Anti-Racist Statement

Racism goes directly against all of the Principles and Sources of the UU that bind us together in the community. Our congregation and others around the globe have a long history of upholding and working towards social justice for all peoples. We are a caring community, welcoming and respecting diversity, and working for social justice within our congregation and in the world. We must examine racism beyond the actions of individuals, for it is embedded in the very fabric of our society.

Photo by James Eades on Unsplash

We acknowledge that racism can be unconscious or unintentional, and that identifying systematic racism as an issue does not automatically mean those involved in the system are racist or intended a negative impact. As an anti-racism organization, we vow to purposefully identify, discuss and challenge issues of race and color and the impact(s) they have on our organization, its systems, and its people. We will also challenge ourselves to understand and correct any inequities we may discover and gain a better understanding during this purposeful process.

We are resolved to explicitly and publicly affirm our identity as an anti-racist congregation.

We are resolved that our anti-racism commitment be reflected in the life and culture of the UUWC through our policies, programs, and practices as we continue to learn about racism.

We resolve to develop and work to implement strategies that dismantle racism within all aspects of our congregation, our tradition, and society.

Unitarian Universalism is a “living tradition”. This means that, as UUs, there is a reverence of our collective past, but we are always open to new learnings, new discoveries, and willing to change in order to respond to the needs of our time and the longing of our spirits. As our understanding of the world around us is ever-changing, so too must our traditions and practice be re-evaluated. In this spirit, we of the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Westside Congregation publicly stand with the cause of Black Lives Matter and condemn the systematic racist practices that are used in the oppression of any people.

One possible way to challenge white supremacy is to educate yourself and write to your Representative about H.R. 40, Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act.

As a congregation, we dedicate a moment during Joy’s and Concerns to light a red candle for the victims of racial violence. Unfortunately, this list of victims continues to grow but we will continue to SAY THEIR NAMES.

This work in progress lists names of Black people killed in the U.S. by law enforcement and civilians

ALVIN MOTLEY JR.-RYAN LEROUX -ANDREW BROWN JR. -MA’KHIA BRYANT -MATTHEW “ZADOK” WILLIAMS -DAUNTE WRIGHT -JAMES LIONEL JOHNSON – DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS -DONOVON LYNCH -MARVIN SCOTT III -JENOAH DONALD -PATRICK WARREN -XZAVIER HILL -ROBERT HOWARD – VINCENT BELMONTE -MONICA GOODS -BENNIE EDWARDS -CASEY GOODSON JR. – AIDEN ELLISON – QUAWAN CHARLES – KEVIN PETERSON JR. – WALTER WALLACE JR. – JONATHAN PRICE – KURT REINHOLD – DIJON KIZZEED – AMIAN DANIELS – ANTHONY MCCLAIN – JULIAN LEWIS – MAURICE ABISDID-WAGNER – BRAYLA STONE – RAYSHARD BROOKS – PRISCILLA SLATER – ROBERT FORBES – KAMAL FLOWERS – JAMEL FLOYD – DAVID MCATEE – JAMES SCURLOCK – CALVIN HORTON JR.- -TONY MCDADE – DION JOHNSON – GEORGE FLOYD – MAURICE GORDON – CORNELIUS FREDERICKS – STEVEN TAYLOR – DANIEL PRUDE – BREONNA TAYLOR – BARRY GEDEUS – MANUEL ELLIS -REGINALD “REGGIE” PAYNE – AHMAUD ARBERY – LIONEL MORRIS – JAQUYN O’NEILL LIGHT – WILLIAM GREEN – DARIUS TARVER – MICIAH LEE – JOHN NEVILLE – MICHAEL DEAN – ATATIANA JEFFERSON – BYRON WILLIAMS – ELIJAH MCCLAIN – JALEEL MEDLOCK – TITI “TETE” GULLEY – DOMINIQUE CLAYTON – PAMELA TURNER -RONALD GREENE -STERLING HIGGINS -BRADLEY BLACKSHIRE -JASSMINE MCBRIDE -ALEAH JENKINS -EMANTIC BRADFORD JR. -JEMEL ROBERSON-CHARLES ROUNDTREE JR.BOTHAM JEAN-HARITH AUGUSTUS-JASON WASHINGTON-ANTWON ROSE JR.–ROBERT WHITE–EARL MCNEIL—MARCUS-DAVID PETERS–DORIAN HARRIS—DANNY RAY THOMAS-STEPHON CLARK-RONELL FOSTER-DAMON GRIMES-JAMES LACY-CHARLEENA LYLES–MIKEL MCINTYRE–JORDAN EDWARDS–TIMOTHY CAUGHMAN–ALTERIA WOODS-DESMOND PHILLIPS–DEBORAH DANNER-ALFRED OLANGO-TERENCE CRUTCHER–CHRISTIAN TAYLOR-JAMARION ROBINSON-DONNELL THOMPSON JR.—JOSEPH MANN–PHILANDO CASTILE–ALTON STERLING-JAY ANDERSON JR.-CHE TAYLOR-DAVID JOSEPH–ANTRONIE SCOTT—BETTIE JONES-QUINTONIO LEGRIER-COREY JONES-SAMUEL DUBOSE—DARRIUS STEWART-SANDRA BLAND-SUSIE JACKSON-DANIEL SIMMONS-ETHEL LANCE-MYRA THOMPSON–CYNTHIA HURD—DEPAYNE MIDDLETON-DOCTOR–SHARONDA COLEMAN-SINGLETON–CLEMENTA PINCKNEY–TYWANZA SANDERS–KALIEF BROWDER–FREDDIE GRAY–NORMAN COOPER–WALTER SCOTT–NATASHA MCKENNA–RUMAIN BRISBON–TAMIR RICE—AKAI GURLEY-TANISHA ANDERSON-LAQUAN MCDONALD–CAMERON TILLMAN–DARRIEN HUNT—MICHAEL BROWN–KAJIEME POWELL—MICHELLE CUSSEAUX—DANTE PARKER–EZELL FORD—AMIR BROOKS—JOHN CRAWFORD III–ERIC GARNER-JERRY— DWIGHT BROWN–VICTOR WHITE III—MARQUISE JONES–YVETTE SMITH–RENISHA MCBRIDE—-JONATHAN FERRELL–DEION FLUDD-GABRIEL WINZER-WAYNE A. JONES–KIMANI GRAY– -KAYLA MOORE–COREY STINGLEY—DARNESHA HARRIS–JORDAN DAVIS-MOHAMED BAH—SGT.JAMES BROWN-DARIUS SIMMONS-REKIA BOYD-TRAYVON MARTIN—WILLIE RAY BANKS–KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR.—CLETIS WILLIAMS-ROBERT RICKS-EUGENE ELLISON–DANROY “DJ” HENRY JR.—–AIYANA STANLEY-JONES—-LAWRENCE ALLEN-OSCAR GRANT—–JULIAN ALEXANDER–MARVIN PARKER-DEAUNTA FARROW-SEAN BELL–KATHRYN JOHNSTON-TIMOTHY STANSBURY JR.—ALBERTA SPRUILL–ANTHONY DWAIN LEE–RICKY BYRDSONG–AMADOU DIALLO— JAMES BYRD JR.–NICHOLAS HEYWARD JR.–MARY MITCHELL-SHARON WALKER -ELEANOR BUMPURS-EDWARD GARDNER-ELTON HAYES–FRED HAMPTON–MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.–ALBERTA ODELL JONES-JIMMIE LEE JACKSON- MALCOLM X -JAMES EARL CHANEY -LOUIS ALLEN -MEDGAR EVERS-HERBERT LEE -JOHN EARL REESE- EMMETT TILL -WILLIAM MCDUFFIED-ELLA MCDUFFIE-MALCOLM WRIGHT-GEORGE STINNEY JR. -DR. ANDREW C. JACKSON -WILL BROWN -LEVI HARRINGTON

AND SO MANY OTHER LIVES THAT WERE TAKEN…

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