In mid-November, UUCT members Nao Bethea, Rosa Ramos Morgan, and Rei Myers facilitated a Saturday workshop based on Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection by Deepa Iyer. The book was selected by the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) as its current common read.

Fifteen participants gathered for a Saturday of interactive learning, engaging in discussion, reflection, and thoughtful conversation as we explored the book’s central ideas together.

At the heart of the workbook is the “social change ecosystem framework,” a model that identifies ten roles—such as visionary, storyteller, disrupter, etc. that people often inhabit as they contribute to movements for positive social change. Using a modified curriculum developed by the UUA, the workshop blended guided exercises, group discussion, personal journaling, and shared reflection to help participants further explore these roles. 

Designed for people at all stages of their social change journey, the workshop offered both guidance and context for understanding how each of us contributes to building movements rooted in equity and collective liberation. Participants were invited to reflect on questions such as: Which roles feel most natural or sustainable for us as individuals? How do we show up in social change efforts within UUCT and in the wider community? Are there roles within our congregational ecosystem that are underrepresented or unfilled? Which roles might we aspire to grow into, and what skills or support would that growth require? We also considered when it may be important to step back and make space for newer congregants to explore leadership and engagement in new ways. These same considerations can also be explored in the role UUCT itself plays in the broader community.

The UUA has developed structured resources for using this book across two tracks—one for children and families, and another for adults and older youth—encouraging Unitarian Universalists of all ages to engage with the material. Looking ahead, we hope to continue these conversations by offering the children and families track in the Spring. Within our GLOW team, we also look forward to identifying opportunities to strengthen and expand both new and existing roles within UUCT, supporting our work internally while deepening our connection and impact in the wider community.