AND THEN THE MODERATOR STARTED TO TAKE HER CLOTHES OFF

When I first came to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, I was searching for a safe church home for my interfaith family. When I walked into the Memorial Garden, stood at the center of That Which Might Have Been, I knew I was home.  And naively, I thought nothing would ever hurt me there. I learned that just like any family, church family can hurt you in ways that no one else could. 

I’ve posted some unedited text as well as a link to the video from Plenary VII, and I highly recommend watching it, if not in full, at least from 02:25:00(ish) on. I watched a lot of  the GA from Saturday & Sunday on streaming video, and Gini Coulter’s moderator’s report was some of the most candid and honest commentary about racism, ableism, inclusion and white and able-bodied and financial privilege and accountability that I’ve ever seen spoken at a UU microphone in the ten years I’ve been a UU. Sadly, it’s not something that I’ve really seen discussed at all at a congregational level… which is not to say that I haven’t had a number of personal conversations with church fam or that a discussion about our need to embrace The Journey Toward Wholeness Path to Anti-Racism  with the same commitment as we did when we became a Welcoming Congregation never happened… maybe it did and I just wasn’t there that day… but in any case, I’m as much to blame for that as any. Most discourse about race is centered on our work in the 1960’s civil rights movement. We (and by we I mean the white UU’s) rarely discuss where we failed in the past and where we are failing now. And believe me, we are still failing. I know this, because people in my congregation, who I know would NEVER knowingly hurt me or my children, people who love us, have cut me to my very core.

Some of these incidents are nearly as old as my youngest child, and I still don’t have enough spoons to say, “That thing you said was racist/a stereotype/hurtful.” But I’ll get there, because they too are my family, and this community is our home. This is where my son learned to see not just a father god, but a mother god, and to see god within himself. My elder daughter was dedicated at the center of the sculptures, my younger in the sanctuary. My son and my daughters will come of age here, and bridge to young adulthood. My grandfather (may he rest in peace, if he ever stops rolling over in his grave) was laid to rest (so to speak) here. One day my grandchildren will dance Universal Dances of Peace with me when they come for summer visits. When I die, my ashes will be interred in the Memorial Garden, and that is where my children and my grandchildren will go when they need to feel me, much as it is where I go when I need to feel “God.”

It is my home.

I am a thirty-something country-urban-professional-hippie-ghetto-trailer park-anti-racist-pro-choice-standing on the side of love-station wagon driving-single-ADHD-volleyball/boxing mom of three multiracial children and a couple bad-ass dogs, and I am a Unitarian Universalist.

16:44:20:00 [CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] I JUST
16:44:27:00 WALKED PAST — OH, HANG ON A
16:44:28:15 SECOND.
16:44:28:21 I WANT TO DO MY STANDING ON
16:44:29:21 THE SIDE OF LOVE HERE.
16:44:37:27 AND THEN THE MODERATOR STARTED
16:44:39:06 TO TAKE HER CLOTHES OFF. 80
16:44:41:06 [ LAUGHTER ]
16:44:41:19 >> SO I’M WALKING PAST THE
16:44:48:09 CHAIR AND THERE’S A NAME TAG
16:44:50:04 ON IT.
16:44:50:25 IT SAYS SEN. AL FRANKEN.
16:44:58:06 I’M GOING TO AUCTION THIS OFF
16:44:59:28 ON E-BAY.
16:45:04:03 FOR OUR FAITH, OF COURSE.
16:45:05:12 YES.
16:45:07:03 IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO SAVE ME
16:45:08:13 HAVING TO CREATE A POST, JUST
16:45:11:00 COME SEE ME LATER.
16:45:12:09 ALL RIGHT.
16:45:14:18 WE WOULD NOW BE AT THE POINT
16:45:16:06 OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT
16:45:17:04 IS CALLED THE MODERATOR’S
16:45:18:18 REPORT.
16:45:22:24 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:45:23:06 >> WOW.
16:45:27:22 READING FROM THE FINE
16:45:33:10 VOLUME — WHERE IS JIM TURNER?
16:45:42:21 RIGHT THERE.
16:45:44:04 I HAD NEVER BEEN ON A
16:45:45:12 MOTORCYCLE IN MY LIFE BEFORE
16:45:48:00 YESTERDAY.
16:45:51:25 WE’D HAD ONE OF MY BROTHERS’
16:45:55:27 CLOSE FRIENDS WAS INJURED IN A
16:45:57:15 MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT, PARALYZED
16:45:59:15 WHEN I WAS A CHILD, AND THAT
16:46:01:07 CAUSED MY PARENTS TO SELL MY
16:46:02:12 BROTHER’S MOTORCYCLE AND NONE
16:46:05:03 OF US EVER GOT ON A
16:46:06:09 MOTORCYCLE.
16:46:06:24 SO WHEN JIM ASKED ME IF I
16:46:07:25 WOULD GET ON THE MOTORCYCLE
16:46:08:25 WITH HIM, MY FIRST THOUGHT
16:46:10:09 WAS, WOW, THIS WOULD KILL MOM.
16:46:13:15 AND THEN I REALIZED, MOM DIED
16:46:15:04 11 YEARS AGO.
16:46:16:13 [ LAUGHTER ]
16:46:16:25 >> SO IF THAT WAS MY REASON, I
16:46:21:12 COULD PROBABLY DO THIS ONCE.
16:46:23:10 MAYBE TWICE.
16:46:24:13 [ LAUGHTER ]
16:46:24:25 >> READING FROM THE FINE
16:46:28:21 VOLUME, THE ARC OF THE
16:46:30:00 UNIVERSE IS LONG.
16:46:31:04 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
16:46:32:01 ANTI-RACISM AND THE JOURNEY
16:46:33:06 FROM CALGARY, BY A TRIO OF OUR 81
16:46:37:03 FINE HISTORIANS, THE REVERENDS
16:46:39:25 LESLIE TAKAHASHI MORRIS, JAMES
16:46:43:12 ROUSH, AND LEON SPENCER.
16:46:44:00 IT LOOKS LIKE THIS.
16:46:45:15 WHO’S GOT THIS BOOK?
16:46:52:27 THOSE OF WHO YOU COME TO
16:46:54:24 GENERAL ASSEMBLY’S DESERVE TO
16:46:55:28 BUY AND READ THIS BOOK.
16:47:00:27 THIS BOOK IS ABOUT — THIS
16:47:03:21 BOOK WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
16:47:06:07 MUCH MORE ABOUT OUR CULTURE
16:47:08:12 AND OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLIES AND
16:47:10:06 OUR ASSOCIATION THAN YOU COULD
16:47:12:16 POSSIBLY LEARN BY READING OUR
16:47:14:01 BYLAWS OR OUR RULES OR EVEN
16:47:17:24 SITTING WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS
16:47:19:04 BEEN AROUND FOR AWHILE, SO
16:47:20:07 READING FROM THIS BOOK, WE
16:47:21:16 START WITH THE HISTORY LESSON.
16:47:22:18 TO UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY OF
16:47:26:18 EFFORTS AROUND RACE IN THE
16:47:27:28 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
16:47:28:25 ASSOCIATION, ONE HAS TO STUDY
16:47:31:09 HOW OUR HISTORY IS ENTWINED
16:47:33:21 WITH THE CIVIL RIGHTS
16:47:38:15 MOVEMENT.
16:47:39:00 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
16:47:39:21 SUPPORTED THE REVEREND
16:47:41:00 DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. IN
16:47:42:24 SELMA.
16:47:43:04 INSPIRED BY THESE ACTIONS,
16:47:44:10 MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING MANY
16:47:45:15 BLACKS, JOINED UNITARIAN
16:47:46:15 UNIVERSALISM IN THE 1960’S.
16:47:49:18 A DEFINING MOMENT WAS THE
16:47:51:13 MURDER OF REVEREND JAMES
16:47:54:00 REEVE, A YOUNG WHITE UU
16:47:55:09 MINISTER WHO WORKED WITH POOR
16:47:56:27 PEOPLE IN BOSTON AND WHO DIED
16:47:58:00 ON MARCH 11TH, 1965.
16:48:01:15 AS A NEWSPAPER ACCOUNT RETOLD
16:48:03:09 IT, QUOTE, HE AND TWO OTHER
16:48:05:13 UNITARIANS, THE REVEREND CLARK
16:48:08:01 OLSON AND REVEREND ORLOCK
16:48:11:21 MILLER WERE ATTACKED IN SELMA,
16:48:14:04 ALABAMA.
16:48:15:10 THEY HAD GONE THERE TWO DAYS
16:48:16:21 AFTER STATE TROOPERS HAD
16:48:18:21 VIOLENTLY TURNED BACK
16:48:20:24 MARCHERS, AN EVENT KNOWN AS 82
16:48:22:13 BLOODY SUNDAY.
16:48:23:01 REEVES’ DEATH BECAME A
16:48:25:00 RALLYING CRY AND POINT OF
16:48:26:15 PRIDE FOR UNITARIAN
16:48:26:21 UNIVERSALISTS, FOR IT WAS
16:48:28:18 CRITICAL IN GALVANIZING THE
16:48:30:16 WHITE SUPPORT THAT LED TO THE
16:48:32:24 VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1975,
16:48:35:06 THOUGH OTHER LIVES WERE ALSO
16:48:36:18 LOST, INCLUDING
16:48:37:28 AFRICAN-AMERICAN RIGHTS
16:48:39:21 ADVOCATES AND VIOLA LUIZO, A
16:48:43:06 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST
16:48:43:15 PROTESTOR AND THE
16:48:43:15 GENERATION — THE SENSE OF
16:49:19:00 PRIDE LEFT THEM ILL PREPARED
16:49:20:18 FOR WHAT HAPPENED ONLY A FEW
16:49:21:28 YEARS LATER.
16:49:25:15 UNCOVERED A RANGE OF STRONG
16:52:07:15 EMOTION RELATING TO THE EVENTS
16:52:10:09 OF THE 1960’S AND 70’S.
16:52:11:09 THE REPORT NOTED CONCERN OVER
16:52:13:25 THESE LEFTOVER FEELINGS FROM
16:52:15:21 THE PAST MIGHT BLOCK
16:52:16:21 RELATIONSHIPS AND HINDER
16:52:17:18 CONSTRUCTIVE CONFLICT IN THE
16:52:19:03 FUTURE.
16:52:20:00 IN 2003, REVEREND WILLIAM
16:52:22:21 SINKFORD, PRESIDENT OF OUR
16:52:24:00 ASSOCIATION WROTE, WHY DO WE
16:52:26:24 USE THE TERM BLACK EMPOWERMENT
16:52:28:28 CONTROVERSY?
16:52:30:16 IT SEEMS TO MAKE THE ANGUISH
16:52:32:12 OF THAT PERIOD THE QUALITY OF
16:52:33:27 THE RELATIVELY SMALL GROUP OF
16:52:36:04 AFRICAN-AMERICAN UNITARIAN
16:52:37:13 UNIVERSALISTS RATHER THAN THE
16:52:39:27 RESULT OF THE WHITE UNITARIAN
16:52:40:24 UNIVERSALIST ENCOUNTER WITH
16:52:44:00 RACE AND RACISM.
16:52:45:28 THE TERM WHITE POWER
16:52:48:03 CONTROVERSY WOULD BE MORE
16:52:49:27 ACCURATE IN MANY WAYS.
16:52:53:21 AND WOULD DIRECT ATTENTION TO
16:52:54:18 THE BROAD UNITARIAN
16:52:55:21 UNIVERSALIST MOVEMENT AND ITS
16:52:56:27 NEED FOR HEALING AND
16:52:58:03 TRANSFORMATION.
16:53:00:28 THUS ENDED THE READING.
16:53:06:03 HOW MANY OF YOU A LOT OF THAT 83
16:53:09:15 KNEW HISTORY FOR?
16:53:10:16 THANK YOU.
16:53:19:13 I BEGIN MY REPORT TODAY WITH
16:53:21:15 GRATITUDE.
16:53:25:00 I TELL PEOPLE WHEN I VISIT
16:53:26:19 THAT THIS IS THE BEST
16:53:28:04 VOLUNTEER GIG IN THE WORLD AND
16:53:30:18 MOST DAYS I SIMPLY CAN’T
16:53:31:24 BELIEVE THAT YOU LET ME DO IT,
16:53:33:16 EVEN ONCE, LET ALONE FOR
16:53:35:15 AWHILE I AM GRATEFUL FOR THE
16:53:40:03 MANY UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
16:53:42:04 WHO WELCOME ME, NOT IN THE
16:53:45:12 THOUSANDS IN GA WHERE, I KNOW,
16:53:47:12 I’M A ROCK STAR.
16:53:48:18 OKAY?
16:53:49:04 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:53:49:16 >> BUT WHEN I VISIT WITH YOUR
16:53:55:18 CONGREGATIONS AND WE SIT IN
16:53:58:13 YOUR SOCIAL HALLS OR IN YOUR
16:53:59:28 HOMES AND WE TALK ABOUT WHAT’S
16:54:02:21 MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOUR
16:54:03:24 CONGREGATION AND WHERE YOU ARE
16:54:05:06 STRUGGLING, THE TIMES WE SPEND
16:54:09:18 TOGETHER IN WORSHIP, SOMETIMES
16:54:12:09 I LEAD WORSHIP AND SOMETIMES I
16:54:17:07 SIMPLY GET TO SIT IN CHURCH
16:54:18:12 WITH YOU, AND I’M GRATEFUL FOR
16:54:19:21 ALL OF OUR INTERACTIONS.
16:54:21:09 I AM GRATEFUL BEYOND IMAGING
16:54:23:28 FOR OUR LONG CONGREGATIONAL
16:54:29:06 LEADERS.
16:54:29:21 SOMETIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY, I
16:54:30:28 DON’T KNOW.
16:54:31:06 I’M THE PRESIDENT OF MY
16:54:32:07 CONGREGATION, GINI.
16:54:35:09 I DON’T KNOW HOW DO YOU THAT
16:54:36:03 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
16:54:36:21 AND I SAY, YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS
16:54:38:03 EASIER BECAUSE HERE WE DON’T
16:54:44:03 KNOW EACH OTHER AND IT’S
16:54:45:06 RARELY CERTAIN.
16:54:45:21 I THINK OUR CONGRESSIONAL
16:54:47:00 PRESIDENTS ARE SOME OF THE
16:54:47:25 HARDEST WORKING LEADERS IN OUR
16:54:49:21 ASSOCIATION.
16:54:50:03 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:54:52:15 >> AND WOULD THOSE OF YOU IN
16:54:54:00 THE HALL PLEASE RISE IN BODY
16:54:55:13 OR IN SPIRIT SO WE CAN 84
16:54:56:13 APPRECIATE YOU?
16:54:57:07 HOUSE LIGHTS.
16:54:58:15 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:54:59:00 >> AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR MY
16:55:18:06 COMRADES, MY COWORKERS ON THE
16:55:20:28 UUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
16:55:23:07 AS YOU CAN TELL FROM THIS
16:55:24:18 AGENDA, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
16:55:27:24 HARD TO TRY TO IMAGINE A
16:55:31:01 GOVERNANCE FOR OUR FAITH THAT
16:55:32:27 WILL BE FLEXIBLE AND FACILE
16:55:35:06 AND WILL TAKE US INTO THE NEXT
16:55:37:06 50 YEARS OF OUR FAITH.
16:55:41:03 BOARD MEMBERS SIGN ON FOR FOUR
16:55:43:21 BOARD MEETINGS A YEAR AND WORK
16:55:45:16 BETWEEN BOARD MEETINGS.
16:55:51:15 ARE YOU GUYS LAUGHING A BIT
16:55:52:15 OVER THERE?
16:55:53:00 OKAY.
16:55:53:03 THE WORK BETWEEN BOARD
16:55:54:07 MEETINGS THIS YEAR HAS RAMPED
16:55:55:22 UP IN A WAY THAT ONLY PROBABLY
16:55:58:18 CONGREGATIONAL BOARDS CAN
16:56:00:00 ACCURATELY IMAGINE.
16:56:02:01 OKAY?
16:56:03:19 WHERE ONE OPPORTUNITY AFTER
16:56:05:09 ANOTHER HAS PRESENTED ITSELF
16:56:07:27 AND GROUPS OF TRUSTEES WOULD
16:56:09:09 SAY, I’LL GO STRUGGLE ON
16:56:10:22 BEHALF OF THIS ISSUE ON BEHALF
16:56:12:03 OF THE WHOLE BOARD, AND NOW WE
16:56:13:15 HAVE A BOARD THAT MEETS 12
16:56:14:21 TIMES A YEAR, BECAUSE THEY
16:56:15:24 MEET VIRTUALLY BY CONFERENCE
16:56:17:22 CALL EVERY SINGLE MONTH SO
16:56:19:15 THAT WE CAN TRY TO MATCH UP
16:56:20:21 WITH THE FAST PACE OF CHANGE
16:56:22:00 FROM THE ADMINISTRATION AND
16:56:23:06 STAFF IN OUR MOVEMENT AND TRY
16:56:24:16 TO SERVE YOU BETTER AND BETTER
16:56:26:00 AND, IN PART, BECAUSE WE
16:56:27:09 HAVEN’T YET GOTTEN TO THE
16:56:28:18 POINT WHERE OUR WORK AROUND
16:56:30:03 POLICY GOVERNANCE IS TOTALLY
16:56:31:22 INTEGRATED IN THE WAY THAT WE
16:56:32:25 HAD HOPED WE WOULD HAVE BY
16:56:34:12 THIS POINT.
16:56:35:09 WE STRUGGLED STILL TO DO THAT
16:56:37:12 WELL WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
16:56:38:21 BUT WHEN I WAS A TRUSTEE, I 85
16:56:40:13 HAD IT EASY.
16:56:41:18 WOULD YOU PLEASE THANK AND
16:56:43:21 WELCOME YOUR UUA BOARD OF
16:56:44:27 TRUSTEES AND WILL YOU PLEASE
16:56:46:25 RISE IN BODY OR SPIRIT?
16:56:48:22 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:56:49:12 >> WHEN YOU SEE THEM IN THE
16:57:06:22 HALLWAYS, SHOW THEM SOME LOVE.
16:57:08:07 THEY’RE GOING TO BE MEETING
16:57:09:15 AGAIN TOMORROW.
16:57:11:00 THIS ISN’T THE ONLY GROUP OF
16:57:12:15 PEOPLE, OF COURSE, THAT I GET
16:57:13:19 TO WORK WITH, AND I WILL GET
16:57:15:01 TO THANK SOME OF THE OTHER
16:57:16:12 COMMITTEES TOMORROW, AND YOU
16:57:17:24 HAVE SEEN THEIR FINE WORK HERE
16:57:19:03 TODAY.
16:57:21:13 BUT I AM GRATEFUL.
16:57:24:03 I AM GRATEFUL THAT YOU HAVE
16:57:25:06 GIVEN ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO
16:57:28:15 MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO HELP BEND
16:57:30:01 OUR WORLD TOWARDS JUSTICE, TO
16:57:31:07 BE WITH YOU AND TO WORK
16:57:32:09 TOGETHER WITH YOU FOR THIS
16:57:34:09 FAITH THAT WE LOVE SO VERY,
16:57:36:09 VERY MUCH AND WHICH IS, I
16:57:38:10 BELIEVE, IN THE DEPTHS OF MY
16:57:40:03 SOUL THE BEST HOPE FOR PEACE
16:57:44:06 AND LOVE AND JUSTICE AND THE
16:57:46:13 INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY THAT WE
16:57:48:03 ALL BELIEVE IN.
16:57:49:00 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:57:49:12 >>
16:57:57:21 >> YOU KNOW, YESTERDAY WE HAD
16:57:59:12 A LONG PLENARY, AND I’VE HEARD
16:58:02:19 FROM SOME FOLKS WHO WISHED
16:58:04:27 THERE HAD BEEN MORE TIME FOR
16:58:06:00 DEBATE AND LESS TIME FOR
16:58:07:09 CONVERSATION BEFORE THE
16:58:09:06 DEBATE.
16:58:10:01 AND I WANT TO TALK TO YOU A
16:58:11:15 LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
16:58:13:00 I CHOSE TODAY’S READING WITH
16:58:14:21 GREAT CARE, BECAUSE THE LAST
16:58:16:28 TIME THIS ASSEMBLY FACED AN
16:58:18:24 ISSUE THIS POWERFUL ABOUT
16:58:20:24 RACE, WE ENDED WITH AN IMPASSE
16:58:24:25 THAT EVEN TODAY HAUNTS OUR
16:58:28:09 WORK TOGETHER.
16:58:29:12 EVEN TODAY. 86
16:58:30:09 AND SO, YES, SOME OF US
16:58:31:19 LEADERS WHO WERE WELL AWARE OF
16:58:34:01 OUR HISTORY, WELL AWARE OF OUR
16:58:36:21 LEGACY, WE WORKED HARD TO MAKE
16:58:41:07 SURE THAT THERE WAS A
16:58:43:27 COMPROMISE ACHIEVED RATHER
16:58:47:15 THAN HAVE A POSITIONAL FIGHT
16:58:48:19 TO THE DEATH IN THIS HALL.
16:58:51:15 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:58:51:22 >> AND BECAUSE WE KNEW —
16:59:05:15 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:59:05:24 >> AND BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT
16:59:18:22 SOME OF YOU, MANY OF YOU DID
16:59:20:15 NOT SHARE THIS HISTORY, AS WE
16:59:23:03 JUST SAW, PUT YOUR HANDS UP
16:59:24:19 AGAIN IF THIS WAS NEW NEWS FOR
16:59:25:22 YOU.
16:59:26:01 LOOK AROUND THE HALL, FRIENDS.
16:59:30:09 A LOT OF US, BECAUSE WE KNEW
16:59:32:25 THIS WAS NEW.
16:59:34:06 WE CHOSE TO PUT A LOT OF
16:59:36:00 WORSHIP ELEMENTS INTO OUR
16:59:39:09 BUSINESS.
16:59:39:21 NOW, LAST YEAR AT THE END OF
16:59:40:25 GA, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
16:59:41:22 PLANNING COMMITTEE, WHICH
16:59:42:24 READS EVERY SINGLE EVALUATION
16:59:44:09 YOU PUT IN.
16:59:45:03 CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?
16:59:46:06 THEY READ THEM ALL.
16:59:48:07 ISN’T THAT AN AMAZING GIFT
16:59:50:03 THAT IT ACTUALLY MAKES A
16:59:51:06 DIFFERENCE?
16:59:51:21 THANK THEM FOR THAT.
16:59:52:27 [ APPLAUSE ]
16:59:53:06 >> SO THEY SAID, GINI, YOU
17:00:01:18 KNOW, THIS YEAR YOU DID A NEW
17:00:02:27 THING AND YOU PUT SOME WORSHIP
17:00:04:13 INTO PLENARY AND PEOPLE SAID,
17:00:06:07 DON’T DO THAT, PLEASE, BECAUSE
17:00:07:24 IT CONFUSES ME.
17:00:08:27 I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER I’M
17:00:10:03 SUPPOSED TO BE VOTE BEING OR
17:00:11:04 WORSHIPING.
17:00:12:25 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:00:13:07 >> SO STOP DOING THAT, BECAUSE
17:00:15:03 IT CONFUSES PEOPLE TO BE IN A
17:00:16:24 MEETING AND HAVE CHURCH BREAK
17:00:17:21 OUT.
17:00:18:28 [ LAUGHTER ] 87
17:00:19:13 >> RESPECTFULLY, I’M NOT GOING
17:00:25:06 TO STOP.
17:00:25:21 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:00:26:03 >> WE ARE A RELIGIOUS
17:00:34:21 MOVEMENT.
17:00:35:12 WE ARE A FAITH COMMUNITY.
17:00:38:19 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:00:39:01 >> WE MUST FRAME OUR BUSINESS
17:00:42:00 AS RELIGIOUS WORK.
17:00:44:13 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:00:44:25 >> SO WE WILL TALK WITH YOU.
17:00:51:24 WE WILL PREACH AT YOU.
17:00:53:13 WE WILL SING, AND YES, WE WILL
17:00:55:10 PRAY WITH YOU.
17:00:56:06 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:00:56:18 >> SO THAT WE CAN BECOME THE
17:01:04:27 PEOPLE WE SAY WE WANT TO BE.
17:01:09:03 I DO NOT BELIEVE FOR A MINUTE
17:01:11:19 THAT IF WE HAD HAD ANOTHER
17:01:13:16 HOUR TO DEBATE YESTERDAY OUR
17:01:16:09 VOTE WOULD HAVE BEEN
17:01:17:12 DIFFERENT, BECAUSE IT WAS A
17:01:18:18 VOTE OF RESOLVE.
17:01:21:22 IT WAS A VOTE THAT SAYS, WE
17:01:23:12 WILL DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
17:01:25:06 HOW MANY OF YOU LEFT YESTERDAY
17:01:27:10 SO EXCITED ABOUT OUR VOTE
17:01:29:07 TOGETHER AROUND THE PHOENIX
17:01:31:18 GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
17:01:32:21 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:01:33:03 >> AND SO WHY, THEN, DID I
17:01:36:10 FIND MYSELF LAST NIGHT PRAYING
17:01:38:12 EVEN HARDER THAN BEFORE WE’D
17:01:39:27 VOTED?
17:01:44:04 HISTORY TELLS US THAT THERE IS
17:01:46:06 A CONSIDERABLE GAP AT TIMES
17:01:50:15 BETWEEN OUR BEST INTENTIONS
17:01:52:16 AND OUR ACTUAL ACTIONS.
17:01:55:06 YESTERDAY WE AGREED TO
17:01:57:06 PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN OUR FAITH
17:01:59:28 THAT I FEEL WE HAD LET FLAG.
17:02:03:00 WE AGREED THAT WE WILL PROCEED
17:02:05:03 TOGETHER IN LOVE.
17:02:07:19 YESTERDAY WE AGREED THAT WE
17:02:09:25 WOULD BE INCLUSIVE WITHIN OUR
17:02:11:27 FAITH IN A WAY THAT IS VERY
17:02:14:00 INTENTIONAL, AND IT USES WORDS
17:02:16:10 LIKE ACCOUNTABILITY.
17:02:18:18 AND YESTERDAY WE AGREED THEY
17:02:20:00 WOULD PARTNER WITH PEOPLE THAT 88
17:02:22:15 ONLY A FEW OF OUR
17:02:23:19 CONGREGATIONS HAVE PARTNERED
17:02:25:00 WITH BEFORE.
17:02:27:06 PUENTE, ENDELON.
17:02:31:01 HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE SPEAK
17:02:33:12 SPANISH?
17:02:33:27 HOW MANY OF YOU WANT TO LEARN
17:02:35:03 MORE NOW?
17:02:37:12 YOU KNOW, I WENT THIS LAST
17:02:38:19 YEAR AND TOOK A SPANISH
17:02:40:06 EMERSION CLASS FOR A WEEK, AND
17:02:44:18 IT REALLY DIDN’T QUITE STICK,
17:02:46:00 I GOT TO TELL YOU.
17:02:48:04 I WAS WORSHIPING WITH OUR
17:02:49:09 CONGREGATION IN SAN JOSE
17:02:51:27 EARLIER THIS YEAR, A COUPLE
17:02:53:10 MONTHS AGO, AND THEY HAVE A
17:02:54:13 SPANISH SERMON, A SPANISH
17:02:57:15 SERVICE.
17:02:58:00 IT’S THEIR FIRST SERVICE.
17:02:59:12 A WONDERFUL SERVICE.
17:03:00:06 AND I SHOWED UP ON THE ONE DAY
17:03:01:13 THE INTERPRETER WASN’T THERE.
17:03:03:00 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:03:03:12 >> BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO THE
17:03:05:18 CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION,
17:03:07:25 BECAUSE NOBODY HAD TOLD ME
17:03:09:06 THAT CINCO DE MAYO — CINCO
17:03:12:24 DE MAYO WAS BEING CELEBRATED
17:03:15:25 ON CINCO DE QUATRO, BECAUSE IT
17:03:20:15 WAS SUNDAY.
17:03:21:00 I WAS LISTENING TO THIS
17:03:22:15 SERMON, AND A WORD WOULD GO BY
17:03:24:01 AND I’D GO, I KNOW THAT, AND
17:03:25:12 THEN ANOTHER ONE.
17:03:26:06 AND I REALLY FELT PROUD AT THE
17:03:27:12 END OF THE SERVICE TO WALK UP
17:03:28:12 TO THE MINISTER, TO THE
17:03:29:19 PREACHER AND SAY, YOU WERE
17:03:32:07 TALKING ABOUT PRIDE AND
17:03:35:09 PARTISANISM.
17:03:37:06 CORRECT?
17:03:37:18 AND HE SAID, YEAH.
17:03:38:13 AND I WENT, GOT IT.
17:03:39:22 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:03:40:06 >> AND I’VE BEEN WORKING MY
17:03:42:09 WAY.
17:03:42:21 HE GAVE ME THE TEXT AND SINCE
17:03:44:12 THEN I’VE BEEN HAND
17:03:45:19 TRANSLATING IT SO THAT I WILL 89
17:03:47:07 KNOW IT BETTER, BUT I’M GOING
17:03:48:24 BACK FOR A MONTH THIS COMING
17:03:50:15 YEAR SO I’LL HAVE SOME BETTER
17:03:52:28 SKILLS TO MEET WITH OUR
17:03:55:21 PARTNERS.
17:03:56:06 BUT AS WE WERE WALKING DOWN
17:03:58:12 THE STREETS OF PHOENIX
17:03:59:09 TOGETHER AND AS PRESIDENT
17:04:01:28 MORALES REPORTED TO YOU, THE
17:04:03:07 LARGEST FAITH GROUP THERE WAS
17:04:05:09 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS.
17:04:07:06 MAKE A SOUND IF YOU WERE
17:04:08:03 THERE.
17:04:08:13 WAVE YOUR ARMS.
17:04:11:09 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:04:11:24 >> OKAY?
17:04:12:09 I MEAN, HERE WE ARE WALKING
17:04:13:18 DOWN THE STREET.
17:04:14:03 NOW, NEXT TIME WE’RE NOT GOING
17:04:15:09 TO BE STRETCHED OVER 12
17:04:16:19 BLOCKS.
17:04:17:04 WE’LL HAVE TO LOOK LIKE A
17:04:18:12 BLOCK TOGETHER.
17:04:19:21 IT MAKES ME CRAZY, BUT HERE
17:04:23:28 GOES ANOTHER YELLOW SHIRT.
17:04:26:15 WHERE DO THESE PEOPLE BUY
17:04:28:00 THESE YELLOW SHIRTS?
17:04:30:00 BUT A PHRASE.
17:04:36:24 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:04:39:18 THAT ONE I FEW.
17:04:40:19 YES, WE CAN.
17:04:44:18 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:04:48:13 SO I PRAY THAT WE WILL BE
17:04:52:00 ATTENTIVE TO WHAT WE CHOSE
17:04:54:09 TOGETHER YESTERDAY, BECAUSE
17:04:55:06 THIS MORNING I WASN’T THE ONLY
17:04:57:16 PERSON PRAYING.
17:04:58:10 PEOPLE ARE AFRAID.
17:05:00:06 FEAR, YOU KNOW, NOT FEAR LIKE
17:05:01:27 THE FEAR THAT I’LL GO HOME AND
17:05:03:12 FIND THAT MY BROTHER WAS
17:05:05:00 DEPORTED, BUT FEAR, MAYBE
17:05:07:21 CONCERN IS A BETTER WORD, WE
17:05:09:06 HAVE CONCERNED PEOPLE, FEARFUL
17:05:10:21 PEOPLE IN THIS HALL, IN OUR
17:05:14:10 FAITH TOGETHER, AND I WANT TO
17:05:15:21 SPEAK SOME OF THEIR FEARS AND
17:05:17:00 MAKE SURE THAT WE’RE ALL CLEAR
17:05:18:21 TOGETHER.
17:05:19:00 BASED ON THE HISTORY THAT YOU 90
17:05:20:06 HEARD, IT IS NOT UNREASONABLE
17:05:23:03 FOR PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY OF
17:05:25:06 COLORS TO TREAT THIS AS AN ACT
17:05:26:15 OF FAITH, BUT TO WONDER IF WE
17:05:28:19 WILL REALLY MAINTAIN INTEGRITY
17:05:30:18 WITH OUR COMMITMENT THAT WE
17:05:31:21 MAKE TO THEM, OUR COMMITMENT
17:05:33:27 TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO PEOPLE OF
17:05:35:10 COLOR INSIDE THIS FAITH AS WE
17:05:36:19 PLAN OUR JUSTICE GENERAL
17:05:38:24 ASSEMBLY IN 2012.
17:05:41:24 A REAL CONCERN THAT WE NOT LET
17:05:44:01 THEIR CONCERNS SLIDE NOW THAT
17:05:46:27 WE HAVE COMMITTED TO GO.
17:05:49:06 SO ARE WE COMMITTED TO REMAIN
17:05:50:22 ACCOUNTABLE TO PEOPLE OF COLOR
17:05:53:18 IN OUR MOVEMENT?
17:05:54:15 TO LEARN WHAT THAT MEANS AND
17:05:55:15 WORK ON IT?
17:05:56:06 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:05:56:18 >> AND FEAR FROM THE FOLKS WHO
17:06:07:21 WILL HAVE TO CREATE THIS
17:06:09:07 GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
17:06:09:22 WE TOLL THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
17:06:11:00 PLANNING COMMITTEE, WE WANT A
17:06:12:09 DIFFERENT GA.
17:06:13:03 JUST GO MAKE ONE.
17:06:15:22 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:06:16:04 >> YOU KNOW, LIKE DIFFERENT.
17:06:18:27 WE TOLD OUR BOARD, YOU KNOW,
17:06:20:06 WE WANT SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
17:06:21:09 JUST GO DO IT.
17:06:22:13 OKAY?
17:06:23:10 AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
17:06:26:24 THAT WE AGREED ON THE SAME
17:06:27:27 THINGS, BECAUSE I THINK IT
17:06:28:24 WOULD BE HELPFUL.
17:06:31:19 I THINK CLARITY HELPS LOWER
17:06:33:27 ANXIETY.
17:06:35:00 CLARITY HOPES WHEN WE’RE
17:06:36:06 TRYING TO DO HARD THINGS.
17:06:37:12 HOW MANY OF US AGREED, YOU CAN
17:06:38:22 JUST MAKE SOME NOISE OR WAVE
17:06:40:21 YOUR HANDS OR SOMETHING, THAT
17:06:41:27 WE AGREED THAT GENERAL
17:06:43:00 ASSEMBLY 2012 WILL BE A
17:06:44:21 JUSTICE GENERAL ASSEMBLY?
17:06:46:19 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:06:47:07 >> OKAY.
17:06:49:00 AND WHO DIDN’T HAVE THAT 91
17:06:50:00 IMPRESSION?
17:06:51:09 OKAY.
17:06:51:21 THANKS.
17:06:53:10 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:06:53:19 >> SECOND THING, WE VOTED, SO
17:06:55:12 WE AGREED THAT WE WILL DO A
17:06:56:18 MINIMUM OF BUSINESS, A MINIMUM
17:06:58:27 THAT WE CAN DO.
17:06:59:21 YES?
17:07:01:13 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:07:01:25 >> OKAY.
17:07:05:12 NEXT WE DIDN’T NECESSARILY
17:07:07:18 AGREE THIS, SO I’M CHECKING
17:07:09:07 NOW.
17:07:09:22 HOW MANY OF YOU TOOK FROM THAT
17:07:11:24 AN ASSUMPTION THAT
17:07:13:24 PROGRAMMING, WHATEVER PROGRAM
17:07:15:03 WE DO SHOULD BE TIGHTLY
17:07:16:10 FOCUSED ON THE INITIATIVES
17:07:18:24 NOTED IN THE RESOLUTION:
17:07:20:21 IMMIGRATION, RACIAL AND
17:07:22:09 ECONOMIC JUSTICE?
17:07:23:00 THAT’S OUR PROGRAM?
17:07:24:13 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:07:24:19 >> HOW MANY OF YOU ARE SHOCKED
17:07:25:27 TO HEAR THAT TODAY?
17:07:28:06 A FEW.
17:07:28:27 OKAY.
17:07:29:18 ALL RIGHT.
17:07:33:01 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE ALREADY
17:07:34:12 FIGURED OUT THAT THIS MAY NOT
17:07:35:18 BE A GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GREAT
17:07:37:15 CREATURE COMFORT?
17:07:41:21 OKAY.
17:07:42:00 HOW MANY OF YOU ARE SURPRISED
17:07:43:21 BY THAT?
17:07:44:06 OKAY.
17:07:48:16 HOW MANY OF YOU ASSUME THAT WE
17:07:50:00 WILL BE WORKING OUTSIDE WHILE
17:07:51:21 WE’RE THERE?
17:07:52:15 THINGS LIKE VOTER REGISTRATION
17:07:54:03 AND COP WATCH AND STUFF LIKE
17:07:56:01 THAT?
17:07:57:01 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:07:57:15 >> AND THAT THAT WILL BE PART
17:07:59:18 OF PROGRAMMING?
17:08:00:03 HOW MANY OF YOU — NO,
17:08:01:15 HUH-UH.
17:08:02:21 OKAY?
17:08:03:16 THAT’S GOOD. 92
17:08:06:24 I’M ASSUMING THAT WE KNOW THAT
17:08:08:27 IT WILL BE REALLY HARD FOR
17:08:10:03 SOME OF US HERE TO BE ABLE TO
17:08:11:19 COME TO THAT GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
17:08:14:06 HOT, OUTSIDE, ON THE STREETS,
17:08:17:09 THAT KIND OF THING.
17:08:18:06 HOW MANY OF US THOUGHT ABOUT
17:08:19:04 THAT WHILE WE WERE VOTING?
17:08:20:27 AND HOW MANY OF US ARE JUST
17:08:22:12 THINKING ABOUT IT NOW?
17:08:23:18 IT’S OKAY.
17:08:27:21 THIS IS ALL GOOD.
17:08:30:24 HOW MANY OF YOU ASSUME THAT WE
17:08:32:03 SAID THAT WHOEVER IS PLANNING
17:08:33:28 PROGRAMMING, BOARD, PETER IN
17:08:36:24 THE ADMINISTRATION, COMMISSION
17:08:38:00 ON SOCIAL WITNESS, PLANNING
17:08:39:09 COMMITTEE, ALL OF US ARE GOING
17:08:40:19 TO DO THAT IN RELATIONSHIP
17:08:41:28 WITH THE ARIZONA
17:08:43:18 CONGREGATIONS?
17:08:47:09 AND PUENTE AND ENDELON AND
17:08:51:12 OTHER GROUPS?
17:08:53:12 AND THE PEOPLE OF COLOR
17:08:54:09 COMMUNITIES INSIDE OUR
17:08:55:06 MOVEMENT?
17:08:55:19 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:08:56:01 >> AND OUR ACCESSIBILITY
17:08:58:00 COMMUNITY?
17:08:59:18 AND OUR GLTB AND TRANS
17:09:06:12 COMMUNITIES?
17:09:07:12 OKAY.
17:09:10:21 SOME PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT IF
17:09:12:01 WE DO ALL THOSE THINGS, YOU
17:09:13:18 WON’T COME.
17:09:15:18 THAT THAT’S NOT A GA YOU WANT.
17:09:18:18 THAT YOU VOTED FOR A GA YOU
17:09:20:16 WON’T COME TO.
17:09:22:09 IN ALL HONESTY, HOW MANY OF
17:09:23:27 YOU ARE GOING TO JOIN ME IN
17:09:25:06 PHOENIX IN 2012?
17:09:27:04 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:09:27:22 >> HOW MANY OF YOU ARE GOING
17:09:35:28 TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM YOUR
17:09:36:25 CONGREGATIONS TO COME TO
17:09:38:00 PHOENIX IN 2012?
17:09:39:15 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:09:40:03 >> HOW MANY OF YOU WILL HELP
17:09:47:00 US MAKE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN
17:09:48:21 20121 OF THE BIGGEST GENERAL 93
17:09:49:27 ASSEMBLIES IN OUR HISTORY?
17:09:51:13 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:09:52:01 >> THANK YOU.
17:10:01:25 WHEN YOU TELL ME THESE THINGS,
17:10:03:07 YOU KNOW I TRUST YOU.
17:10:09:00 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:10:09:19 >> SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:25:27 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:38:06 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:41:22 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:42:03 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:42:24 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:44:03 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:45:15 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:46:15 SÍ SE PUEDE.
17:10:49:15 >> WE MUST.
17:10:52:15 WE MUST.
17:10:54:21 WE MADE THE STAKES HIGHER
17:10:57:16 YESTERDAY.
17:11:00:15 BREATHE IN AND FEEL THAT.
17:11:03:12 WE PUT OURSELVES IN A PLACE WE
17:11:05:28 HAVE NEVER, EVER GONE WELL
17:11:10:15 BEFORE.
17:11:16:10 FEEL THAT ON YOUR SHOULDERS.
17:11:21:24 AND NOW FIND SOMEBODY NEAR YOU
17:11:24:07 AND TAKE THEIR HAND.
17:11:31:06 AND WHEN YOU FEEL IT THIS
17:11:32:22 TIME, DOES IT FEEL A LITTLE
17:11:37:15 LESS HEAVY WHEN WE’RE HOLDING
17:11:39:21 HANDS?
17:11:40:19 DOES IT FEEL YET A LITTLE
17:11:45:06 EASIER WHEN WE LOOK IN EACH
17:11:46:21 OTHER’S EYES?
17:11:47:21 WE ARE THE BEST HOPE FOR
17:11:54:06 DEMOCRACY AND INCLUSION IN
17:11:55:24 THIS COUNTRY.
17:11:57:22 I WOULD SAY NOT JUST THAT WE
17:11:59:15 CAN.
17:11:59:27 I WOULD SAY, MY FRIENDS, THAT
17:12:01:18 WE MUST.
17:12:03:21 THAT WE MUST.
17:12:09:00 I HAVE SOME FRIENDS I’D LIKE
17:12:10:12 TO HAVE JOIN ME ON THE STAGE
17:12:11:09 RIGHT NOW.
17:12:13:28 IF YOU WANT TO KEEP HOLDING
17:12:14:28 HANDS, I WON’T STOP YOU.
17:12:17:21 [ LAUGHTER ]
17:12:18:03 >> YOU KNOW, WE STARTED OUR
17:12:24:25 TIME TOGETHER IN A PRETTY
17:12:27:21 INTERESTING WAY. 94
17:12:32:01 WE STARTED OUR TIME TOGETHER
17:12:33:24 WITH ONE PICTURE OF INCLUSION
17:12:36:27 THAT WAS A MULTIGENERATIONAL
17:12:38:10 PICTURE OF INCLUSION, YOU
17:12:40:07 KNOW?
17:12:40:21 IN OUR OPENING CELEBRATION.
17:12:42:27 AND SINCE THEN, WE’VE KIND OF
17:12:44:06 TALKED ABOUT THAT, AND WE’VE
17:12:45:24 KICKED IT AROUND.
17:12:47:13 AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
17:12:50:18 WE’RE LEARNING TOGETHER HERE
17:12:52:12 AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS THAT
17:12:55:19 WHEN WE IMAGINE WHO IS A
17:12:57:21 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST, THAT
17:13:02:21 OUR ARMS JUST GROW WIDER AND
17:13:04:19 WIDER AND WIDER.
17:13:10:00 AND SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO SAY?
17:13:14:06 PROCEDURAL.
17:13:15:09 >> HELLO?
17:13:17:00 >> ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, I FOUND
17:13:19:00 MYSELF UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN I
17:13:21:07 SAW A GROUP OF ABLE-BODIED
17:13:24:06 WHITE APPEARING PEOPLE
17:13:25:24 DECLARING THAT THEY ARE THE
17:13:27:01 UUA.
17:13:29:01 I WAS SAD AND HURT, AS WERE
17:13:31:12 MANY OTHERS, THE PEOPLE OF
17:13:35:01 COLOR AND NOT ABLE BODIED
17:13:36:04 COMMUNITIES.
17:13:36:16 I WANT TO TAKE THIS
17:13:37:21 OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MADAM
17:13:38:27 MODERATOR, GINI COURTER, FOR
17:13:40:18 GIVING US A CHANCE TO HEAL BY
17:13:42:25 GIVING CHOICE TO SOME OF THE
17:13:44:24 PEOPLE NOT REPRESENTED ON
17:13:47:06 WEDNESDAY.
17:13:48:15 IT IS IMPORTANT WE NAME WHEN
17:13:51:07 WE HURT AND WE DO OUR BEST TO
17:13:53:21 LEARN AND GROW TOGETHER.
17:13:56:04 THE REVEREND NAOMI KING SAID
17:13:58:21 RELIGION IS ABOUT BEING IN THE
17:14:01:12 DISCOMFORT AND BEING CHANGED
17:14:03:19 BY IT.
17:14:04:25 I AM ASIA HOUSER.
17:14:07:03 I WAS BORN IN EGYPT, RAISED IN
17:14:09:21 NEW JERSEY, LIVE IN NEW
17:14:10:12 HAMPSHIRE, AND I AM A
17:14:11:28 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST.
17:14:12:28 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:14:13:10 >> MY NAME IS AMARI KARIOTIS 95
17:14:23:03 AND I AM A UNITARIAN
17:14:24:03 UNIVERSALIST.
17:14:25:27 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:14:26:12 >> MY NAME IS GREGORY CHARLES
17:14:36:12 CROW BOYD.
17:14:37:04 I HAVE SERVED MY CONGREGATION
17:14:38:10 IN HARRISBURG AS DIRECTOR OF
17:14:40:12 YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY AND
17:14:41:24 SERVED FOR FIVE GA’S IN
17:14:43:06 LEADERSHIP POSITIONS AND I AM
17:14:44:25 A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST.
17:14:47:06 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:14:47:18 >> MY NAME IS SUNSHINE
17:14:54:19 JEREMIAH WOLF.
17:14:55:27 I AM THE SUMMER MINISTER AT
17:14:57:18 WEST SHORE UNITARIAN
17:14:58:03 UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN THE
17:15:01:28 CLEVELAND AREA.
17:15:02:22 I AM GENDER QUEER.
17:15:04:03 I AM WORKING CLASS AND POOR.
17:15:05:24 I WAS RAISED IN INDIANA AND
17:15:07:28 FIRMLY A REDNECK AND I AM
17:15:11:18 DAKOTA NATIVE AMERICAN, AND I
17:15:13:27 AM A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST.
17:15:15:13 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:15:15:25 MY NAME IS MARIE HOUSE.
17:15:25:10 I AM ANASHABE AND WHITE.
17:15:28:09 I WAS RAISED IN THE DULUTH
17:15:29:24 SUPERIOR AREA.
17:15:30:18 HAVE AN A UNITARIAN
17:15:31:06 UNIVERSALIST FOR 24 YEARS,
17:15:33:01 CURRENTLY IN GREENSBORO, NORTH
17:15:34:10 CAROLINA, AND I AM A UNITARIAN
17:15:35:24 UNIVERSALIST.
17:15:36:18 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:15:37:03 >> MY NAME IS BARB BREEZE AND
17:15:45:18 I CURRENTLY SERVE AS THE
17:15:46:15 INTERIM DIRECTOR OF LIFE SPAN
17:15:48:03 RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TO THE
17:15:49:10 FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY IN
17:15:50:22 NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.
17:15:51:27 I AM A TRANSGENDER GUY AND I
17:15:53:27 AM A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST.
17:15:57:22 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:15:58:07 >> MY NAME IS GRACE APLO.
17:16:08:21 I WAS BORN IN UNDER I CAN’T.
17:16:09:15 I CURRENTLY LIVE IN ST. LOUIS,
17:16:11:00 MISSOURI, AND I AM A UNITARIAN
17:16:13:00 UNIVERSALIST.
17:16:14:00 [ APPLAUSE ] 96
17:16:14:22 >> MY NAME IS MICHAEL HAHN I
17:16:21:15 WAS BORN RIGHT HERE IN
17:16:23:10 MINNESOTA AND I AM BIRACIAL.
17:16:25:03 I HAVE SERVED GA YOUTH CAUCUS
17:16:28:18 AS STAFF FOR THREE YEARS NOW,
17:16:30:06 AND I AM A UNITARIAN
17:16:31:04 UNIVERSALIST.
17:16:31:25 [ APPLAUSE ]
17:16:32:07 >> NOW EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE,
17:16:38:09 GRAB YOUR OWN VIRTUAL
17:16:39:19 MICROPHONE AND LET’S ALL YELL
17:16:41:21 TOGETHER, I AM A UNITARIAN
17:16:44:15 UNIVERSALIST.
17:16:45:12 >> LET’S DO IT AGAIN.
17:16:48:22 I AM A UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST.
17:16:50:18 >> LOOK AT MY PEOPLE, HOW
17:16:54:13 BEAUTIFUL WE ARE.
17:17:09:24 SO AS YOU LEAVE HERE TODAY,
17:17:11:03 THE END OF MY MODERATOR’S
17:17:12:12 REPORT IS AS YOU LEAVE HERE
17:17:13:19 TODAY, KNOW THAT WORK HAS
17:17:16:06 ALREADY BEGUN ON YOUR
17:17:17:09 RESOLUTION ON GENERAL ASSEMBLY
17:17:19:12 2012 IN PHOENIX.
17:17:20:18 WE HEARD DELEGATES CLEARLY
17:17:22:01 TELL US THAT WE WANT A JUSTICE
17:17:24:15 GA THAT IS NOT BUSINESS AS
17:17:25:24 USUAL AND ONE THAT WORKS IN
17:17:26:27 PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR LOCAL
17:17:28:03 CONGREGATIONS AND PARTNERS
17:17:31:15 WITHIN THE LOCAL AREA, WORKING
17:17:33:15 FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM, AS
17:17:34:27 WELL AS HISTORICALLY
17:17:37:01 MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES
17:17:37:28 WITHIN OUR FAITH AND THEIR
17:17:39:01 ALLIES.
17:17:39:21 WE EXPECT, WE EXPECT ALL OF
17:17:42:18 US, WHEN WE VOTED, THAT THE
17:17:43:18 UUA BOARD SITTING THERE WHOM
17:17:45:13 YOU TRUST, WILL WORK WITH
17:17:46:12 LEADERS IN OUR HISTORICALLY
17:17:48:09 MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES AND
17:17:49:18 ACCOUNTABLE RELATIONSHIP TO
17:17:51:16 INCREASE THE POSSIBILITY OF
17:17:52:22 SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY WHEN
17:17:54:00 WE GATHER TOGETHER IN PHOENIX
17:17:55:12 TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
17:17:57:03 THE BOARD IS COMMITTED TO
17:17:58:06 WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE UUA
17:18:00:12 STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION, THE 97
17:18:02:12 GENERAL ASSEMBLY PLANNING
17:18:03:03 COMMITTEE, ARIZONA
17:18:04:18 CONGREGATIONAL LEADERS,
17:18:06:16 PUENTE, ENDOL, AND IDENTITY
17:18:10:06 BASED UU COMMUNITIES AND
17:18:11:09 ALLIES TO DELIVER A SAFE AND
17:18:12:13 ACCESSIBLE GA2012, AS SAFE AND
17:18:15:27 ACCESSIBLE AS POSSIBLE, WHERE
17:18:18:09 OUR BUSINESS, PROGRAMMING, AND
17:18:20:07 WORSHIP WILL ALL ALIGN TO
17:18:22:24 RESOURCE AND EQUIP UNITARIAN
17:18:25:09 UNIVERSALISTS IN 2012 TO MAKE
17:18:27:06 JUSTICE FOR IMMIGRANTS IN
17:18:28:07 ARIZONA AND THE OTHER 49
17:18:29:12 STATES WHERE WE GATHERS AS
17:18:30:27 UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS MORE
17:18:35:10 LOVE, MORE JOY.
17:18:36:13 FRIENDS, THE WORK IS JUST
17:18:37:15 BEGINNING ON OUR PART.
17:18:40:27 IT’S JUST BEGINNING.
17:18:41:27 PLEASE, YOU MUST TAKE HOME A
17:18:43:06 SENSE OF URGENCY TO YOUR OWN
17:18:44:25 CONGREGATION.
17:18:45:15 YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE SPIRIT
17:18:46:15 THAT WE HAVE THERE AND HELP
17:18:48:15 WORK ON HOW WE WILL STAND
17:18:50:06 TOGETHER ON THE SIDE OF LOVE
17:18:51:19 IN OPPOSITION TO SYSTEMIC
17:18:54:06 RACISM OPPRESSION.
17:18:55:18 THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

via & UUA: Plenary VII Video..