SUMMARY OF UULMNJ CONFERENCE AT UUCP FEBRUARY 26, 2017

by UU FA Office

SUMMARY OF
UULMNJ CONFERENCE AT UUCP
FEBRUARY 26, 2017

Overview:
Seventy-eight (78) people signed in and probably more participated without signing in. There were eleven tables of six or seven people and a few people sitting in chairs on the side.

Rev. Rob Gregson, the Director of UULMNJ, provided an inspirational overview of the six (6) UULMNJ Task Forces (in alphabetical order):
1. Criminal Justice Reform
2. Economic Justice
3. Environmental Protection
4. Gun Violence Prevention
5. Immigration Reform
6. Reproductive Justice

He mentioned that UULMNJ also provides direct resources to congregations and our coalition allies in the areas of Local Policing/Black Lives Matter Congregational Toolkits. This project is aimed at education local law enforcement and correctional communities about antiracist, violence-and bias reduction agenda.

He also discussed UULMNJ Legal Advocacy Project (LAP) to move legislation that reflects UU values through NJ Legislature such as the current bills to support confidentiality for women’s reproductive health care workers and clinicians. Another legislative effort from the Environmental task force is efforts to move through the Senate S-1707, the Renewable Energy Transition Act (RETA). RETA would by year 2050, require 80% of all electricity generated in the NJ to be from renewable energy sources: solar, wind, and methane gas from landfills.

Another newer initiative from the Immigration Reform Task Force is Sanctuary Congregations/cities project to educate UUs and allies to respond to harsh regulations on undocumented immigrants in NJ.

Purpose of the Conference:
The purpose of the conference was to solicit UUCP congregants’ ideas on the question: “In the age of Trump, what actions do you most want UULMNJ Task Forces to be prepared to take?” Clara S. Haignere helped direct this effort. Each of the participants was instructed to write down their ideas in response to this question on a 4X6 card without discussing it with others. Then each small group made a master list from their table’s ideas and selected the one action they designated as was most important and wrote that action area on one of the three white boards.