Update on Racial Justice Work – Nov. 2021

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At the Social Action Committee meeting in August, it was decided to continue our Racial Justice work by dividing into two groups:

  • The Anti-Racism Reading group will continue to provide education on these issues through reading and discussion of books on racism and racial justice.  They will endeavor to include more members of the congregation in this work by encouraging people to participate as they can or when they have an interest in a particular book. This group will continue under the Adult Religious Education Committee.
  • A Racial Justice group will be formed as a team of the Social Action Committee and will pursue action toward dismantling racism both locally and nationally.  Included in these action will be working toward adopting the Eighth Principle in our congregation.

ANTI-RACISM READING GROUP NEWS:

The Anti-Racist Reading Group sponsored a congregational book discussion of Breathe: A Letter to My Sons, by Imani Perry, on November 17.  This was the UUA Common Read for 2020-2021. Many thoughtful ideas and opinions were expressed during the discussion led by members Susan Roberts, Linda Rudd, Penny Hooper, and Sally Davis.

The Anti-Racist Reading Group will meet next on January 13, at 7 p.m.  The read will be You Are Your Best Thing, an anthology by 20 well-known racial justice writers.  We are asking each person attending to be prepared to lead a brief discussion of the article that meant the most personally. Time won’t permit discussing all 20 articles, but this will assure that we discuss the ones that especially spoke to us.

The book selection for March will be, Me and White Supremacy, by Layla F. Saad.  Rev. Ma will introduce this read at the MLK service, as a lead-up to the congregational study of the proposed UUA 8th Principle next year. This book is hands-on, with prompts for the reader to keep a 28-day journal based on the reading.

RACIAL JUSTICE GROUP NEWS:

An organizational team for the Racial Justice Group met on Sunday, November 14th. Here is a summary of their work:

  • Penny Hooper and Susan Roberts will co-chair the team

We will:

  • Continue to send out Action Items from UU Justice NC, especially those related to voting rights. We will also continue our collaboration with them on racial justice issues
  • Work toward adoption of the Eighth UU Principle (see below) beginning with a service on Racial Justice on MLK Sunday (January 16th) that includes information about the principle. Also see: https://www.8thprincipleuu.org/
  • Continue to explore actions we can take on racial issues in the Criminal Justice system after our successful showing of the film “Racially Charged: America’s Misdemeanor Problem”
  • Follow and support the work of the Citizens for Diversity in Education group which is working to have more people of color in administrative and faculty positions in the Carteret County Schools.  Sally Davis is a member of this group.
  • Continue to meet every other month (alternating with the ARRG) starting in February. Anyone who is interested in working on racial justice is welcome to join this group.

The UUA 8th Principle:

“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”