UUFN has four main social justice working groups: Democracy Defenders, Green Team, Beyond Land Acknowledgement, and Community Action and Service Team.
Democracy Defenders Mission Statement
Our country was founded on the principles of unity-in-diversity and government by the people. Democracy Defenders seeks to protect the civil rights of all, voting rights, and the balance of power in government that make these principles possible.
Green Team Mission Statement (draft)
The mission of the UUFN Green Team is to raise awareness of and act on behalf of environmental justice within our UUFN community and beyond. This includes, but is not limited to, climate change and its life-threatening impact on our interconnected world.
The Green Team role is to encourage best practices that help mitigate climate change, waste, pollution, and the exploitation and degradation of the natural world. Our guiding principle is to act locally within our congregation and community, while thinking globally as we take concrete action to support a healthy environment on which we all depend.
Beyond Land Acknowledgement Purpose Statement
Our purpose statement IS what is in the Land Acknowledgement Statement, which includes:
We continue to learn ourselves and share what we learn within our working group and we hope to bring the congregation along with us in this learning. We will continue to make the congregation aware of opportunities to learn about history, about actions we can all take to support or discourage particular legislation, and to help heal injustice.
Community Action and Service Team Purpose Statement
We provide immediate, local action and support to address issues that directly affect people in Northfield and the surrounding areas.
Woven into the work of all four of these working groups is a commitment to racial justice. Dismantling racism and white supremacy is core to the UU belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person and our commitment to justice and equity.
Each month we donate half of our offering to a nonprofit. We alternate nonprofits working for systemic change and nonprofits working to directly help those in need.
Along with congregations across the UUA, UUFN has participated in the Side With Love effort since it began in 2009. Each year we host at least one event that seeks to educate our congregation and the larger community on a critical justice issue. UUFN sides with love in the fight for of marriage equality, the movement to ensure that Black Lives Matter, Native American rights, transgender rights, and more. Watch for more info about upcoming events!
Our minister, Rev. Sara, is involved in the reproductive justice movement with other Unitarian Universalists in Minnesota. You can read more about Side With Love's Reproductive Justice campaign here. As Unitarian Universalists, we believe that all bodies are sacred. Every person has the right to determine what happens to their own body at all phases of life.
In addition, we host a booth at Northfield's annual Pride in the Park celebration. LGBTQ+ equality is foundational to our faith: Pride, not prejudice. Trans people are divine. Love is love.
Join us by learning more ways you can get involved!
Things We Can Do Now to End Racism in our Community!
Resources on Police Conduct, Race and the Justice System,
Resources for Talking to Kids about Racism and Justice,
Resources on Protest, Social Movements and Community Visions for Racial Justice