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After a very powerful and illuminating talk on March 12 given by Martin Henson from Black Lives Matter-Boston we are eager to continue the conversation on March 19 in our Sanctuary during Fellowship Hour.

The Social Justice Ministry Council invites you to a discussion about hanging our new banner on the facade of the church. Whether you are excited about the prospect of raising the banner or have concerns, please come talk with the members of the SJMC and the HUUC Board.

Soon after this gathering, it is our goal to bring the proposed resolution stated below to the Board and request that they vote to approve the hanging of the banner on the outside of our church.

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists strive for justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

WHEREAS, Unitarian Universalists have a goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

WHEREAS, our Unitarian Universalist principles call us as individuals and as a congregation to challenge injustice;

WHEREAS, the Black Lives Matter movement has gained powerful traction in conjunction with recent tragic events involving, in particular, police brutality and institutionalized racism that target the black community;

WHEREAS, people of all ages and races are killed by law enforcement, yet black people ages 20-24 are seven times more likely to be killed by law enforcement than any other group;

WHEREAS, mass incarceration fueled by for-profit prisons and racially biased police practices drive the disproportionate imprisonment of black and brown Americans;

WHEREAS, the school-to-prison pipeline is an urgent concern because 40% of students expelled from U.S. public schools are black and one out of three black men is incarcerated during his lifetime;

WHEREAS, the Unitarian Universalist Associations 2015 General Assembly passed a resolution in support of the Back Lives Matter movement; and

WHEREAS, the Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism organization and other Unitarian Universalist People of Color organizations and leaders have asked Unitarian Universalist congregations to support the Black Lives Matter movement and black-led racial justice organizations.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Board of the Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church, vote to raise our Black Lives Matter banner which states All Lives Wont Matter Until Black Lives Matter and display it on the facade of our church until the end of the church year in 2018. In doing so, we mean

To affirm our commitment to the inherent worth and dignity of every person;

To affirm our commitment to justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

To affirm our commitment to racial justice;

To affirm our commitment, as a predominantly white congregation to study and reflect on white privilege and our own complicity in institutionalized racism;

To raise the consciousness of the broader community, our Town government, and the leaders of our public schools on issues of racial justice and to encourage appropriate policy changes to address institutionalized racism in our community;

To remain mindful of the interconnected nature of racism and other systems of oppression that impact people based on class, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, culture, religion, and language.

Beyond the Banner

We want to raise the banner to show that our church stands on the side of racial justice because of our Unitarian Universalist principles. However, we see the banner as only the beginning. In the comingmonths, we plan to expand on this one actionin multiple ways:

Additional Resources

Michelle Alexander The Future of Race in America TED TalkxColumbus

Bruce Western on Mass Incarceration

13thOfficial Documentary Trailer

The Talk: Race in America (PBS)

The Kalief Browder Story

For more information please contactSJMC ChairSteve Farough.

Continue reading here:
Black Lives Matter - Harvard Unitarian Universalist Church

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) -- More than 200 college-aged Democrats from across the Commonwealth were James Madison University Saturday, March 18, for their 2017 convention.

The theme for this year's convention, "Make Moves," highlighted the importance of young people making their voices heard in state and local elections.

Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and former Rep. Tom Perriello, both Virginia gubernatorial candidates, were in attendance to share their plans for the future with the youngest members of the party.

"These are really the decision makers of the future who can shape, so much, the outcomes of these elections," said Perriello. "We know when young people come out and they engage in politics, our democracy is healthy and it also tends to be good for democrats."

Northam and Perriello touched on various topics, including healthcare, college affordability and immigration.

They also spoke about the divisiveness created during the 2016 election.

"Virginia is looking for a leader who will fight back against what's happening in Washington, we don't want that to influence the good things that we've been doing in Virginia," said Northam. "And it's also about taking Virginia to the next level.

Northam and Perriello have very different backgrounds, giving them their own set of skills that they said makes them the better fit for this position. Northam has served as an Army doctor and business owner, while Perriello has been a teacher, non-profit executive, congressman and diplomat.

The Virginia Young Democrats convention is organized in partnership with James Madison University College Democrats.

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Gubernatorial candidates stop by Young Democrat convention - WHSV

Dr. Kathryn Allen moved to Utah in the 1980s to complete a medical residency, and has been a practicing physician ever since.

But after a lifetime of practicing medicine, she said she felt called to run for Congress as a Democrat in the 3rd Congressional District after attending U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetzs February town hall.

A lot of the anger directed at Chaffetz, R-Alpine, during that town hall meeting including frequent booing by more than 1,000 people demanding Chaffetz to Do his job was largely because the gerrymandering of districts left many people feeling like Chaffetz did not represent them, Allen said.

At least in the Salt Lake County portion of his district, we felt so disenfranchised, said Allen, who lives in Cottonwood Heights. We never win any elections. We vote anyway, but it doesnt matter because its so gerrymandered that its very difficult for a Democrat to win.

Allen found Chaffetzs answers at his town hall to be unimpressive. He failed to directly answer peoples questions, in a way that came across as manipulative to many in the audience, she said.

I started to think he was a poor public servant, Allen said. And I started to feel sort of called. This thought entered my mind and it stayed there, and doors opened for me to do it, and now I feel like Im supposed to do it.

Anger at Chaffetz, fueled at least in part by comments he made in which he implied that people might have to make a decision between health care or an iPhone, have quickly brought Allens donations on her CrowdPac page to more than half a million dollars.

Her donations were so overwhelming, Allen ended up officially filing for candidacy with the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday well before April, which was what she had originally intended to do so.

If you make a statement that an iPhone and health care should be a choice, and you dont understand that people use it as a camera, a computer and a lifeline to their families, then you dont understand the people of the middle class, or the people who are struggling, Allen said.

The 3rd Congressional District is overwhelmingly conservative. Chaffetz beat his Democratic opponent, Stephen Tryon, by 47 percentage points in the 2016 contest.

But, Allen said, she hopes to appeal to the conservative block of the voters by finding common ground with them.

I would hope that some of them would feel the same way we do, that our democracy may be under threat, Allen said. I would hope they would also agree that its not OK to have foreign influence in our election.

In addition, Allen described herself as fairly fiscally conservative.

I dont go as far left as some do, she said.

Allen owned a small medical practice for much of her career, which she said helped make her small-business friendly. She understands onerous government regulation, and she doesnt like it either.

I think the government could do better job of providing services and programs and trusting people to run them, and not micromanaging every little thing from Washington, Allen said.

Her strategy also includes simply being authentic and reaching out to people something she said she got lots of practice doing in the medical field.

Though she will attempt to appeal to a conservative base, Allen does not shy away from some platforms that take a more liberal turn.

As a physician, Allen was dismayed about the GOPs proposed replacement to the Affordable Care Act, which she said would take medical insurance away from many who need it. Though Allen said she thought Obamacare wasnt perfect either, she said it could have been amended to be much more relevant.

Throughout my career, I have observed that any greed motive in health care is a negative force, Allen said. I worked in a for-profit health care job for three years I very much disliked it. I didnt want to worry about whether I was making money for them or helping my patients. To me it was a moral conflict of my everyday life.

On her CrowdPac page, Allen says she is against the privatization of things like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.

No one should face bankruptcy due to medical bills. Illness is not a moral failing, the CrowdPac page states. Prevention is hugely important, but we cannot rail against the sick that the illness was their personal responsibility.

Her platform also includes that of inclusivity to those of the LGBTQ community.

Also in contrast to Chaffetz and many other state lawmakers, Allen is not in favor of turning federal public lands, or the U.S. Department of Education for that matter, over to the hands of the states.

Though she said she likes the idea of states rights, Allen said she doesnt trust the states to take over certain issues.

Im not ready to have the state manage them, Allen said. Im afraid they would exploit them for the gain of out-of-state companies.

But, Allen said, after being thrust into the limelight as a candidate so quickly, she still has a lot to learn about many issues that fall outside of her realm of medical expertise.

She said she plans to start a listening tour next month so she can learn more about the people of the district who she doesnt know much about, including Native American tribes, and members from rural parts of the district.

I just want to understand the district first, she said. I think since I filed so early, I have time to do that.

Allen is currently the only Democrat to announce a run against Chaffetz, though Republican Damian Kidd announced a 3rd district run in January.

Katie England is the South County and political reporter for the Daily Herald. She can be reached at 801-344-2599 or kengland@heraldextra.com.

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Democrat launching campaign against Jason Chaffetz aims to find common ground with conservative district - Daily Herald

WFLA

First democrat announces run for governor in Florida WFLA FLORIDA (WFLA) A Florida mayor is the first democrat to announce his run for governor. Andrew Gillum is currently the Mayor of Tallahassee. If he wins the election, he would be the youngest, and the only African-American governor the state has ever seen. At gathering of progressives in Tampa, Andrew Gillum says Democrats won't win in 2018 by being 'Republican lite'Florida Politics (blog) all 3 news articles »

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First democrat announces run for governor in Florida - WFLA

This residence in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue, shown Saturday morning, sustained moderate damage during a fire Friday evening. The burned car seen in the driveway was on fire first, causing the home to catch fire.

Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

Two homes in the 600 block of West Fourth Street, shown Saturday morning, sustained damage during a fire early Saturday morning. The Sedalia Fire Department responded to the home on the left, then saw the home on the right was also starting to burn.

Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

This vehicle caught fire Friday evening, causing moderate damage to the outside of the home in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue.

Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

The Sedalia Fire Department responded to three structure fires Friday night into early Saturday morning, all determined to be accidental.

According to information from SFD Deputy Chief Greg Harrell, SFD responded to a fire at a residence, 1209 S. Grand Ave., that was caused by a vehicle fire in the driveway around 7:30 p.m. Friday. The house sustained moderate damage to the outside of the structure.

Battalion Chief Paul Withers said the incident started with a fire in the vehicles engine area.

There was nothing suspicious, just a normal vehicle fire, Withers told the Democrat by phone Saturday morning. It did melt the siding on the house.

Withers said crews were on scene for about 45 minutes.

Around 4:28 a.m. Saturday, firefighters responded to a report of a house fire in the 600 block of West Fourth Street. Upon arrival, firefighters found a three-story home, 623 W. Fourth St., with fire and smoke showing, Harrell said via email. A home roughly six feet to the west, 625 W. Fourth St., started to burn as well.

The Missouri State Fire Marshals office was called in to assist SFD investigators to attempt to determine the cause.

The source of the fire was a ceiling fan in the back porch area (at 623) had overheated, melted, and when it fell down it fell on a lot of burnable materials, Withers said. Thats what started the fire. It was nothing suspicious, it was accidental.

The three-story home sustained heavy damage to the structure and contents, and moderate damage to the home next door, according to Harrell. No one was home at 623 at the time of the fire, but the occupants of 625 were inside their home. Withers said those residents were able to get back inside their home.

Withers said crews remained on scene until around 9 a.m. He added that the Pettis County Fire District had personnel on standby for mutual aid if needed and SFD called in overtime assistance due to two houses on fire at the same time.

No injuries were reported in either incident.

This residence in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue, shown Saturday morning, sustained moderate damage during a fire Friday evening. The burned car seen in the driveway was on fire first, causing the home to catch fire.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD031917HouseFires.jpgThis residence in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue, shown Saturday morning, sustained moderate damage during a fire Friday evening. The burned car seen in the driveway was on fire first, causing the home to catch fire. Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

Two homes in the 600 block of West Fourth Street, shown Saturday morning, sustained damage during a fire early Saturday morning. The Sedalia Fire Department responded to the home on the left, then saw the home on the right was also starting to burn.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD031917HouseFires2.jpgTwo homes in the 600 block of West Fourth Street, shown Saturday morning, sustained damage during a fire early Saturday morning. The Sedalia Fire Department responded to the home on the left, then saw the home on the right was also starting to burn. Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

This vehicle caught fire Friday evening, causing moderate damage to the outside of the home in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue.

http://sedaliademocrat.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/web1_TSD031917HouseFires3.jpgThis vehicle caught fire Friday evening, causing moderate damage to the outside of the home in the 1200 block of South Grand Avenue. Photos by Nicole Cooke | Democrat

Causes determined to be accidental

Nicole Cooke can be reached at 660-530-0138 or on Twitter @NicoleRCooke.

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SFD responds to multiple house fires over weekend - Sedalia Democrat