Allegheny UU Church, Pittsburgh, PA
The focus of the current work at Allegheny is in playing a leadership role with the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network (PIIN), in congregation-based community organizing. They are working on issues of safe neighborhoods, police profiling, and "smart growth." The congregation itself does advocacy with homeless folks, and was recently able to force the city to notify the homeless when it is about to do a "sweep" and to take possessions the city gathers to a special center where people may reclaim their belongings. It was a first step for an extremely disenfranchised population. Gregg Dietz, Coordinator
First UU Church of Essex County, Orange, NJ
The Urban Community Ministry is a project of First UU of Essex County, a racially diverse congregation located in downtown Orange, New Jersey, a small, poor, and majority minority city. The Ministry addresses issues of crime, drug use, police-community relations, and justice for children and youth in the city. First UU is the lead organization in the Cleveland Street Block Association and works in coalition at the city and county level. Arts on Cleveland Street seeks to empower community children. The Block Association has taken on dangerous conditions in the neighborhood's only park. Because public schools are key sites in the struggle for social justice, there is direct involvement in Central Elementary School, next door to the church. The key social justice issue for First UU is that there be effective parish and community ministry in this racially and economically diverse setting. Aisha Kadhr, Director of Religious Education and Program Coordinator.
Social Justice Ministries, First UU Society, San Francisco, CA
The focus of the social justice ministries and the leadership of the First UU Society is currently on fully defining what it means to be a "social justice church." The congregation has been the founding site for two successful non-profit organizations, the Faithful Fools Street Ministry and the Up On Top after school program. Both organizations connect the congregation with its community in important ways, and the congregation's activism has increased dramatically, including taking public stands on essential city issues. Now the congregation as a whole seeks a process for integrating social justice awareness and priorities into all of its programs, so that social justice is woven through every part of the ministry. The Rev. Kay Jorgensen, Social Justice Minister; Sr. Carmen Barsody, Co-Founder, Faithful Fools Street Ministry
Social Justice Program, First Unitarian Church, Portland, OR
Social Justice Director Kate Lore works full time to empower the congregation to fulfill their vision of shaping public life. Recent efforts have included: advocating for retention of social services in the state budget, including education; providing educational materials, press releases, and community teach-ins on issues of globalization and marriage equality; developing a state-wide progressive movement including unions, schools, religious groups, students, and human rights organizations; and helping to craft and organize support for Campaign Finance Reform legislation. Kate Lore,Social Justice Director
Open Door Center for Community Change, Chicago, IL
The Center develops relationships and resources to promote diversity, gender justice, reproductive health and freedom, economic empowerment and liberation from homophobia and racism. It achieves these goals by identifying, nurturing, organizing, and disseminating the moral, economic, educational, and artistic resources for empowering people for non-violent conflict resolution, affirmation of diversity, alliance building and the seeking of justice. Pastor Karen Hutt and Rev. Alma Faith Crawford, Co-ministers.
Social Justice Program, First Unitarian Church San Jose, CA
This congregation has a reputation for strong community involvement and action, and continues to explore the depth of its members' commitments. The many projects center around building strong families while we build a sustainable world by working on issues of global justice, global warming, anti-oppression and education. Carol Stephenson, Social Justice Coordinator
Urban Disciples Coordinating Consultant
Deborah Holder, a UU community minister serves as coordinating consultant to the program, providing assistance in leading the Urban Disciples toward their stated goals; plans and coordinates meetings among the funded ministries; assists with fundraising and organizational development; facilitates the creation of resources; communicates with other groups in the denomination working on similar issues to be in conversation with them for inclusion in the group and their needs for support; and coordinates Urban Disciples presence and visibility at denominational events.