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
The 8th Principle Covenant
We often say that Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal rather than creedal religion. Rather than professing a common set of beliefs, UU congregations and their members make promises with each other and their communities; mutual promises to journey together in certain ways. Covenants are powerful. They can change a culture. They can transform relationships, communities,…
Who wrote the eighth principle and why do we need it?
After working with congregations on multiculturalism for over 15 years, Paula Cole Jones, UU Central East Regional Director of Racial & Social Justice, realized that a person can believe they are being a “good UU” and following the 7 Principles without thinking about or dealing with racism and other oppressions at the systemic level. Evidence: Most…
Introduction to 8th Principle Reflections
Until recently, I didn’t know that there was a difference between racial equality and racial equity. Until two years ago, I didn’t know that referring to people from the Far East as Orientals was pejorative. Until last year, I thought that the Indian boarding schools benefited them. But now I know. Allies for Racial Equity…
Voter Suppression: That’s What Racism Looks Like
In half an hour of watching the video Suppressed: the Fight to Vote you can learn what happened in the 2018 election to suppress the vote. It was more than poll closures and voter purges. It was not by accident, it was a carefully planned strategy that was targeted to suppress the votes in African-American communities. It…