Social Justice Committee
The goal of the Social Justice Committee is to help integrate social justice programming into the life of the congregation. The committee fosters outreach projects, such as volunteering at the Cathedral Center for homeless women and children, and at the Guest House for homeless men. Food is also donated to a Milwaukee food pantry, and a yearly disbursement is made from our Unitarian Church North Fund for Social Justice to a direct service organization in the Greater Milwaukee area. In addition, the committee has three sub-committees: the Anti-Racism Working Group,Welcoming Congregation, and International Peace and Justice.
The Anti-Racism Working Group has been active for several years in developing awareness of racism, anti-racism efforts, and diversity initiatives through the study course, "Weaving the Fabric of Diversity," through guest speakers such as Journal Sentinel columnist, Eugene Kane, and through the weekend Unitarian Universalist Association workshop, "Creating a Jubilee World." An additional focus is the UUA Study/Action Issue, "Criminal Justice and Prison Reform."Our congregation, one of the first in the suburbs outside of Milwaukee County to do so, has joined MICAH (Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope). Our MICAH Core Team is incorporated into this sub-committee. We are also members of the Ozaukee County Branch of the NAACP. As part of the Working Group, the UCN Multi-Cultural Film Series provides opportunities for social gathering while viewing and discussing films that foster exploration and understanding of cultures other than the European-American culture.Welcoming Congregation welcomes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people's involvement and membership in the congregation. We also engage in equality issues in the larger community.
Originally begun in the fall of 2001 as the Afghanistan Relief Committee, this group changed its name to the International Peace and Justice sub-committee in order to broaden its scope. Providing speakers, making peace literature available, drafting a statement of conscience regarding U.S. foreign policy for the congregation to debate through Talking Circles and Town Hall meetings, and presenting a public play reading of "The Night Throeau Spent in Jail," are examples of this group's work. This sub-committee also affiliates itself with the work of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) on issues such as the humanitarian crisis in Darfur, concern over the use of torture by the U.S. government, and other justice issues.
Social Justice Committee Past News & Events
UCN Social Justice Committee hosts discussion of state’s fiscal future
Sunday, April 3, 2011
The Social Justice Committee of Unitarian Church North will present an analysis of Governor Walker's 2011-2013 Biennial Budget for the state of Wisconsin on Sunday, April 3, at 12:30 p.m. at the church, 13800 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon. The presentation is free and open to the public.
Joyce M. Latham, PhD., chair of the Social Justice committee, will deliver the presentation. The presentation focuses on six main elements of the budget: public school funding, higher education, local government agencies, health care, transportation, the environment. The presentation measures the stated goals of the budget document against the embedded funding strategies by focusing on the facts.
"We are interested in ensuring that the people of our communities have access to accurate information concerning the budget proposal,” Latham explained. “The bill itself is over 1,300 pages, which presents us with a lot to digest. Our intention is to help people begin to think about the issues which surround the debate about the budget bill. Please join us for investigation and discussion about the fiscal future of Wisconsin."
Joyce Latham's April 3 presentation about the budget repair bill (PDF)
Budget Repair Bill Teach-in Update
Feb 28, 2011
The UCN Social Justice Committee hosted a Budget Repair Bill Teach-in Monday, February 28 at UCN. The statement below from UCN's Social Justice Committee was released prior to the meeting in response to Gov. Walker's budget repair bill.
UCN's Joyce Latham gave an enlightening presentation about the budget repair bill.
Joyce Latham's presentation about the budget repair bill (PDF)
