. It’s especially the case for employees in the retail, restaurant, entertainment, and hospitality service industries, where thousands of workers — who often live paycheck to paycheck — have been laid off. In other cases, parents of young children and certain at-risk individuals are forced to miss work. Most of us are fortunate enough to not have to choose between rent and food. Let’s help our neighbors in need.
McCartney Hutchinson
Member, Hunger Task Force
Faith. Love. Action. Let’s Get To Work in July!
SUMMER ORGANIZING SCHOOL AND MORE...
Copied from an email from UU the Vote…
First of all, thank you! UUA General Assembly Week was a massive and glorious undertaking.
During General Assembly, UU the Vote hosted our first national Week of Action. During the week, we trained and welcomed new folks into this campaign, supported local teams through skill shares, and got out the vote during an important Texas runoff election.
Here’s what we accomplished together:
- We made calls to over 114,000 voters in Texas!
- Nearly 1,000 folks joined us for our UU the Vote trainings and workshops:
- Organizing Your Congregation with UU the Vote. Watch the video.
- Practice for the Work Ahead. Watch the video.
3. A great trivia night full of fun, learning, music, and prizes. Check out the full list of questions and answers.
4. Over 500 new folks joined our UU the Vote community via our email list, Facebook Group and Slack workspace.
5. $48,000 raised to support our work moving forward!
What’s Next?
We did all of this in just 4 short days! I am so excited about what we will do together in the next 117 days before November 3rd! Are you ready?
Today, we are announcing our new faith-wide organizing school. Let’s build off the work and success of General Assembly. Reserve your spot in the first session of our new organizing training series “It Starts with Faith: Summer Organizing School” on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 – 9 pm ET/4 – 6 pm PT.
Reserve Your Spot!
At General Assembly, Naomi Klein reminded us that all things become possible in these moments of deep rupture. We need all hands on deck! Join leading organizers and activists to learn how to use electoral organizing strategies to carry your team to success.
We have designed a 6 week organizing school for social justice leaders with all levels of organizing experience. Join us for “It Starts with Faith: Summer Organizing School” to learn how to:
- build a solid social justice team
- identify roles and develop leaders
- focus your work around measurable goals for success in November
- maximize outreach using the latest communications tools and strategies.
Join us for the first session on Wednesday, July 15, from 7 – 9 pm ET / 4 – 6 pm PT. In this first session, we’ll outline the program and sign you up for the sessions, share tools that you can take back to your congregation, and gather information to help us customize the sessions for your needs.
At the end of the series, you will have the skills to lead your team to go All In in 2020 and beyond.
Bringing Our Values into the Public Square : Phonebank with Showing Up for Racial Justice
UU the Vote and Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) are partnering to identify and build connections with anti-racist voters in Pennsylvania. We’re inviting white folks in PA to actively join in the urgent work of racial justice and learn what non-partisan racial justice issues are at play in the election this year.
At the phonebank we’ll host a training and practice session and then dig into calls. Hear about the racial justice work SURJ has been supporting across the country and get into the practice of having values-based conversations.
Let’s live out values and work towards racial justice on Saturday, July 18, 3 – 5 pm ET/ 12 – 2 pm PT.
Together our groups will be a key part of spreading anti-racist values to work towards racial justice in our time.
Let’s #VoteLove and #DefeatHate together.
In faith and solidarity,
Nicole Pressley
UU the Vote National Organizer
UU the Vote is a non-partisan project of the Unitarian Universalist Association
Faith in Action: Helping Feed a Community in Need
Community Services Unlimited (CSU), a non-profit providing healthy food options to South LA, has been facing challenges during the “safer at home” order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
UUSM Faith in Action members from Green Living and Social Action have supported CSU in building a Seed Library and Classroom out of the Veggie Bus, which housed their offices during remodeling of the Paul Robeson Wellness Center on Vermont Avenue. This location houses CSU’s produce market, catering kitchen, community center, and staff offices. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their after-school snack, exercise classes, catering, and all other programs except their produce program are shut down, reducing their revenue.
Francois organized a group of UUSM and USC folks who live on the Westside and arranged a CSU Produce Delivery to our garage in Santa Monica. The program complies with all the recommended precautions against COVID-19, and allows our 28 subscribers to continue to support CSU’s programs while receiving delicious organic produce every Friday! Those who want to further support Angelenos who have become food insecure can purchase an extra bag to go to a family in need.
The photo is of Devon, our CSU delivery person, with the rows of grocery bags waiting to be picked up by our UUSM and USC Supporter/Subscribers. We enjoy the great produce, the chance to wave and exchange news with friends at a social distance, and the chance to support the valuable environmental justice and healthy living programs CSU provides!
-- Alison Kendall and Francois Bar
Join us at Second Sunday Cinema for “Suppressed: The Fight to Vote”
SUNDAY, MARCH 8 AT 4:30 PM IN THE SANCTUARY
Suppressed: The Fight to Vote, the new documentary by Robert Greenwald (Director of Outfoxed, Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price, and Making A Killing: Guns, Greed, & the NRA) weaves together personal stories from voters across the state of Georgia to paint an undeniable picture of voter suppression in the 2018 midterm election where Stacey Abrams fought to become the first Black female governor in the U.S. The issues Georgians faced included polling place closures, voter purges, missing absentee ballots, extreme wait times and a host of voter ID issues – all of which disproportionately prevented many students and people of color from casting their ballots.
Suppressed: The Fight to Vote features experts, poll watchers and everyday Georgians speaking to the reality of voter suppression and the threat it poses in 2020. In a race that was ultimately decided by 54,723 votes, the film exposes that the basic constitutional right to vote continues to be under siege in America.
Join us for the screening at 4:30 PM on Sunday, March 8, 2020.
Let’s #UUtheVote in 2020!
FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP
On January 12th, the Unitarian Universalist Association launched UU the Vote, a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting progressive values and protecting democracy in the 2020 elections. (You can watch archived video of the launch, and read some of the comprehensive launch guide.)
Rev. Susan Frederick Gray, president of the UUA, wrote:
“The stakes couldn’t be higher in the 2020 elections.
Directly or indirectly, the issues so many of us care most deeply about—climate change, LGBTQ rights, immigration, racial justice and more—will be on the ballot in 2020.
As progressive people of faith, we can seize the opportunity that the current electoral cycle offers us to fight for our values, counter voter suppression, expand democracy, and engage in spiritually grounded, values-based issue conversations with other voters in our own communities.
In this political moment, UUs are called to join forces with all people who want to organize our communities and our nation to #VoteLove and #DefeatHate. Let’s UU the Vote in 2020.”
The March 2020 Generous Congregation offering will send half of all non-pledge Sunday donations to #UUtheVote. How else can UUSM members and friends participate? At the February meeting of the FIA Peace & Social Justice Committee, we agreed on some ways in which current social justice projects may overlap with the national initiative, as well as some new things we can do:
- Voting Support and Assistance: The next election day is coming up soon on Tuesday, March 3! Do you or anyone you know need help locating or getting a ride to a voting location? The Peace & Social Justice Committee is here to provide support. Stop by the Faith In Action Table in Forbes Hall or contact justice@uusm.org. Everyone can also find information about changes to local voting at Lavote.net.
- Protect Truth: FIA has endorsed the Pro-Truth Pledge, and so can you! The Pro Truth Pledge is a public project that promotes truth-seeking and critical thinking in politics during this time of much disinformation. It challenges politicians and citizens alike to commit to truth-oriented behaviors — in what they say, endorse, and share on social media — and protect facts and civility. Stop by the Faith In Action Table to learn more and sign the pledge or go to https://www.protruthpledge.org/.
- Learn About the Danger of Voter Suppression: Join us for a screening and discussion of the award-winning short documentary film, “Suppressed: The Fight to Vote” on Sunday, March 8 at 4:30 pm, before Second Sunday Supper.
- Advocacy for Ballot Initiatives: The Schools and Communities First Campaign aims to reduce longstanding inequities in public funding of education by closing tax loopholes for (only) corporate real estate. Last Fall, The Peace & Social Justice Committee co-hosted an info session and public advocacy training for the campaign here at UUSM with ACLU SoCal, and we can do much more to make sure it gets on the November ballot and help to educate the public about its potential positive impacts. The campaign is supported by a broad coalition of other grassroots, faith and labor groups such as League of Women Voters and our friends at the UU Justice Ministry of CA. Additionally, we can support LA County Measure R, which will bring sorely needed accountability and fairness to LA’s criminal justice system.
- Green New Deal: The urgency of working for Climate Justice intersects with many UU principles and values. Whereas the science has become clear that our civilization must act within a few years to transform our economy and infrastructure away from fossilized energy and toward sustainability, delegates at UU General Assembly affirmed last year that UU congregations should work to help Build the Movement for a Green New Deal. We will continue to find ways to collaborate with and support local allies such as The Sunrise Movement, Citizens Climate Lobby, 350 and others. We will also look at potentially hosting a public forum with expert panelists to educate our community and the public about the policy challenges and opportunities.
Which of these projects do you want to be involved with? What other ideas do you have about how we can #UUtheVote? Let us know at the Faith In Action Table, stop by the next meetings of the Green Living Committee (first Sundays) and the Peace & Social Justice Committee (third Sundays), or email justice@uusm.org.
2020 Census: I Count. You Count. Everyone Counts.
APRIL 1 IS NATIONAL CENSUS DAY
Every 10 years, the Federal government is required to count every person residing in the U.S. through a national Census. April 1 is our next National Census Day. Among the many areas where the Census numbers determine outcomes are boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts.
An accurate and complete count means you are helping make the best possible future for your children and families.
Participating in the Census is safe. The citizenship question will NOT be on the Census questionnaire.
For the first time in history, the Census questionnaire will be available online. The U.S. Census Bureau will send a postcard in March to complete the survey online. The Census can also be completed by mail, phone, in-person or at any library branch. Please note: this is NOT JUST FOR RESIDENTS IN SANTA MONICA.
California has historically been the hardest-to-count state in the nation. Three out of four Californians belong to one or more groups that tend to be undercounted.
Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by gender, age, race and other factors. Information from the Census is used by local government officials, real estate developers, businesses, and residents use the Census to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.
For more information, visit https://2020census.gov/en.html
Asylum Seekers: An Opportunity to Live Our Principles
BY DOROTHY STEINICKE
Asylum seekers in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco photo by Daniel Arauz
There are more than a thousand detainees in the privately operated ICE detention center in Adelanto, near Victorville, CA. These immigrants fled their home countries and came to the United States seeking safety. For the past 6 months I have befriended and assisted some of these asylum seekers.
I started out as a pen pal to a young Cameroonian woman, then took a trip out to visit her. When I visited, the organization Freedom For Immigrants gave me names of some women in the same housing unit who had asked for visitors. So I visited them, too. The stories of these women are horrific. They have suffered traumas in their home countries that forced them to flee and seek asylum in another country. Many made harrowing journeys through Central America to arrive at the southern US border to request asylum. From there, they were locked up in a “processing facility” that can only be described as a prison. All the people I have met have been there for months, and I know of people who have been there for years.
Michele, my original pen pal, was granted release on a $5000 bond (all detainees are eligible for a bond hearing after being detained for 6 months). Her family was able to raise the money, and I acted as her sponsor. She stayed with my husband and me for about a month before traveling to the Washington, DC, area to be close to extended family. More recently, my husband and I hosted a young transgender man from El Salvador for 2 weeks.
There are many, many people detained at Adelanto. Their stories are dreadful. Their need is great. I am hoping that members at UUSM (or other friends and colleagues) might be interested and willing to provide some support. The assistance could be as simple as writing a pen pal, or perhaps making visits. Even just helping to orient someone who has made it out on bond or received asylum, someone now facing a completely unfamiliar and perhaps friendless world.
We could do so much more as an organized group than any of us can do as an individual. Please contact me, Dorothy Steinicke, at fia@uusm.org, to get involved. I will be speaking about this at the next FIA: Peace & Social Justice Committee meeting on Sunday, February 16. Please join us then to learn more about how you can help.
“How to Be An Anti-Racist” Book Study and Discussion
STARTING SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020
To Commemorate MLK Day 2020, the Peace & Social Justice Committee offers a study and discussion of the timely and important new book from Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, who previously became the youngest winner of the National Book Award for his previous work, “Stamped From the Beginning.” Print or digital copies of the book may be acquired from your local library, and can be purchased online or from the Faith In Action table in Forbes.
Kendi, a professor of history and international relations and founder of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, argues that a redefinition of terms — focusing on policies rather than attitudes and feelings — is in order of we are to properly confront the historical legacy and ongoing harms of racism. And drawing on his personal story of struggle and awakening, he writes that “being an anti-racist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.”
From the publisher:
Ibram X. Kendi’s concept of antiracism reenergizes and reshapes the conversation about racial justice in America–but even more fundamentally, points us toward liberating new ways of thinking about ourselves and each other. Instead of working with the policies and system we have in place, Kendi asks us to think about what an antiracist society might look like, and how we can play an active role in building it.
In his memoir, Kendi weaves together an electrifying combination of ethics, history, law, and science–including the story of his own awakening to antiracism–bringing it all together in a cogent, accessible form. He begins by helping us rethink our most deeply held, if implicit, beliefs and our most intimate personal relationships (including beliefs about race and IQ and interracial social relations) and reexamines the policies and larger social arrangements we support. How to Be an Antiracist promises to become an essential book for anyone who wants to go beyond an awareness of racism to the next step of contributing to the formation of a truly just and equitable society.
Join us for:
Part 1 of the discussion: Sun., Jan.19 at 3-5PM in Forbes OR Thurs., Jan. 23 in the Cottage
Part 2 of the discussion: Sun., Jan. 26 at 3-5PM in Forbes OR Thurs., Jan. 30 in the Cottage
Contact: justice@uusm.org
Racial Justice Dialogue Circle to be held at UUSM on MLK Jr. Holiday
FORBES HALL, MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2020 AT 11:30 AM
A non-church friend recently told me that, while she appreciated the celebrations marking the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, she wished there were more emphasis on education and advocacy as a way to commemorate his life’s work. In response, I invited her to the workshop, entitled “Confronting Structural Racism in Traditionally White Spaces: A Facilitated Dialogue,” that I will be co-facilitating in Forbes Hall on Monday, January 20, 2020, from 11:30-2:30 pm. You also are welcome to register at https://www.racialequityla.org/programs-events/2020/1/20/confronting-structural-racism-in-traditionally-white-spaces-a-facilitated-dialogue.
This event, one of many that will be held nationwide during the National Week of Racial Healing, is coordinated by Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Los Angeles (TRHT), and is open to the Los Angeles community. Initiated by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, TRHT is a comprehensive, national and community-based process to plan for and bring about transformational and sustainable change, and to address the historic and contemporary effects of racism. TRHT seeks to unearth and jettison the deeply held, and often unconscious, beliefs created by racism – the main one being the belief in a “hierarchy of human value.”
When I proposed the dialogue circle at the November Board meeting, the attending members voted to sponsor and support this endeavor, consistent with the 6th of the Eight Elements Rev. Jeremiah is encouraging our committees to explore: “Each group engages in Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression/Social Justice work on personal, interpersonal, congregational, and societal levels.” We are grateful for the fine work our Faith in Action Commission and Peace and Social Justice Committee perform both within and without our congregation. At the same time, it is important not to rely solely upon that small, dedicated group to fulfill our social justice commitments, but rather we are each called by our faith to consider how to contribute to the work of racial equity.
This MLK, Jr. Holiday dialogue circle will offer an examination of structural racism through the lens of whiteness and privilege. There will be a limited didactic and resourcing aspect, but primarily we will focus on questions encouraging self-reflection and discourse on issues of fragility, microaggressions and personal and collective responsibility for racial literacy, reconciliation and justice. We hope you will consider spending the holiday with us in this important effort.
Voting Solutions for All People in LA County
NEW VOTING SYSTEM TO DEBUT IN 2020
On Monday, October 7, from 7 to 8:30 pm in the UUSM Sanctuary, a speaker from the Los Angeles County Registrar’s Office will present information on the new countywide voting system, Voting Solutions for All People. This is a pilot program for Los Angeles County for the 2020 March primary and November general elections. Voters will be able to mark and cast their ballot at any vote center throughout the county, so voters will no longer be limited to voting at an assigned polling place. And voting will be available for an extended election period of 11 days, so voters will also no longer be limited to voting on one particular day. If you are in the area, we hope you can attend. Street parking only and please READ THE SIGNS. For more information on the event, contact Cathy Gentile…or go to https://vsap.lavote.net for more about the new voting system.
UUSM Youth and Adults Clean Up Day 2019 at Ballona Creek
UUSM youth and adults joined Heal The Bay’s Coastal Clean Up Day 2019 on Sunday, September 21. It was one of many events strategically planned around the Global Climate Strike. Our site was the Ballona Creek Bike Path behind Syd Kronenthal Park. This vital waterway feeds into the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and empties into Santa Monica Bay. We found some trash and lots of fun along the way—ensuring that our youth are activated and empowered to care for our beautiful planet.
UUSM Strikes for Climate Justice
Youth-led Climate strikeMembers of UUSM’s Faith In Action and Green Living committees walked along with UUSM youth in the September 20 Youth Climate Strike in Downtown Los Angeles. Traveling by Metro, bicycle, and hybrid car, UUSM marchers joined friends from Climate Action Santa Monica and UU of SCV at the rendezvous. We then joined a sea of young climate strikers, along with millions of activists around the world. Signs included: “Time is running out,” “Sea levels are rising and so are we,” “You will die of old age, your children will die of climate change.” Two favorites: “Global warming is sooo uncool” and “Save the only planet with pizza!”
After marching uphill and down in a seemingly random path possibly designed to completely disrupt downtown traffic, marchers converged at the shady southern lawn of City Hall. It was a sea of bodies and signs joined in a single voice for climate justice.
Alison Kendall
Chair, Green Living Committee
[For more images from this event, see http://news.uusm.org/uusm-strikes-for-climate-justice/ ]
UUSM Joins a Nationwide Day of Healing
HONORING 400 YEARS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
Karl Lisovsky and Sue Bickford rang our bell for freedom and remembrance at noon on Sunday, August 25th, 2019 as part of a nationwide effort to mark 400 years since the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in English-occupied North America. Click here to learn more.
Saturday, Sept. 28 – A Warm Invitation to a Free Screening of “A Prayer for Compassion”
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 - EVENT STARTS AT 4:30 PM
You are invited to a special event on Saturday, September 28, including a vegan food tasting from 4:30 to 5:15 pm, a free screening of the documentary by Thomas Jackson, “A Prayer for Compassion” from 5:25 to 6:45 pm, and a Q&A session hosted by Arvind Thomas.
Come see a film that focuses on our spiritual connection to animals though the lens of the world’s religions. The film focuses on our innate merciful love for animals, and how we may honor that relationship through our consumer habits. This film has the power to transform hearts.
A Testimonial by Sarah Robson:
For me, food has always represented comfort; it meant feasting and social celebrations, cake and ice-cream, and big turkey dinners. Yet because of the efforts of very outspoken animal rights organizations, I intellectually knew what had been happening behind closed doors. So, I did what is currently socially acceptable — I made a conscious decision to turn a blind eye. This probably sounds familiar.
Choosing to turn my back on suffering was itself an internal form of suffering that I simply accepted — a tradeoff through which I consumed soothing feel-good meals at the expense of the animals who suffered greatly from their moment of birth. As a person who calls herself spiritual, I was aware that my appetite tore a big hole in my life, to the point where I felt internal shame. I was not who I wanted to be, but I didn’t know how to turn myself around. The transformation seemed too daunting.
A few months ago, thanks to Amy Lacombe, I was invited to see a screening of “A Prayer for Compassion” at All Vegan Organic (AVO) Café at Pico and 4th just next door to the Animal Kingdom store. The film highlights the sacred bond between humankind and animals. It features dialogues with representatives of all the world’s major religions — and then a few more! The film also features the relationship between the director and his young daughter as they explore their love for animals.
The film’s content caused me to stop and ponder. What I choose to do, especially habitually, does define who I am. It absolutely impacts my spiritual life, as well as my psychological wellbeing. I broadened my view considerably as I watched, and I considered my place within the cycle of life. As it is said, with great power comes great responsibility. This was a transformation of not just my intellect, but, more importantly, of my heart.
So, just a few weeks before the traditional day of “The Blessing of the Animals,” allow me to roll out the welcome mat to all those who are curious and open to new ideas, and who may not think that they can change old habits. You may be surprised.
And yes—the film does contain a little hard content which may be unsuitable for small children, but unlike many exposé films, that is not the primary focus. The footage is necessary to make the larger point – we can enjoy a new freedom in discovering and reclaiming our natural love and respect for animals, finding ourselves whole and integral, and living in alignment with our innate instinct (and our UU values) for showering loving mercy upon the afflicted.
Fun in the Sun as We Heal the Bay
On Sunday, August 25, a dozen UUSM youth and adults joined in an expedition to clean up the beach at Will Rogers State Beach.
Join us next time, on Saturday September 21, at 9:00 am, for Heal The Bay Coastal Clean Up Day 2019. This is a city-wide event with thousands of volunteers. UUSM’s site is Ballona Creek Bike Path at Syd Kronenthal Park in Culver City. Ballona Creek is a vital waterway that feeds into the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and empties into Santa Monica Bay. While we’re looking for Coke cans, sandwich wrappers, plastic straws, and other trash, we might spy a Snowy Egret or Great Blue Heron.
We will meet up in the southeast corner of the park at 9:00 am that day. Contact Erik Paesel or UUSM Director of Religious Exploration Cleo Anderson if you plan to attend. All ages are welcome, so bring someone new. We’ll connect with nature and make new friends. Because birds of feather…
In the meantime, enjoy more images of our “good stewards” at Will Rogers at http://news.uusm.org/fun-in-the-sun-as-we-heal-the-bay/.
UUSM Kids Work to Supply Local Food Pantries
On Sunday, August 4, UUSM youth and families visited the nearby Westside Food Bank for a 2-hour, mondo food sort. Each year the Westside Food Bank warehouses and distributes 4.5 million pounds of food to over 70 local social service agencies.
The event was a great success, as we were are now more mindful of the need for food assistance in our community. Join us for our next social justice action. All ages are warmly welcomed.
For more photos, see http://news.uusm.org/uusm-kids-work-to-supply-local-food-pantries/
Friday, Sept. 20 – Join Youth and Families for the Global Climate Strike
Our UU principles call us to honor the interconnected web of all life, and to save the natural world upon which our human civilization depends. At this year’s UUA General Assembly, delegates voted overwhelmingly to help Build the Movement for a Green New Deal. And this month, we will support the youth-led Global Climate Strike!
On Friday, September 20, join FIA Peace & Social Justice Committee and Green Committee members as we travel to Downtown LA to take part in the afternoon of action. We will gather at 17th/SMC Expo Station (17th and Colorado) to take the 10:50 am train to 7th and Figueroa, then walk along 7th Street to the 12 pm gathering point at Grand on 7th (in front of Bottega Louie). If you prefer, you can meet us at 7th & Grand. Once assembled, and no later than 12:30, we will walk to Pershing Square and then march to LA City Hall.
Bring water, sunscreen, signs, and TAP cards for Metro. The event is from 12:00 to 3:00 pm.
Contact justice@uusm.org or green@uusm.org with questions or to RSVP.
Sunday, Sept. 22 – Join Us for the 4th Annual Interfaith Solidarity March!
In 2016, amid concerns about increasing rhetoric and violence against religious minorities in our country, UUSM members and friends helped kick off the first LA Interfaith Solidarity March with our friends at the Institute for Religious Tolerance, Peace, and Justice. In 2019, as threats against our Jewish and Muslim neighbors persist even here in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, it is more important than ever for us to walk with our interfaith friends and allies for freedom, tolerance, and peace.
It’s also a fun way to spend an afternoon, hear inspiring speakers from many faith traditions, enjoy delicious free food and musical entertainment, make connections, and meet new friends!
Join Faith In Action on Sunday, September 22 for the 4th Annual Interfaith Solidarity March #InterfaithMarchLA. We will gather by the FIA table in Forbes Hall at 12:30 pm and coordinate rides to the Islamic Center of Southern California on Vermont.
Website and Flyer:
Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/433502910722717/
More event details
To all people of every faith, philosophy, and creed…
As a symbol of our solidarity with our neighbors and colleagues, we invite you to march with us between several select houses of worship, as together we lead the way toward peace and unity among all people.
The theme of this march is that we reject all hatred and oppression in the name of religion, both at home and abroad.
In light of the rise in politically motivated hate crimes, and the persistence of genocides, we support the most vulnerable of religious communities against Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism, and all forms of religious or ideological extremism, as we stand in support of every person’s right to freedom of worship or belief, and the right to live peacefully.
March route, approximately 1 mile (subject to change)
Meet at The Islamic Center of Southern California (434 S. Vermont Ave, Los Angeles) — Walk to Founders’ Church of Religious Science (3281 West 6th St.) — Next stop is Immanuel Presbyterian Church (3300 Wilshire Blvd.) — Return to The Islamic Center of Southern California.
There will be an exciting program of speakers, performers, and activities! Enjoy delicious food, courtesy of Sikhs of LA and the ICSC.
Interfaith Solidarity March Los Angeles is now a flagship partner of the Interfaith March for Peace & Justice, the world’s largest coalition of interfaith marches.
Join Marchers in 24 locations around the world on September 22!
USA: California: Grass Valley, Los Angeles, Ventura; Idaho: Boise; Iowa: Ames; Illinois: Chicago, Rock Valley; Michigan: Grand Rapids, Holland; New Jersey: Newark; Ohio: Columbus, Toledo, Zanesville; Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh; South Carolina: Columbia; Virginia: Charlottesville; Wyoming: Cheyenne
International: Jammu & Kashmir; Tel Aviv/Bethlehem; Malawi: Lilongwe, Nkhudzi Bay; Pakistan: Faisalabad; Uganda: Gulu
More updates will be placed here and on our website as the event draws near!
Event Ground Rules
By choosing to attend this event, you are committing to participate nonviolently and in accordance with the law, to work to de-escalate confrontations with others, and to obey the orders of authorized event marshals and of law enforcement. You also acknowledge that you are solely responsible for any injury or damage to your person or property resulting from or occurring during this event and that you release all event sponsors and organizers (and their officers, directors, employees, and agents) from any liability for that injury or damage.
LAPD and security will be present throughout.
FIA Summer Eyeglass Drive a Clear Success
NEARLY 100 PAIRS COLLECTED
Congratulations to UUSM friends and members for your support of those in need of prescription eyeglasses. At the conclusion of our Summer Eyeglass Drive, 93 pairs, plus sundry lenses and sunglasses, were delivered to Dr. Ross Somers and Compu-Eyecare Optometrist of Santa Monica. Dr. Somers will give the glasses to the Santa Monica Lions Club, whose service initiatives include Vision Awareness.
Thanks to the Faith in Action Commission for sponsoring the drive!
Stand With Women Against Abuse
As part of our partnership with CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) we have been supporting the hotel housekeepers from Le Merigot and other Santa Monica hotels in their struggle for a housekeepers’ bill of rights. On June 18, six members of our congregation joined about 100 workers, clergy, union, and community members to stand up and say that we will not tolerate the abuse of workers in Santa Monica.
CLUE and Unite Here Local 11 are calling for the Santa Monica City Council to pass an ordinance that includes the following provisions:
- Panic Buttons
- Safety devices that workers can activate to notify on-site security of an ongoing crime or threatening behavior, and protection against retaliation for using a safety device.
- Humane Workloads
- Fair compensation if workers are required to clean more than 3500 square feet during an 8-hour shift and a prohibition on mandatory overtime.
- Hotel Worker Retention
- Transition period to prevent mass layoffs and ensure that dedicated, trained staff keep their jobs after a hotel changes ownership
- Housekeeper Training Program
- Training on key issues affecting the public, including potential threats or crime including human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual violence, risks to public health, as well as workers’ legal rights
To get involved now:
Sign up to canvas in Santa Monica on Saturdays from 11 am – 2 pm by emailing Rev. Rae Huang at rhuang@cluela.org
You can sign and share the petition here.
Stay tuned for more actions as the date of the City Council vote approaches.
Helping the Homeless with Lunches for Bunches
FAITH IN ACTION'S HUNGER TASKFORCE
About once a month, 8 to 12 volunteers gather under the shade structure or in Forbes Hall to prepare 100 sack lunches to be donated to nearby homeless service facilities run by The People Concern. After the lunches have been made and checked, they are taken to either Turning Point, a transitional housing facility near our church, or Cloverfield Safe Haven, a transitional housing facility that also runs a drop-in center for people in need. The People Concern is the umbrella organization that tells us where to deliver the lunches that are are given out to individuals over the following week.
Lunches for Bunches is an initiative of the Faith in Action Hunger Taskforce operated completely by volunteers and funded exclusively by targeted donations. It has no line-item in the church budget. The food is bought in bulk at Smart and Final. Volunteers just show up and help. There is no need to sign up in advance.
Patrick Meighan and Dorothy Steinicke are co-coordinators who alternate months in organizing the activity on Sundays. The Sunday of the month and the times vary — sometimes between the two services, sometimes after the second service. While the random schedule can make it a bit difficult for people to plan in advance, it also gives more people the opportunity to participate. The activity date is always listed on the UUSM calendar under FIA Lunches for Bunches. The next two Lunches for Bunches assembly activities are scheduled for July 21 and September 1, 2019.
Lunches for Bunches has been a UUSM tradition for many years. It’s a simple and wonderful way for church members to roll up their sleeves (figuratively and literally) and make an immediate impact in the broader community. The assembly-line-style work of creating the lunches is fun for people of all ages. In fact, many of our most dedicated volunteers are children.
If you would like to help coordinate Lunches for Bunches, please contact Patrick or Dorothy at hunger@uusm.org
Photos by Carol Ring and Cedar Boschan
Faith In Action Teams Up with Sunrise Movement
A NATIONAL MOVEMENT OF STUDENTS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
It was exciting — and inspiring — to have more than 40 energetic, committed young people in their late teens and twenties fill our UUSM sanctuary and campus on Saturday, April 13th, for a full day of connecting and training to organize for climate justice.
Continuing our work of collaborating with community partners who overlap with our mission, FIA had teamed up with the LA chapter of Sunrise Movement, a newer grassroots organization that is diverse, intersectional, youth and young adult-led, and quickly changing the national conversation about climate change. Together, we provided a welcoming space for activists to learn and get more deeply involved in working for a livable future. A few others from UUSM participated or provided support, including Sarah Robson, Jila Tayefehnowrooz, and Linda Van Ligten.
As a national organization, Sunrise grew out of the student movement to get universities to divest from fossil fuels. I think it represents a new phase of climate justice advocacy — its leaders are ethnically diverse, unwilling to accept the status quo, and they “get” the urgency and reality of the climate crisis in a visceral way that perhaps older generations do not. They are scared for their future and see peaceful direct action and civil disobedience as primary ways to engage. They are driven by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s most recent dire report, which warns that we have less than twelve years to make drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emission in order to avert disaster.
Sunrise Movement activists at UUSMThe day’s activities included multimedia presentations on the history of environmental justice movements, the analogies between the original New Deal and what a “Green New Deal” political coalition could look like, and the effects of environmental racism and neglect on frontline communities, those most likely to be impacted by climate change. There were many breakout sessions and opportunities for individual sharing. There was a lively interactive exercise on how to build coalitions and bring more allies to our side. At one point, a young woman in her teens told her story to the assembled group about growing up next to an oil drilling site in South LA and the health effects she is still grappling with. And several others shared emotional stories about coming out as queer and trans, seeing their own journeys as a deeply-connected part of a larger movement to make a better world.
I was struck by the anti-racist, intersectional, locally-conscious approach of the Sunrise Movement because it is precisely the kind of vision lifted up by the contributors to “Justice on Earth,” this year’s UUA common read that some of us have been studying and discussing.
Most of the training’s participants did not have prior experience with Unitarian Universalist congregations, but were excited to hear about UUSM’s distinguished history of supporting social justice movements and intrigued to learn more about us. “I didn’t know places like this existed,” said one.
-- James Witker
Photos by James Witker.