Advocates for Racial Justice
The mission statement of our group is:
Responding to our call as Christians to see the image of God in all people, and to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, we pledge to each other and the Union Church congregation to be faithful Advocates for Racial Justice. We will engage our congregation and the larger community in continuing study and conversation about ideology of white supremacy at its root. We want to unmask and oppose the racism that divides the people of God from one another, unfairly empowering some and not others, in our personal relationships, community, state, and nation.
Martin Luther King, Jr., said that “true peace” is “the presence of justice.” Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative says, “We must acknowledge the truth about our history before we can heal.” This is our main purpose: to seek, understand, and proclaim the truth about our history-specifically, about slavery and white supremacy-so that we can be properly reconciled to one another and prepare the way for true peace, which is the presence of justice.
Advocates for Racial Justice is open to anyone who would like to join us in our work and be on the committee.
Our mission translates into action through movie nights, educational forums, local and Alabama pilgrimages, and advocacy for legislation.
Contact:
Brita Gill-Austern
[email protected]
Book Buddies with Lowndes County, AL
Church members/families are matched with early readers in Lowndes County. Book Buddies will receive a new paperback and letter each month. This new initiative was inspired by Josephine Bolling McCall, a friend of UCW’s, whose father was lynched in Lowndes County when Jo was a little girl. She is the author of The Penalty for Success and Founder and Executive Director of The Elmore Bolling Foundation.
Contact:
Jenny Weisz
[email protected]
Buy Black Movement
The Buy Black movement encourages people to buy from Black entrepreneurs in order to build wealth and success in Black communities—and it isn’t novel or new. But this summer, as Black Lives Matter gained more widespread support, so did the concept of buying Black. At the peak of anti-racism learning and unlearning efforts, many articles about Black-owned businesses were being shared. You may have already started to see a drop-off in those, but continued support is vital to keeping Black companies and their founders afloat—especially after many were flooded with demand earlier this summer and the COVID-19 pandemic continues. To help, we will be sharing a list of local black and minority owned restaurants, and encourage you to give them a try and leave a review. So on those nights you can’t think about stepping foot into your kitchen, take the chance, try something new, and support local businesses. If you have any questions or restaurant suggestions, please reach out to Chanel Lobdell.
A comprehensive list of local restaurants, business, and services can be found here:
Primary Black Owned Business Boston
Contact:
Chanel Lobdell
[email protected]