UUCA April Monthly UUpdates
April 2021
- Rev Kate's Corner
- Religious Education
- President's Column
- Board Meeting Summary
- AI Session Pre-Lim Report
- Racial Justice Task Force
- UUWA Meeting
- Hermitage of the Heart
- AAIC Hunger Walk
- Adult Religious Education
- Support Group for Being Human
- Women's Book Group
- Community Garden
- Immigration
- Stewardship of the Earth
- SJM Fundraiser
- 21 Day Challenge Wrap Up
- AAIC First 100 days
- Banter With Bay
- Donation Station
- UU General Assembly
- Get to Know Us
Rev. Kate's Korner
Dear Ones,
Spring has arrived, and in it’s helpful way is trying to carry off our woes. Lest this sound overly poetic, I mean the birds of Spring, the birds who nest on our church roof, are thieving the slips of muslin on which we have written our sorrows, and are using them construct their nests. Remember a month or so ago, when the worship committee and I put up a long string of clothesline outside the church entrance, strung across the ramp? There we left muslin strips and pencils, so we all could write down our griefs on the fabric and then tie them to the line, like prayer flags, to flap in the breeze. The birds found this to be a tremendously good idea and are taking our griefs away to create cozy bedding for their babies. Human spies can confirm the birds’ crime. This makes the ritual even sweeter- we express our sorrows and off they are whisked, to make a soft place for new life to arrive. Come by and add your griefs to the line- we don’t want to neglect our feathered friends.
How is your spirit doing today? As more people are vaccinated and hope abounds that we may be together (in person!) again before too long, I find myself grieving the past year and all the joy that was canceled. I have heard from folks in our church family that they are feeling the same- now that the end is (hopefully) near it is safe to feel all the sadness that built up over the past twelve or thirteen months. When we were in the midst of lock-down we had to focus on necessities- how to get groceries safely, how to manage caring for children while working, trying to keep everyone healthy mentally and physically. All the grief and anger and frustration was pushed aside, there just wasn’t time to manage unwieldy feelings. But those feelings didn’t disappear. Don’t be too surprised or hard on yourself if unexpected tears arise over the next few weeks. We have gone through an enormous period of difficulty. Be gentle with yourselves. Be gentle with the people in your life. Keep expectations manageable because your spirit is making a huge adjustment, preparing for Real Life again. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me for a supportive conversation.
As Spring flies off with our woes may we hold each other with compassion. The end is near, in the best possible way.
Love,
Rev Kate
RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION STATION
Hello and Happy April, UUCA Family!
We can’t believe how quickly spring has arrived and are marveling at all the sunshine and warm weather. This has gotten our RE wheels turning for all the fun things we can do outside. First up on our outdoor menu is the Hogwarts Camp house sorting ceremony and activity afternoon, which will be held on the UUCA grounds on April 11th at 2pm. UUCA and state/local health guidelines will be maintained and we’ll have lots of fun! If your child has not yet registered, there’s still time! Please reach out to Please contact Carolyn Stevens (uuakronoffice@gmail.com) and Abby L’Bert (dre.uuakron@gmail.com) with any questions and scroll down to access the link to register:)
The UUCA Hogwarts Camp will begin with an in-person / outdoor event on April 11th and continue with daily instructive, entertaining, and UU centered goodness throughout the week. Themes such as herbology, defense against, the dark arts, wandmaking / wandlore, and more will be featured. Please read the UUCA RE’s special statement on transgender rights and register below!
*We as an RE program at the UUCA would like to affirm our support of trans people and the movement for trans rights in the US and around the world. We do not support, either in part or in whole, any statements made by JK Rowling in opposition to the current movement for trans rights and wholeheartedly disagree with Ms. Rowling’s position. We believe that including trans supportive language in our programming and in our global community encourages the movement toward a safer, healthier society and in no way undermines or harms cis-gender identifying people.
Register here --->https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBpRdDIthw5fwgQLrK_4QTgWaqwc27dtdIDnVZ51FNzoeJCQ/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0&gxids=7628
What else is going on in April at the UUCA RE? Take a look below!
Teacher David is paying the RE kids a visit on Sunday April 11th for a special music-filled RE class! Preschool and elementary-aged kids are welcomed to login along with their adults for the UU centered Sunday session. David Palomo also hosts a PJ Dance Party on the 4th Friday of every month @ 7:00p on Zoom. Little ones can enjoy a fun start and soothing wind down to their Friday evening :). Here’s the link to join David P. on Friday nights: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82879613657?pwd=cWpmbTYzYVpZY0FXOUtQRXl0N3BHZz09
The RE Program is doing Sundays! Join us online before church service on Zoom, from 10am to 10:30am (or at 9:45am for virtual kids' "decaf" coffee hour time :). Elementary-aged kids are welcomed to join our UUCA adult guides for weekly theme-centered connection, learning, and FUN! Parents are welcomed to log on with your kids to assist:).
Join Zoom Meeting-https://zoom.us/j/97274516467?pwd=aUduT0VRTXoraDFrdzhYbjU2cGM4QT09
Meeting ID: 972 7451 6467
Passcode: 556922
April 25th is Earth Day! Mark your calendars for a special, musical, story-filled intergenerational Sunday morning worship service for ALL AGES:). As this Sunday will be an “intergen” service, there will be NO RE Elementary class at 10am on this day, but we’ll look forward to being back in class the following week. We’ve LOVED seeing all the young faces online these past weeks :).
7th - 12th graders are welcome to join COYA’s online Zoom meetings on 4th and 1st Sundays at noon! COYA involvement offers youth a great way to connect with others, get creative, develop leadership skills, AND get together for socially distanced fun. Those interested in learning more, please contact Kelly Urbano (kell100@yahoo.com) and Abby L’Bert (dre.uuakron@gmail.com).
UUCA parents and ALL! Our support-centered meetings (hosted by Elizabeth Reilly and Abby L'Bert) are here to help! We are alternating a parent support and check-in space (2nd and 4th Tuesdays) with an all-church morning meditative support session on 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. Both sessions will be held at 6:30am on Tuesday mornings so please feel free to join us as you are able. As always, please contact Elizabeth Reilly (reilly@uakron.edu) and Abby L’Bert (dre.uuakron@gmail.com) with any questions you may have.https://zoom.us/j/99155331349?pwd=ZkFYa0dsMlg3Q3F5Nnd4ZEdxZXY3QT09
Meeting ID: 991 5533 1349
Passcode: 761024
Please make a note of my current, RE-online office hours as well! Feel free to connect with me by email or text at (dre.uuakron@gmail.com) or (330)701-9839 Tuesdays through Fridays between 10a - 3p!
One last thing! Have you ever wondered where I might be if I’m not doing the time for all ages session on a Sunday morning? Worry I may be unwell or somewhere far, far away?? Your concern is appreciated and here’s the news:).
I’ve been ever grateful for the addition of Bree Chambers and Rev. Kate Landis to our online services these recent (and not so recent) months. Having Bree provide technical engineering for Sunday morning services has meant that this job is no longer on my plate as DRE and I can focus more on Religious Education programming for kids and youth!
Having Bree on staff, along with Rev. Kate’s amazing Time for All Ages sessions (she loves connecting with kids too :) have meant that I can now host and join in teaching classes for kids on Sunday mornings and be prepared for COYA meetings with youth on Sundays as well. These are my passions and my beloved responsibility.
I’ve loved being a part of Sunday services online and love sharing the Time for All Ages sessions with Rev. Kate, so keep an eye out for my name on Sunday Service announcements every other week. I LOVE these opportunities to connect with all our young and youthful spirits and will continue to take part as much as possible :). Many blessings and see you all soon!
Abby L’Bert
DRE @ the UUCA
(330)701-9839 (text)
President’s Column Hallie Bowie, President of the Board of Trustees (she/her)
Thinking Spring
I don’t know about you, but I have been living in “one more month” mode for the last 12 months. It is taking much longer for the number of Covid-19 cases to go down than I ever imagined it could. As of today, Summit County is STILL at a level 3 advisory. But by the time you read this, everyone old enough to become a voting member at UUCA (16) will also be old enough to be eligible to be vaccinated. We hope that by the Board of Trustees meeting on April 28th it will be appropriate for us to open the church to groups larger than 10 people. We are even starting to talk about a picnic sometime in June! Imagine, welcoming the whole congregation to come together in person!
We aren’t yet talking about returning to services in the sanctuary. The lack of mechanical ventilation in that space makes it more challenging to bring us together there safely. With warm weather and vaccinations, we hope to have many more outdoor events at our church campus, where we have plenty of space to maintain masked social distancing while transmission is still a concern. Inside, our new air purification system in the Hannah Hall, entry hallway, and office area will make indoors at least as safe as outdoors. The Bipolar ionization system we have installed is proven to kill 99% of the virus that causes Covid-19 in the air and on surfaces. We will need to maintain social distancing for a while, so the size of groups in Hannah Hall will still be limited until the virus is under control.
Right now, we are at the equinox. Things are starting to change from the long winter of the pandemic. It will not simply disappear overnight, but we are starting to anticipate a mix of in-person events with continued Zoom services and committee meetings. We want to be able to welcome once again all the people who don’t have access to the internet, those who don’t have the technology needed, are those who are simply less comfortable with using Zoom. Meanwhile, we will keep doing the vitally important work of UUCA: supporting our immigrant community, feeding families, working to dismantle systemic racings both inside and outside our church, providing support for the queer community, educating our children about our UU faith, and growing together in love and friendship. Blessed be!
MARCH BOARD MEETING SUMMARY
At this month's board meeting, we heard a report from Scott Piepho on the Appreciative Inquiry Sessions (more about that should be elsewhere in this very newsletter). We approved extending the contract for the preschool through 2022, as well as a policy for ritual burning. We also agreed to fund a phone line for spanish-speakers to find assistance with common concerns the immigration team has noticed, which will become an effort backed by multiple agencies in the Akron area. We agreed that the Loving Community Trustee should be the chair of the Denominational Affairs Committee, which is important because that committee decides who can be a GA delegate (so if you want to volunteer, talk to Kyle Jozsa). And finally, we settled on a slate of candidates for the Ministerial Search Committee to be presented to the congregation. Feel free to join us at any board meeting in the future if you want to know more or weigh in, and keep an eye out for the full minutes to be posted on the website.
And please feel free to join us for April Board Meeting-
UUCA Board of Trustees Meeting for March
Time: Mar 28, 2021 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/93501798559?pwd=NzdSbXlEYzhoNWtYUmtZVVJYZ3JhQT09
Meeting ID: 935 0179 8559
Passcode: 918303
One tap mobile
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APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY PRE-LIM SUMMARY
The Transition Committee is releasing some preliminary results from the Appreciative Inquiry sessions it conducted as part of the ministerial search process. This kind of member-driven self-examination helps a church in transition guide the search process and offer a roadmap to necessary changes that can be guided by a new settled minister. This work is essential to the ministerial search and transition.
At Rev. Kate’s direction, we used the Appreciative Inquiry model for our sessions. The model, developed by David Cooperrider of Case Western University, uses positive interview questions to focus on how an organization functions at its best.
The Transition Committee -- Becky Dempster, Lauren Folk, Allan Michaelson, Wayne Poteet and myself – conducted eleven Zoom sessions involving a total of thirty-two participants. The committee members reported out the results of their sessions by boiling the discussions down to answers to five questions:
Q1: Why did you come to UUCA?
Q2: What kept you coming?
Q3: What does the church do best?
Q4: Describe a “peak moment” in your experience in the church.
Q5: What wishes do you have for the church in five years?
The first four questions yield a good snapshot of what church members find most important, compelling, and effective in church life. Going through the answers, patterns emerged. The responses could be divided into three broad categories: our Sunday services, social justice, and our identity as a liberal religious fellowship. Those broad categories could be further divided, using specific elements of services, our various social justice ministries, and our qualities as a congregation.
Counting all of these responses, we get the following view of what the respondents find vital in our church:
Unsurprisingly, our congregation has embraced our identity as a congregation dedicated to acting for social justice. Some of the specific responses citing social justice include two people who began attending prompted by our Black Lives Matter banners and members who continue attending in part because of their work in the community meal.
Among the strongest response in the sessions were those citing our religious education program. Respondents stated they came to the church seeking RE for their children, that the quality of program is a reason they stay and that youth services are among their peak experiences.
Note that the most frequently mentioned aspects of church life are those directed and executed by church members. To be sure, people cited worship services and the ministries of both Rev. Tim and Rev. Kate. But we have grown into a church community that acts and identifies itself as one driven by empowered laity.
Going forward, the Transition Committee hopes to build on the information acquired in this round of sessions. If church members are interested, we will be offering additional sessions as follows:
Allan Michaelson: Thursday April 15, 6:30
Lauren Folk: Friday April 16, 6:00
Scott Piepho: Tuesday April 20, 6:00
We also plan to conduct an online poll using the appreciative inquiry results as basis. For this reason, we are not releasing the responses to wishes for the future at this time. These results are stronger the more spontaneous, unprompted responses we receive.
If you can participate in one of the additional sessions (despite Zoom Fatigue), please do. The more respondents we have, the stronger our information and our eventual transition plans. Otherwise, please keep an eye out for the online survey coming later this Spring.
Environmental Racism
In 1969 Black attorney and World War II veteran Floyd McKissick, created Soul City, a community on 500 acres in Warren County, North Carolina. Warren Country had the highest percentage of Black residents and was among the poorest counties in the state. Mr. McKissick built a water system, sewage structure, and a health clinic, before vital federal funds were pulled from the project.
The state selected Warren County as the dumping site for 50,000 gallons of toxic soil contaminated with PCB, a chemical that remains in the environment foe so long and is so dangerous that the U.S. banned its production.
Residents formed Warren County Citizens Concerned About PCBs in response to the state’s decision and organized weeks of protests. When they blocked the construction roadway with their bodies, the National Guard and state troopers were called in and over 500 people were arrested.
Warren County residents were unable to stop the creation of the landfill, but they garnered widespread attention and sparked a national movement for environmental justice. The term “environmental racism” was coined by Rev. Benjamin Chavis, then-director of the United Church of Christ’s Commission on Racial Justice, to explain the need for the burgeoning movement. The commission found in 1987 that three out of every five Black and Latino Americans lived in communities tainted by toxic waste.
Environmental racial disparities remain today, Black Americans are exposed to 21% more pollution and Latino Americans are exposed to 12% more pollution than white Americans.
UUWA MONTHLY MEETING
Fair Districts Ohio 2021 – UUWA Meeting
Many of you have been frustrated and even angry about our votes not being counted equally. Gerrymandering has created a situation which almost assures that certain candidates will be elected. Join us on Friday, April 16, at 10:30 for Redistricting 101, a virtual presentation designed to answer your questions about the anti-gerrymandering reforms we voted for in 2015 and 2018. Our presenter will be Moise Welch, a trained member of the Fair District Ohio* Coalition Speakers Bureau. She will explain the 2021 Redistricting Process in Ohio, presenting Ohio’s current gerrymandered maps, why they are bad and need to go. She will share concrete ways you can become a part of ensuring Fair Districts for Ohio in 2021. We have a problem! Come and learn about how we Ohioans can be a part of the solution.
*Fair Districts Ohio is a non-partisan coalition of good governance organizations and voter rights advocates, including Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Ohio Council of Churches, the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition, and more. The coalition is working hard to create a more equitable representational democracy for all Ohioans by amplifying citizen voices and advocating for community priorities.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98440873176?pwd=dGcwaHc0cUp4RXE1TnhRNHZiSERHUT09
Meeting ID: 984 4087 3176
Passcode: 974506
One tap mobile
+13017158592,,98440873176# US
Hermitage of the Heart
Every first and third Thursday, Hermitage of the Heart creates spiritual community in a contemplative setting. Each service explores a theme connected to the rhythms of nature and spirit, to provide a space and time for renewal, stillness and peace amid the maelstrom, so we are able to emerge ready for life. Together, we seek respite, find ways to refresh our spirits, rest in an oasis of peace.Come join our community, seeking wholeness of body, spirit and mind. We experience light and darkness, silence and song, inspiring words and images, and sustained time for reflection and meditation as sources of hope and courage. Take the time to nurture, ground and center yourself.
The sacred space is open from 6:45-7 PM for entering music, and the service begins at 7 PM. You are welcome to invite others who may seek to experience a time of being held in compassionate community, finding and storing the energy to be at peace within themselves before reentering the world.Join us April 1st and 15th..
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97615742417?pwd=Q29HdnZxbzIxeG8rUlFLS0g0WVBUdz09Meeting ID: 976 1574 2417
Passcode: 414097
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,97615742417# US
12th ANNUAL HUNGER WALK
ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
The JCC has invited our Church community to join. The program is free. Please click here to register as you must personally register for the event to get the zoom link.
SUPPORT GROUP FOR BEING HUMAN
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/91837211026?pwd=LzhWYitDWk9oSWJnUkpjeW5xd0xkZz09
Meeting ID: 918 3721 1026
Passcode: 732551
Women's Book Group
The WOMEN'S BOOK GROUP will meet on ZOOM at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 7.
We will be discussing Dutch House by Ann Patchett.
All women are welcome. For questions, contact Jan Schrader janzst@yahoo.com
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/92670463792?pwd=SzRQQVJMMjRib1B4MFNCWllncXRyZz09
Meeting ID: 926 7046 3792
Passcode: 627677
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,92670463792#
COMMUNITY GARDEN NEWS
Spring is on its way which means getting our beds ready for planting and getting cool-weather crops into those beds.
Are you bored at home yet? Yearning for a way to support an important ministry while maintaining your hard-won health safety?
Then consider joining us for EARLY PLANTING DAY on Saturday April 17th. Bring garden gloves and be sure to wear boots because the ground is likely to be soggy. We'll be out there at 10AM; come on over whenever you are able. With enough helping hands we should be finished before lunch!
Questions? Contact Karen at kahoch4224@yahoo.com
Hope to see you there!
IMMIGRATION NEWS
Stewardship of the Earth – Help our Pollinators & Birds
Please don’t clean your Garden Beds!! – Yet!!!
Please RESIST the urge to clean up your garden beds until the temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. Many butterflies, bees and other pollinators are currently overwintering in the dead leaves, debris and hollowed out stems of last year’s plants. If you clear out your garden now, you will be literally throwing away this year’s butterflies, bees, moths and other beneficial pollinators. Thank you!
More Pollinator Facts:
Why are bees, moths and butterflies important? One out of every three bites of food we eat is the result of the efforts of these wonderful creatures pollinating the plants that provide our food!
Why should I plant some native plants – can’t I just plant pretty ones that I like? The digestive system of our bugs, moths and caterpillars have evolved with native plants for thousands of years and they cannot digest non-native plants (“ornamental aliens”!)!
Do you like birds, enjoy their songs? The nice, soft caterpillars of butterflies and moths are baby bird food! If there are no native flowers and plants for those critters to eat, the baby birds cannot survive to adulthood when they can then eat seeds.
As you plan your flower garden, please try to include plants that will be blooming every season (early Spring to late Fall) so the pollinators will constantly have food available to them. Planting annuals will also help! And PLEASE add some milkweed plants – the ONLY host plant for our wonderful Monarch butterflies! (My butterflies have not eaten our asclepias tuberosa; please include swamp, common or other milkweed plants!)
The Stewardship of the Earth Committee has been inspired by the programs of Dr. Doug Tallamy encouraging everyone to contribute to the Homegrown National Park movement, benefitting pollinators, birds and other wildlife and by planting for nature and creating connecting wildlife corridors. For more inspiration, please check out www.HomegrownNationalPark.org or his book by that title. Dr. Tallamy’s graduate students began the research for the native plant listings for the National Wildlife Federation www.nwf.org where you can search for native plants by zip code and see how many pollinators they support.
Our next project is the planting of the area along the administration wing of the church which we prepared last fall. We will be planting perennial plants along with some bushes, with an emphasis on native plants that will flower from early Spring through to late Fall. We also hope that these areas will also act as helpful outdoor classrooms in the future!
Stay tuned for announcements of planting days so you can come help us dig in the dirt! Thanks!
SJM FUNDRAISER
Are YOU ready for Mother’s Day?
The Social Justice Ministries Council is here to help! This year, we are partnering with our local Graf Growers to provide Gift Cards in $25 denominations for Mother’s Day. The Gift Cards can be used any time of the year, for anything in Graf’s retail shop (plants, planters, supplies, etc. Cannot be used for landscaping services). Feel free to purchase more than one! The Gift Cards are valid for up to 10 years! UUCA’s SJM program will receive a percentage of the total collected to help support our ministries – and solve your Mother’s Day Gift Dilemma at the same time!
How does it work?
· Decide how many cards you would like in $25 increments
· Send payment through website at https://uuakron.org/connection/donate/, choose “Other” and put “Graf Gift Card” in comments or send a check payable to UUCA with “Graf Gift Card” in memo.
· Stop by and pick up your card(s) from the church office during office hours on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or on Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon.
If you need to make other pick-up arrangements contact Laurel Winters at lwinters@neo.rr.com. We want to make sure you get the card in time for Mother’s Day especially if you are snail mailing payment.
This opportunity will continue through April 24 – so we can be sure to get the Graf Gift Cards to you in time for Mother’s Day.
Thank you for your support! – and Happy Mother’s Day!
UUWA 21 DAY CHALLENGE WRAP UP
From March 1-March 29, members of the UUCA Women’s Association (UUWA) participated in YWCA Cleveland’s 21-day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge. This was an opportunity to explore issues of racial equality and social justice by engaging with articles, videos, podcasts, and other content each weekday. Self-reflections were offered for each week, and there was the option of joining a closed Facebook group where participants could discuss the issues. A broad topic was introduced each week, and each day featured a different aspect of the topic. UUWA met weekly via Zoom to discuss how these resources affected our thoughts and feelings on the topics.
We have been sharing weekly what we have been doing, but thought we would offer it for the newsletter for anyone who has not seen it. Here we offer a brief summary of the topics and our related discussion, as well as some of the resources we thought were particularly powerful. We hope you will explore some of the links and be moved to action as we were.
Week 1 - Reparations
The first week’s topic was reparations, with the subtopics of the historical context of reparations, reparations for slavery (pts. 1 and 2), reparations and indigenous people, and corporations and reparations. Our discussion included why reparations are necessary for the years beyond slavery, attempts at reparations for some groups (such as for those held in Japanese-American Internment Camps) and lack of attempts for other groups, and why a why a white person coming from poverty does not experience the same obstacles experienced by a Black person. We also discussed the concept of baby bonds or corporate shares as reparation as a means to affect racial economic equality.
Highlighted Resources:
It's More Than Racism: Isabel Wilkerson Explains America's 'Caste' System - Radio program
(38 minutes), Fresh Air/NPR
Into Reparations with Nikole Hannah-Jones - Podcast (25 minutes), MSNBC
Why It’s Time to Give Native Americans Their Land Back - Video (8 minutes), Al Jazeera
Week 2 - Racism in Sports
Subtopics of the history of racism in sports, racism in sports today, ending the use of Native American imagery in sports, and athlete activism. Highlights of our discussion were the history of the Negro League, declining participation of African-Americans in baseball, the fact that almost 200 Ohio high schools still use Native American names, and problems of approval of human mascots. We also talked briefly about the absurd criteria that the International Olympic Committee has used (past and present) to determine if an athlete is truly female (first was bodily inspection, then determination of two X chromosomes, to the current use of limits of testosterone that a woman should not exceed).
Highlighted resources:
Why Baseball is Losing Black America - Article ( 10 min.), Sports Illustrated
Can a Mascot Really Cause Psychological Harm (yes, especially to Indian
children and adolescents) - Podcast ( 17 min.), NPR
From Muhammad Ali to Colin Kaepernick, the proud history of black protest in sport - Article
(8 min.), The Guardian
Cleveland Says It Will Change Its Name in 2022. It Should Do It Now. - Article (6 min.), Sports
Illustrated
The Problem with Sex Testing in Sports - Video (12 min.), Vox
Week 3 - Gender Based Violence (GBV)
If you have or are experiencing intimate partner or gender based violence, these resources may be helpful:
https://hopeandhealingresources.org/ - links to the Rape Crisis Center of Summit and Medina Counties, and the Battered Women’s Shelter of Summit and Medina Counties
https://victimassistanceprogram.org/
TRIGGER WARNING: Materials contain information about gender-based violence, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.
The topics covered this week were GBV’s impact on women of color, intimate partner violence in the LBGTQ+ community, gender based violence and homelessness, financial abuse, and GBV and the criminal justice system. We talked about the wide range of domestic violence, from the extremes of honor killings to “invisible” abuse, such as financial abuse, which was estimated by Allstate Insurance to be present in 99% of domestic abuse cases. We also discussed the cycle of abuse and the difficulty of stopping domestic abuse from passing down through generations. Barriers to seeking service for Black and other marginalized groups, such as racial bias and insufficient translation services, were explored, as was the negative outcome on communities of persons of color due to the past decision of white women to invest in the criminal justice system as the solution to domestic violence.
We also took a look at issues regarding GBV that were specific to the LBGTQ+ community, such as mainstream services’ lack of knowledge regarding things such as using rape kits with transgender individuals or even ignoring preferred pronouns and gender identification. Discussion of use of preferred pronouns segued into the empowering effect of language when used sensitively, such as “person experiencing homelessness” instead of “homeless person”, and “survivor” as opposed to “victim”. The deep connection between domestic violence and homelessness, as well as the intersection of so many other issues with GBV was brought up. We talked about what we could do as individuals, society, and UUWA.
Highlighted resources:
Racism and the Anti-Violence Movement - Video (10 min.), Futures Without Violence LGBTQueering the Narrative of Sexual Violence | Paige Leigh Baker-Braxton - Video (14 min.),
TEDx Talk
The Intersection of Homelessness and Domestic Violence - Video (3 min.), The National
Resource Center on Domestic Violence
Financial abuse: Domestic violence you can't see - Video (2 min.), Newsy
These women survived abuse and assault. Now they’re behind bars. Should they be? - Article
(10 min.), Vox
Week 4 - Environmental Racism
This week addressed the environmental justice movement, climate change, toxic exposure, and racism and environmental disasters. It was soon clear that so many of these issues surrounding racism are tightly connected. For example, environmental disasters like Katrina affected POC at a much higher rate than average, due to issues such as lack of transportation to escape hazardous situations, lack of money to move out to less vulnerable locations, and systematic racism encountered when dealing with authorities. In urban settings, factories, refineries, and transportation depots are more likely to be located in or near neighborhoods with a higher African-American percentage than they are to be in a heavily white neighborhood, increasing exposure to air pollution, industrial chemicals, and heavy metals. Pipelines through areas such as the Standing Rock Reservation not only put the water supply of the people who live there at risk, it is also a clear and gross desecration of sacred land. Environmental racism is the ultimate example of “not in my backyard”. And the mostly white-centeric mainstream environmental organizations have begun to embrace the environmental justice movement, because we cannot combat climate change without addressing sytematic racism.
Highlighted resources:
Cesar Chavez’s first major address after his 36-day 1988 fast over the pesticide poisoning of
farm workers - Article (23 min.), United Farm Workers
Lead Exposure as a Racial Equity and Social Justice Issue - Pamphlet (5 min.), University
Hospital Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
Climate change will displace millions. Here's how we prepare | Colette Pichon Battle - Video (13
min.), TEDtalk
Rep. Deb Haaland Q & A - The Trump Administration’s Construction of the Border Wall - Video
(5 min.), House Natural Resources Committee Democrats
Participation in this challenge has been eye-opening and has led us to reflect on how we can make changes in ourselves and in society. One participant summed up the experience beautifully:
What an outstanding program on racism put together by the Cleveland YWCA! The sources of articles, videos, and podcasts are varied and reliable. I studied as many as I possibly could. From Reparations to Violence to Climate Change, each is important. While I have very little interest in Sports, that info, too, was enriching and very worthwhile...I am so grateful that Carol Thombs connected our UUWA and the greater UUCA to this 21 Day Challenge. I am also grateful to everyone who participated. Together we have learned much more than can be held in 21 days. May we all be Spurred to Action!
AAIC First 100 Days, Promises Made, Promises Kept? Session One of Five: Immigration
We're looking forward to seeing you at the first of our five-event series: Promises Made, Promises Kept? on April 6, 2021.
The focus of this event will be immigration with Dr. Steven Volk, Khalid Madhi, and Sr. Juliana Beck.
RSVP today with the event link here!
Tuesday, Apr 6, 2021, 07:00 PM
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BANTER WITH BAY
[CW: Brief discussion of rape and police violence]
April 26 is lesbian visibility day. I don’t personally identify as a lesbian, but I honor and respect those who do, not in the least because lesbian culture and history have such a big impact on the rest of queer culture and history. Most people recognize the impact gay men have had on the queer community, but I honestly think lesbians have had just as much if not more influence overall, especially on the trans community.
If you attended my sermon on queer belonging, you’ll be familiar with the basics of recent lesbian history. As women began to enter the workforce in droves during World War 2, bars catering to women began to spring up as after-work socialization opportunities. In the 1940s and 50s, a whole culture of lesbians at these women-only bars began to develop. This is where you got the concept of “butch” vs “femme”: masculine women were butches, and their feminine girlfriend were femmes, and ne’er the twain should cross over. Transmasc culture grows directly out of “stone butch” culture, or those butches who were so butch they were basically men in all but name, impossible to hide or dress up in lipstick. These bars were frequently raided by police, who could arrest a woman if she wore less than three pieces of “feminine” attire -- meaning the butches who wore men’s pants and working-class button-down shirts were at high risk of being arrested, beaten, and/or raped by police. These bars were also, at least in New York City, often run by the mafia until the 1970s, when they began to be more commonly run by lesbians themselves. The 1970s also saw the beginning of “party” culture, wherein women would gather at a bar or private residence and have a specific soiree rather than gathering every night. By the 1990s, despite the AIDS crisis, lesbian bars were more prolific than ever. This is the era of Ellen; if you’d suggested in the 50s that someone could openly declare herself a lesbian on the most-watched talk show of the day and be applauded for it, they wouldn’t have believed you.
Lesbian culture also has unique terminology. To many, the word “dyke” is a reclaimed slur, something that lesbians are able to call themselves or their lovers but not be called by strangers; a “baby dyke” is someone who has only just come out as a lesbian, often someone on their first lesbian relationship, while a “bull dyke” is what a “stone butch” used to be back in the 60s: a butch woman who, like a bull, stubbornly refuses to dress feminine in any capacity. Today we also have the separate category of trans men/transmascs, who are not usually considered lesbians, so today’s “bull dyke” still identifies as a woman while a trans man does not. There are also drag kings, which are to lesbians what drag queens are to gay men: not necessarily a lesbian, but someone who was AFAB who does an exaggerated performance of masculinity as a stage performance. Meanwhile, back in lesbian land, we have “soft butches” or “futches”, who are butches that are less butch than average, often incorporating some themes from femme styles. On the opposite end of the spectrum you have “high femmes”, who are the most femme of the femme. High femmes are also known as “lipstick lesbians”; femmes who are less over the top are thus sometimes called “chapstick lesbians”. In the African-American community, butches who are tops are often called “studs” instead, and your in-between role is thus called a “stemme” (stud + femme) rather than a “futch” (femme + butch).
Not all lesbian terms are fun and useful, however. Sometimes lesbians will refer to one another as “pillow princesses” or “pillow queens” when they are passive in the bedroom and do not take an active role. Furthermore, some lesbians refer to themselves as “gold star” lesbians if they have never had sex with a man, which sows division among those who were aware of their identity early, those who didn’t realize until later, and those who are bisexual or pansexual but still identify as a lesbian (common among people who are primarily involved in lesbian culture or primarily attracted to women but have a little bit of attraction to men or various nonbinary identities). There are also terms such as “women born women” that are used in some lesbian circles to exclude trans lesbians (or “transbians”) from lesbian communities. These terms and others like them help segregate the community, making an already small and persecuted community even smaller and more exposed to danger. I am a firm believer in inclusion, and believe we ought to stick together no matter what flavor of queer we are. It’s not as though the homophobes will be less homophobic toward someone who isn’t a gold star lesbian or who was identified male at birth.
Thankfully, as far as I can tell the inclusive lesbians outnumber the exclusive ones by a good margin. Most lesbians are just happy to be able to be out of the closet and not arrested and raped by police like they would have been in the 50s. Lesbian rights have come a long way, but most would say not quite far enough. That’s why we have a lesbian visibility day: to help normalize the idea of lesbian-ness, to help people see that lebsians are everywhere and are otherwise ordinary people like everyone else. If you don’t think you know a lesbian, you’re probably wrong; there are several in our church community, and probably more that even I don’t know are lesbians. If you’re a lesbian, make sure you hop on over to the facebook group and post on lesbian visibility day so everyone can see how proud you are of your culture and history. I know I’ll be keeping an eye out!
DONATION STATION
The Donation Station is being built! Look for a cute little shed being built on the grounds at the back of the parking lot. This building will be used to house and distribute the clothing and household donations that come through UUCA. We have wonderful partnerships with several organizations that all work together to put donations in the hands of people who need them.
Gratitude and thanks to John and James Schooling, who are generously donating the materials and labor to build the shed. We do need a couple of things…. If you have recently replaced windows we could take the old ones off your hands for the shed. If you have a table you no longer need, I am sure it can be put to use for sorting items. Contact Elicia Prior at 330-371-1699.
2021 GENERAL ASSEMBLY June 23-27
Registration for virtual GA 2021 is $200 per person. Financial support for registration as well as a payment plan are available. General Assembly registrants receive access to the 2021 Online Participation Portal, including live, simulive, and on-demand video content, the virtual exhibit hall, chat features, support, and a (new!) GA mobile app.
Register here! https://www.uua.org/ga/registration
If you wish to be a delegate please contact Rev. Kate
GET TO KNOW OUR STAFF~ CAROLYN STEVENS
I was born in Parma, Ohio but have lived in Akron all my life. Cool fact- my parents actually lived in Kent, Ohio right after I was born. My mom was walking me in a stroller around the outskirts of campus on May 4, 1970..
2. When did you start working at the church? What do you do? What do you like about it?
I started working at the church in December of 2010. I started as the Religious Education Assistant, which I still am, but have added many hats since then. I am the church administrator and also the family network person. I love everything about my job. I am a licensed optician, but I chose to work at our church because it was fulfillment for my soul.
3. What is something people wouldn’t guess about your job?
I have this weird thing with my memory...i have a thing with names. So I can probably remember a family who came to visit the church from 8 years ago and maybe their kids names..lol
4. What are you the most proud of?
That would have to be my family, hands down! My oldest daughter Allayna is finishing up her first year at The University of Mount Union (terrible year to be a college student). McKenna is super tough, fighting battles every day that most don't know about, and is a freshman for biotech at STEM high school. Russ is my rock- the hardest working man I know. ( and 2 dogs, Izzy and Luna)
5. What would your ideal Friday night look like?
I love to cook and bake. So it would be dinner at home and then just hanging out. We have a really large back yard for a Highland Square home. We like to hang out on our deck because it is peaceful.
About Us
Email: uuakronoffice@gmail.com
Website: www.uuakron.org
Location: 3300 Morewood Road, Fairlawn, OH, USA
Phone: 330-836-2206
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UUAkron