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CLARITY Cedar Laners Against Racism -- In This Together -- Yes!
What is CLARITY about? (Mission, Goals, Covenant)
UPCOMING EVENTS OF INTEREST - Click HERE 10 Things Everyone Should Know About Race - Click HERE
The CLARITY acronym stands for “Cedar Laners Against Racism – In This Together – Yes!”. CLARITY is part of the CLUUC Social Justice Council. Our active membership is currently 15 people, and our goal is for all Cedar Laners to be part of this work!
What is CLARITY about? (Mission, Goals, Covenant) Our mission is to lead the process of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church becoming a welcoming multicultural, multiracial congregation. We do so to fulfill our Unitarian Universalist principles, particularly our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person. Our work is further supported by our dedication to justice, equity and compassion in human relations; our commitment to the acceptance of one another; and our desire to encourage spiritual growth within ourselves individually and as a congregation. Our goals include: • raising individual and congregational awareness of the continued existence of racism in our society in its various individual, cultural and institutional manifestations • promoting steps to be a congregation that embodies a diversity of cultures, races, ethnicities, and religious backgrounds • partnering in accountable relationships with congregations and communities of color to build a just society Our covenant: · Throughout this process we will listen and be open, respectful, honest, accepting, and supportive. · We commit to become individual leaders and change agents. · We commit to involve our youth in this endeavor.
Highlights of Plans for
2011 – 2012: · Present a film series on topics related to anti-racism and multi-culturalism
· Meet with the Membership & Worship committees for planning on how to broaden our welcome
· Persist in efforts to support the Maryland “Dream Act”, now subjected to a general referendum in 2012
· Support CLUUC efforts for the Justice General Assembly in Arizona in 2012. This GA will focus on public witness against legislation (such as SB 1070) which would encourage racial profiling and dehumanizing of migrants.
· Encourage cultural sharing -- e.g. a choir exchange with a church of color, the Christylez Bacon concert on Feb. 18
· Publicize the concepts of the New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. The thesis of this book is that discrimination against people of color, esp. African Americans, has simply taken a new form following the gains of the Civil rights movement of the 1960s. In today’s society, the “War on Drugs” is the tool primarily responsible for keeping the majority of young black men in major American cities locked up or labeled as felons for life. The U.S. criminal justice system now functions as a contemporary system of racial control, even as it formally adheres to the principle of color blindness.
· Conduct an assessment of Cedar Lane’s multi-cultural competency Accomplishments 2010 – 2011:
CLARITY meetings are generally held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7:30 in the Chalice House. Members and friends of CLUUC who are committed to our work of anti-racism and multi-culturalism are encouraged to become part of our team. If you are ready to join, send a request to CLUUC-CLARITY-subscribe@yahoogroups.com (We use this Yahoo group for CLARITY emails, meeting invitations, etc.) Please contact Ariel Mora, CLARITY chair, with any questions at all – ariel_mora1@hotmail.com .
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Cedar Lane Unitarian
Universalist Church |
