What Is Social Justice?
We know what injustice is – racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, environmental destruction – any systemic oppression that harms the body and spirit and constrains our potential. Social justice is about healing those harms and replacing injustice with equity; for example, replacing housing discrimination with housing access. The social justice ministry at UUCF takes our Unitarian Universalist values and attempts to express those values inside and beyond our walls. We are not only building community on Sundays, but acting every day to make a better world.
Social justice ministry is usually expressed through outward-facing action – advocating at the statehouse, rallying in the streets or delivering food and other life necessities. That outward-facing action also carries us toward deep internal and communal transformation as we learn to work together and make a difference.
Important Links
- Social Justice Ministries
- Direct Service & Advocacy
- Other Ways to Get Involved
- Upcoming Actions & Meetings
- Share the Plate program – Each month, half the Sunday offerings go to a different nonprofit nominated by congregants and selected by the Social Justice Advisory Team.
- Congregational Resolutions and designations
- Social Justice Policy: Taking Public Positions on Social Justice Issues – helping congregants appropriately represent UUCF on justice issues to outside organizations and the media
- UUCF Social Justice Advisory Team
- UU Affiliated Programs
Get Involved
There are many ways to get involved in social justice at UUCF. See below for a list of social justice ministries and direct action and advocacy opportunities that are great ways to make like-minded friends and contribute something meaningful to the world. Please also take a moment to learn about UUCF’s priority campaign, Teaching Truth: Putting Students First, which promotes inclusive history despite attempts at whitewashing, and access to books despite attempts at censorship.
Please email Social Justice Coordinator Andrew Batcher if you have questions.
Social Justice Ministries
Social Justice Ministries
- Racial Justice – contact Andrew Batcher
- LGBTQIA+ Equity – contact Andrew Batcher
- Act for Climate Today! and Paris Pledge Initiative – contact Loretta Rowe or Bob Root
- Reproductive Justice Task Force – contact Carol Campbell, Lisa Carroll or Sheri Wilson
- UUCF Food Justice Project – contact Marcia Simpkins or Andrew Batcher
- UU Afghan Refugee Resettlement Team – contact Marcia Tugendhat or Ann King
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Direct Service & Advocacy
Direct Service & Advocacy
- Hot Meals (in partnership with FACETS) – contact Hannah Kim or Scott Lundgren. UUCF partners with Fairfax-based FACETS to help provide more than 23,600 meals annually to unhoused individuals and families in Fairfax. Check for updated announcements at uucf.org/happening.
- Monthly Food Drives – contact Marcia Simpkins or Andrew Batcher. UUCF holds monthly food drives to provide food, money and other necessities to support local food justice organizations in the DC area. Food drives are usually the third Sunday of each month immediately after the worship service. Check for updated announcements at uucf.org/happening.
- ESOL teaching – contact Terry Goplerud or Stacy Casey. Check for updated announcements at uucf.org/happening.
- Teaching Truth – supporting accurate history and LGBTQIA+ stories at the Fairfax County School Board – contact Andrew Batcher. Check for new events at uucf.org/happening.
- Gun violence prevention advocacy – contact Andrew Batcher. Check for new events at uucf.org/happening.
- February Hypothermia Shelter – contact Tom Hettenhouser. Check for new events at uucf.org/happening.
- Beacon House – fall school supply drive and December toy drive – contact Kerry Fraser or Ann Wood
- Falls Church Health Clinic Positive Presence gatherings (counteracting regular anti-abortion protests) – contact Carol Campbell, Lisa Carroll or Sheri Wilson. Check for new events at uucf.org/happening.
- MLK Month every January – contact Andrew Batcher
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Other Ways to Get Involved
Other Ways to Get Involved
Other Ways to Get Involved
UUCF is thankful to connect with and support a variety of efforts to build a better world. Below are other community groups you might like to connect with. If you do, consider letting us know so we can celebrate! Maybe more people would like to get involved. You can send an email any time to Social Justice Coordinator Andrew Batcher.
Upcoming Actions & Meetings
Upcoming Actions & Meetings
Upcoming Actions & Meetings
| Date/Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Sat. Oct 7 at 7:00 PM | Banned Books Festival Comedy Showcase & Cabaret | Unity of Fairfax |
| Tue. Oct 10 at 7:00 PM | Accotink UU Church Banned Books Club | Via Zoom Only |
| Sun. Oct 15 at 12:00 AM | October Hot Meals | |
| Sat. Oct 21 at 10:00 AM | Racial Justice Steering Committee | Via Zoom Only |
| Sat. Oct 28 at 10:00 AM | Potomac Partnership Social Justice Retreat | Cedar Lane UU Congregation |
UUCF Social Justice Advisory Team
UUCF Social Justice Advisory Team
The Social Justice Advisory Team works with Social Justice Coordinator Andrew Batcher to coordinate the various social justice ministries. Its main focus is connecting ministry teams, responding to timely events and organizing trainings and retreats.
UU Affiliated Programs
UU Affiliated Programs
- UU-UNO Committee – UUCF’s UU-UNO Committee seeks to engage our community in the mission of the Unitarian Universalist Association Office at the United Nations. The UUA Office at the United Nations engages in the work of the United Nations to advance a peaceful, just, sustainable and pluralistic world community that promotes human rights and to engage and inspire UUs and others to support and participate in this work.
- UUSC – The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC) is a nonsectarian organization that advances human rights and social justice in the United States and around the world. Through a combination of advocacy, education and partnerships with grassroots organizations, UUSC promotes economic rights, advances environmental justice, defends civil liberties and preserves the rights of people in times of humanitarian crisis.
- UUSJ – UUCF is a member of Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) in the Baltimore-Washington region, which hosts task forces on civil marriage, the environment, health care and affordable housing and conducts advocacy trainings each year.