Empowered UUCA Youth @ Justice GA

I'm sitting on our delayed flight home with our UUCA youth delegation in awe of the actions we took and the results we got in the last five days of the General Assembly. Not only was this one of the best GA's that I've been to, but it was probably the BEST way to introduce youth to a GA. It's social justice and action components are naturally attractive to the young millennials in our group. As a group we overcame our trials and tribulations, and discovered a powerful force within us to make things happen. Below is a list of FIVE ways our youth were visible at Justice GA this year:

1. CSAI 3: Reproductive Justice: Not only did our youth support RJ at home in UUCA by attending peaceful presences at women's health clinics, they also spoke in front of 4000 people about it at GA. Our youth delegation, and more particularly - Jeff Paddock, Allison Fontaine, Libby Parker-Simkin, Elizabeth McGrady, Shannon Reiman, Derek Jacobs Robin Taylor and Marisa Kataoka spoke in Plenary and to the 300 members of Youth Caucus to support Reproductive Justice as the selected Congregational Study/Action Issue (CSAI) for 2012-2016. AND GUESS WHAT?! It was voted on and selected! Congrats to our youth and youth group advisor Maggie Clayton for leading the campaign in getting this important CSAI selected! Check out the Unitarian Universalists for Reproductive Justice's Facebook Group here https://www.facebook.com/groups/156090434471073/!

2. Standing on the Side of Love @ Tent City Jail: The most powerful moment at GA for me personally (and for many of the youth) was attending the tent city jail peaceful, non-violent protest on Saturday night. All 13 of our youth and 4 adult advisors stood out in the hot Phoenix night in solidarity with undocumented detainees suffering in the inhumane conditions that Sheriff Joe Arpaio subjugates them to! We stood out there from 7:30pm-12:00am, and didn't arrive back to our lodging until 12:45am. The youth sang and chanted at the top of their lungs, they waved at the prisoners who looked through the small slits of their confines to wave back at us. They had a police officer approach them during the protest and thank them for being there, amongst the hostility from other officers and anti-protestors. If we had felt any tiredness, it had vanished as soon as we stepped of the bus at the protest, and were engulfed in the power of love with thousands of other UU's and allies; this power fueled us to sing/dance/march for human rights and dignity for everyone until we got home and collapsed on our beds! Read the Washington Post coverage here http://wapo.st/LyUKgS.

3. UUs: Youth and Faith, Saturday morning UUCA youth led panel: Two of our youth and I had decided to create a documentary last fall as a way to get to GA, but also a way to research questions always on our minds, what do UU youth want from their faith and how does effect their social justice interests? We had traveled to Boston, New York, and New Jersey, where we interviewed 25 youth- some of whom showed up to our panel discussion. Luckily, we got a grant from the UUA's Office of Youth and Young Adults & the GA planning committee to put this documentary together! While at GA, Libby Parker-Simkin, Olivia Krout and I spoke to a audience of 50 people about research findings from a nation-wide UU youth survey and presented our documentary. We had an engaging and enlightening dialogue, from which new leadership interests emerged for our own youth and others. Furthermore, we had the grant makers present who said that their money was well spent, after the workshop! Congrats to Libby and Olivia for putting together a wonderful project, and to Joy Cobb for helping them put together a wonderful power point presentation.

4. Opening Celebration Banner Parade: Our youth delegation carried the UUCA banner during the opening ceremony's banner parade. We celebrated with 4000 UU's the opening of the Justice GA with love and hope!

5. Last Day of GA: UUCA Youth committed themselves to taking on several action items to bring GA home, one being changing the UUCA Bylaws to include youth on the board. If the youth and the advisors learned anything at GA, it is that youth have tremendous power and insight in making change happen. We've seen it happen all across the world (remember the Arab Spring?). Well, it should happen at UUCA too, and they now recognize that. We'll focus on bringing home the lessons learned on important social justice issues and start action on immigration rights & reproductive justice, but they're also eager to participate as full fledged members & official leaders of UUCA.

Also, on the last night of GA, some of our youth delegation went to the closing ceremony, while others represented us at the Puente Party (GA & UUA Arizona partner organization working on the ending discrimination of immigrants). Puente hosted a opening celebration of their Underground library a response to the books that have been banned by Arizona officials who have banned ethnic studies. UUCA youth & advisors had an opportunity to meet and connect with the local community in Arizona...and practice their Spanish. Read the Phoenix New Times coverage of the event here http://bit.ly/NwuAIo!

After this powerful GA, we're all looking forward to the next year of youth group to implement the things we learned.

Also on http://interfaithyouthactivist.com/2012/07/03/five-actions-uuca-you...

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Comment by Sharon G. Williams on July 11, 2012 at 1:56pm: Did you hear about the conference in London on Contraception? See the article below...Share with Youth Group.

Contraception Revisited, Again?
on July 10, 2012
Tags:Health & Sexual Rights, maternal health, politics of funding, reproductive rights, Social Change Philanthropy

By Musimbi Kanyoro, President and CEO
Family planning is about women choosing if and when to have children. It’s about women having safe pregnancies and being supported in their choices. Preventing and ending the transfer of HIV/AIDS from mother to child is about women having access to the power of information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
When we talk about family planning and creating an AIDs-free world, the key actors should be women. The key factors should be women’s rights and women’s choice.
At the London Summit on Family Planning, I am hopeful that we can indeed change the world.
The Summit will only succeed if we remember that family planning saves lives. We live at a time when women’s reproductive rights are contested. The “language of rights” was edited out of the outcomes of Rio+20, and in the U.S., the “war on women” means contraception is increasingly under attack. How did we get to this point? Or as Melinda Gates asked in her recent article: “where’s the controversy in saving lives?”
The UK Department for International Development (DFID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and UN Population Fund (UNFPA), along with those in attendance, have the power to shift the earth on its axis and put women, their rights and choices, front and center. Women are critical in reducing poverty, boosting economic growth and agricultural productivity, promoting children’s development, and realizing sustainable development.
To ensure that the investment spearheaded by the Gates Foundation and DFID enhances governments’ commitments to meet family planning and HIV/AIDS obligations, a rights based approach must be used. This includes the right to protection from violence and harm; the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress; right to education and information, food, shelter, jobs, and self-determination. A human rights approach includes all women and all rights, without exception.
The health of women is an important marker for the health, security, and well being of a nation. Advancing the health of women cannot be achieved without increasing access to quality family planning, and protecting women from all forms of gender based violence, including that which women face in health care settings. When women have access to family planning information, programs, and supplies in a safe and secure environment, and with respect and dignity, they are able to plan and space their births as they and their families determine. Quality family planning is also associated with significant decrease in maternal newborn and child death, and abortion related morbidity and mortality. Every child needs and deserves a living, happy, healthy, and safe mother.

Comment by Sana Saeed on June 27, 2012 at 2:14pm: A couple of other youth echoed the same sentiment. I think the Standing on the Side of Love Tent City Jail protest was the turning point for all of them as a testament to why they were there and what it means to be a UU, David wrote on my FB wall: "The march on Tent City Jail made national news, and I was a part of it. This was probably one of the greatest nights of my life. — with Joy Cobb and 7 others."

I am still in awe and so proud of all of them. :)

Comment by Annie Parker on June 27, 2012 at 9:59am: Libby described the experience as "life-changing." I can't thank you enough; you, Joy, Maggie, Jacomina, and the members of this incredible community who generously contributed resources to get the delegation to AZ. Many good things have already come of your efforts, but also—you have given at least one youth clarity, vision, and grounding as she spreads her young wings. <3

Comment by Joy Cobb on June 27, 2012 at 12:47am: Empowering and transformative!! Thank you to all involved.

Comment by Debbie Taylor on June 26, 2012 at 4:27pm: Thank you to Maggie, Joy and Sana (all all others involved) who provided this wonderful opportunity for the youth and college age UUCAers! What an amazing experience.

Comment by Maggie Clayton on June 26, 2012 at 2:14pm: What a powerful 5 days, simply amazing. Many thanks to all the folks who supported our fundraising efforts to make this trip happen - your money was well spent. This changed people's lives and our youth felt the power of that change. It really doesn't get any better than that.

Comment by Rev. Linda Olson Peebles on June 26, 2012 at 1:40pm: Having our high school and college youth present at GA this year was incredibly powerful. Many thanks to advisors Joy Cobb and Maggie Clayton for all their work and support; to Jacomina deRegt and Rev. Carlton for their support and love; and to Sana, who is finishing up three amazing years as UUCA's Director of Youth Ministry. Thank you for everything.