Developing a Congregational Culture that Welcomes Racial Diversity

1. Developing a Congregational Culture that Welcomes Racial Diversity Joseph Priestley District Journey Toward Wholeness Retreat Friday, June 11, 2010 Presenter: Tricia Most, Co-Chair Diversity/Anti-Racism Transformation Team Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church dartt@pbuuc.org

2. Our UU Principles Lead Our Journey Toward Wholeness Our UU Principles Lead Us in a Journey Toward Wholeness We are bound together in a promise to affirm and promote the values expressed and implied in our 7 principles. As we strive as individuals and as congregations to deepen our UU faith, we inevitably find ourselves called to more authentically welcome diversity in our congregations.

3. Goal: Encourage Productive Conversations on Race • Emphasize Our UU values • Develop Diverse Co-leadership • Attend to Quality Control • Structure Conversations for Positive Growth • Offer Events for Varied Interests • Offer Events for Varied Commitment Levels • We Live Our Values, We Deepen Our Faith • We Teach What We Live • Promote, Promote, Promote!

4. From Paula Cole Jones, UUA Consultant: “We’re going to talk about race until it loses its power to control us.”

5. An Anti-Racism Movement Helps Us Develop Our Racial Identities Anti-Racism Work: • is about Self-Discovery. • is about Developing Relationships. • is about Listening to Ourselves • is about Listening to Others.

6. Why is it Important to Welcome Racial Diversity? Why is it Important to Do Anti-Racism Work in Our Congregations? • To Deepen Our Faith • To Authentically Welcome and Engage • We Seek Fairness and Inclusion • UUism is a Wide, Religious Umbrella –There is Room for Everyone • Our Faith Leads us to Spread the Good News of Unitarian Universalism • Our Denominational Future Depends on Our Authenticity

7. Tolerance vs. Acceptance As UUs, We Accept and Welcome Diversity. As Mentally and Spiritually Healthy People, We Tolerate Anxiety, We Welcome Change, We Welcome Growth.

8. We Manage Our Anxiety so that Our Anxiety Doesn’t Prevent Progress Leadership Requires Us To: • Tolerate Anxiety • Entertain New Ideas • Think Deeply • Be Creative • Behave and Express Ourselves Responsibly

9. The Intersection of Spiritual and Mental Health Ingredients for an Anti-Racism Movement: • Optimism • Realism • Creativity • Courage • Energy • Curiosity

10. Tools for Developing a Congregational Culture that Welcomes Racial Diversity • Worship Inspires the Movement • Congregational Meeting: • Announce Anti-Racism Initiative • Sign-Up List Passed Around For: • Forming a Planning Team • Identifying Event Leaders • Promoting Events • Board Mails Formal Support Letter • Mission Statement Publicized • Logo Developed for Publicity • Charter for Anti-Racism Team • Involvements Flyer Promotes All Offerings At Once • Request Budget +/or Pass Donation Basket at events

11. Strategies for Leading Anti-Racism Movement Form Diverse Co-leadership Encourage the Minister Write Endorsement Letter for the Board of Trustees to Sign Welcome New Ideas to Encourage New Leaders Welcome Feedback to Encourage Continuous Improvement

12. Important Anti-Racism Strategy:Offer Simultaneous Activities! Attract Various Levels of Commitment • Monthly Open Planning Meetings • Monthly Drop-In Films/Discussion • Monthly Drop-in Topical “Diversity Dialogues” • Book Reading Groups • Special Speakers +/or Workshops • Anti-Racism Covenant Groups (“Most Valuable,” say Participants)

13. Strategies for Monthly Anti-Racism Event Planning Meetings • Fixed Schedule Widely Promoted • Inclusive Email List Used • Attendance Open to All • Agenda Input Requested • Advance Agenda Distribution • New Ideas Welcome • Quality Control Feedback Welcome • To Do List and Minutes to All

14. Strategies For Drop-In Films with Facilitated Discussion Film Messages Consistent with Mission Films Vetted by 2 Team Members Good Facilitation Required Fixed Monthly Schedule Lots of Advance Promotion Sources for Quality Films: • California Newsreel • PBS • JPD Library • Public Library • Netflix

15. Strategies for Drop-in Anti-Racism Topical “Diversity Dialogues” Good Facilitation Required Topics From Current Events Fixed Schedule Well Publicized Articles Available in Advance Pre-reading Requested Facilitators Preplan Summary Leader Reads Summary Aloud Define Purpose and Focus of Discussion

16. Strategies for Anti-Racism Book Reading Groups Messages Consistent with Mission Vetted by 2 Team Members Select Facilitators Carefully Establish a Covenant for Discussion Fixed Schedule Well Promoted Sources: • UUA catalog + staff/consultant advice • Recommendations from members

17. Strategies for Anti-RacismCovenant Groups Use Small Group Ministry Model Excellent Facilitation Required Facilitators Preplan Sessions Limit Group Size Group Develops Covenant & Schedule All Members Commit to Attend All Sessions Begin Each Session with Chalice Lighting Reiterate Group Purpose at Each Session Reiterate Covenant at Each Session

18. Strategies for Worship Services that Welcome Diversity Ensure Inclusive Words of Welcome Hold Anti-racism Worship Services All Year Offer Anti-Racism Lay Led Summer Services Host “Reverberations” Worship Discussions Afterward Exchange Lay Led Worship with Other Congregations Include Kwanzaa Services Include Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday Include Anti-Racism Children’s Chapel

19. Strategies For Anti-Racism Special Events Foods and Family Stories Shared at Ethnic Dinner Event Theater Outings with Dinner Discussions afterward • “Crowns” • “Women of Brewster Place” Speaker Engagements: • James Loewen, author • Mark Morrison-Reed, author Ysaye Barnwell Vocal Workshop

20. Strategies for Promoting Anti-Racism Movement Something Happening All the Time Monthly Personal Journey Column Weekly Bulletin Announcements E-mails to Anti-Racism List E-mails to Church List District & Regional e-Newsletters Flyers Posted on Walls and in Foyer Website Free Newspaper Announcements Press Releases

21. We Need Encouragement As We Do This Work “No pessimist ever … opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” ~Helen Keller