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Bending the Arc: Building a Better UU Justice Network

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Bending the Arc: Building a Better UU Justice Network Bending The Arc: Building A Better UU Justice Network Harvard Kennedy School Policy Analysis Exercise Submitted to: Rev. Brock Leach, UUSC Rev. Kathleen McTigue, UU College oF Social Justice Prof. Tim McCarthy, Harvard Kennedy School Prof. Thomas Patterson, Harvard Kennedy School Prepared by: Casper ter Kuile Candidate For Masters in Public Policy, 2016 Candidate For Masters in Divinity, 2016 February 17th 2015 This PAE reflects the views oF the author and should not be viewed as representing neither the views oF the UUSC, UUA, the UU College oF Social Justice nor those oF Harvard University or any oF its Faculty. Acknowledgements In the process of writing this Policy Analysis Exercise, I have been guided and encouraged immeasurably by those without whom this project would have failed totally. My thanks go to - Rev. Brock Leach, for being the perfect ‘client’ and collaborator. Particularly for his generosity in including me in numerous related UUSC processes so that I might understand better the context of this project and his belief that this research will prove useful. Professor Tim McCarthy, for his consistent insight, inspiration and practical assistance. Rev. Kathleen McTigue and her team at UUCSJ for suggesting interviewees and consistent moral support. Pam Sparr, Sushma Raman and all the staff at UUSC for their encouragement, logistical aid and guidance. Rev. Dr. Bill Schulz, for suggesting I work with Brock on the project. Professor Thomas Patterson, for his guidance and willingness to help me finish the project in a shorter timeframe. And finally, and most importantly, to all the interviewees who offered their time, expertise and creativity in the hope that we might learn together. My particular thanks go to the many UU ministers who have demonstrated so powerfully how I might unite my own ministry and justice work in the future. 2 Key Terms AJWS – American Jewish World Service AME – African Methodist Episcopal Church CBCO – Congregation-based community organizing/organizations DRE – Director of Religious Education FAN – Franciscan Action Network FCNL – Friends Committee on National Legislation GA – Unitarian Universalist General Assembly Gilbert Model – Richard Gilbert’s social justice model developed in Rochester, NY and elaborated on in The Prophetic Imperative. (See Bibliography) IAF – Industrial Areas Foundation MCC – Mennonite Central Committee RE – Religious Education/Religious Educator Share the Plate – A fundraising effort whereby a partner organization receives half of the funds donated at a worship service. UCC – United Church of Christ UU – Unitarian Universalist UUA – Unitarian Universalist Association UUCSJ – Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice UUSC – Unitarian Universalist Service Committee 3 Table of Contents Executive Summary 6 Introduction 8 Literature Review 12 Methodology 17 Findings 19 MoBilizing Identity 19 National and State Justice InFrastructure 21 Organizing Structure 24 Theology and Faith-Based Action 31 Leadership Development 35 Supporting Leaders 41 Partnership 44 Accountability 49 Beyond Service 50 Justice and Growth 55 Measuring Impact 56 Illustrations 48 Recommendations 51 Cluster Development 60 Building Partnerships: Local 60 Building Partnerships: National 61 Practicing Covenant 61 Telling Stories 62 Youth Leadership 63 Justice Leaders Network 64 Spiritually Sustaining Justice Leaders 65 Measuring What Matters 65 Mass Training 66 Accreditation 66 Appendices 59 List oF Interviewees – UU 68 List oF Interviewees – External 72 4 Oral Consent Form 73 Sample Interview Questions 73 Full Survey Data 74 5 Executive Summary The institutions that serve Unitarian Universalists are not adequately feeding their hunger for justice. In part because of budget cuts, lack of strategic coordination and missed opportunities, the quality of congregational justice making is sporadic at best. Despite some impressive successes, ministers are frustrated, leaders burnt out and large numbers of small organizations are competing for the same resources. The wealth of expertise that sits within the UUA, UUSC and UUCSJ often fails to reach congregations, and certainly fails to reach unaffiliated UUs. Local justice leaders are isolated internally and unable or unwilling to form strong partnerships externally. Though UUSC’s mission abroad is being fulfilled well, there are significant difficulties in domestic work. UUSC’s mission to ‘advance human rights and social justice around the world, partnering with those who confront unjust power structures and mobilizing to challenge oppressive policies’ is not being fulfilled. Most congregations struggle to develop projects that go beyond service, and fail to confront structural injustices with meaningful, long-term projects. Local leaders partner poorly and very little theological grounding and spiritual nourishment is built into congregational justice work. This report, commissioned by the UUSC in partnership with the UUCSJ, seeks to identify the ingredients for a successful UU Justice Network and its approach. Drawing on a survey of UUSC members, congregational justice literature and 51 expert interviews, this report provides a snapshot of the current state of justice work within the denomination and recommendations for improvement. Findings • Congregations across the country struggle with similar issues. How to develop successful partnerships, develop new leaders, and create meaningful opportunities for social action continue to present difficulties. • These difficulties are grounded in theological, cultural and structural traditions. Efforts to change justice work often fail to take into account the root causes for attitudes and behaviors. Justice work often remains disconnected from the faith formation and theological development of congregants, and is seen as an add-on. • Working models exist – Both at the center and the margins – that could be replicated and adapted more widely. The lack of investment in social justice clusters, small group justice work, long-term partnerships, and state networks are prohibiting growth and impact. Underinvestment in training congregational leaders has left justice leadership quality patchy and disconnected. 6 • There’s a hunger among UU justice leaders For more collaboration, support and training. Many are looking for leadership, which UUSC is well placed to take on. Recommendations 1. Create a UU Justice Network and widely train justice leaders. Invest in widespread training that is spiritually grounded, privileges the insights of the oppressed, builds genuine covenanted and enduring partnerships and mobilizes for systemic change. House training program within UUSC and UUCSJ to ensure programmatic unity and depth of faith-rooted justice approach. 2. Actively support leaders. Develop a network of support by hosting regional retreats that support leaders practically by sharing resources and strategies as well as emotionally and spiritually, in order to avoid burnout. 3. Invest in scaling solutions and share their story. Those models that are succeeding, such as small group justice ministry and congregation clusters need support to spread. Use UUSC’s current financial health to further demonstrate success and scale by sharing stories of success. 4. Go beyond congregations. Many UUs are unaffiliated but remain passionate about justice work. UUSC/UUCSJ can create a justice network that not only includes unaffiliated UUs and young adults, but depends on them. 5. Develop sharaBle tools. Many tools need only a one time investment to develop, and can then be continuously shared through the network, such as an impact metric dashboard, resources for Religious Educators, video series of best practices and covenanting guide. UUs have throughout history been at the forefront of supporting struggles for justice. Now is the time to create the infrastructure, nationally, regionally and locally, to enable those passionate for a better world to make it happen. 7 Introduction The Context The Unitarian Universalist College of Social Justice (UUCSJ) was launched in 2012 to build the capacity of Unitarian Universalists – individually and collectively – to catalyze justice. It is a collaboration of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) which serves 1100 North American congregations and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC), an independent, non-sectarian international human rights organization founded to advance Unitarian Universalist values of inherent worth and dignity and interdependence and promote the principles of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In partnering to form the College, the UUA and UUSC recognized the need to provide transformative experiential learning and justice education programs for Unitarian Universalists and their allies so that they could become more capable activists and change leaders and more deeply grounded in their faith, whether serving in UU congregations or institutions or other justice organizations. Programs-to-date have included service learning experiences for individuals and congregational groups offered in partnership with community-based organizations from marginalized communities. The topics have spanned disaster relief, economic development, worker justice and immigration reform. In addition, the College has created a spectrum of hands-on justice education programs for high school age youth as well as a wide variety of internships and fellowships for young adults. After almost three years, these programs have generated a growing group of individual
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