Here we are at the start of a new program year . . . and doesn't it feel like a fresh start? Our team at UUJAZ is SO excited to share with you our offerings. These events, classes, and opportunities for action were created in collaboration with YOU . . . your social justice teams, your faith development teams, your ministers and staff, your congregations' requests. We're joining with grassroots organizations across the state to partner for events, we're bringing to AZ important conversations about the changes to our UU principles, and we're connecting with amazing UU programs like OWL, UU the Vote, and Beloved Conversations.
I hope you'll join us this fall to connect, laugh, grow, and use your voice for UU values in Arizona.
In community,
Janine
Issues + Action Day 2022
Save the Date: Saturday, October 22nd, 9am - 5pm
Join us to celebrate at our BIG annual statewide event… back in person for the first time since 2019! Issues + Action Day brings us together as UUs from across Arizona, along with folks from our partner organizations, and visits from national UU guest speakers, in order to grow our movement for social justice, and put our faith into action.
Love In Action
Let's Talk About the 2023 Changes to Our UU Principles, Sources, and Purpose
Our social justice work centers putting our UU values into action… but what do UUs value? In 2020 the UUA commissioned a team to study the principles, sources, purpose, and values of Unitarian Universalism in order to suggest changes to the principles and sources (Article 2) in summer 2023. UUJAZ has been following the proposed changes, and we want to hold space for a weekly conversation to explore our individual and collective values.
We know the recent stripping of our reproductive rights, the threats to religious freedom, the looming cloud of digital surveillance… it's a lot to hold. Abolitionist theory offers us the solution. When asked, "What's the ONE thing you wish UUs would learn about this year?" our BIPOC-led partner organizations responded "abolition!" Let's learn and imagine together, how to transform our communities into places where no one is outside the circle of love. Join UUJAZ to talk about how abolition is a part of our UU values, and how an abolitionist movement is moving us towards liberation.
Beloved Conversations
Fall term begins September 12th - December
Beloved Conversations Virtual is a program for people seeking to embody racial justice as a spiritual practice, offered through the Unitarian Universalist theological school, Meadville Lombard. As we enter our third year, we've engaged over 3000 UUs in a transformative anti-racist spiritual experience, including over 100 UUs from Arizona. In Beloved Conversations, we are here to heal the impact of racism on our lives. Join us, as we build a learning community grounded in UU values and committed to collective liberation. Let's get free together.
☑️ Democracy hangs in the balance, reproductive rights have been decimated, and we are still waiting for promises about climate and immigration justice to be realized. In the meantime: the pandemic, economic injustice, racism, sexism, transphobia, and homophobia keep us exhausted and unsure of what to do. But UUJAZ has your back. Join us to be in community with UUs across Arizona who are making a difference in their communities, grounding each other, and sharing ideas for electoral engagement.
📢 Are you collecting signatures for ballot initiatives, canvassing, writing letters, phone-banking, working as a poll observer, or any other electoral work? Contribute to your congregation's "Good Trouble" results and let us know at bit.ly/uutvaz and view your congregation’s progress at bit.ly/uutvdashboard
Join us for a UU the Vote service in your congregation, with phone banking to follow:
Beacon UU - August 28th
Borderlands UU - September 11th
Valley UU - September 18th
Phoenix UU - September 25th
✉️ Email Casey Clowes, UUJAZ Congregational Organizer and UU the Vote Program Coordinator, with any support needs at casey@uujaz.org
UU Day at the Legislature 2023
Monday February 20th, 9am at the Arizona State Capitol
When we come together for collective action, we build power in our movement for justice and liberation. Save the date for this year's annual UU Day at the Legislature, at the Arizona State Capitol, which has traditionally included a lobby training, guest speakers, a capitol tour, and appointments to speak with your legislators. To be sure we involve congregations as much as possible in re-imagining this event, we'd love for all folks to take a minute to give some feedback. If you think you'd be willing to be a DATL "captain" for your legislative district, you can indicate that, too.
Fight for Reproductive Justice with Sex Education
Save the date for our statewide OWL teacher training, Friday March 3rd - Sunday March 5th 2023, in Tucson
Honest, accurate information about sexuality changes lives. It dismantles stereotypes and assumptions, builds self-acceptance and self-esteem, fosters healthy relationships, improves decision making, and, now more than ever, has the potential to save lives. That's why we are proud to offer a statewide teacher training for Our Whole Lives (OWL), a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education curricula that lifts up the values of self worth, sexual health, responsibility, justice, and inclusivity.
It is our goal to be able to offer OWL in all Arizona UU congregations, as well as support many of our UU-adjacent community partners in training teachers to offer OWL. Ask yourself if becoming an OWL teacher is the spiritual practice for you, in the fight for reproductive justice.
Join us for a UU the Vote service in your congregation, with phone banking to follow:
