Emily Parker

Policy 5756 Statement of Support

by Emily Parker 1 Comment

As Boards of Education across New Jersey are considering repealing Policy 5756—i.e. the “Transgender Student Guidance for School Districts” policy—our Reproductive Justice Task Force is eager to share a resource to empower UUs to speak up.

📄 “Policy 5756 Statement of Support” PDF download

Our sample Policy 5756 statement of support is intended as a resource for UUs who wish to make comments in support of policy 5756 and trans students at their local school board meetings.

Many thanks to Rev. Rosemarie Newberry and to Garden State Equality for their contributions.

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Action Hour a Success!

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Good news—our first-ever “First Friday Action Hour” was a success!

On Friday, November 3rd, twenty-five UUs gathered to dedicate their lunch hour to advocacy.  Together, in one hour, we learned about the Values Act, made 40+ calls, and sent 40+ messages to state representatives via the NJAIJ action form.  This was tremendous for our first time!

The hour was also FUN, and we received great feedback!

We hope you will join us next time, for our critical Lame Duck Action Hour, on Friday, December 1st, 12–1 PM.

Bookmark our Action Hour instructions, updated monthly — bit.ly/1st-fridays

Promote Action Hour in your congregation — Outreach Toolkit

Join us the first Friday of every month, 12-1 PM, to actively promote justice, equity and compassion in human relations!

*First* First Friday Action Hour November 3rd!

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This Friday, November 3rd, is our first-ever “First Friday” Action Hour!

Join us at 12 noon, on Zoom, to TAKE ACTION together!

At our 2023 Fall Issues Conference, we officially announced the launch of a new initiative for UU FaithAction NJ—First Fridays Action Hour!  Our Action Hour is inspired by and modeled after the successful program of our sibling state action network, UU Justice North Carolina.

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NJAIJ Organizes and Prevails

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By Ted Fetter, Immigration Justice Task Force Chair

On Tuesday, October 3, there was an urgent call from the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice (NJAIJ).  The emails and texts, starting around noon, called for immediate action.  The Atlantic County Board of Commissioners would vote that very afternoon at 4:00 on a resolution calling for the State Legislature to rescind New Jersey’s Sanctuary State status.  Supporters of immigrants had to mobilize quickly to oppose that resolution.

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Keeping up with BOE’s

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At our Fall Issues Conference on October 21st, 2023, Rev. Rosemarie Newberry delivered an urgent report on the quiet, insidious attack on New Jersey Dept. of Education guidance policy 5756 happening in local Board of Education meetings across our state.

Under the guise of “Parents’ Rights” or “Parental Rights,” this movement really represents a chipping away at trans children’s rights.

Watch Rev. Rosemarie Newberry’s “Keeping up with BOE’s” report at our Issues Conference, and view the text of her slideshow, below.  Rev. Rosemarie’s segment begins at minute 57.

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Fall Issues Conference Agenda

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Our Fall Issues Conference is Saturday, October 21st at 10 AM.  Register Today!

Our UU FaithAction NJ 2023 Fall Issues Conference will be on Saturday, October 21st at the UU Church in Cherry Hill and online.  The Zoom meeting will open at 9:45 AM, and the program begins at 10 AM.  The program will run until 2:00 PM, with cookies and conversation for in-person attendees from 2:00 to 2:30 PM.

Read More “Fall Issues Conference Agenda”

“Abolish Life Imprisonment” Campaign Announcement

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By Tom Moran, Criminal Justice Reform Task Force Chair

Our coalition partner—Abolish Life Imprisonment (an initiative of Salvation and Social Justice)—is planning a robust publicity campaign starting soon.  The campaign will endeavor to advance legislation through the lame-duck session of the New Jersey legislature.  Although our bill has not yet been finalized and introduced, we do have a draft bill based on the March 2023 Report of the New Jersey Criminal Sentencing & Disposition Commission.

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75,000+ March to End Fossil Fuels

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Unitarian Universalists joined protestors representing a broad coalition of climate activists and communities of faith in the March to End Fossil Fuels on Sunday, September 17th, 2023.

In anticipation of to the September 20th “UN Climate Ambition Summit” in New York, people took to the streets to cry out for a fossil-free future.  Marchers called on President Biden—leader of the world’s largest producer of oil and gas—to stop oil and gas projects, phase down drilling, and declare a climate emergency.  Add your voice—sign the March to End Fossil Fuels petition.

Read More “75,000+ March to End Fossil Fuels”