Social Justice News and Events

Call to Join Beacon’s Activate Teams

 

Beacon’s mission and our UU faith call us to work together towards the goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all.  In order to keep our Beacon community on that track, we are seeking motivated volunteers to join two Beacon teams with a social justice orientation:

  • Activate Team for Electoral Issues (3 or more people)
  • Activate for BIPOC Allyship Team: (3 or more people)

Teams work together to decide their agenda’s.  If you are interested in joining either of these teams, please contact Rev. Robin. 

                                                                              Anti-Harassment Training

 

Hollaback is a nonprofit on a mission to end harassment – in all its forms.  They provide free trainings throughout the year to give people the resources to respond to, prevent and intervene in instances of harassement.  If you are interested in participating in a training or learning more, please visit the following link:

hollaback! Trainings

 

Upcoming UU the Vote Events:

  • Love and Justice: Abolition and Alternatives to Policing First Wednesday of the month, starting October 7th, 6-8 pm UUs proclaim that no one is outside the circle of love, therefore, our goals are also abolitionist goals. Join UUJAZ in actively resisting the systems of policing and incarceration while building relationships and community with other passionate UUs in Arizona.  Register here.
  • UU the Vote Action Hour Tuesday, September 29th from 6-8 pm Unitarian Universalism is rooted in community. Not just in our congregations, but in our state. Join UUJAZ for a film screening of ALL IN: The Fight for Democracy and discuss voter suppression with members of your community through the perspective of voting activist and politician, Stacy Abrams. Then, take action to defend our democracy at the polls. Register here.
  • National UU the Vote Phone Bank for AZ Imagine a swell of 200 UUs coming together across the US, to raise their voices in Arizona to UU the Vote! We have an opportunity to make that happen. What will it take? A commitment from 20 UUs in your congregation to host a national phone bank. You gather your people, we will do the rest! Email Casey Clowes, UUJAZ’s UU the Vote coordinator, at  uuthevoteaz@gmail.com 
  • Taking a Collective Breath Love Resists and Side With Love are running their “Taking a Collective Breath” series through mid-October. They’ve hosted incredible guest speakers from across the country speaking on taking anti-racist action, grounded in UU values. Folks who sign up can still watch all the previous courses in the series.       Learn more here.
  • Gather the Spirit – UU The Vote Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 7:30pm UU the Vote invites you to gather together to be nourished by the abundant, loving spirit of our wider beloved community. Register here .
  • Fridays 10-11am Join UUJAZ Executive Director Janine Gelsinger any Friday morning for a casual “office hours” on Zoom. Bring your questions, chat about the social justice news this week in AZ, or suggest what programming you’d like to see UUJAZ do next. Register here.

UUJAZ Beloved Conversations 

Starts October 15th, Registration extended to Sep 25th, 2020 Meadville Lombard Theological School have responded to the needs to learn how race and ethnicity shape our personal and collective lives and practices, in a virtual format. UUJAZ has partnered with Meadville to offer a 20% discount for AZ UU participants, and scholarships for anyone who needs one. Learn more and sign up through UUJAZ here.
The first phase Within, focuses on the internal work that each of us needs to do as we engage racial justice. This work is different for White folks and for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and will be done entirely in race-based caucuses.
Within work will include individual Lessons, using videos, music, and readings, accompanied by reflection prompts and suggested conversations with Critical Friends chosen by the participants; bi-weekly small group conversations in a Learning Pod; and larger, monthly, facilitated Meaning-Making Sessions on Zoom.
We hope you join us to embody racial justice as a spiritual practice, to heal the impact of racism on our lives, in order to get free together.
Rev. Robin has registered for this program.

The Healing Racism AZ Committee  will be hosting its next session!!

My Fragility: Dealing with My Own Sh*t, on Wednesday, September 30, 6-8 PM. This is the second session of our year-long dialogue series, “Studies on Whiteness.” In this workshop, we will identify and reflect upon the actions and behaviors we commit that uphold Whiteness and systemic racism.

This dialogue will focus on unpacking the defensive instincts and/or reactions that a White person experiences when attempting to address anything to do with race.

We will examine how through our Whiteness practices we derail our own meaningful Anti-Racist efforts. This Healing Racism event will be on Zoom on September 30 from 6PM-8PM. Link here to register

 

 

We’re One (1) Week Away from
No. AZ Interfaith Council’s (NAIC’s)
(Zoom) Accountability Session
Thursday, September 24, 6:30pm
Did you know…
…that Beacon is a member institution of NAIC?
…that NAIC is a non-partisan 501(c)3 organization?
…that NAIC teams have been working on issues surrounding 
   education, immigration, and affordable housing?
…that this is NOT a typical candidate forum (see bulleted list below)?
…that you need to RSVP to receive the Zoom link (Use Link below to RSVP)
Each election cycle, NAIC presents an Accountability Session, this year featuring candidates for Flagstaff Mayor, City Council, County Supervisor, and AZ State Legislature.
The purpose of this event is to provide Flagstaff voters with information about each candidate’s positions on issues that directly affect our community. This year’s issues are education, immigration, and affordable housing-which NAIC’s local teams t have been addressing.
The Accountability Session planning team has been preparing for this event by: 
  • Researching each candidate’s background, priorities, endorsements, and funding sources;
  • Interviewing each candidate twice prior to the Session;
  • Providing (the week before the event) the questions to which each candidate will present a very brief (timed) response.
I urge you, Beacon members and friends, to RSVP to this Accountability Session, 
so that the Zoom turnout  will demonstrate to candidates for these offices that education, immigration, and affordable housing are important to their voters!
In community,
Roz Clark 
Interim Chair, Beacon SJA (Social Justice Allies) and
Member, NAIC Accountability Session Planning Team
In order to participate, please RSVP to receive more details:
Follow this link to RSVP
Also click here to see event flyer
Just to remind you of the purpose and process of this important event 
in preparation for the November election…(RC)
What: NAIC (No. AZ Interfaith Council)* Accountability Session (AS) for candidates for
Where: From the comfort of your home, i.e. on Zoom!
Why: To provide you with information on these candidates’ positions on issues 
that affect the Flagstaff community
How: Based on…
  •  In-depth research of each candidate’s background, priorities, endorsements and funding sources.
  •  Interviews (in advance) by the NAIC Accountability Session Electoral Strategy Team**
  •  Access (in advance) by all participating candidates to the specific questions to which they will be expected to respond (briefly!) in the Accountability Session.
  •  Ongoing work by local NAIC teams on these issues: Immigration, education, and lack of housing options.
*NAIC is a non-partisan 501(c)3 organization
**Of which Roz is a member

 

GETTING OUT THE VOTE IN COCONINO COUNTY

In the face of voter suppression efforts, especially recent attacks on the US Postal
System, it is important for all of us to educate ourselves on our options for
voting.  The following is information that will be useful:

  Monday       Wednesday        Friday            Friday             Tuesday
OCTOBER    OCTOBER      OCTOBER    OCTOBER      NOVEMBER
        5                   7                      23                    30                     3
Last day to       Early              Last day to       Last day to     Election Day
   register          voting            request early     vote early           VOTE
t   o vote          begins           ballot by mail     in person         6am-7pm

Because of mailing delays, if you have not yet registered to vote, please contact
the Coconino County Elections Office immediately to get a form or you can find all
the information you need and register on-line at
(https://www.coconino.az.gov/195/Elections). Phone: 928-679-7860