Posts Tagged ‘Justice General Assembly’

One Click Away from Compassionate, Family-Based Immigration Reform

No Comments | Share On Facebook| One Click Away from Compassionate, Family-Based Immigration Reform Share/Save/Bookmark Apr 17, 2013

I have been hearing so many amazing stories of Unitarian Universalists making advocacy visits to tell their elected officials that immigration reform must respect the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

In 2010, I marched and later was arrested in Phoenix, AZ, because my faith values taught me that it is wrong to tear apart families and criminalize whole communities. No person is illegal. I stood on the side of love to stop immoral legislation that sadly began spreading from one state to another.

Now finally the moment is here, a once in a generation moment, to pass federal legislation that will create one immigration policy for our nation.

An immigration reform bill was introduced this morning, so now is the time to tell Congress that reform must be compassionate.

You can do that right now, by simply sending this message to your local elected official. Tell them that reform must keep families together.

One of the proudest moments of my presidency was when thousands of Unitarian Universalists witnessed at the Tent City detention center in Phoenix at Justice General Assembly last year calling for an end to detentions and deportations and for reform of our immigration laws.

You and I both know how powerful our voices can be when we mobilize and work together to make real change happen. Click here to add your voice today towards compassionate, family-based immigration reform.

Love has no borders, love keeps families together, love respects the inherent worth and dignity of all people.

In faith,

Rev. Peter Morales
President
Unitarian Universalist Association

The message above went out on Wednesday, April 16, 2013 to Standing on the Side of Love supporters. You can sign-up for these emails here.

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The Road from Phoenix: Compassionate Immigration Reform

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This spring, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to pass compassionate, comprehensive immigration reform. As people of faith, we must raise our voices for an immigration reform bill that promotes justice and compassion, and that keeps families together. Last year, we stood on the side of love in Phoenix, faithfully witnessing against the harsh practices and policies directed against immigrants and their families. What we did in Phoenix was meaningful, but now what? What is next on the Road from Phoenix?

Congress will likely pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) legislation this year and whether it is compassionate in addition to comprehensive depends on how much we and other faith communities influence the outcome.

No matter where you live, you can make a difference in this debate. The first step is to commit to doing an in-district lobby visit, i.e. neighbor-to-neighbor meeting, with your members of Congress. In-district visits are one of the most effective ways to ensure that your voice is heard. Click here for our step-by-step guide to doing an in-district lobby visit.

Your members of Congress will be in their home offices for a “state work period” from March 25 to April 5, so call now and make an appointment to meet with them ASAP. It’s easy to make an appointment to speak with your legislators, and a small group from your community can have a real impact.

Never done a lobby visit before? No worries! Join the Interfaith Immigration Coalition webinar on Monday, March 4 at 4pm ET for an informative presentation on neighbor-to-neighbor visits. Click here and scroll down to “Step 3″ for more details.

With your help, people of faith will play a key role in ensuring that immigration reform is compassionate, and reflects the worth and dignity of all people. Commit to doing an in-district lobby visit today!

In faith,

Susan Leslie
Lead Organizer
Standing on the Side of Love

PS: The first 50 congregations to sign-up will receive a packet of Standing on the Side of Love goodies to support their work–click here to register your in-district visit today!

The message above went out on Monday, February 25, 2013 to Standing on the Side of Love supporters. You can sign-up for these emails here.

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Storytelling in Social Media

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Stories are a powerful tool for social change. You can use online communication to tell your story, build relationships with partner organizations, and enhance your work for social justice. At Justice General Assembly last month, Standing on the Side of Love Campaign Manager Dan Furmansky spoke on a panel about the use of social media in organizing.

Watch his presentation on the power of storytelling and how the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign can support grassroots justice work below. Click here to download the accompanying PowerPoint presentation.

How have you used social media in your own advocacy work? Leave your suggestions in the comments!

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Coming Out to Face Arpaio: Riding for Justice

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The message below went out on Thursday, July 19, 2012 to Standing on the Side of Love supporters. You can sign-up for these emails here.

Friends,

The seeds we planted together at the Justice General Assembly are calling to be watered.

Some of the local partners in Phoenix and others are preparing to risk everything to move this country forward. On July 28th, undocumented parents, workers, and students are confronting their own fears so that the world will recognize their humanity.

Through something that has often moved history forward—bold, peaceful civil disobedience—they will load onto a bus and embark on a journey from one end of the country to the other. As they travel state by state on a No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice, these individuals will come out as undocumented and unafraid, and they will work with immigrant communities throughout the Southwest and Southeast to build barrio defense on their way to the Democratic National Convention this fall.

Please join us in supporting these brave individuals who are risking their very freedom. Click on the video below to see the call to action and learn how you can get involved.

undocubus_video

Today, a trial in federal court is starting against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for his years of harassment and abuse in the name of immigration enforcement. It’s a good day when the Sheriff finally has to explain himself. But for migrant communities and for anyone who has bore witness to the crisis in Maricopa County, the jury is already in.

In Arizona and across the country, migrant communities have had enough of the mistreatment, and are ready for a new day. !Basta ya! Neither Congress nor the President nor the courts have granted real relief from the suffering that migrants face. So they are taking their future into their own hands.

Undocumented people like Leticia, Nataly, and Gerardo, who will participate in the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice, have decided they’re safer out of the shadows than in them, and that the only secure community is an organized one. If Arpaio wants to find them, he will no longer find them in fear. They’re prepared to confront the Sheriff and all the proponents of prejudice along the bus route to show that our love is stronger than their hate.

That risk will only be worth it if all of us rise to follow the example of their courage, if we succeed in riveting the nation’s attention on the journey.

Click here to learn how you can contribute to the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice, and support those who are risking it all.

There are no more sidelines in the immigration debate. The participants in the No Papers No Fear Ride for Justice are calling on us to do our all to turn the tide with them.

In covenant,

b_loewe

B. Loewe, NDLON

PS: This week is just the beginning. Sign up for updates and spread the news of the bus tour as far and wide as possible. Like “Undocubus” on Facebook and follow @undocubus on Twitter.

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Bringing Justice General Assembly to Hawaii

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Jonipher_Kwong

This post was written by Rev. Jonipher Kūpono Kwong, minister of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu.

This Justice General Assembly was by far the most energizing (since I began attending in 2008 anyway). As an Activist Minister, it warmed my heart to witness thousands of UUs from all over the country (and some from Canada and elsewhere) put their faith into action by speaking out against the atrocities going on in Tent City. The songs we used were also powerful, especially those by Emma’s Revolution. Kudos to the organizers who put their blood, sweat and tears into making this a success!

Carla Allison, the Board President of the First Unitarian Church of Honolulu, and I knew we didn’t want to let much time go by before we did something about our experience in Phoenix, so we planned a forum for Sunday, July 8, 2012 after both our services. We called it “Wake Up to Justice!” because we wanted to mobilize our congregation to action. It wasn’t just another debrief–40 people attended. This was indeed an opportunity for members of our congregation to get plugged in to what our movement is doing, making us realize that these justice issues are interconnected. What happens in Arizona does not stay in Arizona, but has an impact in Hawaii as well.

We began the forum by educating our Beloved Community on the harms that have been inflicted on indigenous peoples through the Doctrine of Discovery by using the language used in the General Assembly resolution. We were elated when Rev. Michael Tino helped us introduce the words “indigenous peoples of the Hawaiian Kingdom,” acknowledging that those living in Hawai’i are a part of the Unitarian Universalist Association and that our local partners here are suffering as well. Kumu Glen Kila of the Kanenuiakea community blessed Carla and I with an oli (chant) and a lei. We made a commitment to continue the conversation and to be in relationship with each other, asking the question, “How can we support you?”

We then showed videos and photos from our Tent City witness, which were very moving. Carla gave a moving testimony of her experiences at the workshop and even on the plane ride home reading The Death of Josseline. Many in the congregation became interested in reading this book and we ended the forum with suggestions on how we can move forward. We handed out concrete suggestions such as calling the Attorney General’s office to ask them to hold Sheriff Arpaio accountable. Someone else suggested we hold a public witness event here in Hawaii and ask our partners to join us. We said we would educate our children on Hawaiian spirituality issues and ask Kumu Glen to come back and worship with us again. The ideas flowed, and our energies were oriented toward justice. We hope more people from our congregation can come next year to experience what we’ve experienced. Mahalo for leading us to a greater awareness of the injustices that are going on. The road to justice continues.

For more information on how to bring the Doctrine of Discovery home, click here. For more resources from Justice General Assembly, click here.

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