Racial Justice
Our majority white congregation is in the process of making intentional commitments and changes to more fully live into our commitment to racial justice. We have a long history of supporting efforts for desegregation, and multiculturalism. Currently, there are several UUCT groups actively focused on racial justice work or in nurturing anti-racist, anti-oppressive ways of promoting dignity and interdependence.
Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) Meetup
Members, friends, and visitors who are people of color at UUCT are welcome to our monthly meetup, a supportive group for exploring the intersections of our faith, racial identities, and liberation.
Allies for Racial Equity
Allies for Racial Equity (ARE@UUCT) is a group of people who hold white privilege, actively learning how the social constructs of race and racism distort authentic beloved community. This group is currently working to implement the 8th principle of Unitarian Universalism, a pledge to dismantle systemic racism and oppressions.
Capital Area Justice Ministry
UUCT is a congregational member of the Capital Area Justice Ministry (CAJM). This coalition of diverse religious congregations works to build a powerful movement to end segregation and poverty, and advance justice and opportunity for all.
Member congregations collaborate to choose which community problems to tackle. Individuals from the congregations participate in research teams to identify what initiatives are working and what needs to change. The process culminates with a large assembly, where CAJM presents specific proposals to local officials and asks for their support.
If you’d like to get involved, please contact CAJM@uutallahassee.org.
Recent Posts on Racial Justice issues
Where Would the 8th Principle Reside After We Adopt It?
Some churches, such as First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon, reference the seven principles in their bylaws, listing each one. So, they will amend their bylaws to speak to eight principles. UUCT does not currently include the 7 UU Principles in our bylaws, nor do we mention them. Other churches adopted the 8th Principle as…
How do we dismantle racism in our church?
Allies for Racial Equity is a UUCT advocacy group whose mission calls us to “confront and dismantle racism and racial inequality in ways that are accountable.” How can we do this? I don’t pretend to give a complete answer. I can list some of the actions of other UU churches, along with a few of…
The 8th Principle in Action
The 8th Principle calls on each of us to take responsibility for building beloved community by dismantling racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions. I see this as a call to commit ourselves to action not only within our congregation but also within our community. UUCT’s involvement with the Capital Area Justice Ministry…
Living Our Principles: Mark your calendar now!
Saturday, April 16 for a workshop on Building a Culture of Inclusion. Unitarian Universalist congregations like ours are looking to create change not only in the communities that surround them, but their own churches, too. This April we will have a singular opportunity to begin the process of addressing remnants of racism and oppression in…
Five Steps to Welcome: A Discussion Series
Beyond Welcome: Building Communities of Love (Linnea Nelson, ed.) includes 20 short essays about the prospects for building community in Unitarian Universalist congregations. The book needed to become a discussion series for the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tallahassee, and so it has. Rev. Holly Brown and Robin Gray have built five sessions for us all to…
Plan Your Reading with Centering BIPOC Voices: April, May and June
Most of the books we’ve read for Centering Black, Indigenous, and People of Color Voices focus on the American experience. In April, we’ll travel over the sea to change our perceptions about the history of Africans in Europe. Olivette Otele, a Professor of History of Slavery and Memory of Enslavement in the UK offers us a…
The 8th Principle Is Grounded in Our Universalist Theology
For me, the 8th Principle is grounded in our Universalist theology. Our Universalist ancestors believed in universal salvation: that an all-loving God would not condemn anyone to everlasting damnation — that all would go to heaven. Our concept of universal salvation has evolved over time into one of an all-loving community here on earth. Our…
What is Intersectionality and How Do We Balance Our Priorities?
According to law professor Kimberle Crenshaw, intersectionality is the idea that, if you are standing in the path of multiple forms of exclusion, you’re likely to get hit by more than one. For example, Black women cross an intersection and are hit by both racism and sexism. The race ambulance and the gender ambulance arrive…