UUs in Virginia now have a consolidated legislative voice!
UULM-VA is our new statewide Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry-Va.. Here is the mission and vision statement for the UULM-VA:
Our Vision:
Contribute to the legacy of UU activism by understanding and acting upon the issues of our time. Create sustained positive change through the work of organized activists who have the courage to challenge and comfort oppression and oppressors.
Our Mission:
Engage individuals and congregations in a continuous process of learning, connection and action by increasing the power of our voices and making those voices an effective tool for change to proclaim our vision of justice through words and deeds. Build coalitions with partners to help create sustained positive education, organization and advocacy.
The first legislative advocacy issue this working group has endorsed is HB59, in-state tuition for DACA recipients (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). Currently, those individuals that have been granted deferred action means that they can apply for employment approval and are in the country with temporary status. Currently, students that have been in Virginia schools for most of their lives and have been approved under DACA can go to college in Virginia but are not eligible for in-state tuition. This bill would allow them to be eligible for in-state tuition, assuming they have met the current requirements for in-state tuition. Because of the narrow scope of this bill, it is less controversial and has a really good chance to pass. The bill’s sponsors include Tom Rust (R-Herndon), Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church, and Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington). We will be partnering with a broad coalition of immigration reform partners to pass this bill.
An action plan for our efforts to pass this bill will be developed during the next month. What can you do now? Let us know if you would like to participate in our advocacy efforts. Make it known to your representatives that as a person of faith you support this legislation. We will provide updated information and opportunities for advocacy throughout the 2014 Virginia General Assembly Session.
To find your Virginia legislators, visit http://virginiageneralassembly.gov. For information about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, see http://www.uscis.gov/childhoodarrivals. For information on Immigration as a Moral Issue, see the Statement of Conscience .
Our working group UULM-VA is the 18th statewide faith-based network focusing Unitarian Universalists on important and achievable state legislative issues.
For more information, contact our WUU representative, John Whitley (peacenow1 at verizon.net)