Social Justice at FUSF is structured to enable our justice work to be mission-driven and to allow a deeper focus on three or four issues. This approach was adopted was based on a model presented by the UU College of Social Justice.

Key to this approach, social justice activities at FUSF are now coordinated by the Social Justice Steering Team (SJST), which is responsible for determining the focus of the church’s social justice work based on proposals from motivated groups within the congregation.

Membership

• Steve Derdiarian
• Laura Minnichelli
• Ted McIntyre

Meetings and Responsibilities

The SJST meets on an as-needed basis to:

• review initiative proposals
• determine recipients of the monthly Plate Giveaway
• identify issues or actions that need immediate or short-term response
• have initiative leaders share progress and needs, and follow with input and support
• build a strong sense of a unified social justice community at FUSF

Initiatives and Actions

Proposals

To be approved as a church focus, a proposal must have a minimum of three core group members who are committed to an initiative for at least 12 months.

A proposal must:

• connect and be consistent with our Unitarian Universalist values and principles
• identify a grassroots partner organization
• have measurable, achievable goals
• provide at least 3 modes of action for congregational engagement
• provide a means of reflection on the actions

Each proposal is reviewed by the SJST, who has the authority to accept an initiative or not. Only approved initiatives are eligible to use the FUSF name and claim sponsorship by FUSF. This includes use of FUSF banners at public events.

Current Initiatives

The Social Justice Steering Team has currently received and approved four initiatives.

• Food Justice Team
• Welcoming Congregation Team
• Climate Justice
• Racial Justice

Immediate Actions

Immediate actions are organized directly by the SJST and are focused on a short-term goal to be accomplished in less than a year.

FUSF involvement in UU the Vote was identified as our first immediate action. UU the Vote is a voter mobilization campaign engaged in the lead-up to national elections, which has taken the form of letter-writing campaigns aimed at turning out under-represented voters in swing states.

Plate Giveaways

Once each month, the Social Justice Steering Team selects an organization to receive the monetary donations that are collected during the offertory portion of the service. This “giving away of the plate” is a tangible way for the congregation to further our UU principles, demonstrate generosity, and engage with good works in the community. The receiving organizations are usually either community partners of the existing Social Justice teams, UU advocacy, or social action groups. Recent recipients of the Plate Giveaway have been OUT Metrowest, the Franklin Food Pantry, and the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry.