UUCDC's Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression, MultiCulturalism Program
2008-2009

UUCDC has embarked upon a program designed to foster awareness of racism and oppression as it exists in our community and in our world. Following are several of the programs we are undertaking, this year, in order to foster a greater appreciation of these problems, and to help us overcome them.

Link for February 2009 Events

A.D.O.R.E. Group

Although we are currently an overwhelmingly white congregation, there is nothing to stop us from holding in depth conversations about race. Borrowing from the experience of other churches in our region, we are instituting an ADORE group which will meet once a month for "A Dialog on Race and Ethnicity." Using readings, videos and other resources, the group will help individuals explore the complex set of family, community and cultural issues related to race, racism and other forms of oppression. The ADORE group is a monthly facilitated discussion meant to be a safe place where group members can listen to one another with respect and speak to one another with honesty. One Unitarian Universalist congregation has been holding these meetings for 9 years.

The Homer Jack Speaker Series

We are welcoming three speakers, who address topics of racism and oppression from various viewpoints. On November 9, our speaker was Annette John-Hall, of the Philadelphia Inquirer. On February 8th, we welcomed John Jackson, an Associate Professor of Communications and Anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, and the author of Racial Paranoia: The Unintended Consequences of Political Correctness. The last speaker will to be announced at a later date. The speaker series is named in honor of Homer Jack, a Unitarian minister and activist who spent his career working for equal rights for African Americans and other voiceless people in our society. He attended UUCDC after his retirement.

Creating a Jubilee World

A weekend-long workshop facilitated by members of the UUA's Journey Towards Wholeness team. This workshop is designed to help Unitarian Universalist congregations dismantle racism by allowing participants to examine both personal and institutional racism, and by empowering them to develop a realistic plan that can move their congregations forward in working for racial justice.

Video Discussion Group

RACE - The Power of an Illusion, a three part video series produced by PBS, will begin on Sunday, October 12 and will continue the following two Sundays at 1:00. This series is designed "to help us navigate through our myths and misconceptions about race, and scrutinize some of the assumptions we take for granted. In that sense, the real subject of the film is not so much race but the viewer, or more precisely, the notions about race we all hold." The series kicks off with "The Difference Between Us," a program that will "help clear away the biological underbrush and leave starkly visible the underlying social, economic, and political conditions that disproportionately channel advantages and opportunities to white people." On the two following Sundays we will view "The Story We Tell" and "The House We Live In." Each show is approximately 1 hour long and will be followed by a discussion of our reactions and impressions. Please feel free to bring your lunch to church on these Sundays.

Book Discussion Group

During four successive weeks, a group will gather to reflect on readings from the book Soul Work. Subtitled "Anti-Racist Theologies in Dialogue," Soul Work captures a series of essays and discussions among the leading scholars, educators, theologians, ministers and activists held at UUA headquarters in Boston in 2001. The book provides an opportunity to consider the underlying belief structures that have led to the ongoing racism in our society and discusses potential Unitarian Universalist responses to them. Each week we will discuss two chapters of the book. If you would like to join in this discussion group, contact Rev. Peter about purchasing the book, or go to the UUA Bookstore online.

Book Club

The UUCDC Book Club meets once a month to discuss books of various genres and topics. Among the books they are reading this year is Red River by Lalita Tademy (discussion December 12th). Other readings will also center on themes in keeping with the ARAOM program.

Friday Film Series

Each month a feature film that addresses topics of racism and oppression will be shown, with a discussion to follow.

Other Arts-related Activities

We are planning to present a "Readers' Theater" program, a night of Slam Poetry, and a "One Book UUCDC" program during the course of the year.

Child/Family Friendly Activities

We have scheduled an evening of "Pajama Stories" for parents and children, and we are seeking ways to integrate our anti-racism, anti-oppression training into the children's religious education program. Watch the monthly FOCUS and the weekly Digest for more details.

All events are open to UUCDC members, neighbors and friends, both adult and youth.

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