The Justice Center at
March, 2022.
From the Coordinator
Welcome to the Justice Center News, the monthly update from the Justice Center at All Peoples.
I’m Rus Funk, Coordinator of the Justice Center. I started this position in August of 2021, and am happy to be here — and to welcome you to this communication about the Justice Center and our activities.
For those of you who are newer, the Justice Center is focused on working to develop the capacities and efforts of the All Peoples Congregation, and the surrounding communities, to engage in meaningful justice activism and advocacy. The Justice Center will be working across multiple foci of “justice” (climate justice, racial justice, gender justice, etc); and works from an intersectional lens grounded in faith principles. This monthly newsletter will be a way for us to communicate with you about what we’re up to.
For those of you in and of the community who are also engaged in justice efforts, this newsletter is also a way for you to communicate and share what you’re doing.
As you all know, any meaningful justice activism or advocacy is based on relational organizing. So a founding principle of our efforts include building relationships — including relationship of the Justice Center with you. I say that to say that while this newsletter is primarily a one-way communication (from me to you), I invite you to reach back out to me. Let’s explore ways that we can use this tool as a way to build our communication, strengthen our relationships, and expand our justice work!
If you have suggestions for what you’d like to see us do, questions, concerns or other feedback, please feel free to reach me at justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com or (502)494-9044.
Current Campaigns
Metro Climate Campaign
In December, the Justice Center and the Green Sanctuary Committee of All Peoples launched a campaign to support the Mayor and Metro Council to fulfill their 2020 “REAL” resolution — for Metro Government to be “carbon neutral” by 2030. The specific ask is that they put $1 million in this years budget to begin switching to Solar energy on Metro buildings this year.
We launched a postcard campaign to Metro Council in December. We also have been able to connect with over a dozen of neighbor congregations and engage them to join this effort. We’re currently in the process of launching a postcard campaign to the Mayor, and plan to schedule visits to his key staff in the coming weeks; while continuing to coordinate with our newly created congregational partners.
For more information about this campaign, go here.
Mobilizing to Protect Reproductive Rights
As you may know, a constitutional amendment will be included in this November’s Ballot that will ban all Abortions in Kentucky should Roe V Wade be overturned. This proposed constitutional amendment is in addition to the already existing “trigger law” that is in place. The Justice Center is beginning work to mobilize to defeat this ballot measure, focusing on community based organizing.
Supporting the Adoption of the 8th Principle
Unitarian Universalism is not based on a creed but is instead based on a set of seven principles that hold us together as a faith community. Like many congregations, All Peoples is exploring adoption of an 8th principle — which focuses our attention to the issues of racism and oppression. Here is the full text:
“We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote: journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
The Justice Center is working with All Peoples to adopt this critical principle, and working within our congregation to explore the implications of adopting this principle. What does it mean for us to put into practice “…actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions.”
Building Relationships
A premise of the Justice Center and our efforts is based on the notion and practice of “relational organizing.” This is an organizing, advocacy, and activism method that is based on developing strong relationships with partners (both individuals and organizations/congregations) based on our shared relationship with an issue, with the intent of strengthening our mutual relationship(s).
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Justice Center Open House
The Justice Center is hosting an open House
on Saturday April 9 from 10 AM to noon.
Please join us to meet some of the leadership of the justice efforts at All Peoples, see our space, and connect with each other.
For more information about the Justice Center and our efforts, contact Rus Funk, Coordinator at justicecenter@allpeoplesuu.com