Now that the congregation has adopted the 8th Principle, the Allies for Racial Equity group (ARE@UUCT) is stepping back from our very active role last year in informing the congregation about the 8th principle. A new group is forming to focus on UUCT’s work after adoption: the journey to live into the 8th principle. Several members of the church’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and ARE groups, as well as others, have expressed interest in this new group, which will be meeting for the first time in October.
ARE@UUCT will continue our role as allies to UUCT’s BIPOC community, including any BIPOC guests we may have. We will convene as needed to respond to concerns about racial inequity, harm, or aggression in our church and the wider community.We have informed the BIPOC group that they may call on us at any time. We are available to talk with others in the UUCT community about white allyship and when it may be needed. We’ll also offer opportunities for white UUs to accompany us in growing our understanding of our whiteness and privilege.
We welcome others to join the group and will provide an orientation on being a white ally. Email us at ARE@uutallahassee.org or speak with one of us.
ARE@UUCT’s Mission
We are UUCT members with white privilege working to:
· Understand our own whiteness and privilege and help others in our church community to do so.
· Unlearn and re-evaluate white supremacy in ourselves and our church community.
· Challenge white supremacy whenever we encounter it.
· Confront and dismantle racism and racial inequity in ways that are accountable to communities of color and, in particular, UUCT’s BIPOC group.
ARE@UUCT members: Parker Collins, Bob Deyle, Trudy Deyle, Robin Gray, Linda Oaksford, Gwendolyn Waldorf, Linda Wright