V.O.I.C.E. 2010-2011 Organizing Priorities

Comment

Comment by Natalia Averett on July 27, 2010 at 2:47pm

Thanks for the thorough response.

Comment by Robert Buckman on July 22, 2010 at 5:29pm

Very good question. Let me preface my answers with overarching remarks that may be of interest to other readers. UUCA was one of the original founding institutions of what became VOICE. The other two founding institutions are also in Arlington, Macedonia Baptist Church and St. Charles Catholic Church. Today UUCA is among the most active members of VOICE. Although only one of 50 member institutions, UUCAers account for 10% of the attendance at virtually all VOICE events. Both Rev Linda and I are members of the VOICE Strategy Team (Board of Directors), I am one of the co-chairs of VOICE, and Rev Linda is often on clergy and clergy/lay teams that meet with national and local elected officials. Rev Linda also participates in VOICE's Clergy Caucus where strategic planning takes place. I should add that UUCA is virtually the default meeting place for VOICE. We are also the "mail drop" for VOICE and provide space for a VOICE filing cabinet.

Dental Care: First, Our Core Team and UUCAers were active in gaining another full-time dentist at the Northern Virginia Dental Clinic that allows for an additional 2,000 appointments for low income adults. UUCA was also an active participant in the VOICE Action that gained restoration of budget cuts that would have denied dental care to 30,000-50,000 children and low income adults. The work on TANF is essentially confined to VOICE dental team. Rev Linda has arranged for and participated in meetings on this subject with Congressman Moran.

Affordable Housing: The UUCA Core Team is most active in setting up and participating in relationship building and listening sessions with low income residents along Colombia Pike. Members of the Core Team have knocked on doors at one apartment complex along the Pike to get to know residents and to learn about conditions there. We have secured meeting space at a church along the PIke and have met with non-VOICE clergy in the area to explain our purpose. Developing a organized constituency there is an ongoing process.

Immigration: UUCA has participated in all Actions dealing with immigration. The listening sessions are being held are mostly at that churches with large immigrant populations. The idea is to establish relationship so that native born American will participate in the effort for reform. Our Core team will be planning to do more in this area. UUCAers had a large presence at a solidarity event with Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center following the Fort Hood killings. Our Core Team was active is setting up and promoting this event.

Local Action: We are focusing on Colombia Pike and it probably be a while before we mount an Action.

Recruit 10 New Institutions: This is largely a leadership issue. Through the efforts of Rev Linda and me, all six UU churches in VOICE's geographic area are now in VOICE. We are now working on two Arlington churches.

Comment by Natalia Averett on July 22, 2010 at 8:58am

Can you give more info on how the VOICE team at UUCA is organizing around the 2010-2011 priorities?