Racial and Cultural Justice Team
Our Mission
Grounded in the core values of our faith, the Racial and Cultural Justice Team seeks to increase multicultural competence within ourselves and the congregation and works to overcome racism in all its forms in our community and nation.
NEW!: Regular meetings are now the 1st Monday of the month at 5:30 p.m. currently VIA ZOOM. All are welcome. Next meeting: 10/2/23. For more information please contact rcjcontact@chaliceuu.org.
Learn more:
Chalice Racial Justice Resources July 2020
Please consider joining us in these action opportunities and at these upcoming events:
“Humanizing Deportation/Humanizando La Deportación,” with Robert Irwin, PhD – Tuesday, September 26 at 6:30 pm – CLU Lundring Events Center, Thousand Oaks
https://www.callutheran.edu/centers/cej/events/
What Is Right? Martin Luther King Jr said: “Conscience asks the question, “Is it right?” And there comes a time when we must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but we must do it because Conscience tells us it is right.” How do we know we are doing what is right when it comes to race? Is our conscience enough, or are education and courage the way to begin? Join us on this Martin Luther King Sunday to explore discerning what is right?
In Octob
er 2016, the UUA Board issued a charge to all Unitarian Universalists, calling us to invest collectively and significantly in the leadership and organizing of Black Unitarian Universalists.
To live into that commitment they asked all congregations to do a service entitled “The Promise and Practice of our Faith” centering Black voices and raising funds for Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU). Chalice held this service on January 14, 2018 in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. You can see the service at this link: https://www.chaliceuu.org/services/promise-practice-faith/. Our goal was to feature the voices of People of Color and draw attention to the richness in our past and present if we truly live into our multi-cultural, multi-racial, anti-oppressive commitments. We also raised funds for BLUU to meet the matching UUA grant of $10 per member, and have sent our contribution to BLUU.
Thank you for your generosity and participation! We raised $2000 which will be doubled by a UUA donor! If you did not get an opportunity yet and wish to support BLUU, please know that your dollars will be matched. Kindly write the check to Chalice with BLUU in the memo-line. Thank you all for your generosity and commitment to dismantling racism wherever we can.
Recent Events:
“Juneteenth Celebration” – Oxnard Plaza Park June 17
“ADL Walk against Hate” – Conejo Creek Park – February 6
37th Annual Ventura County Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Freedom March” 9:00 a.m. Observance Program at Oxnard Performing Arts Center – January 16
Ventura County TRUTH Act Forum” – October 11th in person and online. Ventura County TRUTH Act Forum / Acta de la VERDAD Foro del Condado de Ventura | Facebook
“Voting Rights 2022 – A Brief History, the Current Climate, and Where to Go From Here” – March 18 7:00 p.m. virtual community forum.
“36th Annual Ventura County Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – January 17 online
“Good Trouble: Candlelight Vigil for Democracy” July 17
“Witnessing Whiteness: The Need to Talk About Race and How to Do It” workshop series – April 1, 8, 15 and 22 with Dr. Shelly Tochluk
“Leave No One Behind” Mural and Art Installation uplifting the stories of deported veterans – April 17, Santa Paula
“DIGDEEP: Defending the Basic Human Right to Water” – March 5 Community Forum
“Protecting Youth From Recruitment into Online Hate” – February 5 Community Forum
“35th Annual Ventura County Martin Luther King, Jr. Day” – January 18
“Taking a Collective Breath: Deepening our alignment to the movement for Black Lives” – October 13
“Zooming to the Border for Human Rights” – October 1
“Continuing the Conversation on Race” – July 24
“March for Black Lives Matter” – July 20, Thousand Oaks Mall
“Policing & Racial Justice: A Community Dialogue for Ventura County” – July 16
“DACA – The Way Forward” – July 15 sponsored by Buen Vecino
“Hear Our Stories: DACA in Contact” – July 14 presentation of testimonials and discussion.
“13th Panel Discussion – How We Got Here” – July 10; community forum discussing the history of race in America, the psychology of racism, and what we need to do now.
“Congregational Conversation on Race” – July 2
“Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington” June 20. View broadcast here: June2020.org
“Celebrate Juneteenth” and “Peaceful Juneteenth Protest” June 19 in Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley respectively.
“Everybody’s Got a Right to Live” UUA and Poor People’s Campaign Worship Service – June 14 with Bishop William J. Barbara II’s sermon “America, Accepting Death Is Not an Option Anymore” (link below)
“Freedom and Justice For All” Candlelight Vigil – June 14 in Plaza Park, Oxnard, sponsored by Community Advocacy Coalition.
“CoverAge” screening and webinar with Buen Vecino – June 9. Q&A to address why Health 4All Seniors is so important and how to support it.
#WeCantBreathe – a UUA Virtual Prayer Vigil – June 2 5-6:30 p.m. Sponsored by UU the Vote.
“Immigrant Action Day” – May 11 – virtual programming lifting up the voices and legislative agenda of immigrant rights advocates as well as virtual visits with legislators.
Earth Day screening of “The Condor & The Eagle” – April 22
“All you wanted to know about your kids education and how it is paid for” virtual community forum – April 17 – with Stan Mantooth, Superintendent of Ventura County Schools
“Suppressed: The Fight to Vote” Speakers and Discussion Virtual Community Forum, March 28th, with former Santa Paula City Councilmember Laura Flores Espinosa and League of Women Voters – Ventura County, President, Betsy Patterson.
“Love Your Neighbor weekend,” March 12-15, an interfaith, community-wide program inviting participation from all faith traditions and people of moral conscience for a campaign of compassion was postponed.
“Come to Your Census” – February 2020 – community forum discussing ways to ensure everyone is counted.
“Challenging the Future of Cruelty: Staying Strong in Difficult Times” with Tim Wise – February 2020 – attended event which also featured numerous organizations supporting social justice causes.
“Beloved Conversations 2” – February-May 2020 – Fifteen Chalice members enrolled in program examining the role of race in our personal, congregational, and community lives.
Citizenship Fair in Moorpark – December 2019 – volunteers helped people complete applications for Citizenship or other forms as needed. Training provided. Attorney present for assistance.
Citizenship Fair in Simi Valley – November 2019 – volunteers helped people complete applications for Citizenship or other forms as needed. Training provided. Attorney present for assistance. Sponsored by Buen Vecino.
Truth Act Forum – October 2019 – Board of Supervisors Hearing Room, County Government Center, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura. As required under the TRUTH Act, Sheriff to report on contact between ICE and inmates. For more info: TRUTH Act Forum: ICE Out of Ventura County
Voices of a People’s History of the United States – October 2019 – Chalice provided dramatic presentations of justice-seeking advocates from Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove’s book.