Posts Tagged ‘Unitarian Universalist Association’

Investors Call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

4 Comments | Share On Facebook| Investors Call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform Share/Save/Bookmark Apr 30, 2013
UUA Treasurer and CFO Tim Brennan

This post was written by UUA Treasurer and CFO Tim Brennan.

Responding to the introduction of immigration reform legislation in the U.S. Senate, a broad and diverse group of more than 70 institutional investors including the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) joined together to call on Congress to take immediate action and pass commonsense immigration reform. The coalition represents $890.5 billion in assets under management on behalf of major pension funds, nonprofit organizations, faith-based investors, and socially responsible investors.

In a public letter, the group stated, “We believe comprehensive reform must be developed and implemented consistent with the human rights of all concerned, must value the integrity of families and must prevent immigrant workers—be they temporary or permanent—from being subjected to second-class employment standards.”

Regardless of our faith, I believe we all share a moral responsibility to stop the suffering caused by the current immigration policy, especially to families. As members of the investment community, we know the path to economic prosperity lies ultimately with the humane treatment of our workers.

The letter outlines the economic rationale, citing a recent study by the Congressional Budget Office which concluded that immigration reform could add as much as 1.3 percent to GDP by 2016. The coalition also notes that reform is imperative to ensuring a competitive U.S. labor force and a more prosperous economy for all Americans.

My colleague Susan Smith Makos, vice president of social responsibility for Mercy Investment Services, says of the letter, “As investors, we have a responsibility to advocate for those without a voice. Comprehensive immigration reform is a necessary step to improve conditions for those immigrants living and working in our country. Our hope is that leaders in U.S. Congress will realize the significant, positive impact that immigration reform can have not only on businesses but also on our country.”

Organizing investors to speak out for comprehensive immigration reform is a part of the UUA’s efforts to express our values through the management of our investments. As an active shareholder, the UUA uses its ownership rights to file resolutions on a range of issues including LGBTQ nondiscrimination, political spending, human rights, and sustainability. But to be effective, we must act in concert with other investors. Therefore the UUA is an active member of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, Ceres, SIF: the Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investment, and the Investor Network on Climate Risk.

Together with these investors, we recognize that consideration of justice is as important to investing as risk and return.

This post was written by Unitarian Universalist Association Treasurer and CFO Tim Brennan. Tim is an active proponent of shareholder advocacy and socially responsible investing.

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Grateful for Everything, In Spite of Everything

3 Comments | Share On Facebook| Grateful for Everything, In Spite of Everything Share/Save/Bookmark Apr 22, 2013

Rev. Fred Small

We had originally scheduled the following litany by Rev. Fred Small, in honor of Earth Day, as the second installment in a four part series leading up to the UUA General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky exploring the impact of energy production and the interdependent web of life in our communities.

Because of the recent tragedies in Boston, we thought we would also include Rev. Small’s sermon from Sunday, April 21, in which he explores the connections between Earth Day, the bombings, and why we must let our hearts be broken open. Rev. Small is the senior minister at First Parish Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist.

“Standing on the Side of Love: We Are One”

A litany by Rev. Fred Small
First Parish in Cambridge, Unitarian Universalist 

We are one.

One people.

One community.

One earth.

One spirit.

We are one. (more…)

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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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Stand Up For Love

No Comments | Share On Facebook| Stand Up For Love Share/Save/Bookmark Apr 11, 2013

This post was written by Rev. James Ismael Ford of the First Unitarian Church of Providence. (Credit: Jessica Duckett)

I’ve been told that a minister is supposed to provide a “non-anxious” presence. I can tell you that the run up to Sunday the 7th, I was anything but non-anxious. I can only say I was at one with my anxiety. We were trying to bring two denominational heads together to make public statements in favor of marriage equality in Rhode Island and in our country.

Both Rev. Peter Morales, president of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and Rev. Geoffrey Black, general minister of the United Church of Christ, are committed long time supporters of LGBTQ rights, so their willingness was never in doubt. But, they have many obligations and trying to get them here at the same time and as part of the run up to the senate taking its votes, well, that seemed almost impossible.

But, in a minor evidence of the existence of a deity, and one benevolent and supportive of equal rights for all people, not to mention a lot of work by a lot of people, it happened. At ten o’clock Rev. Black preached good news at Beneficent Congregational Church, and at ten thirty Rev. Morales spoke to the heart of LGBTQ rights as human rights and as a spiritual imperative at the First Unitarian Church of Providence.

As the service at First Unitarian ended, we had our ordinary coffee hour, but instead of winding down, while some people headed out, others started arriving from Unitarian Universalist and United Church of Christ congregations as their worship services ended, as well as non-churched people who had heard of these progressive ministers who were going to make a public statement about a critical civil rights issue for our times. Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts even made a brief appearance to thank Revs. Black and Morales for their support.

Revs. Ford, Black, Morales and others sing a hymn at the program. (Credit: Jessica Duckett)

By one o’clock our “Stand Up for Love” program kicked off with a rocking music led by Kate Katzberg, Mo Methot, and the First Unitarian band. At one thirty as Lynda Gulley took to the piano as Revs. Black and Morales as well as other local religious leaders came into the historic Meeting House to join with a crowd of about three hundred and fifty people. Gene Dyszlewski, the First Unitarian Church’s community minister for social justice, as well as leader of the religious coalition for marriage equality, invited greetings. Betsy Garland, president of the Rhode Island Council of Churches, and Donald Anderson, Executive Director, both made statements of welcome.

Rev. Black led off with a rousing call to human rights. And Rev. Morales brought it home with a call to action. Members of Rhode Islanders for Marriage were present to sign people up to volunteer.

We concluded the program with an old hymn, “We’ll Build a Land,” combing words from the prophets Amos and Isaiah. The refrain filled the room, “Come build a land where sisters and brothers, anointed by God, may then create peace: where justice shall roll down like waters, and peace like an ever flowing stream.”

We left filled with hope for a new dawn.

So, I’m still anxious. First, we have a vote in the state judiciary committee to get through, and then we have the vote at the state senate.

There’s much work to do.

But, I feel that hope, stirring.

And, I believe, in my heart, we shall achieve marriage equality this year.

Check out our video to see an excerpt of the program:

Rev. James Ishmael Ford is senior minister at the First Unitarian Church of Providence. He is a social justice activist, theologian, and Zen meditation teacher as well as a parish minister. His most recent book is “If You’re Lucky, Your Heart Will Break: Field Notes from a Zen Life.”

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Living Our Love Out Loud

No Comments | Share On Facebook| Living Our Love Out Loud Share/Save/Bookmark Mar 28, 2013

SSL Campaign Manager Jennifer Toth with post author Jessica Halperin at the Supreme Court.

“What do we want?”
“EQUALITY!”

“When do we want it?”
“NOW!”

I’m sure the walls of the Supreme Court’s building were built to withstand the roar of a crowd. I’m also fairly confident that, unfortunately, the nine justices inside couldn’t hear our dance party, our chants for justice, and the noisy conflicts between those for and against marriage equality. Nonetheless, the steps of the Supreme Court felt like a very important place to be. As the Court heard oral arguments on California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act, hundreds gathered on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings to send a message to the world: Marriage is a right that should be available to all people who love each other.

With two full-size Standing on the Side of Love banners and prime real estate on either side of the road in front of the Supreme Court, Unitarian Universalists showed up in numbers. I had a great time chatting with UUs from around the region about why they had taken the morning off work, why they decided to take their kids out of school for a few hours, and why marriage equality is important to them.

Prime real estate in front of the Court. (Credit: Jessica Halperin)

As a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Witness Ministries team, one serious perk of my job is the opportunity to live our faith – live our love – out loud. I was proud in ways I can’t fully express to know that our entire faith community was behind us. We arrived in numbers because of our faith, not just in spite of it, because we know that love and sexuality and diversity are sacred gifts that draw us together into more full humanity. My day-to-day work on reproductive justice gives ample opportunity to live into this call of ours, but it was truly a special few days at the Supreme Court, to publically offer Unitarian Universalism and religious and spiritual affirmation to the movement for justice and liberation for all people who love each other.

I was also very proud to be holding up a corner of the Standing on the Side of Love banner, especially during the tense moments that the National Organization for Marriage rally paraded down the street between the pro-equality crowds.

“2, 4, 6, 8! Kids do better with love, not hate!”

They had a permit for the street, and we were crowded onto the sidewalks and the public space in front of the Court. The SSL banners had front-row seats as the NOM supporters marched by – one of our banners even got in front of the NOM rally! – and it was unnerving to look into their faces and signs. We were literally standing on the side of love. We were also standing on the side of justice and the right side of history. As much as I feared their bigotry, I felt sorry for the NOM marchers. It must be so much less fun to be fighting a losing battle for discrimination than propelling forward a movement all about love.

Calling for LGBTQ-inclusive immigration reform. (Credit: Jessica Halperin)

Speaking of love, this post would be incomplete if I didn’t give a shout out to the folks near us who were witnessing at the intersection of immigration reform and LGBTQ advocacy. We were lucky enough to stand right next to them at the Supreme Court and offer our support and cheers, as the Standing on the Side of Love campaign has before. Their presence was a great reminder that justice is interconnected, intersectional, intertwined.

This post was written by Jessica Halperin, a lifelong Unitarian Universalist from Pittsburgh and the UUA’s Witness Ministries Program Associate. Jess holds the environmental justice and reproductive justice portfolios for the UUA.

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