Racial Justice is one of the most urgent, powerful justice issues of our time. As Unitarian Universalists, we affirm and promote our 7 Principles, and as members of UUCC, we promise to challenge each other to live our values. We express these values through the commitment and energy that we give to this critical movement.
About Our Black Lives Matter Team
Our Black Lives Matter Team, which is focused specifically on the movement for Black lives.
Our Philosophy
Read or listen to more about the philosophy behind UUCC’s commitment to racial justice:
- What Now? – January 2020 (MLK Sunday worship service)
- Notes from October meeting between Paige and UUCC’s 4th Principle Group – November 21, 2019
- Response from Rev. Paige Getty to July 31 UUCC LETTER – September 24, 2019
- Message to the Congregation from the Board of Trustees – August 2, 2019
- Message to the Congregation from Rev. Paige Getty – July 20, 2019
- Message to the Congregation from Rev. Paige Getty – July 10, 2019
- The Power of We by UUA President Susan Frederick-Gray – March 2019
- In Between Sundays – The Family Stone – February 2019
- Of, not About – January 2019 (MLK Sunday worship service)
- Troubled Waters (a worship service about the Middle Passage) – February 2018
- ‘Other’ – January 2018
- Is It Me? White Supremacy Teach-In – May 2017
- UUA Reaffirmation of Commitment to Racial Justice – June 2016
- In Between Sundays – Black Lives Matter – Sept 2015
- UUA Action of Immediate Witness – June 2015
- Black Lives Matter, Board of Trustees Minute – April 2015
- Seven Principles of Black Lives
- The Eighth Principle of Unitarian Universalism
- Toward an Anti-Racist UUA – 1997 Business Resolution
What We’re Doing
Beloved Community Resolution (adopted at UUCC in June 2020)
The voting Members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia (UUCC) voted to endorse the following resolution as an expression of our commitment to building a diverse, multicultural, Beloved Community at this year’s Annual Meeting on June 7, 2020. With this resolution, UUCC reasserts our commitment to this work in ourselves, our congregation, and our community.
Resolved:
We, the members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia, Maryland, covenant to affirm and promote the building of a diverse, multicultural Beloved Community where BIPOC*, LGBTQ+**, and other marginalized communities find respite from racism and other oppressions. We commit to educating ourselves and to taking actions that dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves, our institutions, and the broader community working in accordance with each person’s unique abilities and approaches.
*BIPOC = Black, Indigenous, People of Color ** LGBTQ+ = lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning + other sexualities and non-binary genders
Other things we’re doing:
- Courageous Conversations about Race – an interfaith initiative to have more honest and difficult conversations about race, racism, religion, and bias
- Deconstructing Whiteness Book Club and other anti-racism book groups
- Vigil at The Mall in Columbia – 2nd Sundays of each month at Windstream Road and Governor Warfield in Columbia, 4-5pm
- Black Lives Matter team – meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month at 7pm at OBIC
- Hosting Conversations for Change
- Supporting Penn North Kids Safe Zone
- Participating in Black Lives Matter actions throughout Maryland and DC
Things you can do in your everyday life:
- Dine at a black-owned restaurant in the Baltimore area
- Wear a #BlackLivesMatter button
- Make eye contact, smile, and say hello. No matter the color of someone’s skin. Listen to others’ stories and validate their experiences.
- Follow #BlackLivesMatter leaders on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and learn from their comments
- Order and wear a #BlackLivesMatter t-shirt
- Spend a few minutes exploring the links on this page!
Sites We Like
- Black Lives Matter – Maryland Facebook group
- UUA’s webpages on Racial Justice and Dismantling White Supremacy
- Black Lives of UU – Facebook community
Recommended Reading
- When We Know Better, We Must Do Better by Laurie Stone Sirtosky
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
- Waking Up White by Debby Irving
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi
- How to Be Less Stupid About Race by Crystal M. Fleming
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson (UUA 2015-2016 Common Read)
- Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander (UUA 2012-2013 Common Read)
- The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the Making of American Capitalism by Edward E. Baptist
- Left Bank Books in St Louis MO has published a Black Lives Matter reading list
Have a book to suggest? Email blacklivesmatter@uucolumbia.net.
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