Evaluations from the Building Bridges Workshop held last August: https://boiseuu.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/building-bridges-workshop-evaluations.pdf
Link to the notes from the November meeting:https://boiseuu.org/social-justice-council-11-5-19/
Attending: Jim Bigelow, Don Stepich, Rob Ham, Betty Van Gheluwe, Mary Beth Bolin, Rev. Sara, Marni Odermann, Cathy Sandstrom (CAT)
Agenda:

• Jim Bigelow reimbursement request: $53 for BUUF Sign for use at rallies and marches 
  • passed by unanimous consent
• Rescheduling the January meeting
  • moved to Jan 14 
• Fall Social Justice Resolutions
  • logistics for social justice council members to assist with voting on two Sundays in December
    • Table set up, staffing and clean up.
      • staff will have the tables set up, do the printing
      • we will do the the set up:
        • put out ballot boxes
        • ballots
        • a few copies of the materials
  • Who is available to staff two tables on Dec 8 & 15?  
    • Dec 8, North :
      • before 1st  (8:45):  Tom, Betty ,
      • between: Don
      • After: Dan
    • Dec 8, South
      • before 1st  (8:45): Eileen    
      • between: Marni
      • after: Marni   
    • Dec 15, North   
      • before 1st  (8:45):  Tom
      • between: Jim
      • After: Jim
    • Dec 15, South
      • before 1st  (8:45):  Tom
      • between: ?
      • After: ?
  • Jim: ask Harriet if Board members will participate
    • Harriet said via email they are not planning to staff tables.
• December  17, 2019 Social Justice Soiree
  • Sue Philley will send out invitations 
  • council members will bring a snack
  • BUUF will provide refreshments
  • Set up : Rob, Jim, Rev Sara, Don
  • Time is 6:30 – 8
• Feb 2020 Social Justice Workshop
  • theme – Intersectionality
  • taking it to the next level
  • March 7th (can’t get either the 22nd or 29th)
  • Jim: send a “save the date” email to everyone at the last workshop
• How will be handle Tess’s duties after she leaves?
  • No immediate replacement hire, budget doesn’t cover the current staff
  • Social Justice topics/requests that would have been discussed with Tess 
    • email Rev. Sara with specific requests (indicated in subject line)
      • Rev Sara cannot read every email about meetings, etc.  
      • so, be clear and specific in communications 
    • Social Justice Council will take on some of Tess’s duties
  • Supporting Social Justice Ministry Events, such as Immigrant Celebration Day
    • Do not use the Bridge Event Center,
      • talk to Rev Sara for exceptions such as large events
    • Talk to Nancy for room scheduling
    • rely on trained event monitors in your ministry and have some trained
  • 2020 Plate Partner process
    • Time line
      • January
        • Social Justice Council reviews nomination criteria
        • Staff will update the nomination form for 2020
      • Feb — the form will be live
      • March — social justice Council reviews the nominations and creates nomination a nominee bio for each one
      • April  — trim and balance the nominations
      • May — 2 Sunday’s of voting
    • The staff will be taking over these Plate Partner duties
      • updating the online & paper plate partner nomination form 
      • assigning partners to months
      • event communication 
    • The council will:
      • connect with partners ahead of their month and
      • schedule them to do the pulpit pitch and tabling at the appropriate “Justice Sunday” worship service.
  • Social Justice Council reaching out to the plate partners
    • Jim: contact Tess for a briefing on interacting with Plate Partners 
    • starting Mid-Dec to organize the speaker in early Feb
      • Jim and Marni will contact the Idaho Suicide Prevention Network
    • January –  contact Intertribal Native Council, March
    • February – contact Idaho Black History Museum, April
    • March –     Women’s and Children’s Alliance, May
    • April   –     Giraffe Laugh, June
    • May    –     CATCH, July
    • June   –     BUUF Pay It Forward Fund, August
    • July    –     September, 2020 Plate Partner
  • Pride Festival in June
    • how this will be handled will be worked out as the year progresses
• Looking forward to 2020 activities
  • 2020 session of the Idaho State Legislature, reported plans are:
    • Prevent future citizen-driven ballot initiatives
    • Enable the majority party to gerrymander legislative districts to its political advantage
    • Continue to undermine Medicaid Expansion
    • Offer cosmetic solutions to crippling property tax increases that fail to fix flawed fiscal policies
    • Implement budget cuts that will likely reduce vital services for all citizens statewide
    • Shift education tax dollars from public schools to religious, private and charter schools
  • August social justice ministry planning session
    • Need to set a date and theme
  • UU the Vote 2020
    • Purpose: mobilize voters, counter voter suppression, leverage our resources, and engage in spiritually grounded, values-based issue conversations with voters in our communities.
    • Can we get a group to engage with this campaign?
    • Here’s the website info: https://www.uua.org/justice/vote2020
      • #VOTELOVE, #DEFEATHATE, #UUTHEVOTE
    • Jim will start advertising and soliciting volunteers
  • Fall Social Justice Workshop
    • must set a find an owner and set a date and theme
• Round table 
  • Racial Justice Ministry
    • offered a 10 min presentation to each of the other ministries and others
      • about the work they’re doing, common interests
  • Refugee/Immigrant Ministry & Asylum Seeker hosting
    • Trying to get Asylum seeker to Boise
  • Climate Action Team
    • Dec 6 strike
    • Dec 15 speaker
    • Jan 19 zero waste
    • Lisa Hecht — 2 sessions, reduce your carbon foot print
    • May — 30 days for the Earth
  • Pride
    • not represented
  • Homeless/Parking Lot project
    • no progress
  • Food Ministry
    • Shari is doing a good job setting things along 
      • Elieen, Tom, Anne Marie & Mark — dinner
      • rolling tomatoes, picking up food.