Muusja Mailing List: E-EVENT UPDATE FOR DECEMBER 20, 2007

[Lauren Culbert (lculbert]

MUUSJA E-EVENT UPDATE FOR DECEMBER 20, 2007
 
Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance--Bringing  together UUs to work
collectively for social change.
 
****
This  update includes announcements about: 

A. Local Social Justice News
B. NATIONAL UU ADVOCACY
C. Social Justice Links

**** 

A. LOCAL SOCIAL ACTION NEWS

****
1. 
SAT, JAN 5 AND 
SUN, JAN 6
9:00 AM TO 5:30 PM EACH DAY
4000 ALDRICH AVE. S, MPLS

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR HEART--A FIRST COURSE IN COMPASSIONATE COMMUNICATION.
Nonviolent Communication (NVC), also called Compassionate Communication, is
a process and practice developed by Marshall Rosenberg, author of Nonviolent

Communication, A Language of Life: Create Your Life, Your Relationships, and
Your World in Harmony with Your Values. 

In this first of three courses for learning Nonviolent Communication, we'll
cover the
concepts and practice the basic skills of NVC:

Make observations without judgment or evaluation.
Know your feelings as they arise.
Connect to universal needs in yourself and others.
Make requests and engage with the response you receive.

Cost: $200. payment accepted in cash, check or credit card through PayPal
Registration: contact Brenda to reserve a space and make payment
arrangements 
Details: provided as requested or after registration

This course is offered by Brenda Adams, a student of nonviolence, for whom
Nonviolent 
Communication generates worlds of possibilities for communicating and
creating. 

To register or ask questions, call Brenda Adams at 612-207-2328 or email 
brenda [at] brendaadams.com. 

****
2.
SAT, JAN 12
10 AM TO 5:00 PM
MINNEAPOLIS URBAN LEAGUE BUILDING
2100 PLYMOUTH AVENUE N, MINNEAPOLIS

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FROM THE BOTTOM UP: 5th annual Founders' Day for
Environmental Justice Advocates of Minnesota

Town Hall Forum, workshops, vendor exhibits and more.  Featuring:
Congressman Keith Ellison; Dr. Rose Brewer, author of The Color of Wealth;
and Cecil Corbon-Mark, director of WE ACT, an environmental justice
organization serving communities of color in northern Manhattan.  Event is
Free (donations welcome).  Light lunch and snacks provided.  FFI: Karen
Monahan 612-436-5402; www.ejamn.org

****
3
SUN, JAN 27
3:00 PM TO 5:00 PM
FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

MUUSJA ANNUAL MEETING FOCUSING ON GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE
Details to come

****
4.
TUES, JAN 29
2:30 TO 4:30 PM
2-101 HASSELMO HALL--NEAR COFFMAN UNION
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

DIALOGUE ON THE INTERSECTIONS OF FAITH AND SEXUALITY.DIALOGUES ON THE
INTERSECTIONS OF IDENTITY Series continues with a January conversation
focusing on faith and sexuality. What are the prominent and pressing
questions, complexities, contradictions, and collisions of faith and
sexuality? In addition to issues of sexual identity and expression, faith
and sexuality also intersect and sometimes collide over sexual practice and
purpose. Likewise, human belief is revealed across a wide spectrum from
atheism and renunciation of all religion, to agnosticism, to Jewish,
Christian, and Islamic fundamentalism, to Christians queering the Bible to
retaining faith through broadened examination and understanding of various
sacred texts and scriptures. Regardless of where you stand personally on the
faith continuum, this will conversation will challenge you to consider
diverse perspectives. Join University faculty, students and staff members in
a probing and thought-provoking dialogue on the intersections of belief,
morality, ethics, and human sexuality.

Space Is Limited  Please RSVP to: oed [at] umn.edu -OR- 612.624.0594

****
5.
WED, JAN 30
7:00 PM
VARIOUS UU CHURCHES
WILL YOURS BE ONE OF THEM?

Are you wanting to get more involved in SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL CLIMAT CHANGE?
Focus the Nation
(www.focusthenation.org) is asking groups of people nationwide to organize
screenings of a live webcast: "The2% Solution" at 7 pm on January 30th.
Communities of faith are encouraged to host events.  In Minnesota, UU's have
organized screenings at Unity Church in St. Paul,  White Bear UU Church, and
Minnesota Valley UU Fellowship in Bloomington.  Other locations are in the
works.  If you'd like to host a screening, all you need is high-speed
internet, a location to gather folks, and some publicity - and maybe a large
screen or projector if you expect a big group!  Contact Ralph Wyman at
rwmuusja [at] gmail.com or 612-998-6624 for more information on hosting and
publicizing your event, and to let MUUSJA know your group has decided to
host.  The goal is 10,000 screenings nationwide.  UUs can be part of that
success!

****
6.
MARCH 5 THROUGH 7
NEW ORLEANS, LA
APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR SCHOLARSHIPS IS JAN 8

ATTEND THE THIRD NATIONAL SUMMIT ON EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL JUSTICE,
AND SMART GROWTH: Regional Equity '08. More than 1,500 participants are
expected to participate in plenary sessions, workshops, and informal
gatherings focused on the growing regional equity movement that is
transforming communities across the nation. 

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME

If you act now, you can apply for special scholarship awards for members of
the Minnesota delegation, thanks to the generous support of the McKnight
Foundation.  The deadline for applying is January 8.  The scholarship funds
are intended for groups and individuals that have limited means for paying
conference expenses and whose work is rooted in local communities and
equitable development efforts. In addition, we are working with PolicyLink,
the summit's sponsor, to ensure that Minnesota participants can receive the
discounted pre-registration rate through early January - but you have to
sign up soon! 

Please follow these links to learn more about the conference and to view the
scholarship application.
http://www.metrostability.org/UserFiles/File/RegionalEquity08.pdf
http://www.metrostability.org/UserFiles/File/TwinCitiesDelegationApplication
.pdf

****
7.
UPCOMING
MARCH--CHICAGO
MAY--CALIFORNIA

ORGANIZING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE TRAININGS. Progressives from a wide variety of
organizations and varying years of experience attend the Midwest Academy's
Organizing for Social Change trainings and it changes their lives.  They
live and work together for five days and walk away with a new understanding
of how to win power.  Midwest Academy goes beyond teaching the hard skills
and actually teaches progressives how to think strategically and
organizationally. 

The core curriculum and Strategy Chart that were developed in 1973 have
stood the test of time.  Midwest Academy updates this training program with
new, real-life examples while consistently incorporating organizing
fundamentals, history and theory.
 
http://www.midwestacademy.com/training.html

****

UU ADVOCACY

****
1.
If you haven't read it, view Rev. Sinkford's 2007 holiday letter to us.
http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/60365.shtml

****
2.
THE COST OF CONTRACEPTIVES sold at student health centers and some community
clinics rose earlier this year due to a provision in the 2005 Deficit
Reduction Act (DRA) that unintentionally cut off these health centers from
receiving low-cost drugs. In many cases the cost has risen by 900%! This has
forced many college women and low-income women to stop using contraceptives.
The Prevention Through Affordable Access Act (H.R. 4054/S. 2347) would be a
no-cost, technical fix that will restore the nominal prices to these clinics
and ensure that college women and low-income women have access to affordable
birth control. Do not let high prices stop women from accessing birth
control. Contact your representative now and demand affordable access! Click
here to send a letter to your Representative urging them to take action on
this no-cost fix!
(http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1272/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=22035) 

****
3.
RELIGIOUS PROCLAMATION FOR ANIMAL COMPASSION Unitarian Universalist
Minister, Rev. Dr. Lora Kim Joyner was among dozens of religious leaders
last month as the Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion was
presented. Along with Muslim Imams, Jewish Rabbis, Catholic Bishops and
Protestant Ministers, Rev. Joyner helped co-author the proclamation which
encourages all to care for our non-human animal friends. Just as our seventh
principle recognizes the interconnected web of all existence, this
proclamation recognizes human involvement in the future of animals
everywhere. 

For more information on the Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion
please visit Best Friends Animal Shelter
http://network.bestfriends.org/news/postdetail.aspx?np=20355 

****
4.
CONGRESS CUTS FUNDING FOR NUCLEAR WEAPON. Good news on the nuclear
non-proliferation front. Congress has cut all funding for continuing
development next year of "the Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW)" (a nuclear
warhead) from the omnibus domestic spending bill. Instead, the measure
directs the Bush administration to develop and submit a "comprehensive
nuclear weapons strategy for the 21st century." Read the Washington Post
article about it here. In making this move, Congress was listening to thirty
national arms control, religious, and environmental organizations who
together asked Sen. Byron Dorgan (ND) and Rep. Pete Visclosky (IN), the
chairmen of the committees that control nuclear weapons funding, to block
funding for a new generation of nukes. The coalition of organizations
highlighted the dangerous consequences of developing new nuclear weapons,
particularly adversely affecting the ability of the United States to curb
other countries' nuclear weapons programs. The effort was spear-headed by
our Friends at the FCNL (Friends Committee on National Legislation) and the
UUA was one of the signatories. To see the letter that we signed,
http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=3038&issue_id=2

****
5.
JOB OPENING: PROGRAM COORDINATOR FOR MULTICULTURAL CONGREGATIONS. The
Program Coordinator for Multicultural Congregations position in
Identity-Based Ministries is open. The job description is posted on our
website at www.uua.org/aboutus/careeropportunities/index.shtml. Send cover
letter and resume indicating "Program Coordinator for Multicultural
Ministries" in the subject line (preferably) to the Rev. Sofia Betancourt at
sbetancourt [at] uua.org, or to Human Resources, UUA, 25 Beacon Street, Boston,
MA 02108 if you are interested or know of someone whom you think would be a
good match. 

****
C. SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS
To learn about other local and national social justice events, check out
these websites.  

UU SOCIAL JUSTICE AND OTHER UU LINKS:
Unitarian Universalist Association:  http://www.uua.org/

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee:  http://www.uusc.org/

UUA Washington Office for Advocacy http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/

UUA Congregational Advocacy and Witness:
http://www.uua.org/programs/justice/

Minnesota UU Social Justice Alliance (MUUSJA):  http://www.muusja.org/

Prairie Star  District: http://www.psduua.org/

FOR UU SOCIAL ACTON CHAIRS, sign up for regular e-news from the UUA, called
Sac-news www.uua.org/mailman/listinfo
 
UU Ministry for Earth http://uuministryforearth.org/index.shtml

UUs for a Just Economic Community http://www.uujec.net/

UU Committee for Socially Responsible Investing
http://www.uua.org/finance/sri/ 

UU Gulf Coast Advocacy http://www.uua.org/news/gulfcoastrelief/advocacy.html

OTHER SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS: 
*note: if you are  member of a group who would like us to list your web
site, send it to muusja-editor [at] muusja.org

Alliance for Sustainability www.afors.org

Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota www.ceimn.org

Minnesota  Alliance of Peacemakers  http://www.mapm.org/

Minnesota Metro Branch of Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
www.wilpfmn.org 
 
Women Against Military Madness at  www.worldwidewamm.org
 
Progressive Calendar subscribe by emailing  shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu.
  
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota:   www.ppmns.org
 
NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota:   www.prochoiceminnesota.org

Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing (MICAH):
http://www.micah.org/
 
Code Pink: www.codepink4peace.org

Center for Victims of Torture: http://www.cvt.org/main.php

Congregations Caring for Creation http://www.c3mn.net/

Network of Spiritual Progressives: http://www.spiritualprogressives.org/

Network of Spiritual Progressives, local chapter http://www.nspmn.org/