We’ll start the New Year off right with the book selected as the UU Read for the year. Defund Fear: Safety Without Policing, Prisons, and Punishment, by Zach Norris. Beacon Press writes: “In a time when the most powerful institutions in the United States are embracing the repressive and racist systems that keep many communities struggling and in fear, we need to reimagine what safety means. Community leader and lawyer Zach Norris lays out a radical way to shift the conversation about public safety away from fear and punishment and toward growth and support systems for our families and communities. In order to truly be safe, we are going to have to dismantle our mentality of Us vs. Them. By bridging the divides and building relationships with one another, we can dedicate ourselves to strategic, smart investments—meaning resources directed toward our stability and well-being, like healthcare and housing, education and living-wage jobs. This is where real safety begins.”

The discussion for this book is scheduled for Saturday, January 8, at 3:30 PM via Zoom. We hope that members and friends of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee will join us for so we can expand the circle of UU’s who’ve thought about new avenues to safety.

All of our books are available in paper, ebook and audible versions to enhance accessibility. If you wish to join one of the Second Saturday discussions contact Robin Gray, (email available in the church directory and from the office).