Unitarian Universalists For Social Justice

Programs: Uusj acted as regional social justice coordinator enabling collaboration and cooperation among area congregations and affiliated organizations. Uusj maintains a website with information and a calendar of events for uu and interfaith social justice activities for the region. It publishes a monthly e-newsletter that highlights social justice programs of member congregations and interfaith social justice activities, and provides links to other social justice websites. It holds periodic awards ceremonies that honor recognized uu social activists in the community. It maintains resource libraries with good social justice speakers for services and other presentations and on congregations' policies regarding social justice and environmental justice issues.

increased uu advocacy contacts and witness opportunities:the ultimate goal of our grant efforts is to prepare us to be able to conduct more advocacy opportunities and increase uu visibility in the public arena. To that end we:* launched uusj capitol hill advocacy corps in february to make monthly visits to convey uu views on priority issues* conducted new citizen engagement and advocacy trainings at three uu congregations in the region* partnered with uu ministry for earth, commit2respond, and uus for a just economic community (uujec) to conduct "write here! Write now" letter-writing campaign on climate justice and healthcare* delivered 1,000+ uu letters to congressional offices on immigration, climate justice, and healthcare* co-sponsored three-day national conference on "reversing inequality on healthcare" with uujec* convened two briefings and book signings by noted uu author chuck collins on escalating inequality* conducted three health policy webinars in collaboration with uujec* organized and mobilized uus for 2016 get out the vote, the only regional multi- state action, involving nine partner congregations, supported in part by a small grant from the uu funding program (uufp)* hosted briefings on intersectionality of racial justice and climate/environmental justice to strengthen our ability to "connect the dots" * mobilized and coordinated meet-up location for uus during women's march on washington* organized and mobilized uus during people's climate movement march in april; conducted "write here! Write now! " campaign to gather letters of support* collaborated with washington inter-religious staff community (wisc) ecology and environment (lavona grow serves as uua representative), virginia coalition of latino organizations, casa de maryland, friends committee on national legislation, network lobby, americans for tax fairness, national nurses united, steelworkers union, uu ministry for earth, and commit2respond* built closer relationships with uua, uusc, and uujec on various witness and advocacy initiatives* collaborated with uusj member congregation in providing substantive response to draft statement of conscience on escalating economic inequity and participated in general assembly (ga) debates on the topic* conferred with coalition of uu state action network (cuusan) leadership at ga to discuss opportunities for collaboration and to develop a covenantal agreement with cuusan* exhibited at ga to engage attendees in letter-writing and advocacy opportunities on healthcare* joined with dreamers groups, organized by national korean american service and education consortium and other organizations, including uua and uusc, to endorse and mobilize uus to support the 22-day daca and tps vigil in front of the white house; provided evening meal for vigil crew on "uu day" (sept. 3)* published monthly electronic newsletter disseminated to 1,200 uu addresses in region and nationwide, designed to promote uu participation in educational, witness and advocacy opportunities on racial justice, the climate and environment, capital pride and lgbtq rights, voter rights, immigrant rights, healthcare and other key issues* applied for and received a grant from uufp for uusj to expand capacity for uu advocacy in the nation's capital