1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,936


2
00:00:03,936 --> 00:00:08,070
Jessica York: Hello, and welcome
to the UUA Faith Development

3
00:00:08,070 --> 00:00:10,800
Office's January webinar.

4
00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:13,600
This is part of
our webinar series.

5
00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:16,940
And tonight, we are
looking at the UU

6
00:00:16,940 --> 00:00:19,250
College of Social
Justice Transformative

7
00:00:19,250 --> 00:00:23,280
Programs for Youth.

8
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,340
I am Jessica York,
your faith development

9
00:00:25,340 --> 00:00:27,030
director at the UUA.

10
00:00:27,030 --> 00:00:29,260
I'm joined tonight
by Susan Lawrence,

11
00:00:29,260 --> 00:00:36,650
who is our managing editor and
webinar royalty at the UUA.

12
00:00:36,650 --> 00:00:38,610
And we have a guest
presenter tonight.

13
00:00:38,610 --> 00:00:41,390
We are very happy to
welcome Laura Lubin, who

14
00:00:41,390 --> 00:00:43,936
is the associate for youth
and young adult programs

15
00:00:43,936 --> 00:00:47,280
at the UU College
of Social Justice.

16
00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:53,179
And I am now going to turn
this webinar over to Laura.

17
00:00:53,179 --> 00:00:53,970
Laura Lubin: Great.

18
00:00:53,970 --> 00:00:55,970
Thank you so much, Jessica.

19
00:00:55,970 --> 00:00:58,370
So the goals of
our webinar today

20
00:00:58,370 --> 00:01:01,480
are to become familiar with
the Unitarian Universalist

21
00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,959
College of Social Justice,
who we are and what we do;

22
00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:07,800
to understand the
array of youth programs

23
00:01:07,800 --> 00:01:10,130
that we offer at the
College of Social Justice,

24
00:01:10,130 --> 00:01:12,520
with a real focus on our
Activate summer justice

25
00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,110
trainings, our pre-General
Assembly Activate

26
00:01:15,110 --> 00:01:17,180
sampler, and the
new trips that we're

27
00:01:17,180 --> 00:01:19,530
offering for youth groups.

28
00:01:19,530 --> 00:01:21,510
And you should come away
prepared to initiate

29
00:01:21,510 --> 00:01:24,750
a conversation about the UU
College of Social Justice

30
00:01:24,750 --> 00:01:32,840
programs with youth and with
parents in your congregation.

31
00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:37,080
So I'll begin with some opening
words from Rachel Naomi Remen.

32
00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,340
This is an excerpt from
Helping, Fixing, Serving,

33
00:01:40,340 --> 00:01:43,460
which is in Zen Hospice.

34
00:01:43,460 --> 00:01:45,610
"Service is not the
same as helping.

35
00:01:45,610 --> 00:01:47,460
Helping is based on inequality.

36
00:01:47,460 --> 00:01:49,910
It's not a relationship
between equals.

37
00:01:49,910 --> 00:01:52,000
"When you help, you
use your own strength

38
00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,100
to help someone
with less strength.

39
00:01:54,100 --> 00:01:56,130
It's a one up, one
down relationship.

40
00:01:56,130 --> 00:01:58,560
And people feel this inequality.

41
00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,370
When we help, we
may inadvertently

42
00:02:00,370 --> 00:02:03,890
take away more than we give,
diminishing the person's sense

43
00:02:03,890 --> 00:02:07,550
of self-worth and self-esteem.

44
00:02:07,550 --> 00:02:09,964
"Serving is also
different from fixing.

45
00:02:09,964 --> 00:02:11,320
We fix broken pipes.

46
00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:12,970
We don't fix people.

47
00:02:12,970 --> 00:02:14,920
When I set about
fixing another person,

48
00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:17,390
it's because I see
them as broken.

49
00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:20,360
Fixing is a [INAUDIBLE] that
separates us from one another.

50
00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:22,760
It creates a distance.

51
00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,670
"Fundamentally, helping,
fixing, and serving

52
00:02:25,670 --> 00:02:27,560
are ways of seeing life.

53
00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,670
When you help, you
see life as weak.

54
00:02:29,670 --> 00:02:31,840
When you fix, you
see life as broken.

55
00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:34,400
And when you serve,
you see life as whole.

56
00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,010
When we serve in this
way, we understand

57
00:02:37,010 --> 00:02:39,790
that this person's suffering
is also my suffering,

58
00:02:39,790 --> 00:02:41,850
that their joy is my joy.

59
00:02:41,850 --> 00:02:44,850
We may help or fix many
things in our lives.

60
00:02:44,850 --> 00:02:52,300
But when we serve, we are always
in the service of wholeness."

61
00:02:52,300 --> 00:02:54,900
So now this is an
opportunity to take a moment

62
00:02:54,900 --> 00:02:57,990
and speak about yourself
and how to relate to service

63
00:02:57,990 --> 00:03:00,260
trips [INAUDIBLE] youth.

64
00:03:00,260 --> 00:03:02,620
What brought you to
this webinar today?

65
00:03:02,620 --> 00:03:05,540
Are you a parent, a
chaperone, a director

66
00:03:05,540 --> 00:03:09,040
of religious education
or an advisor?

67
00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:17,244
Are you a youth?

68
00:03:17,244 --> 00:03:19,160
So I'd like to tell you
a little bit about who

69
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,500
we are at the UU College
of Social Justice

70
00:03:21,500 --> 00:03:24,300
to give you a broader context
before taking a deep dive

71
00:03:24,300 --> 00:03:26,240
into our youth programs.

72
00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:32,460
Sometimes we are abbreviated
as UUCSJ, the College, or CSJ.

73
00:03:32,460 --> 00:03:34,920
And I'll probably use all
of those terms at some point

74
00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:36,600
throughout this.

75
00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,480
So I'll try not to
be too confusing.

76
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:44,490
We were formally launched in
2012 at Justice GA in Arizona,

77
00:03:44,490 --> 00:03:47,270
although our roots go back
much further than that.

78
00:03:47,270 --> 00:03:51,380
We are a joint collaboration
between the UUA and the UU

79
00:03:51,380 --> 00:03:52,650
Service Committee.

80
00:03:52,650 --> 00:03:55,960
We connect UU faith leaders
and congregants, as well as

81
00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:58,220
fellow travelers who are
interested in the Unitarian

82
00:03:58,220 --> 00:04:01,260
Universalist faith with
spiritually grounded

83
00:04:01,260 --> 00:04:04,060
social justice and
human rights work.

84
00:04:04,060 --> 00:04:06,860
We took over a long legacy
service of service trips

85
00:04:06,860 --> 00:04:08,390
that the UU Service
Committee had

86
00:04:08,390 --> 00:04:11,370
been doing going back
several years, as well

87
00:04:11,370 --> 00:04:14,640
as a number of service
and justice opportunities

88
00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,110
experientially that the
UUA had been working on

89
00:04:17,110 --> 00:04:19,120
over the past several years.

90
00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,380
So when we were officially
launched in June 2012,

91
00:04:22,380 --> 00:04:25,010
we really brought together
a lot of the fantastic work

92
00:04:25,010 --> 00:04:27,720
that the UUA and
UUSC had been doing,

93
00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,610
and have been moving forward
in deep collaboration with both

94
00:04:30,610 --> 00:04:33,050
of those organizations.

95
00:04:33,050 --> 00:04:35,710
Our mission is to
catalyze social justice

96
00:04:35,710 --> 00:04:38,139
for the Unitarian
Universalist faith.

97
00:04:38,139 --> 00:04:39,430
There are many ways to do that.

98
00:04:39,430 --> 00:04:41,300
And we believe that
one very strong way

99
00:04:41,300 --> 00:04:44,360
to do that is through
experiential-learning programs.

100
00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:45,730
So that's our focus.

101
00:04:45,730 --> 00:04:47,870
So we do service-learning trips.

102
00:04:47,870 --> 00:04:49,160
We have trainings.

103
00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,000
And we have short- to long-term
placements for volunteers

104
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:54,940
and interns.

105
00:04:54,940 --> 00:04:57,200
All of our programs
have a strong focus

106
00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:58,970
on justice education.

107
00:04:58,970 --> 00:05:02,130
Our trips are all led by
experienced program leaders,

108
00:05:02,130 --> 00:05:04,730
either by our staff at the
College of Social Justice

109
00:05:04,730 --> 00:05:07,930
or by folks who are lay
or professional leaders

110
00:05:07,930 --> 00:05:10,490
in our denomination
who have experience

111
00:05:10,490 --> 00:05:14,640
with the human [INAUDIBLE]
work [INAUDIBLE]

112
00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,800
lives and also have
some direct experience

113
00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,850
being a leader in a
service-learning context.

114
00:05:20,850 --> 00:05:22,920
So these are the
wonderful folks who

115
00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,170
facilitate all of our trips--
the day-to-day itinerary,

116
00:05:26,170 --> 00:05:28,000
as well as the learnings
that take place

117
00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,150
throughout our
experiential-learning programs.

118
00:05:31,150 --> 00:05:33,800
In addition to being led
by these program leaders,

119
00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:37,270
all of our trips and
trainings have a strong focus

120
00:05:37,270 --> 00:05:41,440
on justice education through
pre- and post-trip education

121
00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,300
opportunities, as
well as of course

122
00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:45,890
that experience during
the trip itself.

123
00:05:45,890 --> 00:05:49,110
So this screenshot here is
of our study guide, which

124
00:05:49,110 --> 00:05:52,560
is available at our
website, uucsj.org,

125
00:05:52,560 --> 00:05:55,880
and which is a guiding document
that any trip or training

126
00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:59,040
participant is encouraged
to use before, during,

127
00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:01,880
and after their trip
and training to start

128
00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,380
to engage ideas of human
rights and social justice,

129
00:06:05,380 --> 00:06:07,660
what your personal
role is in it,

130
00:06:07,660 --> 00:06:10,890
and how you can be a real
advocate and ally for change

131
00:06:10,890 --> 00:06:13,730
in a meaningful way.

132
00:06:13,730 --> 00:06:15,860
We believe also that
traveling in a group

133
00:06:15,860 --> 00:06:17,550
magnifies your experience.

134
00:06:17,550 --> 00:06:20,860
Sometimes congregations or youth
groups will travel together.

135
00:06:20,860 --> 00:06:23,620
And sometimes folks
will choose to go

136
00:06:23,620 --> 00:06:25,920
on a trip that's open
enrollment with other folks

137
00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:27,490
that they haven't met before.

138
00:06:27,490 --> 00:06:30,360
In either case, that
opportunity to travel

139
00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,610
with like-minded individuals
who care about social justice

140
00:06:33,610 --> 00:06:37,080
generally as well as this issue
area and place specifically

141
00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:40,860
is a powerful and
transformative experience.

142
00:06:40,860 --> 00:06:43,050
So it's all
different things that

143
00:06:43,050 --> 00:06:46,030
build together on top of
the day-to-day itinerary

144
00:06:46,030 --> 00:06:48,250
of each trip.

145
00:06:48,250 --> 00:06:51,480
And in all cases, we
work with partners.

146
00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,250
Instead of just going in
and developing our program,

147
00:06:54,250 --> 00:06:56,660
we ask partners
on the ground what

148
00:06:56,660 --> 00:06:58,770
they think we can
stand to learn,

149
00:06:58,770 --> 00:07:03,720
how visitors to their
area can be folks who

150
00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:06,760
educate themselves and be
part of meaningful change,

151
00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:08,930
and how we can be good
allies and partners

152
00:07:08,930 --> 00:07:14,830
to that organization as
an organization ourselves.

153
00:07:14,830 --> 00:07:18,640
So I'll now run us through our
experiential-learning programs.

154
00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,900
One, these programs
are open to adults

155
00:07:20,900 --> 00:07:24,670
of all ages as individuals
[? or organizations. ?]

156
00:07:24,670 --> 00:07:26,170
And I'll come back
to a few of these

157
00:07:26,170 --> 00:07:34,270
later as they specifically
relate to youth groups.

158
00:07:34,270 --> 00:07:37,140
Haiti Just Recovery is
our signature program.

159
00:07:37,140 --> 00:07:39,360
The UU Service Committee
first went to Haiti

160
00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,620
just after the
earthquake in 2010,

161
00:07:41,620 --> 00:07:44,410
which we just marked the
fifth-year anniversary of.

162
00:07:44,410 --> 00:07:46,740
And shortly
thereafter, what became

163
00:07:46,740 --> 00:07:48,830
the UU College of
Social Justice began

164
00:07:48,830 --> 00:07:51,480
sending service and
educational delegations.

165
00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,390
And we've been running
those trips ever since.

166
00:07:54,390 --> 00:07:57,940
In those programs, we do some
direct hands-on rebuilding

167
00:07:57,940 --> 00:08:00,520
work with our main
partner there,

168
00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:04,860
MPP, the Papay Peasant Movement,
helping build eco villages

169
00:08:04,860 --> 00:08:07,760
and maintain gardens for
folks who were displaced

170
00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,150
from Port-au-Prince,
the urban area,

171
00:08:10,150 --> 00:08:13,730
and now live in rural Haiti
and have been making lives

172
00:08:13,730 --> 00:08:16,300
for themselves there and
really moving beyond survival

173
00:08:16,300 --> 00:08:18,090
to thriving.

174
00:08:18,090 --> 00:08:20,050
We also learn about
the broader context

175
00:08:20,050 --> 00:08:22,660
of issues that come
together in Haiti, like land

176
00:08:22,660 --> 00:08:27,680
rights, poverty, colonialism,
and think and discuss

177
00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:33,070
the ways that these really
were highlighted and shifted

178
00:08:33,070 --> 00:08:34,750
during the experience
of the earthquake

179
00:08:34,750 --> 00:08:37,820
and in the five years since.

180
00:08:37,820 --> 00:08:40,360
Borderlinks is our
immigration justice program,

181
00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,640
which takes place in the
US-Mexico border region.

182
00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:46,530
This has a strong focus
on immigration justice

183
00:08:46,530 --> 00:08:48,010
from both sides of the border.

184
00:08:48,010 --> 00:08:50,440
Those delegations visit
Mexico, as well as

185
00:08:50,440 --> 00:08:52,250
spending time within the US.

186
00:08:52,250 --> 00:08:54,760
We see what reality
of life on the border

187
00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:58,620
is like for migrants themselves,
for those who help them,

188
00:08:58,620 --> 00:09:00,350
for their families
and loved ones,

189
00:09:00,350 --> 00:09:03,900
and for those who just
live in the area, as well.

190
00:09:03,900 --> 00:09:05,690
We go out directly
into the desert.

191
00:09:05,690 --> 00:09:08,234
We place water--
life-saving water supplies--

192
00:09:08,234 --> 00:09:10,150
for folks who are traveling
through the desert

193
00:09:10,150 --> 00:09:11,990
and desperately need support.

194
00:09:11,990 --> 00:09:14,350
And we do that with
No More Deaths,

195
00:09:14,350 --> 00:09:17,360
which is a ministry of
the UU Church of Tucson.

196
00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,550
And we meet with folks
from that church,

197
00:09:19,550 --> 00:09:22,160
as well as many other
humanitarian-aid workers

198
00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,380
and advocates in the Southern
Arizona and northern Mexico

199
00:09:26,380 --> 00:09:29,420
area who have a lot to teach us.

200
00:09:29,420 --> 00:09:31,890
We also once a year
visit our partners

201
00:09:31,890 --> 00:09:35,129
through the UU
Holdeen India Program.

202
00:09:35,129 --> 00:09:36,670
I'm actually excited
to share that we

203
00:09:36,670 --> 00:09:41,200
have a delegation of [AUDIO OUT]
there right now as I speak.

204
00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,620
So on this trip, we visit
Holdeen India Program partners,

205
00:09:44,620 --> 00:09:46,850
many of which the
UUA has been working

206
00:09:46,850 --> 00:09:50,670
with for 30 years, that
program has been running now.

207
00:09:50,670 --> 00:09:53,480
And there's a real focus on
women's rights and workers'

208
00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:55,830
rights, especially
what organizing

209
00:09:55,830 --> 00:09:58,990
work looks like for those
involved in the informal sector

210
00:09:58,990 --> 00:10:00,730
of trade and labor.

211
00:10:00,730 --> 00:10:02,720
So we travel around
different parts of India

212
00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:06,890
learning directly from women
who have done incredible work

213
00:10:06,890 --> 00:10:10,110
to organize amongst themselves,
stand up for their rights

214
00:10:10,110 --> 00:10:12,560
as women and as
laborers, and to really

215
00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:19,060
move their causes forward in
incredible and powerful ways.

216
00:10:19,060 --> 00:10:21,290
A little bit closer to
home here in the US,

217
00:10:21,290 --> 00:10:24,200
we have a program called
Justice in the Food Chain, which

218
00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:27,830
is in Chicago, Illinois, and
has a focus on workers' rights

219
00:10:27,830 --> 00:10:29,670
and a history of labor rights.

220
00:10:29,670 --> 00:10:32,580
There we work in partnership
with the Restaurant

221
00:10:32,580 --> 00:10:34,170
Opportunities Centers.

222
00:10:34,170 --> 00:10:36,750
For those of you who read
the UUA Common Read a couple

223
00:10:36,750 --> 00:10:39,550
years back now, Behind
the Kitchen Door,

224
00:10:39,550 --> 00:10:42,540
you may be familiar with ROC
United and the great work

225
00:10:42,540 --> 00:10:43,610
that they do.

226
00:10:43,610 --> 00:10:46,410
And we also work with an
allied organization of ROC

227
00:10:46,410 --> 00:10:48,860
called Food Chain
Workers Alliance, which

228
00:10:48,860 --> 00:10:51,980
does incredible work organizing
folks and making sure

229
00:10:51,980 --> 00:10:55,480
that rights are being respected
all along the food chain,

230
00:10:55,480 --> 00:10:58,430
from field to table.

231
00:10:58,430 --> 00:11:00,920
We're excited to continue
to develop that program

232
00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,650
to continue to be an
experiential-learning

233
00:11:04,650 --> 00:11:06,820
opportunity about
workers' rights in the US

234
00:11:06,820 --> 00:11:09,380
and to also be a training
opportunity and experience,

235
00:11:09,380 --> 00:11:09,990
too.

236
00:11:09,990 --> 00:11:13,360
So watch this space to learn
more about that moving forward.

237
00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:15,090
As we continue to
grow that program,

238
00:11:15,090 --> 00:11:18,350
we'll have details
online at uucsj.org,

239
00:11:18,350 --> 00:11:21,980
as we will for all
of our programs.

240
00:11:21,980 --> 00:11:24,460
We're also, this spring,
launching a new program

241
00:11:24,460 --> 00:11:27,270
called Solidarity with
original nations and peoples

242
00:11:27,270 --> 00:11:28,800
in Washington State.

243
00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,340
With this program, we meet
with people in the Lummi nation

244
00:11:31,340 --> 00:11:35,000
and stay on Lummi land
outside of the Bellingham area

245
00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:36,560
in Washington State.

246
00:11:36,560 --> 00:11:39,530
We learn about the history
of US policy and relations

247
00:11:39,530 --> 00:11:41,690
to original nations and peoples.

248
00:11:41,690 --> 00:11:45,120
And we learn how the Lummi has
historically organized and are

249
00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,630
doing so today around
the justice issues that

250
00:11:47,630 --> 00:11:50,540
impact them, including
the realities of climate

251
00:11:50,540 --> 00:11:52,290
justice and
environmental justice

252
00:11:52,290 --> 00:11:55,370
and what it looks like
on Lummi's land that

253
00:11:55,370 --> 00:12:01,130
is also under US Federal
Government control.

254
00:12:01,130 --> 00:12:03,590
And a new program, which I'll
delve into a little bit more

255
00:12:03,590 --> 00:12:06,570
later also, is Hurricane
Sandy Relief Work.

256
00:12:06,570 --> 00:12:09,560
For this program, we are working
with our partners in CERG,

257
00:12:09,560 --> 00:12:12,510
the Central East
Regional Group of the UUA

258
00:12:12,510 --> 00:12:15,930
and a number of folks who have
been doing Hurricane Sandy

259
00:12:15,930 --> 00:12:21,460
relief work since the hurricane
hit the greater New York area.

260
00:12:21,460 --> 00:12:30,860
So for this program
[AUDIO OUT] And we also

261
00:12:30,860 --> 00:12:35,000
meet with folks involved with
organizations like Occupy Sandy

262
00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,600
to learn about what
environmental justice looks

263
00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,460
like in an urban context
and how recovering

264
00:12:41,460 --> 00:12:45,280
from a disaster like this can
really affect different people

265
00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:48,690
in very different ways.

266
00:12:48,690 --> 00:12:50,970
In addition to our
experiential-learning programs,

267
00:12:50,970 --> 00:12:53,160
we also have a number of
young-adult internships

268
00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:54,256
and trainings.

269
00:12:54,256 --> 00:12:55,630
So these are some
of the programs

270
00:12:55,630 --> 00:12:58,200
that I oversee most
closely, in addition

271
00:12:58,200 --> 00:12:59,900
to our youth trainings.

272
00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:02,430
So I'm really excited to
see these programs continue

273
00:13:02,430 --> 00:13:03,664
to grow.

274
00:13:03,664 --> 00:13:05,080
All of our young-adult
internships

275
00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:06,400
take place during summer.

276
00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,580
They are from 6 to 12 weeks.

277
00:13:08,580 --> 00:13:11,830
And interns are placed with
partner organizations--

278
00:13:11,830 --> 00:13:15,080
partners that we know
through UUA or the UU Service

279
00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,800
Committee or partner
organizations

280
00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,540
that we know in other aspects
of our social justice work.

281
00:13:21,540 --> 00:13:24,370
It's a hands-on opportunity
for a young adult

282
00:13:24,370 --> 00:13:26,700
to learn about what
social justice looks

283
00:13:26,700 --> 00:13:30,150
like in an office, what it
looks like out on the campaign

284
00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:32,120
trail, what it
looks like lobbying,

285
00:13:32,120 --> 00:13:34,400
and what it looks like
doing direct service.

286
00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,810
So there's a wide array of
different opportunities.

287
00:13:36,810 --> 00:13:40,860
We'll have 20 placements,
this upcoming summer 2015,

288
00:13:40,860 --> 00:13:45,060
including about 15 here in the
US and about five overseas,

289
00:13:45,060 --> 00:13:48,300
including in London, England,
and in a couple of locations

290
00:13:48,300 --> 00:13:50,210
across India.

291
00:13:50,210 --> 00:13:54,670
These programs are open to all
young adults aged 18 to 35.

292
00:13:54,670 --> 00:13:56,470
Because of the
timing of them, they

293
00:13:56,470 --> 00:14:00,590
tend to appeal most to folks
who are either in college

294
00:14:00,590 --> 00:14:02,729
or who are otherwise
recently graduated

295
00:14:02,729 --> 00:14:04,520
from high school within
the last five years

296
00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,280
and maybe are doing
some career discernment.

297
00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:09,560
Applications are rolling
throughout the spring.

298
00:14:09,560 --> 00:14:12,320
So if you know a young adult
who might be interested in this

299
00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:15,460
kind of an opportunity, please
encourage them to visit us

300
00:14:15,460 --> 00:14:20,250
at uucsj.org/internships to
learn about the opportunities

301
00:14:20,250 --> 00:14:22,250
there and apply today.

302
00:14:22,250 --> 00:14:25,260
And also in addition to our
on-the-ground internships,

303
00:14:25,260 --> 00:14:27,560
we are also going
to be launching

304
00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,650
some new young-adult social
justice trainings, beginning

305
00:14:30,650 --> 00:14:34,750
with one in August 2015 led
by Tim DeChristopher, who

306
00:14:34,750 --> 00:14:38,510
many of you may know as a
real leader in direct action

307
00:14:38,510 --> 00:14:40,710
regarding climate
justice, as well

308
00:14:40,710 --> 00:14:42,920
as a real leader in the
Unitarian Universalist

309
00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,000
movement.

310
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,330
This will be a climate justice
organizers training, which

311
00:14:48,330 --> 00:14:49,570
will take place in August.

312
00:14:49,570 --> 00:14:51,780
And it will be a
several-day-long intensive

313
00:14:51,780 --> 00:14:54,060
for folks who are already
committed to taking action

314
00:14:54,060 --> 00:14:56,250
on climate justice and
who feel like they're

315
00:14:56,250 --> 00:14:59,470
ready to take some
next steps and network

316
00:14:59,470 --> 00:15:02,040
with other faith-based
folks who share

317
00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:09,990
a lot of the same values and
justice goals that they do.

318
00:15:09,990 --> 00:15:12,690
So now I will turn to our
Activate youth justice

319
00:15:12,690 --> 00:15:14,030
trainings.

320
00:15:14,030 --> 00:15:17,280
This will be now, let's
see, our fourth summer

321
00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:22,050
of offering summer
trainings for young people.

322
00:15:22,050 --> 00:15:24,640
So these programs are
open to all youth,

323
00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,910
whether they are UU are non-UU.

324
00:15:26,910 --> 00:15:28,560
And the way that
we define youth is

325
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,770
that they have been in 9th,
10th, 11th, or 12th grade

326
00:15:32,770 --> 00:15:36,340
during the school year that
ended before that summer.

327
00:15:36,340 --> 00:15:38,200
So in other words,
they'll have finished 9th

328
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,630
through 12th grade
as of spring 2015,

329
00:15:40,630 --> 00:15:44,490
in this case, or the
home-schooled equivalent.

330
00:15:44,490 --> 00:15:47,440
These programs are a
perfect fit for any youth

331
00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,000
who has some interest
in social justice work.

332
00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,537
We've had youth
participants who know

333
00:15:52,537 --> 00:15:54,620
that they're passionate
about social justice work.

334
00:15:54,620 --> 00:15:56,580
They're a real leader
in their home community

335
00:15:56,580 --> 00:15:58,410
or their congregation or both.

336
00:15:58,410 --> 00:16:01,220
And they want to learn how
they can more deeply engage

337
00:16:01,220 --> 00:16:03,830
with social justice in
their own sense of calling

338
00:16:03,830 --> 00:16:05,200
to do that work.

339
00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:06,820
We've also had
youth participants

340
00:16:06,820 --> 00:16:10,070
who grew up hearing
about social justice

341
00:16:10,070 --> 00:16:12,230
as being important
to their family

342
00:16:12,230 --> 00:16:15,002
or to their understanding of
their Unitarian Universalism.

343
00:16:15,002 --> 00:16:17,210
They know that it's something
they should care about,

344
00:16:17,210 --> 00:16:19,950
but they're just not sure how
to really get engaged and take

345
00:16:19,950 --> 00:16:21,080
next steps.

346
00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:23,350
And this is a real
intensive opportunity

347
00:16:23,350 --> 00:16:25,700
to meet like-minded
youth who can really

348
00:16:25,700 --> 00:16:28,470
give them support as they
do some self-exploration

349
00:16:28,470 --> 00:16:31,890
and really grow into
being a justice leader.

350
00:16:31,890 --> 00:16:34,240
So these programs are
open to all youth.

351
00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,730
And they also seem to attract a
whole array of youth, as well.

352
00:16:37,730 --> 00:16:39,450
So if a know a
young person who is

353
00:16:39,450 --> 00:16:41,220
passionate about
social justice work

354
00:16:41,220 --> 00:16:44,020
or is still finding a way to
live out their faith, please

355
00:16:44,020 --> 00:16:47,250
consider sending them to one
of our Activate youth programs

356
00:16:47,250 --> 00:16:51,870
because this really might
be a fantastic fit for them.

357
00:16:51,870 --> 00:16:55,680
And also just a quick
side note about UU

358
00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:57,400
and non-UU participants.

359
00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:00,600
We've had youth who
identify as UU participating

360
00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,160
in our programs as the majority.

361
00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:03,900
But we've also had
about a quarter

362
00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:06,849
to a third of our
participants each year not

363
00:17:06,849 --> 00:17:08,940
identify as Unitarian
Universalist

364
00:17:08,940 --> 00:17:13,470
but be otherwise interested
in seeing how spirituality

365
00:17:13,470 --> 00:17:17,060
is an aspect of what they feel
calls them to do social justice

366
00:17:17,060 --> 00:17:17,650
work.

367
00:17:17,650 --> 00:17:19,950
And those youth have always
given really positive,

368
00:17:19,950 --> 00:17:22,000
wonderful reviews
about their experience.

369
00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:24,300
So we encourage you
to spread the word

370
00:17:24,300 --> 00:17:26,199
to their friends outside
of church for you

371
00:17:26,199 --> 00:17:27,865
to help reach out to
youth that you know

372
00:17:27,865 --> 00:17:30,040
in other aspects of
your life or for youth

373
00:17:30,040 --> 00:17:32,150
who are not sure
about how exactly they

374
00:17:32,150 --> 00:17:34,290
engage in their UU-ism.

375
00:17:34,290 --> 00:17:36,400
Also, I'll make a quick
note before we go on,

376
00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,840
which is that this year we
have retitled these programs.

377
00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:41,460
So what we're now
calling Activate

378
00:17:41,460 --> 00:17:44,450
we had previously been
calling National Youth Justice

379
00:17:44,450 --> 00:17:45,195
Trainings.

380
00:17:45,195 --> 00:17:47,320
So if you've heard about
the National Youth Justice

381
00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:50,860
Trainings, or NYJT, that's
actually the same thing here.

382
00:17:50,860 --> 00:17:52,360
So we've gone through
a name change.

383
00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:54,930
But in effect, the content
is going to be very similar.

384
00:17:54,930 --> 00:17:57,630
And they're really the same
programs moving forward.

385
00:17:57,630 --> 00:18:01,830
So we're looking forward
to having that continuity.

386
00:18:01,830 --> 00:18:05,810
In summer 2015 we'll be
offering three residential one-

387
00:18:05,810 --> 00:18:08,800
to two-week-long Activate
programs, as well

388
00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,680
as a pre-General
Assembly one-day sampler.

389
00:18:12,680 --> 00:18:17,190
We will be having our GA
sampler on Wednesday, June 24.

390
00:18:17,190 --> 00:18:22,840
We'll have Activate New Orleans
for one week, July 18 to 26;

391
00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:26,860
Activate Boston, two
weeks, July 18 to August 1;

392
00:18:26,860 --> 00:18:36,710
and Active Southwest Border is
one week, from August 1 to 9.

393
00:18:36,710 --> 00:18:38,600
Our Activate General
Assembly sampler

394
00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:41,230
is open to all youth--
again 9th through 12th grade

395
00:18:41,230 --> 00:18:44,190
in the previous school
year-- who are attending GA.

396
00:18:44,190 --> 00:18:45,900
So this is great
for any youth who

397
00:18:45,900 --> 00:18:47,830
is thinking about
attending GA or maybe has

398
00:18:47,830 --> 00:18:49,266
been going for quite some time.

399
00:18:49,266 --> 00:18:50,890
Maybe they're involved
in Youth Caucus,

400
00:18:50,890 --> 00:18:53,560
or maybe they don't have
too much involvement there.

401
00:18:53,560 --> 00:18:57,210
This is a really great program
and a way for the youth

402
00:18:57,210 --> 00:18:59,880
to see what the College
of Social Justice is like,

403
00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:04,550
what we do, and how we
do it and to [INAUDIBLE]

404
00:19:04,550 --> 00:19:06,932
specific social justice issue.

405
00:19:06,932 --> 00:19:10,290
So [AUDIO OUT] are on the
Wednesday the GA opens.

406
00:19:10,290 --> 00:19:16,220
So this year, it's
June 24. [AUDIO OUT] GA

407
00:19:16,220 --> 00:19:26,600
opens Wednesday [AUDIO OUT]
Youth Caucus [AUDIO OUT]

408
00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,080
in the daytime before that.

409
00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:29,940
So we begin
mid-morning, and we end

410
00:19:29,940 --> 00:19:32,630
in mid-afternoon in plenty
of time for participants

411
00:19:32,630 --> 00:19:35,880
to get to Youth
Caucus orientation.

412
00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:38,250
This is our are second
annual program at GA.

413
00:19:38,250 --> 00:19:39,810
And last year was
a great success.

414
00:19:39,810 --> 00:19:42,860
So we're really excited to
bring this energy to Portland.

415
00:19:42,860 --> 00:19:44,990
Again, this is a sampler
of the UU College

416
00:19:44,990 --> 00:19:46,740
of Social Justice and our work.

417
00:19:46,740 --> 00:19:49,960
And we will focus in on a
specific case study issue

418
00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:52,990
area, which this year will
be environmental and climate

419
00:19:52,990 --> 00:19:53,740
justice.

420
00:19:53,740 --> 00:19:57,540
We'll talk about what that
means to us, what our roles are

421
00:19:57,540 --> 00:20:00,540
in the climate justice
movement, and how

422
00:20:00,540 --> 00:20:04,630
we can make some specific
actions during General Assembly

423
00:20:04,630 --> 00:20:06,570
and after we leave
and go back home

424
00:20:06,570 --> 00:20:09,310
to our respective communities.

425
00:20:09,310 --> 00:20:11,470
Registration for
Activate GA will

426
00:20:11,470 --> 00:20:14,630
be open concurrent with
General Assembly registration.

427
00:20:14,630 --> 00:20:17,550
So again, for any youth
planning to attend GA,

428
00:20:17,550 --> 00:20:20,290
they can look for opportunities
to sign up with that as they

429
00:20:20,290 --> 00:20:21,860
register for Youth Caucus.

430
00:20:21,860 --> 00:20:23,500
And as with everything
else, we have

431
00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:29,500
lots of info on our
own website, as well.

432
00:20:29,500 --> 00:20:32,750
Activate New Orleans is
a social justice training

433
00:20:32,750 --> 00:20:35,360
that we've been doing in
New Orleans in partnership

434
00:20:35,360 --> 00:20:37,760
with the Center for Ethical
Living and Social Justice

435
00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:38,630
Renewal.

436
00:20:38,630 --> 00:20:41,220
Many of you are familiar with
the Center for Ethical Living

437
00:20:41,220 --> 00:20:42,720
and the incredible
work that they've

438
00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:45,730
been doing with service
work in rebuilding

439
00:20:45,730 --> 00:20:47,890
in the wake of
Hurricane Katrina.

440
00:20:47,890 --> 00:20:50,780
This is a unique partnership
between the College of Social

441
00:20:50,780 --> 00:20:52,860
Justice and the
Center for Ethical

442
00:20:52,860 --> 00:20:56,220
Living where youth can do some
direct service work but also

443
00:20:56,220 --> 00:21:00,340
take a step back to really learn
more about the history of New

444
00:21:00,340 --> 00:21:03,490
Orleans, what it was like
before Hurricane Katrina hit,

445
00:21:03,490 --> 00:21:06,460
how the Katrina affected
people in different ways,

446
00:21:06,460 --> 00:21:09,700
and what post-Katrina
New Orleans looks like,

447
00:21:09,700 --> 00:21:12,340
and how it's still
working to rebuild.

448
00:21:12,340 --> 00:21:14,600
We work with partners such
as the People's Institute

449
00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,610
for Survival and Beyond.

450
00:21:16,610 --> 00:21:20,060
This past summer, we visited
a MIC-Amped youth leadership

451
00:21:20,060 --> 00:21:22,360
summit with a
local organization.

452
00:21:22,360 --> 00:21:25,500
We do some direct service
through some rebuilding,

453
00:21:25,500 --> 00:21:27,570
through some bayou
wetland restoration,

454
00:21:27,570 --> 00:21:30,700
or giving out lunch
for the homeless

455
00:21:30,700 --> 00:21:32,350
in the parks in New Orleans.

456
00:21:32,350 --> 00:21:34,350
So there are some
hands-on opportunities

457
00:21:34,350 --> 00:21:36,310
to do [AUDIO OUT] there.

458
00:21:36,310 --> 00:21:39,020
But there's also a
really strong focus

459
00:21:39,020 --> 00:21:42,850
on thinking about what it means
to rebuild a thriving city

460
00:21:42,850 --> 00:21:46,090
and really getting to know
the rich and incredibly unique

461
00:21:46,090 --> 00:21:47,950
culture of New Orleans.

462
00:21:47,950 --> 00:21:50,500
So there's a focus
on justice education

463
00:21:50,500 --> 00:21:54,120
specifically through a lens
of race and class identity.

464
00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,260
We talk about things
like systemic racism

465
00:21:56,260 --> 00:21:59,380
and the school-to-prison
pipeline, topics

466
00:21:59,380 --> 00:22:02,700
like intercultural
competency and sensitivity,

467
00:22:02,700 --> 00:22:06,780
and again, how youth can
be allies and advocates

468
00:22:06,780 --> 00:22:10,440
and really come to appreciate
the social justice that

469
00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:14,610
takes place in an incredible
city like New Orleans.

470
00:22:14,610 --> 00:22:16,860
I'd like to share a
parent testimonial

471
00:22:16,860 --> 00:22:20,660
to give a little bit of
that parental perspective

472
00:22:20,660 --> 00:22:23,230
on what our Youth Justice
Trainings are like.

473
00:22:23,230 --> 00:22:26,800
This testimonial is provided by
Janet Spector Bishop, whose son

474
00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,710
Jack participated in
our New Orleans program

475
00:22:29,710 --> 00:22:32,600
this previous summer.

476
00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:35,100
"Last spring, we began
the annual ritual

477
00:22:35,100 --> 00:22:38,500
of finding something for our
son Jack to do over the summer.

478
00:22:38,500 --> 00:22:42,340
Then 15, Jack had attended UU
church since the first grade.

479
00:22:42,340 --> 00:22:44,620
And while I looked at a
wide range of options,

480
00:22:44,620 --> 00:22:48,050
the UU College of Social
Justice programming stood out.

481
00:22:48,050 --> 00:22:50,320
I loved the idea of
strengthening Jack's ties

482
00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:53,120
to his faith and as an
enthusiastic youth group

483
00:22:53,120 --> 00:22:55,490
and con participant,
he loved the idea

484
00:22:55,490 --> 00:23:00,100
of a week-long UU experience
in such an exciting city.

485
00:23:00,100 --> 00:23:01,980
"But I wasn't expecting much.

486
00:23:01,980 --> 00:23:03,690
I knew that the College
of Social Justice

487
00:23:03,690 --> 00:23:06,490
was still pretty new and
suspected the program might

488
00:23:06,490 --> 00:23:08,360
be glorified babysitting.

489
00:23:08,360 --> 00:23:10,550
In this I was entirely mistaken.

490
00:23:10,550 --> 00:23:14,000
"The New Orleans trip
literally changed Jack's life.

491
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:15,840
He returned home
with deep connections

492
00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,310
to UU youth
throughout the country

493
00:23:18,310 --> 00:23:21,640
and an intensified commitment
to social justice issues that

494
00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:23,840
is beginning to shape his
thoughts about college

495
00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:25,690
and the future.

496
00:23:25,690 --> 00:23:29,140
Sometimes the best lessons
come from unexpected sources.

497
00:23:29,140 --> 00:23:32,050
During Jack's stay, the group
attended a church service

498
00:23:32,050 --> 00:23:34,700
that was disrupted by the
pro-life operation Save

499
00:23:34,700 --> 00:23:36,030
America.

500
00:23:36,030 --> 00:23:38,750
The way that UU
minister Dana VanDeveer

501
00:23:38,750 --> 00:23:42,190
handled the situation
demonstrated as no workshop

502
00:23:42,190 --> 00:23:45,690
or presentation could how
to meet anger and hate

503
00:23:45,690 --> 00:23:49,290
with non-violent
love and resistance.

504
00:23:49,290 --> 00:23:51,230
"Behind every eager
youth participant

505
00:23:51,230 --> 00:23:52,620
is an anxious parent.

506
00:23:52,620 --> 00:23:54,650
And I had my share of
worries about how well

507
00:23:54,650 --> 00:23:56,340
the program would be run.

508
00:23:56,340 --> 00:24:00,310
Again, the New Orleans program
exceeded my expectations.

509
00:24:00,310 --> 00:24:03,120
Both the Boston staff and
the on-site program team

510
00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:05,140
were incredibly
competent, caring,

511
00:24:05,140 --> 00:24:08,624
and responsive to my
questions and concerns.

512
00:24:08,624 --> 00:24:11,020
"Jack will finish
11th grade in June,

513
00:24:11,020 --> 00:24:14,030
and we are once again
exploring summer opportunities.

514
00:24:14,030 --> 00:24:16,750
Although many factors are
coming into play, including

515
00:24:16,750 --> 00:24:20,380
those ubiquitous college
visits, near the top of the list

516
00:24:20,380 --> 00:24:22,900
is the Activate
Southwest Border trip.

517
00:24:22,900 --> 00:24:25,670
And truly, there can be
no greater testimonial

518
00:24:25,670 --> 00:24:32,940
to the efficacy of CSJ's
programs than that."

519
00:24:32,940 --> 00:24:36,580
So thank you to youth
participant parent Janet

520
00:24:36,580 --> 00:24:42,410
for providing that
powerful testimonial.

521
00:24:42,410 --> 00:24:45,330
So now I'll move to our
Activate Boston program, which

522
00:24:45,330 --> 00:24:48,490
takes place at a similar time
as the Activate New Orleans

523
00:24:48,490 --> 00:24:53,300
program, also beginning July
18 weeks until August 1.

524
00:24:53,300 --> 00:24:56,300
For this program, I'll
tell you a bit more.

525
00:24:56,300 --> 00:24:58,830
But again, we really think
that a personal testimonial

526
00:24:58,830 --> 00:25:01,220
is an incredible way to
learn more about the program.

527
00:25:01,220 --> 00:25:04,350
So I encourage you
after this video

528
00:25:04,350 --> 00:25:08,260
ends to go visit the URL
at the bottom of this slide

529
00:25:08,260 --> 00:25:12,980
to learn more about [AUDIO OUT]
from a teen's perspective.

530
00:25:12,980 --> 00:25:15,530
You can see the URL at
the very bottom here.

531
00:25:15,530 --> 00:25:28,400
It is
youtube.com/watch?v=0s46ugebgl8.

532
00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,820
And we will do our best to
link to that in the notes,

533
00:25:30,820 --> 00:25:32,860
as well, so you can
just click on that right

534
00:25:32,860 --> 00:25:34,760
from your computer.

535
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,740
A little bit of a
note for those who

536
00:25:36,740 --> 00:25:39,490
do view the video--
a couple of changes

537
00:25:39,490 --> 00:25:42,680
have occurred since that
video recorded in 2013.

538
00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,010
The youth in that video refer
to a three-week-long program,

539
00:25:46,010 --> 00:25:47,340
which it was at the time.

540
00:25:47,340 --> 00:25:49,940
And again, we've since shifted
to having a two-week program

541
00:25:49,940 --> 00:25:51,220
here in Boston.

542
00:25:51,220 --> 00:25:53,400
And they also refer
to taking part

543
00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:56,500
in some incredible
impactful trainings

544
00:25:56,500 --> 00:25:58,670
with the city school,
who we partnered

545
00:25:58,670 --> 00:26:02,160
with at that time for the
Activate Boston program, then

546
00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:03,470
called NYJT.

547
00:26:03,470 --> 00:26:06,000
Since then, we have
actually shifted our partner

548
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,720
to another
organization that also

549
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,690
works with the city school
called Boston Mobilization.

550
00:26:11,690 --> 00:26:13,820
So the content and
format of those trainings

551
00:26:13,820 --> 00:26:15,490
is still very similar.

552
00:26:15,490 --> 00:26:18,255
But our immediate partnership
has shifted a little bit, so

553
00:26:18,255 --> 00:26:20,450
just a little context
as you move forward

554
00:26:20,450 --> 00:26:27,370
with watching that powerful
and personal video.

555
00:26:27,370 --> 00:26:30,340
In the Activate Boston
program, as I mentioned,

556
00:26:30,340 --> 00:26:32,400
we partner with
Boston Mobilization

557
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,390
to provide some foundational
social justice trainings.

558
00:26:35,390 --> 00:26:37,260
Because this training
is a little bit longer

559
00:26:37,260 --> 00:26:39,440
than the others--
it's two weeks long--

560
00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:43,340
we have some time to delve into
issues of race, class, gender,

561
00:26:43,340 --> 00:26:45,800
and sexuality and to
do some background

562
00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,650
trainings and some
personal work on each

563
00:26:48,650 --> 00:26:52,890
of those issues in a real
powerful group setting.

564
00:26:52,890 --> 00:26:55,300
So we spend some time with
Boston Mobilization doing

565
00:26:55,300 --> 00:26:56,960
some retreat-style trainings.

566
00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:58,560
And then we spend
a lot of our time

567
00:26:58,560 --> 00:27:01,420
together exploring the
incredible rich social justice

568
00:27:01,420 --> 00:27:03,820
work that's being
done in Boston.

569
00:27:03,820 --> 00:27:06,810
I'm fortunate enough to work
right next door to Boston

570
00:27:06,810 --> 00:27:07,480
in Cambridge.

571
00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:09,479
That's where we at the
College of Social Justice

572
00:27:09,479 --> 00:27:12,900
are located, in addition
to both UUSC and UUA

573
00:27:12,900 --> 00:27:14,800
also being right
in the Boston area.

574
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:17,580
So we're right in the backyard
of Unitarian Universalist

575
00:27:17,580 --> 00:27:20,840
history, as well as some strong
local connections that all

576
00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,380
of our institutions share.

577
00:27:22,380 --> 00:27:25,660
So the youth get to
visit the UUA and UUSC.

578
00:27:25,660 --> 00:27:27,710
They get to meet with
many of our local partners

579
00:27:27,710 --> 00:27:30,120
doing incredible
social justice work.

580
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:32,950
And again, because it's right
where we're doing our own work,

581
00:27:32,950 --> 00:27:36,320
we're able to connect the youth
with current pressing issues.

582
00:27:36,320 --> 00:27:38,310
So each summer, we
work to see what

583
00:27:38,310 --> 00:27:43,160
is the current topic in
Boston's social justice work

584
00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:45,170
that we can really
introduce the youth to.

585
00:27:45,170 --> 00:27:47,070
And we bring them to
events and trainings

586
00:27:47,070 --> 00:27:50,340
and rallies to see what that's
like in a hands-on and personal

587
00:27:50,340 --> 00:27:53,800
way, here in the home of
Unitarian Universalist history,

588
00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:55,666
in a lot of ways.

589
00:27:55,666 --> 00:27:57,040
In addition, all
of the youth get

590
00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:59,950
to participate in some mini
internships, where they spend

591
00:27:59,950 --> 00:28:03,950
four to five days of
their time in Boston

592
00:28:03,950 --> 00:28:06,830
in an office working with
a social justice partner

593
00:28:06,830 --> 00:28:07,770
organization.

594
00:28:07,770 --> 00:28:10,417
So as with the internships
for young adults,

595
00:28:10,417 --> 00:28:12,250
this might take place
entirely in an office.

596
00:28:12,250 --> 00:28:14,110
They might get to go
out and participate

597
00:28:14,110 --> 00:28:19,070
in some rallies, some hands-on
service work, some helping out

598
00:28:19,070 --> 00:28:21,500
with partners and the
folks that are served

599
00:28:21,500 --> 00:28:24,400
by this organization,
really seeing what it's

600
00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:29,280
like on the ground to do
justice work [AUDIO OUT]

601
00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:34,020
and to begin to think about what
they would like to do to pursue

602
00:28:34,020 --> 00:28:38,270
social justice as a calling,
a vocation, or an avocation

603
00:28:38,270 --> 00:28:39,360
in their future.

604
00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:41,782
So the youth often
report back that that

605
00:28:41,782 --> 00:28:43,990
is one of the more powerful
parts of their experience

606
00:28:43,990 --> 00:28:47,710
because it gives them
that personal opportunity

607
00:28:47,710 --> 00:28:55,200
to see what it's like to take
part in sustained justice work.

608
00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:58,350
And now I'm excited to tell you
about our third Activate summer

609
00:28:58,350 --> 00:29:01,020
program, a residential
program that is,

610
00:29:01,020 --> 00:29:03,140
which is Activate
Southwest Border.

611
00:29:03,140 --> 00:29:05,910
And this is, in some ways,
a brand-new program for us.

612
00:29:05,910 --> 00:29:07,970
But it's building on
some other partnerships

613
00:29:07,970 --> 00:29:10,020
that we have had
for several years.

614
00:29:10,020 --> 00:29:12,920
So we're super excited to
offer this program to youth

615
00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:16,400
for the first time in
summer 2015 from August 1

616
00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:20,810
to 9, based in Southern Arizona,
specifically at Borderlinks,

617
00:29:20,810 --> 00:29:23,990
our partner's
headquarters in Tucson

618
00:29:23,990 --> 00:29:27,200
but traveling around the
Southern Arizona region.

619
00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,740
So this is a program that
builds on our partnership

620
00:29:30,740 --> 00:29:32,210
with Borderlinks.

621
00:29:32,210 --> 00:29:34,040
As with our other
Borderlinks programs,

622
00:29:34,040 --> 00:29:35,780
the youth spend a
lot of time learning

623
00:29:35,780 --> 00:29:39,860
about what immigration justice
looks like in the Southern

624
00:29:39,860 --> 00:29:41,540
Arizona region.

625
00:29:41,540 --> 00:29:43,520
We travel around that area.

626
00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,960
We meet with folks who are doing
direct service and advocacy

627
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,960
work for folks involved
in migration personally,

628
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:52,570
as well as indirectly.

629
00:29:52,570 --> 00:29:54,510
And the youth also
spent some time

630
00:29:54,510 --> 00:29:56,290
talking about their
own identities

631
00:29:56,290 --> 00:29:59,200
and how they can be part of
some movements for change.

632
00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,230
And really, what's so
powerful about that program

633
00:30:02,230 --> 00:30:04,910
is you'll learn about the
issue from both sides.

634
00:30:04,910 --> 00:30:07,160
So the youth are able to
come to their own informed

635
00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,440
opinion about why
immigration justice is

636
00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,910
such a pressing issue in
our country at this time

637
00:30:12,910 --> 00:30:15,160
and how they're
called as individuals

638
00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:21,530
and as people of faith to
try to move that forward.

639
00:30:21,530 --> 00:30:23,220
So here we have
another side video

640
00:30:23,220 --> 00:30:25,240
that I'd encourage
folks to check out.

641
00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:27,540
This is a video
testimonial provided

642
00:30:27,540 --> 00:30:29,970
by Jen Toth, who you
may know as the campaign

643
00:30:29,970 --> 00:30:32,490
manager for Standing
on the Side of Love.

644
00:30:32,490 --> 00:30:35,150
Jen recently traveled
to Borderlinks

645
00:30:35,150 --> 00:30:39,480
for a similar program for
religious leaders and clergy

646
00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:44,350
members and participated in a
number of the same activities

647
00:30:44,350 --> 00:30:45,880
that our youth will
be participating

648
00:30:45,880 --> 00:30:49,350
in our brand-new Activate
Southwest Border program.

649
00:30:49,350 --> 00:30:52,730
So I encourage you to check
out Jen's personal testimonial

650
00:30:52,730 --> 00:30:54,650
and what she thinks
the experience will

651
00:30:54,650 --> 00:30:56,917
be like for the
youth participants.

652
00:30:56,917 --> 00:30:59,000
So again, that's at the
bottom of the your screen.

653
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,249
And you can hopefully find
that in the notes, as well.

654
00:31:01,249 --> 00:31:15,790
It's at u2.ee/ogjwadxryru.

655
00:31:15,790 --> 00:31:18,240
So please check out Jen's
personal testimonial

656
00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:24,800
and see what she has to
say about her experiences.

657
00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:26,920
As with all of our
programs, please check out

658
00:31:26,920 --> 00:31:29,940
uucsj.org for more information.

659
00:31:29,940 --> 00:31:32,580
The specific landing page
for our youth programs is

660
00:31:32,580 --> 00:31:35,194
uucsj.org/youth.

661
00:31:35,194 --> 00:31:39,110
Registration is open
now for all of our three

662
00:31:39,110 --> 00:31:41,660
Activate residential
programs, Boston, New Orleans,

663
00:31:41,660 --> 00:31:43,090
and Southwest Border.

664
00:31:43,090 --> 00:31:46,860
And they all have
application deadlines in May.

665
00:31:46,860 --> 00:31:48,940
Financial assistance
is available for all

666
00:31:48,940 --> 00:31:49,810
of our programs.

667
00:31:49,810 --> 00:31:52,477
So I'd like to let you know what
the full cost of those programs

668
00:31:52,477 --> 00:31:52,976
are.

669
00:31:52,976 --> 00:31:54,790
But please keep in
mind that we offer up

670
00:31:54,790 --> 00:31:57,310
to 80% financial
assistance for youth

671
00:31:57,310 --> 00:31:59,910
who are attending this
programs and who can't

672
00:31:59,910 --> 00:32:01,560
afford the full direct costs.

673
00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:03,470
So please encourage
youth to apply,

674
00:32:03,470 --> 00:32:06,190
no matter what their family's
financial situation is.

675
00:32:06,190 --> 00:32:08,220
And we'll work to make
sure that the trip can

676
00:32:08,220 --> 00:32:10,670
be a reality for them.

677
00:32:10,670 --> 00:32:13,730
Our Boston program, which is
two weeks long-- the full price

678
00:32:13,730 --> 00:32:16,330
is $1,890.

679
00:32:16,330 --> 00:32:18,530
And for that program,
with financial assistance,

680
00:32:18,530 --> 00:32:22,760
the direct cost to a family
can be as low as $400.

681
00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,640
For our New Orleans program,
the full price is $850.

682
00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:28,330
And for our Southwest
Border program,

683
00:32:28,330 --> 00:32:30,790
the full price is $940.

684
00:32:30,790 --> 00:32:33,840
For both of those programs,
the financial assistance price

685
00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:39,150
is as low as $225
per participant.

686
00:32:39,150 --> 00:32:41,010
Financially, it is
first come, first

687
00:32:41,010 --> 00:32:44,260
served and is based on
demonstrated financial need.

688
00:32:44,260 --> 00:32:46,240
So again, if you know
folks who might qualify

689
00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,870
for financial assistance or even
if they're just not quite sure

690
00:32:48,870 --> 00:32:50,780
but would like to
ask, please encourage

691
00:32:50,780 --> 00:32:53,500
them to apply early and
get in touch with us.

692
00:32:53,500 --> 00:32:57,040
You can always reach
us at info@uucsj.org.

693
00:32:57,040 --> 00:32:59,970
We're happy to
talk to anyone who

694
00:32:59,970 --> 00:33:01,880
is interested in our
programs for themselves

695
00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:03,330
or for someone else.

696
00:33:03,330 --> 00:33:07,830
So please let us know if there's
anything we can do to help.

697
00:33:07,830 --> 00:33:10,440
We also, of course, encourage
congregations to financially

698
00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:12,120
support families if possible.

699
00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:15,580
So if your congregation
has some funding available,

700
00:33:15,580 --> 00:33:19,390
especially some funds set aside
for social justice work and/or

701
00:33:19,390 --> 00:33:22,330
for youth programs, then
please make sure to let folks

702
00:33:22,330 --> 00:33:23,230
know that, as well.

703
00:33:23,230 --> 00:33:25,570
And we're always happy to
work with your congregation

704
00:33:25,570 --> 00:33:28,660
to make sure that youth
needs are being met.

705
00:33:28,660 --> 00:33:32,120
The cost of our programs
include things from arrival

706
00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:33,012
through departure.

707
00:33:33,012 --> 00:33:35,220
So youth are responsible
for their own transportation

708
00:33:35,220 --> 00:33:36,594
to and from the
site, although we

709
00:33:36,594 --> 00:33:38,160
do help them coordinate
that and make

710
00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:40,201
sure there is someone to
meet them at the airport

711
00:33:40,201 --> 00:33:42,474
and bring them back when
it's done, for example.

712
00:33:42,474 --> 00:33:45,080
So there is no time that
we're just sending them out

713
00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:47,252
in the universe on their own.

714
00:33:47,252 --> 00:33:51,310
So other than that,
the cost of the program

715
00:33:51,310 --> 00:33:56,240
does include supervision, room
and board, all the programming,

716
00:33:56,240 --> 00:34:01,040
as well as all of the partners
and wonderful opportunities

717
00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:06,420
that the youth get
to participate in.

718
00:34:06,420 --> 00:34:09,260
So now I'd like to shift to
telling you about our youth

719
00:34:09,260 --> 00:34:10,880
group service-learning trips.

720
00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,480
While the Activate
summer justice trainings

721
00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:16,120
are fantastic for any
youth to participate in,

722
00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:18,889
we have also begun to
offer service-learning trip

723
00:34:18,889 --> 00:34:22,080
opportunities for youth
groups to do together.

724
00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:24,719
Of course, this is something
that some congregations

725
00:34:24,719 --> 00:34:27,889
may have a long history of
doing their own service-trip

726
00:34:27,889 --> 00:34:28,900
opportunities.

727
00:34:28,900 --> 00:34:31,409
Perhaps your congregation
has done these in the past

728
00:34:31,409 --> 00:34:34,377
and hasn't been able to
do that more recently.

729
00:34:34,377 --> 00:34:36,460
Or you're looking for a
little additional support.

730
00:34:36,460 --> 00:34:38,489
Or maybe it's something that
your youth group has not

731
00:34:38,489 --> 00:34:40,840
been able to do before, and
you're looking for a place

732
00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:41,699
to start.

733
00:34:41,699 --> 00:34:43,889
Please let us know if
you're interested in doing

734
00:34:43,889 --> 00:34:47,840
a different approach to
a service-learning trip.

735
00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:50,109
We are beginning with
offering two destinations

736
00:34:50,109 --> 00:34:51,900
for service-learning
tips for youth groups.

737
00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:54,580
And we're excited to continue
expanding that as we go.

738
00:34:54,580 --> 00:34:57,990
So our two current locations
are to do Hurricane Sandy relief

739
00:34:57,990 --> 00:35:00,850
work in Brooklyn, New York,
and to visit our partners

740
00:35:00,850 --> 00:35:04,580
at Borderlinks in the
US-Mexico border region.

741
00:35:04,580 --> 00:35:06,630
And in the Hurricane
Sandy program,

742
00:35:06,630 --> 00:35:10,190
again, we do a lot of
direct rebuilding work

743
00:35:10,190 --> 00:35:11,700
while we're there.

744
00:35:11,700 --> 00:35:14,620
And we also spend some time
meeting with local partners

745
00:35:14,620 --> 00:35:17,130
to learn about the broader
context of Hurricane Sandy

746
00:35:17,130 --> 00:35:18,000
relief.

747
00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,260
And for our Borderlinks
program, youth groups

748
00:35:20,260 --> 00:35:21,900
can choose to either
have a program

749
00:35:21,900 --> 00:35:24,430
that stays entirely
within Southern Arizona

750
00:35:24,430 --> 00:35:27,560
or that also crosses
over the Mexican border

751
00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:30,230
to meet with folks on the
other side of the border.

752
00:35:30,230 --> 00:35:32,720
And in addition to the
immersive social justice

753
00:35:32,720 --> 00:35:35,140
education about
immigration, we also

754
00:35:35,140 --> 00:35:38,470
do some hands-on work for
those programs meeting

755
00:35:38,470 --> 00:35:41,140
with different folks who
work in different aspects

756
00:35:41,140 --> 00:35:43,490
of immigration justice
in the Southern

757
00:35:43,490 --> 00:35:45,910
Arizona and northern
Mexico areas,

758
00:35:45,910 --> 00:35:49,620
as well as different
broader issues that

759
00:35:49,620 --> 00:35:53,010
are [AUDIO OUT] to
immigration justice,

760
00:35:53,010 --> 00:35:56,260
especially in the really
fascinating and thriving

761
00:35:56,260 --> 00:35:59,020
community of Tucson.

762
00:35:59,020 --> 00:36:02,430
For our social justice
trips for youth

763
00:36:02,430 --> 00:36:04,620
as well as for our adult
programs, for that matter,

764
00:36:04,620 --> 00:36:06,570
we work really closely
with your group

765
00:36:06,570 --> 00:36:09,570
so that we can take care of
all of the logistics for you.

766
00:36:09,570 --> 00:36:11,780
We take care of
the registration.

767
00:36:11,780 --> 00:36:13,560
We have the
day-to-day itinerary.

768
00:36:13,560 --> 00:36:15,300
We'll provide you
with the logistics

769
00:36:15,300 --> 00:36:18,950
of arrival and departures, the
waivers, et cetera, et cetera.

770
00:36:18,950 --> 00:36:21,810
We do offer financial
assistance for all participants

771
00:36:21,810 --> 00:36:23,300
to apply to, which
can supplement

772
00:36:23,300 --> 00:36:26,030
their fees or any fundraising
that your congregation does

773
00:36:26,030 --> 00:36:27,610
for the trip.

774
00:36:27,610 --> 00:36:29,520
We provide our trained
program leaders

775
00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,850
to run the trip day to day,
to facilitate conversations

776
00:36:32,850 --> 00:36:35,160
with the group each
day, and to work closely

777
00:36:35,160 --> 00:36:39,200
with your chaperones to make
sure that all youth needs are

778
00:36:39,200 --> 00:36:40,600
being met.

779
00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:42,600
And we schedule
around your calendar.

780
00:36:42,600 --> 00:36:45,240
We offer these programs
at different times

781
00:36:45,240 --> 00:36:46,340
throughout the year.

782
00:36:46,340 --> 00:36:49,310
They can be as
short as four days,

783
00:36:49,310 --> 00:36:52,040
and they can be as
long as eight or nine.

784
00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:53,790
So please get in
touch with us if you

785
00:36:53,790 --> 00:36:55,831
think this might be
something your youth group is

786
00:36:55,831 --> 00:36:58,060
interested in for this
upcoming year or even

787
00:36:58,060 --> 00:36:59,090
further down the line.

788
00:36:59,090 --> 00:37:06,010
We're always happy
to talk to new folks.

789
00:37:06,010 --> 00:37:09,940
So again, please visit
uucsj.org for info

790
00:37:09,940 --> 00:37:12,120
about all of our youth
programs, as well as

791
00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,210
our programs for adults,
for young adults,

792
00:37:14,210 --> 00:37:16,730
new developments that we're
rolling out all the time.

793
00:37:16,730 --> 00:37:18,480
We really hope that
you'll stay in touch

794
00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:20,100
and keep in touch
with us and let

795
00:37:20,100 --> 00:37:24,640
us know what we can do to serve
you, as well as your youth.

796
00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:26,670
So thank you so much
for taking the time

797
00:37:26,670 --> 00:37:29,600
to learn about our
[INAUDIBLE] youth justice

798
00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,289
trainings, our youth group
service-learning trips, as well

799
00:37:32,289 --> 00:37:34,830
as the other things we're up to
here at the College of Social

800
00:37:34,830 --> 00:37:36,890
Justice.

801
00:37:36,890 --> 00:37:40,300
I'd like to take one moment
for some closing words, which

802
00:37:40,300 --> 00:37:42,700
is a quick TS Eliot
quotation that you

803
00:37:42,700 --> 00:37:44,504
might be familiar with.

804
00:37:44,504 --> 00:37:46,170
And it's something
that always guides me

805
00:37:46,170 --> 00:37:48,830
as I remember why we
do this kind of work

806
00:37:48,830 --> 00:37:52,770
and why we believe in the
power of service-learning.

807
00:37:52,770 --> 00:37:54,770
"We shall not cease
from exploration.

808
00:37:54,770 --> 00:37:56,530
And the end of all
our exploring will

809
00:37:56,530 --> 00:37:58,800
be to arrive where we
started and to know

810
00:37:58,800 --> 00:38:04,220
the place for the first time."

811
00:38:04,220 --> 00:38:05,990
So back over to you, Jessica.

812
00:38:05,990 --> 00:38:10,490
Thank you so much for having me.

813
00:38:10,490 --> 00:38:13,135
Jessica York: Thank you,
Laura, for joining us today.

814
00:38:13,135 --> 00:38:15,370
This was some
wonderful information

815
00:38:15,370 --> 00:38:18,290
that I know people
will find useful

816
00:38:18,290 --> 00:38:21,370
as they are looking for
service opportunities for youth

817
00:38:21,370 --> 00:38:25,450
or possibly for
themselves-- very exciting.

818
00:38:25,450 --> 00:38:27,890
So I do want to let
folks know about some

819
00:38:27,890 --> 00:38:31,210
of the Faith Development
Office's upcoming webinars.

820
00:38:31,210 --> 00:38:36,820
We are doing a
monthly webinar series

821
00:38:36,820 --> 00:38:38,740
in the month of February.

822
00:38:38,740 --> 00:38:43,260
We have financial planning for
the religious educator, which

823
00:38:43,260 --> 00:38:47,970
is some of the material that
was presented by the UUA's

824
00:38:47,970 --> 00:38:51,906
Office of Church Staff
Finances at LREDA Fall

825
00:38:51,906 --> 00:38:53,189
Conference in 2014.

826
00:38:53,189 --> 00:38:54,730
But if you weren't
able to make that,

827
00:38:54,730 --> 00:38:56,355
you might want to
come to this webinar.

828
00:38:56,355 --> 00:38:59,850
It's a great opportunity to
ask some questions directly

829
00:38:59,850 --> 00:39:03,930
to UUA staff, not only
about financial planning

830
00:39:03,930 --> 00:39:06,860
but about benefits in general.

831
00:39:06,860 --> 00:39:11,700
In March, we will have a
program on Easter in the "Multi"

832
00:39:11,700 --> 00:39:14,510
Congregation-- the
multigenerational congregation,

833
00:39:14,510 --> 00:39:18,740
the multicultural congregation--
and in April, a program

834
00:39:18,740 --> 00:39:21,690
on Creating Youth Leadership.

835
00:39:21,690 --> 00:39:27,120
And as always, you can find the
recording for these webinars,

836
00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:31,310
including the library
of webinars from 2014,

837
00:39:31,310 --> 00:39:35,280
at the website that you are
probably in right now in order

838
00:39:35,280 --> 00:39:37,133
to find this webinar,
www.uua.org/re/t

839
00:39:37,133 --> 00:39:44,280
eachers/webinars.

840
00:39:44,280 --> 00:39:46,810
So happy that you could
join us for this webinar.

841
00:39:46,810 --> 00:39:50,280
Maybe you can join us live
for some of the upcoming ones.

842
00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:54,610
And until next time,
keep the faith.

843
00:39:54,610 --> 00:40:02,900