by WUUC | Aug 26, 2021 | Announcements
In response to parents from the Kenmore Greenleaf Apartments expressing a desire for more supportive relationships among their children, as well as to deepen their identities and leadership skills, members of the Racial Justice Task Force partnered with Fernell Miller of Root of Us and Greenleaf parents to create the Roots Summer Circle and Community Camp, which took place every Wednesday in July and August. Several WUUC volunteers supported the camp with snacks and general help, while Fernell and other youth and adults of color provided programming and mentorship.
The weekly camp sessions grew into an opportunity for Greenleaf parents to engage with each other and their children, as well as showcase a bit of their culture by bringing special dishes to share during snack time.
Says Denesha McCoy, Greenleaf parent: “I’ve watched the youth grow their relationships by building friendships and trust in each other. We partnered with some amazing groups like Kinara Park Kids and Youth Rising, and taught them sustainable life skills and responsible self-care values. I look forward to volunteering with these youth next summer and following their journey.”
Her 11-year-old daughter, Jasmin, adds: “It’s been a fantastic summer camp experience. I’m able to make friends and learn about respecting my friends even if we do not always agree or get along. I’m looking forward to next year’s summer camp.”
Monthly Special Collections
On June 20, our special collection of $450 supported Lambert House, a safe space in Seattle that empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth ages 11-22 through the development of leadership, social and life skills. In July, we collected $200 for EarthGen, a nonprofit organization that equips youth to grow their power as changemakers for a healthy environment. Through EarthGen’s science-based, action-oriented programs, young people gain the knowledge, skills, and experience they need to become leaders for climate solutions and environmental justice.
On Sept. 19, our special collection will replenish WUUC’s Black Student and Families Fund (BSAFF). This money, along with WUUC volunteers, assists families of students in the Northshore School District (especially those living at Greenleaf, a subsidized housing community) with a variety of needs – from essentials like food, shelter, and monthly bills, to community organizing, leadership development, and support for future dreams including college and career development. Your contributions will fund programs and services with the goal of providing a safe environment for students to explore and express their identity as they navigate the racial constructs of their world, such as the Greenleaf Roots Summer Camp described above.
The ASJ Committee thanks WUUC members and friends for their generous support of our monthly special collections, which take place during services on the third Sunday of every month. Instructions for giving are posted during the service, and you can also donate anytime the following week at https://onrealm.org/wuuc/-/give/now, or by sending a check to WUUC at P.O. Box 111, Woodinville, WA 98072. Please make checks out to WUUC and write “ASJ Monthly Collection” in the notes.
by WUUC | Aug 26, 2021 | Announcements
WUUC will host a pop-up blood drive from Wednesday to Friday, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, and on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 4-5.
Donors are required to wear masks while giving blood, but there is no waiting period to donate if you have received a COVID-19 vaccine.
Watch for a flyer on email with the link to sign up for appointments. Questions? Contact Dewey Millar or visit Bloodworks Northwest.
by WUUC | Aug 25, 2021 | Announcements
By John Hartman
Bad News
- Virtually every child on the planet is exposed to at least one climate or environmental hazard right now.
- 850 million children are exposed to four or more climate or environmental hazards.
- Thirty-three countries are considered extremely high risk for children, but those countries emit just 9 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions.
- The 10 countries with the highest emissions collectively account for nearly 70% of global emissions, but children in those higher-emitting countries face lower overall risks associated with climate change.
Good News
- Federal climate action is happening. (Thanks for voting!)
- The Glasgow Climate Summit in November will put countries “feet to the carbon fire.” They will ratchet up the goals they set in Paris.
- Countries are already signing up for deep carbon cuts. China aims to go carbon neutral by 2060.
- Renewables are now the cheapest energy. At some point it will make economic sense to shut down and replace coal and gas power stations.
- Covid was a wake-up call. It has reminded us that it is possible for our world to be upended in ways we cannot control.
- Business is going green. Why invest in new oil wells or coal power stations that will become obsolete before they can repay themselves? Tesla is the world’s most valuable car company. Exxon stock’s value fell so far that it got booted out of the Dow Jones for major US corporations.
There is reason for hope. But even if we win the battle to create a carbon-neutral world the major fight will be in persuading the rich carbon-producing countries to support the countries who will suffer from the greatest impact of climate change. Creating a mechanism for this to happen will be one of our greatest challenges.
by WUUC | Aug 23, 2021 | Announcements
Join us on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. for a meeting of the WUUC Nonfiction Book Club, hosted by Alaine Davis and Donna Johnson. We will discuss An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (Revisioning History Book 3) by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Depending on what the world looks like then, we may meet on Zoom or in person. RSVP to Alaine.
Every Sunday we say these words: We acknowledge that this land is the traditional territory of the Coast Salish People. Their presence is imbued in these mountains, valleys, waterways, and shorelines. May we nurture our relationship with our Coast Salish neighbors, and the shared responsibilities to this place, their homelands.
This land acknowledgement is necessary but insufficient if we just say the words and fail to accurately understand the past 400 years of US history. The next steps for WUUC might start with deep inquiry followed by actions that address the legacy of injustice against Native Americans.
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States is a good place to begin. It is “An extraordinary book by Indigenous scholar and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz that challenges readers to learn US history through a narrative that centers the story, the experiences, and the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. Upending myths and misinformation that have been promulgated by leaders and media, it asks readers to reconsider the origin story of the United States taught to every US school child. Movements in response to global and local environmental emergencies, many involving UUs, are increasingly recognizing the connection between Indigenous rights and climate justice.” *
Goodreads says this about the book: “Today in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized Indigenous nations comprising nearly three million people, descendants of the fifteen million Native people who once inhabited this land. The centuries-long genocidal program of the US settler-colonial regimen has largely been omitted from history. Spanning more than four hundred years, this classic bottom-up peoples’ history radically reframes US history and explodes the silences that have haunted our national narrative.” **
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States asks us to consider how acknowledging the reality of the trauma and resilience of indigenous people and taking steps based on this history might transform our society. Read the book and join us Oct. 16 to share your insights.
Four times a year, the WUUC Book Discussion Group gathers to read and talk about a nonfiction book. You only attend the meetings about books that interest you, so we end up with a different group of participants every time. We meet to connect and talk about a book in depth. Anyone is welcome to suggest a book and/or lead a discussion. Contact Alaine to RSVP, suggest a book, or offer to host a future discussion.
*https://www.uua.org/read/indigenous-peoples
**https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20588662-an-indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-united-states
by WUUC | Aug 23, 2021 | Announcements
Hello, I’m Lori McConnell. I volunteer with Snohomish County’s Medical Reserve Corp. I have been volunteering with them since March 2021, first working as a screener/observer at the mass COVID vaccination site in Monroe, then doing PCR COVID testing in Everett and Lynnwood. Currently I am working at the mobile vaccination clinics.
I wish everyone would get vaccinated so we could all get back to living life normally. My memorable event was when a man came into a mobile clinic in Granite Falls recently. He told me he “had to” get vaccinated or wear a mask to work, but he didn’t believe COVID was real until a co-worker was hospitalized. I told him he was lucky it wasn’t him! I was so glad to see him there.
I’ve also been volunteering within my local community as a Board member of the Clearview Community Association since 2015. The great thing is it’s all about issues I can really affect! My most memorable event in this role was when I drove the effort to bring our community together to preserve our natural environment — and the tract housing developers finally lost interest (for now) in destroying our rural area. We are a rare unincorporated area that actually has an effective voice at the county government level.
