Justice & Diversity
Throughout Unitarian and Universalist history, women and men have shown great courage and taken huge personal risks on behalf of their visions of a more just and equitable society. Famous Unitarians and Universalists such as suffragist Susan B. Anthony, civil rights leader Whitney Young, diplomat Adlai Stevenson, or American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, are far outnumbered by the literally hundreds and thousands of Unitarian Universalists (UUs) who have spent decades laboring for justice in their own communities.
Many Unitarian Universalists work professionally in service fields such as teachers, health professionals, therapists, social workers, and government workers. Many leaders in secular justice-making organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Sierra Club, and Common Cause are also Unitarian Universalists. Still others work in interfaith coalitions or in specifically Unitarian Universalist organizations for justice.
At the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), social justice is infused in all of our work. Staff, committees, affiliate organizations, and congregations all contribute to our collective efforts for justice. The UUA has a commitment to work for justice in ways that are inclusive, anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and multicultural. We offer information on a wide range of issues from civil liberties and gay rights to peace and racial justice, tips on effective congregational advocacy, organizing, education, service, and public witness, and information on ways to promote, and consider, inclusiveness and diversity, multiculturalism, anti-racism and anti-oppression.
As a Unitarian Universalist leader, the opportunity to engage in social justice work, and the opportunity to lead others, offers many options for involvement and training. These include:
- Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, Multi-Cultural Resources
- The Beyond Categorical Thinking program, for congregations in the ministerial search and settlement process
- Building the World We Dream About (BtWWDA) is a curriculum to enable UU congregations to become more welcoming of racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity, and to dismantle racism in congregations and the larger community.
- The Welcoming Congregation Program is a completely volunteer program for congregations that see a need to become more inclusive towards bisexual, gay, lesbian, and/or transgender people.
For more information contact socialjustice @ uua.org.
Last updated on Tuesday, March 31, 2009.
