10th Anniversary Edition Newsletter

UUANI 10th Anniversary:
A Day of Celebration, Community and Commitment

More than 140 UUs from 22 congregations across the state gathered online and at Abraham Lincoln Unitarian Universalist Church in Springfield to celebrate UUANI's first ten (plus) years. It was a joyous time to be together, woven with acknowledgment of the depth of the world's sorrow, grief and injustice.

We shared the story of all the people who brought us this far and all we've done as UUs in solidarity with partner organizations, helping win victories such as marriage equality, the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), Pretrial Fairness ending money bond, ending immigrant detention in Illinois, and engaging well over 100,000 voters in various elections.

We sang and ate cake!

And we explored a wide range of ways we can continue working to bend the arc toward justice in accountable friendship as we strive toward beloved community.

Click here for ways you can
get involved in our work together

Thanks to our amazing tech team, here are recordings of each session:

• Opening with Music, History of UUANI, Keynote & Panel Discussion
  An overview of all that's happened since our founding, followed by Nicole Pressley's inspiring message highlighting the importance of accountable friendship in our work for justice.
  

• Engaging Your Congregation with GRACE
  (Grounding, Relationships, Accountability, Capacity & Effectiveness)
  

• Organizing Your Congregation for Advocacy:
  Legislative Action Teams & Rapid Response Networks
  

• Mutual Aid: Meeting Our Neighbors Where They Are
  

• Migrant Support: Welcoming New Arrivals to Illinois
  

• Climate Justice with the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition
  

• Gender Justice with Equality Illinois & Midwest Access Coalition
  

• Restorative Justice with the UU Prison Ministry of Illinois & Faith Coalition for the Common Good
  

• Voter Engagement with VoteLove / UU the Vote
  

• Closing with Music

Thanks to everyone who made this such a wonderful event!