The Spirit of Partnership
Betty Jeanne Rueters-Ward reflects on how her time in Phoenix intersected with her work in anti-racist education and national movement building
Betty Jeanne, Linda Wells, Gini Courter and Susan LeslieIt’s been a month since I left Arizona. Of all the blessings I experienced there, the greatest was witnessing the spirit of partnership among those working for human rights.
I went to Arizona as a Unitarian Universalist (and Catholic) faith-based organizer in support of the Standing on the Side of Love campaign. I also went as a leader with Catalyst Project, a center for anti-racist education and national movement building. Catalyst works with predominantly white sectors of Left social movements, with two goals: 1) deepening anti-racist commitment among white folks, and 2) building effective multiracial coalitions for social and environmental justice.
While working in Unitarian Universalist organizations, studying at Starr King School for the Ministry, and managing my first political campaigns, Catalyst provided me with loving mentorship and transformative training for my anti-racist development. I was humbled to realize I was just one of many Uus whom Catalyst supported – others included national leaders from Young Religious Unitarian Universalists, Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries, Allies for Racial Equity, and Groundwork (a multiracial, multigenerational collective of UU anti-racist organizers).
Most recently, Unitarian Universalists stepped up as mentors, trainers, donors, and participants in the Anne Braden Training Program, Catalyst’s four-month intensive for white social justice activists. UUs are also rapidly joining the U.S. for All of Us: No Room for Racism network. U.S. for All of Us is a national initiative for white folks to take coordinated action for social justice, working in accountable partnership with people of color-led movements. From its start, Unitarian Universalists linked U.S. for All of Us with Standing on the Side of Love, a campaign that emerged around the same time, with similar values and messaging. The two campaigns shared a strategic priority: immigrant justice. After this year’s UUA General Assembly and the United States Social Forum – held in the same week – Unitarian Universalist participation in U.S. for All of Us skyrocketed.
My positive experiences with each of these organizations moved me to go to Arizona. Still, like many preparing for the SB1070 Day of Noncompliance, I had my doubts. In late June, I participated in the United States Social Forum in Detroit, where Puente, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and other immigrant-led organizations shared their stories, strategies, and visions. Most called on their allies for a coordinated boycott of Arizona. The same week in Minneapolis, my fellow Unitarian Universalists voted to in favor of keeping their UUA 2012 General Assembly in Phoenix, committing to radically transform the convention into a mobilization for immigrant justice.
Chris Crass and Betty JeanneI worried about how we as UUs – particularly those from out of state – would show up in Phoenix, in 2012 and sooner. Would we be humble, and follow the leadership of those most affected? Would we do what local organizations asked of us, or try to set an agenda ourselves? Would we practice patience, compassion, and accountability even in the most challenging moments? Would we use the media for own our gain or for that of the larger movement? Would we support the boycott, even as it meant dramatically shifting the culture and economy of our 2012 gathering? Would those of us who were white (as the majority of our faith movement is) step up to our particular responsibility to take action against racism?
I did all I could to connect the community organizers I knew, as each mobilized their base in opposition to SB1070. As the bumper sticker goes, “the most radical thing we can do is introduce people to one another.” Meanwhile, I agonized over what kind of leadership and legacy we Unitarian Universalists would offer as we went to Arizona.
And then, I experienced it – that beautiful spirit of partnership, of collaboration. I’ll share just a few snapshots, as I heard them
