Social Justice Program Area

Our Work is Justice

“(Peace is) not a matter
of the absence of tension,
but the presence of justice.”
— The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

About the PSD Social Justice Program Area

Peace and justice are common themes in the work of Unitarian Universalists who are involved in social action. The UU Social Justice Network brings together individuals and congregations who are dedicated to making a difference in their congregation, community or world.

Goals

The goal of the UU Social Justice Network is to shed light on the justice issues facing our congregation and the communities where Unitarian Universalists live.

• Bisexual / gay / lesbian / transgender rights
• Civil liberties
• Racial justice
• Gender equity
• Homelessness
• Protecting the environment
• Accessibility
• Socially responsible investing
• Middle East peace
• World peace

See the Vision and Actions statement of the Social Justice Network for more details.

Taking Action

We look for effective ways to debate and act. We know these times demand the voice of justice in our congregations, the broader society and the world. We hope to think locally and act globally.

UU Social Justice Network offers opportunity for taking action by:

• Organizing District and community projects
• Encouraging local congregations to share their social justice experiences with others
• Teaching organizing principles so that new groups may be effective in facilitating positive personal and social change.

While it is true that a single person, working one on one, can have an important impact in the arena of social justice work, the empowerment of group action raises more voices to more ears, so that those who might not act alone will be willing to join with others to create change. The UU Social Justice Network provides resources to congregations so that they can take effective steps to start the change process.

Social Justice Fund

The Chalice Lighters program in Prairie Star District has inaugurated a Social Justice Fund that awards grants of up to $1000 “for use in integrating social justice work into the active life” of the congregation. See the Chalice Lighters pages for more information about how to contribute to this fund or to apply for grants from it.

Contact information

For more information, or if your congregations wishes to associate with the PSD UU Social Justice Network:

Contact Vicki Pratt, Social Justice Program Area Coordinator
vlpratt@aol.com

UU Social Justice Links

The PSD Social Justice Links page gives a variety of organizations and resources for Social Justice.

Social Justice Network Newsletter

The PSD Social Justice Network Newsletter appears periodically, and is distributed in print and electronically. It is also available online. The newsletter provides information on long-term social justice concerns and suggested avenues for action.

Social Justice Brochure

The District publishes a tri-fold Social Justice brochure, with information similar to this web page, handy for handing out. It is posted here as a PDF file (105 KB) so that it can be printed in a consistent format. You will need Acrobat Reader or similar PDF reader program to view or print the PDF file; see About PDF Files for more details.

Featured Congregational Social Justice Programs

Small Congregation

St. Cloud, Minnesota, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
http://www.cloudnet.com/~scuuf/how.html#social

Medium-Sized Congregation

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Eau Claire, Wisconsin
http://www.uucec.org/

Large Congregation

Unitarian Church of Davenport, Iowa
http://www.qcuu.org/SocialJustice/social_justice_page.htm