Social Justice & Inclusion Ministry

At Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church we are called by our faith to respond actively and publicly to the injustice and suffering in our community and the larger world. Through direct service, advocacy and witness, education, and financial support, Neighborhood Church’s Social Justice and Inclusion Ministry Projects provide engaging opportunities for members and friends to gain greater understanding of injustice in its many forms, to take action that leads to systemic change, and to be of service toward a more caring, just, and peaceful world.

OUR INITIATIVES

Advocacy, action and witness describes the social justice process by which Unitarian Universalists come to understand and act on the social and political issues of our time. We work to serve, support and partner with people who face injustice and raise awareness on their behalf. We advocate, organize, and act for justice to bring the values of our faith to life.

Climate and Environmental Justice

All life is interconnected. From the forest to the sea to humanity itself, each living thing is a thread that is woven into a single fabric of existence. We embrace nature’s beauty and its power leaves us awestruck. We care for our environment so that it may sustain life for generations to come. We do this in partnership with those most impacted by environmental destruction, who are often marginalized in the dominant culture that is mostly affluent, white and educated. Often these "frontline" communities are hit the hardest and have the fewest resources to recover. We collaborate because we know that equitable and sustainable change is only possible with the knowledge and experience of these communities.

Art for Social Justice

Art in the context of social justice encompasses a wide range of visual and performing art projects that aim to raise critical consciousness, build community, and motivate individuals to promote social change. Art has been used as a means to record history, shape culture, cultivate imagination, and harness individual and social transformation. Social justice art consequently allows people to develop personal agency to interrupt and alter oppressive systemic patterns or individual behaviors. It gives them the analytical tools they need to understand and challenge social injustices.

Racial Equity and Inclusion

We view our relations with each other both in the congregation and the wider world through the lens of racial equity. With new perspective, we as a congregation will explore and grow, while working to raise awareness of our nation’s history of genocide, slavery, and inequity based on race. We believe it is imperative that we incorporate a racial equity lens and bring a commitment to racial justice into Neighborhood Church.

What do we mean by racial equity? We mean the societal conditions in which:

The distribution of resources and opportunities is neither determined nor predicted by race, racial bias or racial ideology.
The structures, systems, practices and cultural narratives in society provide true situational fairness and equal opportunity.
There is a democratic commitment to dismantle the false narrative of white supremacy and address the legal, political, social, cultural and historical contributors to inequity.
Families and individuals are able to thrive and flourish in the intersections of all aspects of their identity, including race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, and socioeconomic background.
The most vulnerable communities in society have access to mechanisms to achieve social mobility and voice in naming their reality, describing how these systems of oppression play out, and developing solutions which draw upon their assets.
All people, cultures and identities are equally valued and recognized under the belief that strength comes through the diversity and expression of our shared humanity.

Spiritual Inclusion

We welcome everyone, including those with little or no interest in religion. We acknowledge that spirituality is not the same as religion: spirituality is within us, connecting us to each other and the world. As a church community, we provide a welcoming space where we uphold the prophets, philosophers and stories of the past and unites their sense of goodness, compassion, and love. Given what is happening around us, it is no longer enough to sit passively and talk about difference or diversity. Spiritual inclusion is a personal invitation to reach out, collaborate in new ways, and include everyone.

Dismantle White Supremacy

As Unitarian Universalists, we must fight white supremacy individually and together if we truly hope for beloved community. The work that must be done is both personal and congregational. White supremacy is the idea that white people are better and more deserving of wealth, power, and privilege than people of color. White supremacy pervades our culture, institutions, and relationships. It is a self-perpetuating system that continues to fuel the colonialism, exploitation, oppression, inequity, and brutality that people of color experience.

OUR FINANCIAL IMPACT

Alternative Gift Market Project provides direct financial support to Southern California small-to-mid size “emerging” community based organizations. Since 2002 this philanthropic endeavors has provided unrestricted funds to organizations who lead by the seven Unitarian Universalist Principles and match with Neighborhood Church’s mission. To this date our congregation has provided over $125,000 in financial support to over 100 non-profit organizations locally, nationally, and internationally. This event happens every year in December.

International Housing Project

The International Housing Project provides direct service to low-income, working class, and homeless residents living in Tijuana, Mexico. The city’s area is 246 square miles, and the population density is 6,900 residents per square mile. Tijuana is the sixth largest city in Mexico by population. There is no official census of Tijuana’s homeless population, but the city's public safety ministry estimates about 1,800 Mexican citizens live on the street every night. Tijuana’s count doesn’t include thousands of people who live in makeshift homes on canyons, often without running water or electricity. Twice a year, Neighborhood Church in conjunction with Esperanza International, a nonprofit housing organization, coordinates a weekend trip to help build homes for those residents in need of a home with running water and electricity.

Foster Kids Helping Hands (ACAC)

Foster Kids Helping Hands (ACAC) engages the congregation to better the lives of local foster children and youth. Neighborhood Church has “adopted” two caseworkers from the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), who identify ways that we can help the kids they serve. We provide ongoing support throughout the year to help with many needs, such as clothing, shoes, food, school supplies, and furniture such as beds. Several times a year, we appeal to church members to provide holiday gifts, Easter baskets, birthday presents, back-to-school items, and assistance with unplanned needs. Neighborhood Church’s Foster Kids Helping Hands is part of an interfaith group that meets with the Department of Children and Family Services to find new ways to serve children in need. To get involved, contact the Foster Kids Helping Hands Committee - ACAC.

Our Community Partners

Alternative Gift Market Project

Millikan Truth and Reconciliation

Racial Equity Brunch

Social Justice Book Club

Climate Change Lobby

White People for Racial Justice

Sequoyah High School