We all know the UU seven Principles and try to live by them. Recent events bring the first two in our focus and need our special attention:
The inherent worth and dignity of every person
Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations
For our WUU family, these Principles are taking shape in a variety of ways as we demonstrate that we Side with Love! We are joining and supporting those who rally for justice and protest racism and the many instances of murder spurred by such racism. We are pursuing multiple actions in our community as we live out these principles:
- As mentioned in Rev. Laura’s letter, we welcome our first family this week as part of the Journey to Asylum program, a clear example of our principles in action. For more information, visit Tinyurl.com/wuuasylum.
- Many WUUs have joined the recent protests and rallies either in-person or in their cars. Click here to see Rev. Laura’s speech during the recent Families’ Walk for Justice and Peace.
- At our WUU campus, along Ironbound Road in front of Fahs, a series of signs will display that Love lives here and that racist actions have led to horrible deaths. Each sign will have the name of a person who has perished because of such racism. Because there are, tragically, too many names to display all at once, the names on the signs will change. Please take note of each person mentioned on the signs, then consider what led to the name’s being there and what each of us as a WUU can do in addressing these Principles. If you are interested in supporting this project, please contact Jess Sapalio at sjchair@wuu.org.
- On July 5, we will launch a special racial justice-focused From the Heart series during the Sunday service in July and August. These will help us engage thoughtfully and support the current struggle against racism. To suggest a speaker, please contact Dave Wilcox at dwilcox@vims.edu.
- In addition to participating in the statewide VA COVID-19 Justice Coalition and Pretrial Justice Coalition as part of our racial justice work, WUU has helped found the WJCC Coalition for Community Justice. This coalition pursues justice and equity for all people in every aspect of the criminal legal system and seeks to dismantle systemic racism in the courts, police, schools, and other institutions within our community that lead to the school-to-prison pipeline, racial profiling, the excessive use of force, excessive pretrial detention and sentencing, and the criminalization of poverty. We seek to center these voices in our community and build their power to shape the institutions that affect their lives. Our first priority is to push for the establishment of a civilian review board for the police. To get involved, please contact Jess Sapalio at sjchair@wuu.org.
There are many ways that WUU members live their principles to uphold justice in our world. We welcome your project suggestions and involvement as we continue to uphold the inherent worth and dignity of every person and strive for justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.