Our UURMaPA Fall Conference theme for 2024, “Generative Eldering and Democracy’s Future” is responsive to the present critical moment in the story of American democracy. We are guided by the reflections of Dr. Sharon Welch in two of our three theme panels, along with reading together her book After The Protests Are Heard.
We are pleased to announce that our third theme panel on Tuesday October 22 (4:30 Eastern, 3:30 Central, 2:30 Mountain, 1:30 Pacific) will feature three UU clergy who are community organizers deeply involved in our faith-based efforts to reclaim and redeem what Dr Welch calls “the soul of democracy.”
Rev. Lisa Garcia-Sampson serves as the Executive Director of UU Justice NC, the UU Justice Ministry of North Carolina. In her ministry, she has the pleasure of organizing UU congregations across the state to powerfully contribute to the movement for justice through spiritual grounding, joy, imagination and partnership. Her work spans racial, economic, immigrant, environmental, LGBTQ, and electoral justice, and more. She is an affiliated community minister of the Community Church of Chapel Hill NC
Rev. Cathy Rion Starr is a queer & gender queer white minister, organizer, and parent of two amazing kiddos. Cathy coordinates Leadership Development on the Side With Love staff team at the UUA (formerly the office of Advocacy & Witness) and is married to Rev. Heather Rion Starr, the settled minister of the UUs of Southern Delaware. Cathy serves on their Small Town & Sidewalks committee and the Delaware Working Families Party State Committee. Cathy brings a passion for relationship-building, strives to hold complexity and contradictions honestly, and seeks more spiritually grounded justice work.
Rev. Joseph Santos-Lyons has been an organizer with and President of DRUUMM, a People of Color ministry in Unitarian Universalism. He has previously served as Executive Director of APANO, Oregon’s oldest and largest Asian Pacific Islander advocacy group. His most recent and exciting project is the $20 Million Mixed Use Affordable Housing and Cultural Center in East Portland. He currently shares time between the Pacific Northwest and the Philippines with his family. He works remotely on campaigns and special projects and directly in the Asia-Pacific region with civil society organizations.
The panel will discuss their experiences with the gifts and challenges involved in elder activists engaging with catalytic social change. Rev. Wayne Arnason will act as moderator for their conversation. Go HERE to register for the full UURMaPA Fall Conference October 21-23.