Muusja Mailing List: MAY 4 EVENT UPDATE

[ERALLIS (ERALLIS]

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Minnesota Unitarian  Universalist Social Justice Alliance


MUUSJA  E-EVENT UPDATE May 5, 2006

Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance--Bringing  together UUs to work 
collectively for social change.

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This  update includes announcements about: 

A. Local UU Events
B. UU  National Advocacy
C. Social Justice Links
D. Special Job  Announcement
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A. LOCAL UU EVENTS  

1. 
FRIDAY, MAY  5
7:00 PM
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY,  900 Mount Curve  Avenue,  Minneapolis

FREE  LECTURE BY GARY DELGADO: "ACTION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE." 
Opening remarks  by UUA president, the REV. WILLIAM SINKFORD. 
Reception follows with  Gary and Bill! 

Gary  Delgado, Ph.D., director and founder of the  Applied  Research  Center  
in
Oakland (www.arc.org),  is a nationally recognized researcher, lecturer and
activist on issues  of race and social justice. He's worked extensively in
both the  organizing and academic communities and published over 30 articles
and  studies on social change. Gary was an initial  organizer of ACORN, a lead
organizer with the National Welfare Rights  Organization, and cofounder and
director of the Center for Third World  Organizing. In 1988, he received the
prestigious Bannerman Fellowship  for activists of color. He was recognized 
as a Hellraiser by Mother Jones  magazine in 1996, and was profiled as a one of 
61 Visionaries by Utne  Reader. Directions at www.firstunitariansociety.org 
or call  612.377.6608.

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2.
SAT, MAY 6
9:30 AM TO  2:00 PM
9:00 AM Coffee and Sign  Up
FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY, 900 Mount Curve  Avenue,  Minneapolis

UU  TRAINING: TAKING ACTION FOR RACIAL JUSTICE  
with lead  trainer, Gary Delgado (see above). 

Build your awareness skills,  gain an analysis of structural racism, test
your ideas about how to  respond to structural racism, learn what it means to
advance racial  equality in the community and in public places. $10 fee 
covers lunch and  materials. Five slots left! Register TODAY! Call Jo at  
612.600.7483.

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3. 
SAT,  SUN, MAY 6-7
10:00 AM to 5:00  PM
MN  State Fair Grounds,  Grandstand  Building
Free Admission  

UU EcoMinds  encourages UUs to attend the 2006 LIVING GREEN EXPO featuring 
over 230  exhibitors showcasing all things green and good. Come and connect 
with 
 others, find resources, and get in on the latest green  technologies.

Learn from the experts in _66  free workshops_ 
(http://www.livinggreen.org/workshoplist.cfm)  ranging from how to compost to 
how  to reduce toxicity in 
your home to using  the latest energy-saving technology and cooking with 
organic, 
locally  grown food. This family-friendly event features art displays, an 
exciting music  lineup, and the best in local and organic foods. New this year 
is 
a farm  petting zoo and expanded activities  for _families  and children_ 
(http://www.livinggreen.org/kidsactivities.html)  and _youth.  _ 
(http://www.livinggreen.org/youthactivities.html) World  renowned polar 
explorer  _Will  
Steger_ (http://www.globalwarming101.com/)   talks about global warming at 1:00 
 PM 
 on Saturday. Parking  is free, secure bike storage is available, and the 
Expo is accessible by  bus. Visit _www.livinggreen.org_ 
(http://www.livinggreen.org/)   for more information on  exhibitors, workshops 
and activities. 
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4.
MON, MAY  8
7:00  PM
PLYMOUTH CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH, 1900 NICOLLET

NETWORK OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESSIVES meets  Monday, May 8 at Plymouth 
Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet. Come at  6:30p for intro to NSP and/or 
conversation, meeting from 7 to  9  PM, conversation  from 9 to 9:30 PM. FFI: 
go to 
_www.spiritualprogressives.org_ (http://www.spiritualprogressives.org) . 
MUUSJA's  
Worldview Working Group is affiliated with the Network.  

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5. 
THURSDAY, JUNE  8 
7:00 to 9:00  PM 
UNITY  CHURCH-UNITARIAN, ST.  PAUL 
MUUSJA GENERAL  MEETING. Features a special celebration of our legislative 
initiatives in  renewable energy and marriage equality plus theological 
deepening with  Unity’s co-minister, the Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs. Special 
treats, but 
please  bring finger foods to share! RSVP to Betsy at _erallis [at] aol.com_ 
(mailto:erallis [at] aol.com) .  

B. UU NATIONAL ADVOCACY  (UUA, UUSC, UUJEC, etc.)  

1.
STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LOVE  2006: NO DISCRIMINATION IN THE CONSTITUTION

The Senate has  scheduled a vote for the week of June 5th on an amendment 
that  will write discrimination into the US Constitution. S.J. Res 1, 
officially  
misnamed the "Marriage Protection Amendment," would impose a single,  
religiously biased definition of marriage and override many state and  local 
laws 
that extend benefits and protections to same-sex couples and  families! 

Defeating this amendment is one of the UUA's highest  advocacy priorities for
2006. Please visit the campaign web site for  action steps you
can take.  http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?list=type&type=142,

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2.
IMMIGRANT  RIGHTS QUOTE from the Rev. William G. Sinkford: "People of many  
faiths have been moved by the current debate over the immigration and  labor 
policies that present a profound dilemma for our nation. We are  seeing that 
our 
willingness to ignore the injustices that maintain our  economic system 
weakens the moral fabric of our society. We know that  illegal immigration is 
driven by two factors: the prospect of economic  opportunity for the newcomers, 
and 
the voracious need of American  businesses for cheap labor."

For the complete statement see 
_http://www.uua.org/president/060413_immigration.html_ 
(http://www.uua.org/president/060413_immigration.html) 

See  _http://www.uua.org/news/immigration/_ 
(http://www.uua.org/news/immigration/)  for  more information about the UUA's 
support of immigration  rights.

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3.
NEW AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY CAMPAIGN is endorsed  by the UUA. 
FFI:   http://www.cirnow.org/ to learn about what you can do. Many of the  
issues
facing immigrants are issues of economic justice. See below for  two action
items that will help.

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4.
SUPPORT A FEDERAL  MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE WITH 2 ACTIONS 
# 1: Sign on as a Citizen  Co-Sponsor for the Fair Minimum Wage Act in the 
Senate at  http://kennedy.senate.gov/newsletter/mwcitizencosponsor.cfm.. This 
will  increase the federal minimum wage from $5.15/hour to $7.25/hour.   
# 2: Force the  House of Representatives to vote on the Fair Minimum Wage Act 
increasing  the federal minimum wage to $7.25/hour. Check Reps who have 
signed the  petition at  
_http://clerk.house.gov/109/1rc/pd/Petitions/Dis11.htm_ 
(http://clerk.house.gov/109/1rc/pd/Petitions/Dis11.htm) .  If your Rep(s) has 
signed, please thank them. If not, please urge them to  sign. 

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C. SOCIAL JUSTICE LINKS 
Find out about local SJ  events…check out these websites.  

Minnesota  Alliance of Peacemakers  http://www.mapm.org/

Women Against Military Madness at  www.worldwidewamm.org

Progressive Calendar subscribe by emailing  shove001 [at] tc.umn.edu.

Unitarian Universalist Association:  http://www.uua.org

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee:  http://www.uusc.org

Minnesota UU Social  Justice Alliance (MUUSJA):  http://www.muusja.org

Prairie Star  District: http://www.psduua.org

D. JOB  ANNOUNCEMENT 
PROJECT  COORDINATOR POSITION AVAILABLE 
Start  Date: Mid - late June 2006 
End  Date: Early to mid January 2007 
Salary:  $20-$25 per hour depending on experience 
Women  and persons of color are encouraged to apply 
Application  deadline: May 26th 
Send  resume and cover letter to:  mark [at] electionintegritymn.org 
Website:  www.ceimn.org 
Citizens  for Election Integrity - Minnesota (CEI) is a nonpartisan, 
nonprofit,  statewide organization committed to accurate, reliable and 
verifiable  
elections. We believe election reform is one of the most critical issues  
facing 
our country. We are seeking a project coordinator for our audit  observer 
project.  
Candidate  qualifications include: experience with volunteer recruitment, 
attention  to detail, highly organized, ability to work independently and on a 
team,  able to represent the nonpartisan perspective of CEI while working with  
different political parties and community groups, able to travel with  access 
to a car, computer skills, confident public speaker and a minimum  of 3 years 
relevant experience. Much of the work will be done from the  candidate’s 
home. 
Responsibilities  include: recruiting the balance of volunteers needed from 
across  Minnesota, ongoing contact with volunteers, data entry, maintaining a  
volunteer data base, coordinating people who want to help recruit  observers, 
coordinating the development and production of training  materials, assisting 
with volunteer training, overseeing the audit  observation itself and writing 
a post audit report.

_________________________________________________________________
MUUSJA  - Metro UU Social Justice Alliance  Event Update
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