The Faith in Action: Peace & Social Justice Committee held a somewhat abbreviated meeting from 12-1PM on Sunday, Sep. 20th so that some attendees could head to Rev. Diana’s workshop starting at 1. In attendance were James, Kate, Joe D., Audrey, Liz D., Larry, and Roberta. We missed those who weren’t present because of other commitments or illness.
1. Film Screening and Discussion on Sat. 10-24 – We will host “Bad Faith 2026: Christian Nationalism in Power” 3-6PM. Parking has been reserved. We will try to get the word out via KPFK, DSA, Code Pink, JVP, Change Links, EventBrite etc. Joe D. suggested some of these and is hoping with promotion. We will invite participants from the interfaith community and local groups for a panel discussion. We are expecting two of the filmmaking team to be present. James has artwork elements from the production company and will work on a flyer(s).
2. CLUE Pilgrimage 09-29-10-04. CLUE (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice) and allies are planning a pilgrimage/march from Adelanto to DTLA (Adelanto is a couple hours drive up near Victorville) to demand an end to inhumane ICE immigrant detention. They are asking for volunteers to help support the marchers and for donations of food and water. (This is similar to an interfaith march that occurred in TX in the last couple of months that was led in part by women who had survived Japanese internment camps as young children.) We will coordinate to see what support can be provided.
3. Liz D. has proposed co-facilitating a discussion based on the presentations of a YouTube Vlogger who compellingly explains and talks about issues related to the pervasiveness of patriarchy. Liz will also bring this to UUSM Adult Programs/Lifelong Learning, more to come
4. Joe D. updated us about an event which took place a couple of weeks ago in Ventura entitled La Defensa del Pueblo: A Summit to End the Terror Against the People. It brought together many community, faith and labor groups.
5. Joe alerted us to a march planned for Oct. 10th in Pershing Square organized by the Palestinian Youth Movement.
6. Joe also suggested the idea of organizing and outing (field trip!) to visit the historic sacred spring of the Tongva people, a little-known natural marvel and culturally significant site that is on the grounds of the current University High School in West LA, and is open to the public on the first Saturday of every month. (Also an idea to convey to Lifelong Learning.)
7. Joe also let us know about upcoming pride months to support including Indigenous Pride in Expo Park on Oct. 11th and Models of Pride, a youth outreach event on Oct 10th at the LA LGBT Center in Hollywood (see fliers below).
8. On the last Saturday of August, PSJ co-hosted a Spanish language info session at UUSM for community awareness and action. Contact PSJ for more info.
9. *One thing we forgot to mention at the meeting as we were pressed for time — next month we will likely have to reschedule the PSJ meeting because we are going to have a book talk after coffee hour with Nicole Levin, an environmental activist and organizer (Sunrise Movement, Sierra Club) and a former writer for the Harvard Lampoon, who has written a new book (partly humorous) about her work and fight against the fossil fuel industry in CA. The UUSM connection to her work and writing is that she got her start on her activist journey when she attended the Sunrise Movement trainings that PSJ and the Green Committee helped to host here in 2019.
Lots to discuss further, soon.
