We’ve Received a Grant to Hire Our Second FIA Intern

Economic justice was chosen as our new witness and advocacy focus at the annualFaith in Action issues election in September. Cathie Gentile has agreed to guidethis new initiative and more than 60 people have signed up to participate.

Because of the potential scope and impact of this new initiative, we decidedto seek additional funds to support the program. Under the leadership of theRev. Alexia Salvatierra of Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE),we submitted a grant proposal to the Fund for Unitarian Universalist SocialResponsibility to hire a part-time person to help us pursue a program of socialjustice for low-wage workers in the hotel industry.

It is my great pleasure to announce that this UU fund has awarded us $12,000to pursue our “U.U. Worker Sanctuary Project,” with the option ofreceiving an additional $4,000 from a matching grant. Assuming we raise theadditional $4,000, which we plan to do by seeking help and involvement fromother UU churches in our area, we’ll have $20,000 to use in hiring a newFIA intern to work on economic justice.

We’ll be looking for a Unitarian Universalist interested in workingfor economic justice. Many of the lowwage hotel workers are Latino/Latina, sowe hope to find a person who is bilingual in Spanish and English.

We’ll pay the salary for this part-time employee, but our new FIA internwill be located at CLUE headquarters and will work directly with their staffin the field. Supervision of the intern will be the joint responsibility ofour church (Cathie Gentile, assisted by our minister) and CLUE (Dr. David L.Wheeler, Sanctuary Organizer, and Rev. Salvatierra).

Our agenda for economic justice starts with an all-church Town Hall meetingin February to discuss the 2003 UUA Statement of Conscience on Economic Globalization.

Our agenda also includes the collection of food for low-wage workers in Februaryand training sessions in March. We want to be ready for possible strikes inApril. Our new FIA intern will be a key participant in this process.

— Charles Haskell,
Chair, Faith in Action Commission

When Did You Last Go Bowling?

How would you like to support the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition, ourmajor partner in helping homeless adults, children, and families in our community,and have fun as well? Join our church’s team.

What: “SuperBowl-A-Thon VIII” event
Where: At the AMF Bay Shore Lanes
234 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica
When: Friday afternoon, January 30
How much: $20 each

Faith in Action has endorsed forming one or more five-person teams for theevent. The three available times for groups of five bowlers are: 1 to 2 p.m.or 2:30-3:30 p.m. or 4 to 5 p.m. There is a registration fee of $100 per teamof five bowlers. Please contact Charles Haskell for more information,or to sign up.