UUCC at UUA 2025 General Assembly
- UU Class Conversations is cosponsoring the Congregational Study Action Issue Housing: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, which will be presented at General Assembly in Baltimore on June 19th. The high cost of housing is a major problem for people in every region of the United States. It is especially hard for millions of low-income, working poor and working class people, leading to homelessness for far too many.
Politicians have made lots of promises. Since January, government support for housing and utility assistance has declined. In response, working class people are organizing tenant unions and community programs to demand housing that is safe, affordable and acceptable. Unitarian Universalist congregations have the potential to move the needle on this issue.
Class Conversations asks 2025 General Assembly delegates to vote “yes” in support of the housing justice proposal. It has the potential to do the most good for working class people. Ask your congregation to endorse Housing: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Read the full text of the proposal.
- Live Webinar: Making Room at the Welcome Table: Social Class Inclusion
Sat. June 21, 1:00 PM ET (10:00 AM PT, 11:00 AM MT, 12:00 PM CT),
Join UU Class Conversations facilitators Kimberly Arias, Denise Moorehead and Diane Pansire to explore ways for UUs to confront classist policies that contribute to growing U.S. economic and cultural divides. But first, we will address our own class prejudices.
In this workshop, you will assess your and your congregation’s social class biases, confront classism and organize to create a class-inclusive, sacred space where all are welcomed and social justice can flourish – a recipe for growth and change.
If you are attending GA, we hope you will be part of this interactive workshop.
Welcome to Our 10th Year!
It is hard to believe that it’s already been 10 years since UU-CC worked with the planning committee at First Parish in Brookline to provide our first workshop training. Since then, UU Class Conversations has helped over 1,800 UUs across the United States and Canada and more than 300 U.S. congregations bridge social class differences and address classism to build beloved community, grow membership, and further social justice. Let’s Get Started on 10 More. Read on.
What’s New for UU?
On-Demand Video on Working Class Caucus Findings
Check out the UU-CC video Making Room in the Pews for Working Class UUs that premiered at the 2024 UUA General Assembly. The video was created as part of our Working Class Caucus Project, which first asked current working class congregants to share their experiences – highs and lows – within our predominately middle class UU congregations. Caucus participants shared their stories, with some speaking about the frustration of being made to feel “less-than” from some practices, traditions and even language use. Some also talked about being valued for their past experiences, especially when it came to social justice outreach or innovative giving ideas. Next, participants created a series of recommendations for congregations, organizations and the Association on ways that our denomination can become more class-inclusive and welcoming. These strategies will help us retain current members and recruit more from different social class backgrounds.Meaningful Class Conversations Cohorts
UU Class Conversations led six sessions (three morning sessions repeated in the evening) with our cohort partner Class Aware at the 2024 UUA General Assembly to provide members of UU congregations and organizations an opportunity to engage in lively, thoughtful discussions about social class, classism and becoming more inclusive. While UU-CC workshops are interactive, the cohort sessions (which offered interactive components) emphasized building community and cohesion through longer discussion opportunities about creating welcoming UU spaces. While participants were free to attend just one cohort session, the cohorts were designed to build upon each other. Some participants attended all three! Two even took part in all six! As one of the repeat attendees said, “Each time is different because there are different people, creating new ideas and solutions.”
UU Class Conversations works to empower UU congregations and organizations by helping them explore all facets of social class at the personal, organizational and societal levels. Our shared goal is to address and end classism and build bridges across class differences. We believe that together we can create deep, sustained relationships that build Beloved Community and bring about a more equitable world.
