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## BLM Initiative : Race Resources
​****is a site that is curated on a  regular basis with up to date resources.
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| **Articles**  * An ad led to Domingo Morales falling in love with compost. A windfall is helping him spread the word * **The Sweeping Lie Behind the Buffalo Shooting**A Princeton professor on the violent consequences of hiding from our nation’s history. Read in The New Yorker: < * **In ‘The Billboard,’ Chicago Journalist Tackles Abortion Rights And Seeks To Portray Englewood ‘As More Than The Headlines’**The play "The Billboard," by Natalie Moore, deals with abortion rights and race. It was "inspired by real instances of people erecting pro-choice and pro-life billboards." The book is available now and the play premieres at Northwestern University's Wirtz Center in June.< * **How to Hold Each Other Accountable - With Love**< * **A Georgia Restaurant Has a Racist History. What Should Become of It?**At Aunt Fanny’s Cabin, which closed years ago, young Black waiters sang for white patrons. The community is divided over how, and whether, to preserve the institution’s legacy. ****< * **Ministers Sought Prentiss, Not Reverse, Hinsdalean.**< * **Support and Solidarity on March 31, Trans Day of Visibility: “Give us our roses while we’re still here.”**< * **Inhabiting Worlds Where Black Lives Really Matter**< * ****By Joe Heim  — There was so much Fredrick Miller didn’t know about the handsome house here on Riceville Road.****​ *  * ***Op Ed by Renaldo Hudson- *** * The Gaslighting of America- reflections on the insurrection anniversary from an immigrant person of color. < * Healthmatch: ***.***  Racism doesn’t only exist in the workplace or institution. Racism and discrimination do exist even during pandemics. As part of the health industry, we feel that it is our responsibility to provide pieces of information relating to pandemics and racism. We’ve written this content that will provide proofs and accurate data that indeed discrimination exist way before the 1800's pandemic until today’s COVID-19. * “***Put your money where your mouth is—literally. So if you want to say “Black Lives Matter,” make Black lives matter by investing in Black communities.”*** < * “The Dawn of Everything” confronts deep assumptions about how human society developed from its humble (Indigenous) origins.<#Echobox=1637265780> * **Noam Chomsky Talks Climate and Racial Justice**“A conversation about the roots of our current climate crisis and humanity’s prospects for emerging into a livable future.”<  ​  * How to support Indigenous communities and their allies in healing our planet and moving forward to a post-oil future​“…What we’re trying to do is create a planet that’s going to be just and habitable for everyone.”<  * Diwali is festival of light, love, family and culture that is celebrated by Hindus and people of Indian heritage around the world.**How Indian Americans are Making Diwali Their Own**< * **Community Land Trusts Offer a Path to Housing Justice**“Before the pandemic, close to half of U.S. renters were spending more than 30% of their income on housing. The spread of COVID-19 made the crisis even worse, with 1 in 4 urban families falling behind on rent, and as many 15 million currently facing eviction after the federal eviction moratorium expired in September.”“”Community land trusts are a tool to help hardworking families to obtain permanently affordable, decent good quality homes,” says Sanchez-Gonzalez. He says that helping families obtain affordable housing is a fundamental building block for a healthy community, and will keep young people from “going down the wrong path to ensure their families can make ends meet.””< * **On America’s Residential Caste System—and How to Abolish It**Author Sheryll Cashin explores the deliberate design elements of racial segregation within cities like Chicago and St. Louis, where predominantly Black neighborhoods are marked by lower income levels, poorer quality education, lower access to employment, greater violence, and more racist policing. And she offers practical suggestions as to how these structures can be deliberately dismantled.<#Echobox=1632773330> * “The good news? The city has a vast network of organizations already doing the work of dismantling our dangerously biased systems. The great news? While racism and systemic oppression is very complex, we’ve made it quite simple for you to take positive, immediate action.”How Citizens and Companies Can Support Antiracism in Chicago (“Not being racist” is simply no longer enough)<​ * By Hannah NatansonTRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Nevaeh Wharton was busy with homework one evening in late April when her phone pinged with a warning. A friend had texted to say something disgusting was happening in a private Snapchat group chat. * **Grieving America on the Fourth of July**By Jean NeelyI believe America is beautiful. But as our poet-prophet James Baldwin pointed out, one can both “love America more than any other country in this world” and “insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” In fact, love demands honesty, truth-speaking, and open-eyed critique.We might begin with the work of facing the truth of who we are, of being present to the full reality of ourselves and our country. We need to look squarely at reality, at our own churches and our own souls, and deal with the discomfort or pain of what we find there.   < * By Ta-Nehisi Coates“In the past, I generally thought that the problem of white supremacy could be dealt through the sort of broad economic policy favored by  * One hundred years ago this week, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from May 31 through June 1, 1921, deputized whites killed more than 300 African Americans and wiped out over $27 million (accounting for inflation) of Black wealth. The white mob looted and burned to the ground 40 square blocks of 1,265 African American homes, including hospitals, schools, and churches, and destroyed 150 businesses. This assault was met by a brave but unsuccessful armed defense of their community by some Black World War I veterans and others. *  *  *  * ​​W *  * ​ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *   *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * C *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ​ *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * Chauncy DeVega *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * ​ | *If the very real inequities are to change, if we are to live fully into our principles upholding the worth and dignity of every person and our belief in the interdependent web of existence, we must change – and change is hard.**The following are a collection of articles, videos, books, and movies that are the first step in seeing beyond the reality that the dominant culture believes is the only reality. We must open our eyes to the totality of what is happening around us in order to find the courage to work for a just society for every single person.**It asks us to change – so that the world might change. But do not fear – we can and will do this work as a covenanted community.​You are not alone.* African Americans may experience more barriers to substance abuse treatment than any other racial group. The reasons for this are vast but we believe that by sharing valuable information, African Americans can learn about the different recovery options available to them and get help.The resources below are medically reviewed and provide help to African Americans who may be struggling with drug or alcohol misuse:  * **** - *Provides helpful statistics, looks at the differences in substance abuse patterns across the black population, and treatment options to consider.* * ****-*African Americans may experience more barriers to treatment than other groups, this guide can help one become aware of payment options and how to find providers who understand the issues unique to this population.* * *****- Discusses the idea of ‘underrepresentation’ in more detail looking at common barriers, legal biases and the importance of cultural competency.*  **UU** **Voices**  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *   **Books & Papers**  *  *  * Loving!  Sheryll Cashin’s provocative new book Loving: Interracial Intimacy in America and the Threat to White Supremacy is getting a lot of deserved attention – see her recent , and this great  on NPR’s Fresh Air. *  *  *  *   **History**  *  *  *  *   **​Web Pages**  *  * The 1619 Project *  *  *  *   **Videos / Audio**  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * s *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *   **Self Test**  *  *   ​One concern that is being expressed by many people in vulnerable minorities is that bullies and racists have been emboldened by the rhetoric and behavior of the 45th president. There have been more documented assaults and incidents of racist behavior since Nov 8th, 2016.  SURJ – Showing Up for Racial Justice – released the following resources to help all of us show up for one another and and prepare to deflect and repudiate rude and threatening behavior. Each of us, black, white, brown or any shade in between, need to be an ally to one another and look out for every single person. Do your homework and have a plan in place in case you witness someone being verbally assaulted or disrespected. Better to be ready and never have to use your plan that to find yourself wishing you had said or done something after the event has passed.  * SURJ Bystander Intervention Training from :  |  * Hollaback:  * NPR All Things Considered:  * : 1-page Guide from Casino-Free Philadelphia Direct Action Guide * Killerfemme:  * DNAinfo:  * : GREAT List of Readable + Watchable Resources |
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## Prison Ministry
| The UCH congregation supports our prison ministry in a variety of ways.  Through this work, we demonstrate that our circle of love is big enough to include all people, and to live into our value that all individuals are deserving of worth and dignity. Our UCH Prison Ministry, which began in its current form in 2018, consists of three parts: pen pal relationships, advocacy work, and supportive events. Picture **Letter Writing to Those Inside Prison Walls****​**Be an outside pen pal!**-**Fourteen UCH members have developed relationships with people who are incarcerated. We call those in our church outside pen pals, and those who are incarcerated inside pen pals. We are writing old fashioned letters, emails, talking on the phone, making video calls and/or visiting our pen pals in person.    Being a pen pal to those who are incarcerated in our Illinois prisons is not just about exchanging mail. It is about establishing a mutual relationship. We have the opportunity of being proximate, learning together and giving voice to someone on the inside. Often, we are the ones learning a lot. We learn about the carceral system, about where our tax dollars go, and about structural racism. We also learn about despair, patience, hope and resilience. And most importantly, we learn about another’s powerful story.  All of the UCH pen pals, old and new, meet regularly for support and reflection.  We also have the opportunity to join in a quarterly meeting with pen pals throughout Illinois, hosted by the Church of the Larger Fellowship, Chicago.   **Advocacy Work for those who don’t have a voice**.These pen pal relationships inform and inspire our advocacy work. Our pen pals informed us that Illinois does not have parole for anyone who was incarcerated after 1978. We have worked on this issue for six years - three legislative sessions-trying to get some sort of parole reestablished in Illinois. We are advocating for parole opportunities for adults 55 years and older who have served at least 25 years in prison, many of whom have been incarcerated since their late teens or early twenties. We can always use your help reaching out to your Illinois State Senator or Representative or turning in a witness slip electronically when a bill is in committee. **Supportive events to reach more people inside.**The third part of our Prison Ministry program includes supportive events: the book sale, holiday cards, and financial support.**Book Sale** -  We are gifting books! Our Prison Ministry is happy to support the statewide work of the Urbana-Champaign program. This non-profit provides free books that people who are incarcerated have requested. The books from Books to Prisoners offer those inside not only education and diversion,  but also the knowledge that someone on the outside cares about them.The program is co-sponsored by Fair Isle Books, owned by UCH member Debbi Daniel-Wayman.  We encourage you to visit the registry of "Often Requested, Seldom Donated Books" wish list on Debbi's site at ******Holiday Cards** - Many of our members get together to send more than 100 Holiday cards to people incarcerated and spending their holidays inside an Illinois prison.​​**Financial Support** - Our work is supported financially by our congregation and we are able to give some to each pen pal to cover costs of emails, stamps, and phone cards. We work with and are supported by ****, a statewide prison Ministry group connecting congregations all over the state. Join us anyway you feel comfortable in the Prison Ministry at UCH! Team Co- LeadersSusan StephensTracey Olson  --- | ***Ghost****With all these years in prison I believe I'veCome to feel what a ghost must feel, forced to beSpectators in a world where we've long been forgotten.Neither here nor there as life goes on around us.Some have forgotten that they were ever partof that world, they go around hating the worldand the people in it. Others remember too well,They long to be part of that world again, to be seen,To be heard, to be relevant.Every once in a while, for howeverBrief it may be someone sees them, really seesThem. Not for what they are told to see, a ghost,But for what lies beneath. For those who haven'tAnd do not want to forget, who still cherish and hangon to their humanity, it means the world to them.So yes, behind these four walls I've mostDefinitely come to feel what a ghost must feel,Your friendly ghost.Lonnie Smith**Big Muddy Correctional Center**​Inside Pen Pal*  Picture   Picture   Picture   Picture |
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| UCH is participating in the UUA campaign to UU the Vote this year.  We are engaging with other organizations to increase voter turnout, provide accurate information regarding the Fair Tax in Illinois, offer opportunities to do deep canvassing, and help support our democratic process in many other ways. For more information contact  or . | Picture |