At that time, there were some conflicts and hard situations in our wider denomination that revealed the impact of the cultural characteristics of white supremacy on congregations and in UUA leadership.
Several leaders of color invited congregations to participate in a Teach-In on white supremacy culture in April/May of 2017. 750 congregations took part, offering worship and workshops in their own settings. It was scheduled for the same time that we were here, in Schenectady for candidating. Ministers all over the country were candidating and we were all told that it was ok to not participate, as it might be risky to raise such topics during that week.
We decided that it was important for the congregation to know our explicit faithful commitments to work on anti-racism and anti-oppression.
On our first Sunday, we chose to preach on perfectionism, which is one of the characteristics of white supremacy culture. We also expressly named that there is a difference between white supremacists (the people, as evidenced by the murderer in Buffalo, who subscribe to the dangerous ideology that white people are superior ), and the culture of white supremacy, (those characteristics that have been built into the structures of our society, of our nation that have privileged those who are and who have been socialized as white).
There have been several book discussions, worship services, an Annual Focus of Ministry, and many opportunities to keep wrestling with the legacies of this hard stuff. Even Proctors took on some of this work, inviting Ibram Kendi to speak. Those of us who are white have the lion’s share of work to do to learn about and recognize these characteristics and work to dismantle them in ourselves, in our congregation, community, state, and nation.
And, like all changes that require and reflect a shift in power and relationship, there has been backlash and push-back. We see that locally, in our UU denomination, and in our nation.
This year, at our General Assembly, (June 22nd-26th, Portland, OR, and online,) delegates will be asked to vote to elect members to the UUA Board, as well as other decisions that will steer and guide our faith into the future. There is a lot at stake. For information on candidates for the UUA Board, you can see by reading just how different people are perceiving what our shared faith is destined to be and what it can do: https://www.uua.org/uuagovernance/elections) In a denomination that values diversity in many forms, there is no expectation that everyone will think alike, or agree on all things. And… lives are being ended. So this isn’t just an intellectual exercise or about individual opinions. It is the addressing of the legacies of harm that disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous, People of Color, and other people who are often marginalized. If you are a member, and interested and willing to be a delegate, or would like to know more about those responsibilities, please let us know.
If the work of anti-racism is new to you, you might consider visiting Tema Okun on google and reading more about the characteristics of wsc. There are many MANY books and workshops and webinars available to help continue all of our learning as we strive towards collective liberation and expanding the freedoms promised in our country’s governing documents, that have yet to be fulfilled, and for which so many have fought for and given their lives to.
With commitment and in faith~