Social Action
If you’re ready to learn about and/or do Social Action at the Pennsylvania level: see ESUUC’s guide to UU Justice work in PA (UUJusticePA).
These are the current Social Action opportunities at ESUUC and beyond (not including UUJusticePA).
Learn:
- Indigenous Peoples’ History – Winter 2021 book discussions
General Assembly 2020 called on Unitarian Universalists to learn more about this country’s painful history of oppression of indigenous peoples and to do the work of restorative justice and healing. Please join Rev. Stephanie for a 3-session discussion of the 2019-20 UUA Common Read, “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz (Beacon Press, 2015).- Dates: 2nd Tuesdays from 7-8:30pm (Feb 9, Mar 9, Apr 13).
- You can order the book (original or the Young Adult adaptation) from the book title link above.
- We’ll be using the UUA’s Discussion Guide.
- All who are interested in joining, please email Rev. Stephanie at minister@esuuc.org
- Social Justice Book Club
Wed Feb 10: Read “How To Be An AntiRacist” by Ibram X Kendi and join the monthly Social Justice Book Club hosted by the Monroeville Library, held online from 6:30-8pm (for details go to “Feb 10” on this online calendar).
- “New Day Rising” Conference on February 27
Many of our congregations in the Pittsburgh Cluster have taken on the work of changing white supremacy culture and countering racism. This Conference focuses on skills to support congregations and their leaders in this important change work. Registration now open, sliding scale ($20-50). Click here for more information.
Do:
- Recycle:
- Check out the new Recycling Center “How To” Videos for the Westmoreland Cleanways Recycling Center
- Read the updated Westmoreland County Recycling Guide for both curbside and on-site recycling (updated 1/14/2021).
- Follow one or more of Donovan Hayden’s Calls to Action that he shared during his “Anti-racism Work as Spiritual Practice” service on January 24.
- Become a Pen Pal to an incarcerated UU. This is part of the “Worthy Now” Prison Ministry Network powered by the UU Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF). Time commitment: 1x/month for 6 months.
- Take action against Solitary Confinement
- Contact reps (get contact info from PA “Find Your Legislator”)
- Write a Letter to the Editor:
- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Murrysville Star & other communities)
- Penn-Franklin (Murrysville & other communities)
- Sit in on a Zoom meeting with local and/or state human rights coalition (contact Shandre Delaney at sd4hrc@gmail.com)
- Attend the next Zoom meeting with the UUJusticePA team on Criminal Justice Reform on the last Monday of the month (https://zoom.us/j/7132347624#success)
- Food Insecurity – current opportunities to help
- Ongoing need, especially during the winter months and during the pandemic.
- Thank you all – during Stone Soup in November, we collected 4 bags of food and $195 for the Westmoreland County Food Bank, plus any additional donations people made directly to the WCFB web site!
- Join ESUUC’s “UU the VOTE PA” team to complete non-partisan* efforts to promote democracy.
- Sign up with Team Leader Marianne: email CLM@esuuc.org
- Make a donation to UU the Vote
The goal for “UU the VOTE PA” is to get pledges of time and treasure from 1000 UUs which is 20% of each congregation’s membership!
ESUUC is currently at: 4% (2/43 as of 12/27/2020)
*Note: you are welcome to engage in partisan election social action, but you must do so on your own time. All efforts promoted by ESUUC must remain non-partisan. “UU the VOTE PA” is part of “UU the VOTE.”
(last updated 2021-02-08)