Social Justice Council, 2/8/23

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Date/Time/Location:  February 8, 2023, 6:30 pm,  on-line

Attending, Mark B., Cathy Sandstrom, Diana, Greg Williams

  • January meeting notes: https://boiseuu.org/social-justice-council-1-11-23/
  • 2023 – 2024 plate partner nominations open
    • click here to nominate a plate partner
    • add a statement that the council reserves the final say as to who will be a plate partner.
      • The BUUF Plate Partner Nomination Page  states “Nominations are accepted at any time. However, once a year, usually in April or May, the Social Justice Council reviews the nominations seeking a balance of issues and alignment with our purposes. The review results in a slate of candidate organizations from which the congregation selects the Plate Partners for the coming program year.“
      • Replacement text:  “The congregation votes on the nominees and the  Social Justice Council has the responsibility for the final list of Plate Partners.”
  • 2022 – 2023 plate partners
  • Social Justice Resolutions
    • Save the Salmon by breaching the dams
      • letter support to Rep Simpson for his program
  • Social justice council  budget
    • $1,000
      • $300 – Duck Valley Winter Coats
      • $500 – Carbon Neutral
      • $200 – balance
  • 2022 social justice special appeal
    • Total in 2022 Social Justice Special Appeal:  $12,915
    • $6,000, Racial Justice Ministry
      • $802.61 total, July 9, 022 field trip to Four Rivers Cultural Center & donation
      • $400 total, October program (indigenous Peoples’ Day)
      • $699.85 total, December 5th program (Black music)
      • $150, Winter clothing for for Duck Valley Shoshone-Paiute Tribes
      • $290, Feb 11, 2023 Gospel Music Workshop
      • $3,657.54, reserved for programs in January, February, April and May.
    • $5,000, Reproductive Justice  — Managed by Reverend Sara
    • $500, CAT & Interfaith Power & Light — website for Idaho Chapter
    • $334, Duck Valley Winter Coats & Gloves
    • $1,000 CAT, Carbon Neutral project
    • $81, balance
  • Round Table
    • CAT – Carbon Neutral project
      • Organizing meeting, 1/31/23, 8 people attending
      • meeting notes
      • Our 25 yr road map will be an iterative process celebrating accomplishments and milestones as they are achieved
      • We will work to develop an initial plan this year and refine and improve it as we go along.
      • Funding:
        • 2023 special appeal: Imaging a Carbon Neutral World
        • Chalice Lighters Grant from Cascadia Chalice Lighters, apply by May 1
        • Energy Efficiency Materials Pilot Program grants
      • Projects:
        • Energy & Resource audit
        • Idaho Green Power
        • BUUF Carbon Footprint
        • Outdoor Sanctuary Planning
      • Report at the Annual Meeting
      • Plan for a Fall 2023 climate workshop
    • Reproductive Justice – Cathy Carmen via email
      • Organizing meeting
        • Feb 4 with  8 attendees,
        • will meet monthly on Saturday morning by zoom. The next meeting will be after the events discussed below.
        • BUUF has supplies and information to distribute for Plan B emergency contraception, condoms, other contraceptives and information regarding what our rights are in Idaho.
        • Rev. Sara encourages us to individually network and spread the word as to that availability. If you want those supplies/resources, please contact Rev. Sara directly.
          • legal liability? None, all forms of contraception are legal in Idaho.
          • We will expand our conversations with Gem Emerson Paige, BUUF’s Family Ministry Director, regarding outreach to our own Senior High youth and their parents on this topic.
        • Other ideas – at some point it would be wonderful to create care packages for our local doctors and medical providers on the front lines of this very public issue.
      • Events
        • In collaboration with First UU Church Portland, OR and the All-Means-All Alliance of Boise’s Cathedral of the Rockies, we are hosting the Focus of Abortion Exhibit by Roslyn Banish, Feb. 10-20 th . The link to the Facebook invitation is here: https://fb.me/e/3rW5XnxMo. Feel free to share it far and wide, invitefriends and family, shout it from the roof tops
        • We will be setting up the exhibit on Thurs., Feb. 9, 10:30-12:30ish in the Cathedral of the Rockies lobby. We have a few folks lined up to do this and would welcome 2 more. If interested, please email Cathy Carmen at cathy.carmen@outoook.com. If you’re not available, please know there is a need for a ‘take down crew’ on Tues., Feb. 21. If that might interest you, email Cathy.
        • While the exhibit is on display, a panel discussion about the impact of Idaho abortion laws entitled, Can We Talk, will take place Sat., Feb. 18, 1-3, at the Cathedral of the Rockies, sponsored by the All-Means- All Alliance. The Eventbrite invitation is here with details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/can-we-talk-the-impact-of-idaho-abortion-laws-tickets-524788545667?aff=ebdssbdestsearch. The event is free and we are asked to register with Eventbrite so organizers know how many to expect. This too can be shared with your network of family and friends.
        • Rev. Sara would like to set aside some time on Feb. 15 for BUUFers to tour the exhibit together. Details will be coming, and it likely involves some eating and drinking afterward.
        • First UU Church of Portland and their interfaith communities have also generously ‘adopted’ us as their Plate Partners to raise funds for abortion-related efforts here and across the state. Now we don’t know exactly what or who might benefit from those funds (as we don’t yet know exactly how much there will be!), but we are beyond grateful for our neighbors’ support in these uncertain times. More to come here in the future, for sure.
        • In the works is an online training in self-managed abortions by the organization Self-Managed Abortions, Safe and Supported or SASS and their spokesperson, Susan Yanow, MSW. We hope to host a 3-hour training via ZOOM with a total of 25 participants representing various faith traditions and organizations here in Idaho. Once someone is trained, then they are authorized to train others in a ‘train the trainer’ model. We’re currently working on choosing a date/time, likely in late March or early April. Once we have that, a call will go out to those who might be interested in registering. Stay tuned!
        • Rev. Sara shared there are conversations happening regarding a possible citizen ballot initiative to counter the near total ban on abortions in Idaho. The people involved are working with Colin Nash, a Idaho House of Representatives from District 16B and a political public relations firm to do preliminary statewide polling on the issue. It is all in the beginning stages, but we know this effort, if chosen, will cost upwards of $2 million due to the need for paid signature gatherers. Donations here could come from individuals as well as funds that are being raised by our own UU’s in Oregon and beyond. Again, stay tuned as this develops.
        • Finally, Rev. Sara reports the Idaho Medical Association is working hard to update the current abortion laws in Idaho. While we all admit the laws are REALLY bad, the medical profession is trying to educate lawmakers and create clarity so they can provide safe, ethical treatment to their patients now. She notes that organizations such Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union will NOT publicly endorse these efforts – they instead support every person’s right to full bodily autonomy and to make healthcare decision for themselves. However, privately, they understand why doctors are doing this work right now. So, don’t be confused if you hear this highlighted in the media or at the statehouse. If we chose to testify in support of these efforts, that’s fine.
    • Racial Justice
      • Linda via email: we have some plans afoot for another summer family-friendly event similar to the Four Rivers Cultural Center trip. Planning is not sufficiently along to provide details. Additionally, We are building on the success of the Racial Justice Ministry web page accessed through BUUF home page. Don is in an expansive and learning mode and will be continuing to add to the content and the visual appeal.
    • Refugee and  immigrant
      • Glocal -refugee 101, well attended and a success
      • Idaho Conference on Refugees
      • Our Asylum Seekers for Honduras is doing well
    • Economic Justice
      • GrUUB club
        • doing 2 breakfasts,
      • Cold weather gear donations, next year
        • could get donations to several organizations
      • Hot weather – water bottle drive
    • Other
      • Petition to create a driver’s license for the immigrant community
        • The immigrant community is an integral part of Idaho. Idaho’s Immigrant community not only contributes to the financial well being of the state, their/our contributions goes above and beyond bringing billions of dollars of revenue to Idaho. They/We bring values, culture and community assets.
        • click here to sign the petition
  • Next meeting – March 1st.
    • Cooper Court Neighborhood Association
      • Mark will followup
      • Could talk to the city to be a recognised association