Leading up to the election, I was tired. The last 4 years had been a slog as an organizer and heartbreaking to witness as a human being. I knew that the moral arc of the universe bent toward justice, but did the arc have to be so long?
I knew going into this election that, whatever the outcome, there would be more difficult work on the other side. So, I was surprised to find that as November went on, I felt a new commitment and interest in the social justice work I had been doing. I was ready to try new things, or take on new responsibilities. The work felt energizing again.
It’s not because of the election. It’s because of you: all the people who worked so hard to turn out the vote, to bring people to the polls who had never been before, to remind citizens all over this country that they had a voice. UUCF members sent thousands of postcards and letters, participated in phone-banks and text-banks and showed up to support voters. What we did made a difference. We have power to change the national conversation. We have the resilience to have hard conversations with our neighbors and with one another.
Today, I met with a newcomer to the area who brings a wealth of experience in political organizing and is excited to work with young people to help them learn to use their voices. I met with organizers trying to imagine new ways for people to grow and use their gifts in the service of justice. I met with congregants who are celebrating wins, but who are also looking forward to the next steps. All of these folks made me excited to work toward our shared future.
Many are looking to the Virginia General Assembly session in January, and following the lead of our community partners (like the Northern Virginia Equity Agenda Coalition, the Faith Alliance for Climate Solutions and the Legal Aid Justice Center). Our social justice groups work with these partners to reach out to legislators and advocate for the changes we want to see in the world. What’s on the agenda in 2021? Voting rights, preventing evictions, carbon neutrality, ending private detention and more. They’re important issues. But when I read that list of issues, I think of a different agenda – our agenda as Unitarian Universalists. Some people love the details of legislation (and I’m so grateful, because those details are critical!). But what speaks to me are the values that underlie these issues. We might call them different things in different years – maybe marriage equality or minimum wage or civil rights. But underneath, they are democracy, peace, justice, love for the planet and love for one another. Those values are always on the agenda, every year.
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