Our History of Social Justice and Inclusion
As Unitarian Universalists we live our Covenant by being actively involved in social justice issues. We know that tangible expressions of love, justice, and peace are candles in the dark, and integral to making a change in the world. We work to serve, raise awareness, and to support and partner with those who face injustice. More than 200 years ago the American Universalist Church was one of the first religious groups to formally oppose slavery and was the first group to ordain a woman into the clergy.
Members of our church are outspoken advocates of LGBTQ rights, climate justice, racial justice, immigration, and economic justice. We focus our efforts on issues such as homelessness, food scarcity, threats to democracy, environmental justice, and public health issues such as domestic violence and mental health. Accordingly, our Social Justice Committee collaborates with local organizations such as the Laconia-Gilford Lion’s Club to support nonprofit organizations with missions to provide assistance to those experiencing food or housing insecurity or serving the needs of those with mental health illnesses.
Social Justice
Social Justice Committee Announcements
KKim Reeve of the Social Justice Committee is keeping track of up-coming opportunites around NH where people can let their voices be heard.
Every Wednesday, 3:00 to 4:00 pm
Vigil against ICE every Wednesday, 3:00 to 4:00 pm at Veterans Square, Laconia. Contact Tom athappyhiker6@proton.me for more information.
Thursday, March 12, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
"How to have courageous conversations" This hybrid event is co-facilitated by James McKim and Kate Harmon Sibirini, and it is an interactive training that equips participants with practical tools to host respectful, truth-seeking community conversations in a time of political division. The program helps neighbors create local public spaces where listening replaces labeling and common ground can emerge. Participants will leave more confident to convene conversations that foster belonging, clarity, and courageous civic engagement, and resist distortion of Jesus’ teachings.
This program is part of the Countering Christian Nationalism project with examples drawn from how this ideology shows up in local communities and shapes public life. Zoom participants will only be able to watch, not engage in the training, here.
Thursday, February 19, 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Panel Discussion at Laconia High School on public education, sponsored by the New Hampshire School Funding Fairness Project. This will be a discussion on the ongoing crisis of public education. The forum will bring together parents, educators, policy experts, and legal advocates to examine how public education is being funded, why the current approach does not work and what can be done to build a fairer system for all.
Saturday, March 28 at Concord NH Statehouse
No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. The No Kings Coalition is planning a mass mobilization on March 28 across the country, including a flagship event in the Twin Cities. Watch this space for more details about the plans for the mobilization event in Concord and other cities
in NH.
Our History of Social Justice and Inclusion
Non-Violent Political Protests Work
Frank Allen wanted to share the link below to a TED talk that one of the organizers of the
weekly gathering in Wolfeboro sent him on the success of nonviolent resistance. The
speaker, Erica Chenoweth, gave the TED talk on November 4, 2013 at the University of
Colorado in Boulder. It runs for just over 12 minutes and is chock full of information on how
successful non-violent protests and other measures have historically brought down oppressive regimes around the world and why.
Although the talk was more than 10 years ago, you will find that their ideas certainly apply to the political climate in the U.S. right now.
Erica Chenoweth is certainly qualified to speak on this subject. They are the Academic Dean for Faculty Development and the Frank Stanton Professor of the First Amendment at Harvard Kennedy School, Faculty Dean at Pforzheimer House at Harvard College, and a Susan S. and Kenneth L. Wallach Professor at Harvard's Radcliffe Institute. Chenoweth studies political violence and its alternatives. They have authored or edited nine other books and dozens of articles on mass movements, nonviolent resistance, terrorism, political violence, revolutions, and state repression. Before coming to Harvard, Chenoweth taught at the University of Denver and Wesleyan University. They hold a Ph.D. and an M.A. in political science from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in political science and German from the University of Dayton.
Here is the link to watch the video: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJSehRlU34w
Social Justice
The Social Justice Committee (SJC) would like to share the following information:
- Many folks are continuing with calls to the US House and Senate. Do you need help in scheduling weekly calls to
the NH Delegation? Try the app 5 Calls or add our delegation’s numbers to your cell phone as well as the numbers for Rep. Harkeem Jeffries ((202) 225-5936) and Senator Chuck Schumer ((202) 224-6542).
- There are two ongoing postcard campaigns to exercise first amendment freedom of speech rights: Card Campaign for Democracy and #TheMajorityProject: 500k Postcards to Congress – Signs Of Justice.
- NH Forward and NH50501 are seeking contributions for a billboard project in Manchester. To learn more and contrib- ute: Billboards Project | NH Forward
- The Electronic Frontier Foundation has a surveillance self-defense guide for safer online communications and for tips for attending protests: Surv
- Are you curious about what organizations and products support either the Democratic or Republican Parties? Goods Unite Us is an application you can download in the App store, and there is a website too. You can search for either an organization or product and receive a break- down on what parties and candidates received monetary support from the organization or product. Here’s a link to the website: Home - Goods Unite Us
- Not comfortable going to a protest rally? There is an on- going postcard campaign to send postcards to the White House exercising our first amendment rights. If you de- cide to participate, be sure not to include your name or address. Here’s a link to a website providing templates that you can print out or use their message on your own postcards: Card Campaign for Democracy
- Finally, Senator Jaime Raskin is encouraging all Americans to file a formal demand for access to their personal information obtained by Musk and “DOGE”. Here’s a link to his website with a fillable form: DOGE Privacy Act Re- quests - Jamie Raskin for Congress
Our Current Social Justice Projects
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are primarily focusing our efforts on sharing our monetary offerings with local charities and on coordinating collection drives to support local and state organizations working to mitigate the economic impacts of this crisis such as homelessness and food insecurity. Please click on the links to learn more about each organization.
- Share the Plate - We share our monetary offerings with the following local charities:
- Collection Drives - We coordinate the collection of food and non-food items for organizations, and partner with the Laconia Gilford Lion's Club in this endeavor. The following are two organizations that will benefit from this effort:
- Isaiah 61 Cafe
- Community Action Program Food Pantry
- Other Social Justice Activities:
- We are a Green Sanctuary congregation
- We host the local American Red Cross Blood Drive annually
Our Previous Social Justice Projects
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are tabling some projects until we can perform them safely. Below is a list of projects that we have either tabled with the intent to resume participation after the pandemic or projects we have done in the past.
- UU The Vote - We participated with our national organization’s efforts to get out 1 million Unitarian Universalists for the 2020 election. We conducted phone calls to members and friends to provide assistance with voting.
- Gun Safety - To highlight the need for common sense gun safety reform, we created a poster and did a presentation at our national organization’s annual meeting and have hosted educational awareness sessions.
- Hands Across the Table - We volunteer to serve food for Hands Across the Table, an organization that provides free, hot meals to those in need.
- Belknap House - We participated in the fundraising and grand opening of the Belknap House which is a local cold weather homeless shelter. We have sold Fair Trade products to support small scale farmers and we donate the proceeds to the Belknap House.
- Liberty House - Coordinating collection drives for clothing and winter items for homeless veterans served by Liberty House in Manchester.
- Mental Health Awareness
- Hosted the former Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Justice John Broderick, for a presentation to reduce the stigma of mental illness in the Change Direction campaign
- Hosted NAMI for the presentation "In Our Own Voice" to increase awareness and help reduce the stigma associated with mental illness
- Bullying Education - Hosted a workshop for local educators on the issue of bullying
- Habitat for Humanity - Raised funds and participated in Habitat for Humanity projects