UU Justice NC

January 2022 Newsletter 

Happy New Year! 

This week we're starting the year off with some powerful events marking the one-year anniversary of the January 6th attacks on the U.S. Capital. May this anniversary remind us of the precarious state of our democracy and renew our commitment to fight for voting rights in 2022. 

This month, I also invite you to reflect on your part in the unfolding story of UU Justice NC. Is now the right time to join our Friday Action Hour community? Would you consider nominating yourself or someone else to join the UU Justice NC Board? What new skills do you want to gain in 2022 in service to the movement for justice?

Cheers to all the possibilities of 2022! 

Rev. Lisa 

 

A snowy scene outside Rev. Lisa's window in Durham yesterday morning.

 

This week, UUs across the nation will join with Faithful Democracy and Declaration for American Democracy to mark the one-year anniversary of the insurrection on the U.S. Capital with peaceful self-organized vigils (virtual or in-person). The Unitarian Universalist Association endorses these vigils. 

Here are Some In-Person Events in North Carolina:

Asheville 4:00 - 5:30pm (Biltmore Ave) Register Here

Beaufort 12:00 - 2:00pm (Graden Paul Park, 718 Front St.) Register Here 

Cary 5:00 - 6:00pm (Triangle Wine Company, 575 New Waverly Pace) Register Here 

Chapel Hill 5:30 – 6:30pm (West Franklin St. & South Columbia St.) Register Here

Greensboro 6:00-6:30pm (Battleground Avenue & Pisgah Church Rd.) Register Here

Hendersonville 1:00 - 2:00 (1 Historic Courthouse Square) Register Here 

Raleigh 11:30am – 12:30pm (Sen. Tillis' Office, 310 New Bern Ave) Register Here 

Raleigh 5:30 - 7:00pm (Bicentennial Plaza, 1 E Edenton St) Register Here 

Sylva 5:30 - 6:30 (Jackson County Public Library - at Fountain) Register Here 

*** To see the full list of in-person and virtual events see JAN 6 UNITY DAY

Other Partner Events (On Zoom) 

Healing the Wound: An Interfaith Vigil (And Kickoff) January 5th 8:00-9:00pm. Join our partners at UUSJ, Faithful Democracy and the Franciscan Action Network for an interfaith Zoom event on the evening of January 5th. It will be a time of prayer, reading of sacred scriptures, and reflection. You can Register Here.

Brookings Webinar: The January 6 Insurrection: One Year Later: 1/6 from 10:00-11:30am RSVP (& Details) Brookings Senior Fellow and Lawfare Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Wittes will moderate a discussion on the anniversary of the Capitol riot.

UU Justice NC is Seeking Nominations for New Board Members to help hold the mission and vision of our state justice ministry. Do you know a UU lay leader who can offer powerful leadership during this exciting moment of growth for our organization?

You are invited to nominate a fellow UU or yourself. You can find more information about the role and make a nomination through this link: https://forms.gle/h5qmmhzDfctn2ooc6 If you submit a nomination or express interest in applying, a member of the board will reach out to you.

We have particular interest in nominees/ applicants who have the following skills and/or experiences:

  • Personally engaged in justice organizing to fight systems of oppression and build towards collective liberation.
  • Identify as, or work closely with Black/Indigenous/communities of color, LGBTQIA+ communities, poor and/or rural communities.
  • Has direct experience leading organizing and strategy work, anti-racism work, fundraising, organizational development or storytelling.
  • Is a UU lay person residing in North Carolina.

Last week we were delighted to have several first-time Action Hour participants join us on Friday! Is now the right time for you to join our Friday Action Hour community? 

Join UU Justice NC every Friday at 11:00 for our Weekly Friday Action Hour. Every week, UU's and justice partners across the state gather to recap the past week and take action on the issues impacting our state and country. And there is always great music to help us feel the justice movement in our bones! Join us via this Zoom link. And if you can't make it on Fridays, you can still take action at any time - just check out our Weekly action list.

And sign up for our new Weekly Friday Action Hour Email that will include a promo of the week's actions, the Zoom link, and the link to our Actions Google Doc. Click here to sign up! 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to all those who helped us make our end-of-year fundraising campaign a success! Your investments will help our state-wide network contribute powerfully to the movement for justice in 2022 and beyond. 

And if you missed the year-end deadline, no worries! It's always a great time to make a contribution to UU Justice NC. You can donate here. 

 

~ Announcements ~

Is Your Congregation Interested in a YOUTH Action Hour? UU Justice NC is currently exploring the idea of hosting a monthly or quarterly Action Hour geared towards middle school and high school youth. During the 1-hour Zoom event youth would have time to connect, learn about a justice the issue and then take direct action while listening to justice music. Is this something your congregation/ RE team would be interested in? If so, email Rev. Lisa at Lisa@UUForwardTogether.org 

Gun Violence Vigils across NC on January 16th - Remembering Dr. King and other Victims of Gun Violence. A coalition across the state is organizing these vigils. Here is the link to a running list of locations and who is taking the lead locally. If you / your congregation is interested in supporting (or even leading a vigil in an area not yet listed) you can contact Jim Hurdis from the UU Fellowship in Raleigh (jim.hurdis@gmail.com) who can give you more info. 

The 8th Principle Project: Over the past few months, we've heard from many of you that your congregations are in the early stages of exploring the 8th Principle Project and considering adopting the 8th Principle. Is your congregation interested in participating in a Virtual Convening of Congregational Leaders across NC around the 8th Principle Project? This would be an opportunity to connect, ask questions, share resources, and explore how UU Justice NC can support congregations doing this work. If so, please email Rev. Lisa at Lisa@uuforwardtogether.org 

UU Justice NC

The UU Justice Ministry of North Carolina

www.uuforwardtogether.org

For more information about these opportunities contact Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson at lisa@uuforwardtogether.org 

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