Spring 2005 UUSC offered a five year grant to Corinne Kelly and
Jerome Chroman to establish a progressive legislative advocacy network
in Washington State. Jerome and Corinne interviewed some UU leadership
and allied organizations in the area to determine the interest and
support, then applied for the grant and received it July 2005.
We agreed that in doing so the network would support periodically
at critical times federal issues that UUSC supports-1)The Livable
Wage Campaign, 2) The Campaign to Ban Torture 3) Stop Water Privatization
Campaign. The steering committee also agreed to support UUSC’s
Stop Genocide in Darfur.
Washington State Unitarian Universalist Voices for Justice: Legislative
Advocacy Network was then formed with a steering committee which
met three times in 2005-6 with two additional conference calls.
Legislative Priorities in 2006
Washington UU Voices Legislative priorities were selected from
a survey of individual UU members, social justice chairs and the
steering committee. Also taken into account were the issues that
our coalition partners support and the cutting edge issues that
come out of our UU values.
- Poverty (link to pover
- Health Care
- Global Warming and Environmental Sustainability
- Marriage Equality
(To link to our 2006 campaigns click here)
Actions in 2005-6
We co-sponsored:
Our Successes: UU Values Legislated
- A Ban on Discrimination of Sexual Minorities
- More funding for:
- Kid’s Breakfast/Summer Food Programs
- Additional Low Income Housing
- Basic Health Plan
- Children’s Health Program
- Community Health Clinics for the uninsured
- More Plant-Produced Fuels in Gas/Diesel
- A Federal Ban on Torture enacted
Our Strategy 2006-7
The Legislative session for 2007 begins in January and ends in
May 2007.
Formation of the Council of Congregational Contacts
(content?)
Legislative Trackers
In June 2006 there was a call to the congregational leadership
for recommendations for Legislative Trackers and Congregational
Contacts who will serve in 2006-7. UU Voices Steering Committee
requested that the Legislative Trackers make a proposal to the
steering committee at the August 26th, 2006 steering committee
meeting & should their issue be accepted then they agree
to track that issue through out the legislative session, provide
basic information about issues, proposed action alerts and actions;
such as meetings with legislators and lobby days, that will
be disseminated throughout the UU Voices network by our new
online communication system “Democracy In Action”
and the Council of Congregational Contacts.
The criteria on which the issues will be determined
are their:
Impact Potential; Connection to UU Values, Potential for Coalition
Partnerships; Cutting Edge Value.
Council of Congregational Contacts
The Congregational Contacts are core to the work of UU Voices.
After the Aug 26th steering committee meeting where the issues
are proposed, the educational team of the steering committee
will prepare educational packets from the issue proposals to
be passed onto the Congregational Contacts.
UU Voices asks that the Congregational Contacts inform the
church of the proposed UU Voices issues via their church newsletters,
orders of services and Sunday morning announcements, tabling
and the social justice committee.
In November at the Council of Congregational Contacts, the
CC s will inform the steering committee of their churches recommendations
for legislative priorities.
An ongoing role of the Congregational Contact is to educate
people about UU Voices.
- To keep brochures printed or ordered and stocked in the church
display areas
- Invite congregants to visit our website and/or check out
our brochure and sign up
- Participate and or encourage church congregants to participate
in Lobby Days with our coalition allies or UU educational trainings.
- Present and propose a UU Voices Activism Sunday utilizing
a special educational packet on UU Values in the Public Arena.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR 2007 ISSUES click here (link to take
action )
Membership
We are a membership-based organization. Members of UU Communities
or Friends and Allies of UU s may subscribe to our newsletter.
This allows them to receive the UU Newsletter/Action Alerts through
out the legislative sessions and be kept abreast of events and
trainings around the intersection of issues of public policy and
our spiritual values. There is not currently a membership fee,
however, donations are appreciated as we hope to be financially
sustainable by 2010.
Steering Committee
Rev. Art Vaeni-OlympiaUUC
Rev. Liz Stevens-KitsapUUF
Rev. Chip Wright-UUC of Yakima
Ted Sturdevant-OlympiaUUC
Sarjane Siegfriedt-UUC
Jerome Chroman-UUC
Coordinators/Administrators
Rev. Carol McKinley, OlympiaUUC
Corinne Dee Kelly, UUC
Legislative Trackers Offering 2007 Proposed Issues
Rev. Elizabeth “Kit” Ketcham-Marriage Equality
Rev. Carol McKinley-Criminal Justice
Jerome Chroman-Poverty
Jobs and Living Wages
Health Care
Andrea Borning -Global Warming
Dick Burkhardt-Global Warming, Effects of Transportion
Bruce Pringle-Education
Advisors
Rev. Elizabeth “Kit” Ketcham-Religious Coalition for
Equality
Jeff Douthwaite (UUC-Seattle), former Rep 43rd Leg. Dist.
Will Wilcox (UUC-Seattle),survey
Elva Willingham-Spokane UUC, host
Deborah Barnes-UUC, web development
Nancy Ibsen-UUC, web design
Congrgational Contacts
Beth Brunton, John Crew, Carol Ann Davidson, Eileen Duffy, Ellen
Hanly, Dick Jacke, Jon Matteson, Deb Murphy, Shelley Rader, Jo
Walter, Elva Willingham
Funding
The UU Service Committee has agreed to fund Washington State Unitarian
Universalists for five years in the effort to establish an economically
viable, progressive statewide legislative advocacy network. UUSC
is establishing nine other networks, some of which are interfaith.
UU Voices Wa welcomes congregations and individuals to support
this UU effort financially.
Fiscal Sponsorhip
UU Voices for Justice is pleased to have as our fiscal sponsor
the Olympia UU Congregation.
Our Allies and Coalition Partners
Interfaith Northwest(Spokane), The Spokane Alliance???; National
Coalition to Stop Torture; Washington Assoc. of Churches(WAC);
Climate Solutions;Washingtion Statewide Poverty Action Network(SPAN);
Religious Coalition for Equality(RCE); Children's Alliance; Washington
Won't Discriminate; Unitarian Universalists Service Committee
UUSC; Unitarian Universalist Association UUA, Unitarian Universalists
for a Just Economic Community UUJEC; Unitarian Universalists for
a Just Economic Community Northwest UUJEC NW
