Social Justice Council, 9/6/2023

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Attending:  Mark  Bussolini, Cathy Sandstrom, Jim Bigelow

logistics: 9/6/23, 6:30pm, zoom

Actions outside of a meeting:

  • May 22 2023, Donate $200 to the Eve DeVitt  Fund https://www.evedevittfund.org/.
    • “The Eve Devitt Fund was founded in 2023 after Idaho banned gender affirming care for minors to help trans and non-binary youth across Idaho thrive. The fund provides easy-access mutual aid funds to help trans and non-binary youth cover travel costs to get gender-affirming care out-of-state and scholarships to youth activists for transgender rights. It was named in honor of Eve Devitt, who refuses to back down in the fight for trans visibility and rights.”
    • 7/10/23 – request Rachael Strong to make the donation

Agenda:

  • Notes from the May 3, 2023 meeting
  • move from monthly to quarterly schedule
    • dates: every 3 months?
      • Decided: September, December, March, (middle  of May)
    • Next meeting Dec 6th
  • Mark: How can we get more people involved in the Social Justice and the Social Justice Council?
    • Could we have an event after a service?
    • We’ll have tables at the BUUF Connections Fair on Sept 17
      • RJM – ?
      • RIM – Cathy Sandstrom, Betty & Diana
      • SJC, Reproductive Justice & Carbon Neutral  – Jim
  • Who will be at the Social Justice Council table at the Sept 17th BUUF Connections Fair?
    • Cathy at Refugee, could help with social justice council as needed
  • Reverend Sara asked us to consider replacing the  Boise Trans Collective as a Plate Partner  with our UUA/Side With Love Trans Resistance Network (not local, but a UU connected project).
    • Rev Sara, 9/6/23: Keep  Boise Trans Collective
    • agree
  • Reverend Sara also asked us to consider writing a proposal to the UU Funding Panel to support either Add the Words of the ProVoice Project
    • Rev Sara, 9/6/23: Portland UUs and Interfaith group raised additional funds for Idaho organizing efforts — grant not needed
  • Rev Sara, 9/6/23: request redirecting up to $1,000 of Repro Justice allocation from Social Justice Grant funds to Boise Pride. Also, $500 for Interfaith communities  collective sponsorship of Pride Fest 2023
    • everyone agreed
    • Jim will contact Rachael
  • Last May we tabled a discussion on how to conduct  plate partner selection until September. See the May meeting notes.
    • defer to the Dec. 6th meeting
    • Jim: write up a process and circulate for comment
  • round table
    • Refugee and Immigrant Ministry – Cath S.
      • trying to set up first meeting of the year
      • setting up a volunteer training for IRC, ANA for BUUF and community
      • thinking about a refugee story time after a service
      • working with Boise/Ada homeless collation – Denise Caruzzi
        • would like to make a presentation about homelessness in Boise at BUUF
    • Racial Justice Ministry – Linda Secretan via 9/9 email
      • We’re looking forward to hosting a watch party with social and conversation to follow on Indigenous People’s Day on October 9, 2023. Wilson Wewa, storyteller for the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, will be our virtual guest. Look for details in the Bulletin and Gazette as we near the date.
      • We are communicating with Jody Feldman at Portland UU about partnering for an anti-racist learning circle in the spring.
      • The staged reading of the play “Intimate Apparel” is still in the planning stages. We have committed to working with Boise activist and arts educator Leta Neustaedter to bring this about in 2024 as she has time.
      • RJM is actively exploring low- or no-cost ways to sponsor and promote existing community events by creating meet-ups and supporting increased attendance as part of our design to progress from individual to congregation to community engagement.
    • Climate Action, Carbon Neutral
      • Debbie Johnson, David Clopton and Bob Smith found that BUUF has enough electrical capacity to make replacing BUUF’s Gas burning HVAC systems with all electric powered systems feasible and so lower BUUF’s carbon footprint to meet the 2030 goal of a 55% reduction from 2019.
      • Work continues to determine all necessary upgrades necessary to the replacement
      • They also found ways to repair and do without condemned portions of the existing system as a stop gap measure until the system can be upgraded
      • The Board will present the full upgrade plan with funding strategy at the 2024 annual meeting.
    • Reproductive Justice.
      • The Interfaith Reproductive Justice Action Team, of which BUUF is a part, meets monthly. Next meeting Sept 12.
      • Please join on Zoom Tuesday. September 12th at 5:30pm.
      • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84337508806?pwd=VTV6Uy8yQzlnWjNCdnJnL01aa09PZz09 Meeting ID: 843 3750 8806 Passcode: chalice
      • The team is sponsoring Pro-Voice Project Presents: The Abortion Diaries, Tuesday Oct. 10th, 7pm at TreeFort Music Hall
        • You can lend your time and talent to this event by clicking on this Volunteer Form Link
        • The show will be followed by a Q & A with local community leaders, advocates, and healthcare providers. The event is free to the public, but we are requesting ticketed registration.
        • Get your tickets HERE!
    • Mark
      • Collecting running shoes for unhoused people
      • Friends of the Library is providing books
      • Working with Reclaim Idaho’s Open Primary Initiative
      • Organizing a cold weather gear drive Oct 13-15
        • drop off points at BUUF and other places
  • Next meeting Dec 6th, time and place TBD