Expanding Social Justice Actions in the Community
Post Author
Sally Hartman
Social Justice in Our Community
When you put a dollar or more in the Sunday collection, our partner agency benefits from this generous donation. The twelve agencies we support regularly write emails and notes, thanking us for our charity. Free Lunch, which happens when member gather to make a meal on the second Friday of each month, also is a needed charitable act.
Now is the time to expand our social justice horizons! For this reason, the Social and Environmental Justice Table on each second Sunday provides opportunities to reach beyond charity to make a difference. July’s Social justice table will provide information, postcard writing materials and stamps, and postcard writers will give their legislators a piece of their minds! ELLI (Equitable Local Loan Initiative), an amazing UUS group that has bubbled up to address the need for low interest loans, will have a presence at the July Social Justice Table. We welcome any social justice or environmental justice ideas or thoughts you may have!
Immigration Action Team
The UUS Circle of Friends families face challenges! What was sure is not sure, such as the employment authorization documents. Two Circle of Friends adults had this permit revoked, so now they are out of work.
Even when members of our Circle of Friends have jobs, they are treated poorly. They are hired to work full time but then the company or daycare tells them they don’t have to work that day. Sometimes they only work two of the five days! Some immigrants have told us they are afraid to be out and about, and others stay home from work when they hear there might be an ICE raid at work, even though they have the papers to prove they can be here legally.
In addition to keeping up with our Circle of Friends families, the Immigration Action Team promotes change in the community. The Center for Worker Justice and the Immigrant Welcome Network actively advocate for change in our community by protesting wage theft and other job support, exposing housing discrimination, connecting to community resources, and providing know your rights training. These agencies are a life-line to our Circle of Friends families.
Our work continues beyond our immediate community. Over the years, the Immigration Action Network champions the environmental work of the Chico Mendes Reforestation Project in Guatemala, which was featured in the New York Times last month. A service-learning trip to Pachaj, Guatemala for 2026 is in the initial stages of planning.
IUUWAN
The Iowa UU Witness Advocacy Network reaches out to all the congregations in Iowa. This year they offer to pay expenses up to $100 for any Iowa congregation promoting a Pride event. IUUWAN has two interest teams, Environment and Immigration. Both meet once a month to share resources, coordinate actions and offer support. Smaller congregations are grateful for this kind of support, and all congregations involved learn from each other. Should you be interested in joining either group, contact Sally at [email protected].
