Racial, Native, and Immigrant Justice
Racial, Native and Immigrant Justice addresses systemic oppression by advocating with and on behalf of racial, ethnic and indigenous populations and responding to the need to interrupt disparities in Maine's legal and economic systems.
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From UUSC Volunteer DECEMBER 2019 NEWS
I am excited to share that, under our broader migrant justice program, UUSC has launched a new initiative focused on connecting UU congregations with asylum-seekers in need of sponsorship. The Congregational Accompaniment Program for Asylum Seekers, or CAPAS, is being led by UUSC clergy representative Rev. Dottie Mathews in collaboration with UUSC staff and several volunteers.
CAPAS aims to get migrants out of prison-like detention centers where, in the best of conditions, they have limited access to privacy, medical care, and contact with friends and family. Since asylum-seekers will not be released on bond or parole without a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident to receive them, sponsorship provides a path to freedom as well as a support system and place to stay for those who do not have existing connections within the country. Sponsorship also helps demonstrate more broadly that immigration detention and the injustices that come with it are avoidable, not inevitable.
CAPAS seeks to leverage the strong commitment and capacity of UU congregations to support asylum-seekers in our current immigration landscape. The program will provide resources for congregations interested in sponsorship and directly connect congregations with individuals and families who can use their support. CAPAS is still in its early stages and we look forward to sharing additional information, as well as an interest sign-up sheet, in the months ahead. In the meantime, please be in touch if you have questions or would like to learn more.
In fellowship,
Carly
Carly Cronon
Associate for Congregational Giving Programs
(617) 301-4397 | ccronon@uusc.org
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Current MUUSAN Legislative Agenda: 129th Legislature, 1st Session (Jan.-August 2019)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Some key resources in the area of immigrant justice in Maine below.
Maine Immigrant Justice Resource List
MUUSAN IMMIGRANT JUSTICE TOOLKIT
With many thanks to Jane Makela of First Universalist Church of Yarmouth for hours of research!
MUUSAN SanctUUary Summit PRIMER: Simple Steps to Get Started and Build Relationships for Immigrant Justice (1 p.)
Additional UU Resources for Immigrant Justice Work (1 p.)
Introduction to Immigration: Multicultural Resources list from Maine DHHS Office of Multicultural Affairs includes explanation of how “immigrants,” “refugees,” and “asylees” differ (2 p.)
Literacy Volunteer Programs in Maine (1 p.)
Unifymaine “Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents” — tri-fold brochure explains the difference and what you can do about them (2 p.)
ACLU: Know Your Rights: Immigration Agents on Buses
Organizations:
Maine Equal Justice Partners
Maine Immigration Rights Coalition
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)-Maine
PAST EVENT sponsored by MUUSAN's Racial, Native and Immigrant Justice Issue Group
MUUSAN SanctUUary Summit - An Educational and Planning Event
Saturday, August 18, 2018
UU Community Church of Augusta
69 Winthrop St., Augusta, ME 04330
Background:
July 6, 2018
Dear Maine Unitarian Universalist Parish Ministers, Office Administrators and Lay Leaders for Social Justice,
We want to give you a heads-up on an exciting idea born at General Assembly in response to a Call to Action from our UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray. She urged us to consider what is the most urgent issue facing our most marginalized communities right now, and how we UUs can step in to do the work that is most needed.
Revs. Carie Johnsen, Christina Sillari and Drew Moeller, along with MUUSAN Co-Chairs Julia Fitz-Randolph and Trudy Ferland, put their heads together on this challenge in Kansas City. We wanted to bring home the GA excitement about the critical refugee and immigrant work being done by UUs around the country, and very importantly, how to include all our Maine UU congregations in this work, not just those in urban areas.
We are excited to share with you the idea of challenging and inviting all Maine UU congregations to consider how they can deepen their participation in efforts to support immigrants and refugees.
To learn more about broad needs from members of the affected populations and the variety of opportunities we may be able to identify to help, MUUSAN’s Racial, Native and ImmigrantJustice Group will sponsor a SanctUUary Summit, an educational and planning event to which we invite all Maine congregations to send representatives.
Please help us respond to the “All are Called” message of GA by encouraging one or more members of your congregation to attend the Summit. We, of course, hope clergy will consider attending as well, and the early planning efforts have identified several presenters to inspire us.
We welcome your ideas, questions, or requests for more information — contact any one of us below through our administrator Betsy at admin@muusan.org. She will forward your message.
Yours in faith,
Rev. Carie Johnsen, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Augusta
Rev. Drew Moeller, Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor
Rev. Christina Sillari, First Parish in Portland, Unitarian Universalist
Trudy Ferland, MUUSAN Co-Chair
Julia Fitz-Randolph, MUUSAN Co-Chair
________________________________________
MUUSAN FInal Summary Congregational Immigrant Justice Survey 8.13.18
catholiccharitieshomerefugeeimmigrantservicesfaq.pdf
aclu_sanctuary_faq_4_13_2017.pdf
------------------------------------------------------------------------
From UUSC Volunteer DECEMBER 2019 NEWS
I am excited to share that, under our broader migrant justice program, UUSC has launched a new initiative focused on connecting UU congregations with asylum-seekers in need of sponsorship. The Congregational Accompaniment Program for Asylum Seekers, or CAPAS, is being led by UUSC clergy representative Rev. Dottie Mathews in collaboration with UUSC staff and several volunteers.
CAPAS aims to get migrants out of prison-like detention centers where, in the best of conditions, they have limited access to privacy, medical care, and contact with friends and family. Since asylum-seekers will not be released on bond or parole without a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident to receive them, sponsorship provides a path to freedom as well as a support system and place to stay for those who do not have existing connections within the country. Sponsorship also helps demonstrate more broadly that immigration detention and the injustices that come with it are avoidable, not inevitable.
CAPAS seeks to leverage the strong commitment and capacity of UU congregations to support asylum-seekers in our current immigration landscape. The program will provide resources for congregations interested in sponsorship and directly connect congregations with individuals and families who can use their support. CAPAS is still in its early stages and we look forward to sharing additional information, as well as an interest sign-up sheet, in the months ahead. In the meantime, please be in touch if you have questions or would like to learn more.
In fellowship,
Carly
Carly Cronon
Associate for Congregational Giving Programs
(617) 301-4397 | ccronon@uusc.org
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Current MUUSAN Legislative Agenda: 129th Legislature, 1st Session (Jan.-August 2019)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Some key resources in the area of immigrant justice in Maine below.
Maine Immigrant Justice Resource List
MUUSAN IMMIGRANT JUSTICE TOOLKIT
With many thanks to Jane Makela of First Universalist Church of Yarmouth for hours of research!
MUUSAN SanctUUary Summit PRIMER: Simple Steps to Get Started and Build Relationships for Immigrant Justice (1 p.)
Additional UU Resources for Immigrant Justice Work (1 p.)
Introduction to Immigration: Multicultural Resources list from Maine DHHS Office of Multicultural Affairs includes explanation of how “immigrants,” “refugees,” and “asylees” differ (2 p.)
Literacy Volunteer Programs in Maine (1 p.)
Unifymaine “Hate Crimes and Bias Incidents” — tri-fold brochure explains the difference and what you can do about them (2 p.)
ACLU: Know Your Rights: Immigration Agents on Buses
Organizations:
Maine Equal Justice Partners
Maine Immigration Rights Coalition
Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)-Maine
PAST EVENT sponsored by MUUSAN's Racial, Native and Immigrant Justice Issue Group
MUUSAN SanctUUary Summit - An Educational and Planning Event
Saturday, August 18, 2018
UU Community Church of Augusta
69 Winthrop St., Augusta, ME 04330
Background:
July 6, 2018
Dear Maine Unitarian Universalist Parish Ministers, Office Administrators and Lay Leaders for Social Justice,
We want to give you a heads-up on an exciting idea born at General Assembly in response to a Call to Action from our UUA President, Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray. She urged us to consider what is the most urgent issue facing our most marginalized communities right now, and how we UUs can step in to do the work that is most needed.
Revs. Carie Johnsen, Christina Sillari and Drew Moeller, along with MUUSAN Co-Chairs Julia Fitz-Randolph and Trudy Ferland, put their heads together on this challenge in Kansas City. We wanted to bring home the GA excitement about the critical refugee and immigrant work being done by UUs around the country, and very importantly, how to include all our Maine UU congregations in this work, not just those in urban areas.
We are excited to share with you the idea of challenging and inviting all Maine UU congregations to consider how they can deepen their participation in efforts to support immigrants and refugees.
To learn more about broad needs from members of the affected populations and the variety of opportunities we may be able to identify to help, MUUSAN’s Racial, Native and ImmigrantJustice Group will sponsor a SanctUUary Summit, an educational and planning event to which we invite all Maine congregations to send representatives.
Please help us respond to the “All are Called” message of GA by encouraging one or more members of your congregation to attend the Summit. We, of course, hope clergy will consider attending as well, and the early planning efforts have identified several presenters to inspire us.
We welcome your ideas, questions, or requests for more information — contact any one of us below through our administrator Betsy at admin@muusan.org. She will forward your message.
Yours in faith,
Rev. Carie Johnsen, Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Augusta
Rev. Drew Moeller, Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor
Rev. Christina Sillari, First Parish in Portland, Unitarian Universalist
Trudy Ferland, MUUSAN Co-Chair
Julia Fitz-Randolph, MUUSAN Co-Chair
________________________________________
MUUSAN FInal Summary Congregational Immigrant Justice Survey 8.13.18
catholiccharitieshomerefugeeimmigrantservicesfaq.pdf
aclu_sanctuary_faq_4_13_2017.pdf
