UUJAZ is hosting a series of webinars for Arizona UUs, designed to encourage, support, and strengthen us for justice work. Register for the next webinar below! Connect from wherever you are to strengthen your justice muscles with UUJAZ!
Upcoming Justice Strength Trainings:
Past Justice Strength Trainings:
Are you mystified about the asylum seeking and immigration processes in the United States? Do you want to know more about these complex pathways? Join us for an informative conversation with immigration attorney and Valley UU member Jillian Kong-Sivert.
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Ms. Kong-Sivert is a second-generation immigrant, with family from Appalachia, Hong Kong, and Jamaica. She holds a B.A. in English from Grinnell College and a J.D. from the University of Iowa. She is admitted to practice before the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the U.S. District Court for Maryland, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Kong-Sivert began her career clerking for former U.S. Rep. Diane E. Watson (then State Senator), in California, which led to positions as Bill Drafter/ Committee Counsel to the Maryland legislature and Caseworker (State Department/ INS) for then U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski. Focusing on civil integration and community development, she clerked for Bryan, Jupiter, Lewis & Blanson, in Louisiana and Office of BMW Kahari in Zimbabwe, before joining the then civil litigation practice of Judge Mark Scurti. Focusing on refugee protection and immigration, Ms. Kong-Sivert then served as Director of Legal Services for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, and of the Refugee Program for Amnesty International USA. She headed the asylum and litigation sections of the immigration department at Becker, Hadeed, Kellogg & Berry. In Arizona, she headed the adjustment of status department of Littler, Mendelson, Bacon & Dear before launching a private practice in 2008.
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Sandy is a retired nurse who became involved with Citizens’ Climate Lobby 4 years ago. She is currently an AZ Co-State Coordinator for CCL, helping to oversee CCL activities in the state. She recently helped start a new CCL chapter at the Valley Unitarian Universalist Congregation which is currently in an organizational mode. Sandy has lived in AZ for 30 years and is an avid outdoors person, thus the interest in preserving our natural world.
Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) is a volunteer-driven, grassroots organization with over 486 chapters across the US and Canada that are all dedicated to building support within local communities for climate solutions. Their focus is on creating the political will for a livable world by working with Members of Congress to pass a carbon pricing strategy. citizensclimatelobby.org/
Are you passionate about addressing climate change? Are you worried about the IPCC climate change report released 10-8-2018? Are you looking for a way to make a difference? If you are interested in being part of a solution, CCL wants you to be a part of the conversation!
Citizens' Climate Lobby (CCL) is a volunteer-driven, grassroots organization with over 486 chapters across the US and Canada that are all dedicated to building support within local communities for climate solutions. Their focus is on creating the political will for a livable world by working with Members of Congress to pass a carbon pricing strategy. citizensclimatelobby.org/
Are you passionate about addressing climate change? Are you worried about the IPCC climate change report released 10-8-2018? Are you looking for a way to make a difference? If you are interested in being part of a solution, CCL wants you to be a part of the conversation!
Lola is a retired lawyer, poet and community activist. She is Director of the Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund, Regional Organizer for the National Bail Fund Network and a member of Black Lives Matter Tucson.
The Problem: Although violent crime is at historic lows, Arizona still has the 4th highest incarceration rate in the U.S. and the highest of all western states. In fact, 70%-80% of the inmates held in the Pima County jail are there on pretrial status meaning that they have not been convicted of a crime but will not be released until they pay a cash bond. Here in Tucson, city court magistrates and superior court judges continue to impose high cash bonds keeping the Pima County Jail population at near capacity level. However, even low cash bonds under $1000 can be beyond the ability of many people to pay and it is keeping them locked behind bars—away from their families, unable to keep their jobs and more likely to plead guilty to get out of jail.
Formation: The Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund (TSCCBF) was established to address the disproportionate impact of the cash bail system on communities of color and vulnerable populations here in Pima County. This effort is an outgrowth of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Tucson’s May 2017 “Mama Bailout Campaign.” That campaign raised money to free mothers in jail as part of a national effort by BLM to raise awareness about the inequities and immorality of using cash bonds to secure the court appearance of defendants. Learn more on their website www.watchtucson.com
Initiatives:
While TSCCBF is located in Pima County, they are engaging in State-wide projects:
Local Pima County Projects:
The Problem: Although violent crime is at historic lows, Arizona still has the 4th highest incarceration rate in the U.S. and the highest of all western states. In fact, 70%-80% of the inmates held in the Pima County jail are there on pretrial status meaning that they have not been convicted of a crime but will not be released until they pay a cash bond. Here in Tucson, city court magistrates and superior court judges continue to impose high cash bonds keeping the Pima County Jail population at near capacity level. However, even low cash bonds under $1000 can be beyond the ability of many people to pay and it is keeping them locked behind bars—away from their families, unable to keep their jobs and more likely to plead guilty to get out of jail.
Formation: The Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund (TSCCBF) was established to address the disproportionate impact of the cash bail system on communities of color and vulnerable populations here in Pima County. This effort is an outgrowth of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Tucson’s May 2017 “Mama Bailout Campaign.” That campaign raised money to free mothers in jail as part of a national effort by BLM to raise awareness about the inequities and immorality of using cash bonds to secure the court appearance of defendants. Learn more on their website www.watchtucson.com
Initiatives:
While TSCCBF is located in Pima County, they are engaging in State-wide projects:
- Court Watch Program
- Fair Justice Initiative 2020
- Community Solutions to violent policing
Local Pima County Projects:
- Book Club with SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) - Next book: Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
- Workshop next Spring: Black & Indigenous in White Spaces
Laura Wagner, MSW and a Unitarian Universalist for 25 years, is the Executive Director of UU Mass Action which is the State Action Network for Unitarian Universalists in Massachusetts. Her role is to organize and mobilize UUs to confront injustice and to provide opportunities for us to live our values and principles.
This webinar will provide an overview of the immigrant accompaniment networks in MA. Laura will discuss how they were created and how they are sustained. Participants will also explore what has already been created in AZ, identify unmet needs and discuss options for building capacity to meet these needs.
Accompaniment includes:
For further information on the MA program, which will assist us in developing our AZ program, please visit https://www.uumassaction.org/immigrant-justice/
This webinar will provide an overview of the immigrant accompaniment networks in MA. Laura will discuss how they were created and how they are sustained. Participants will also explore what has already been created in AZ, identify unmet needs and discuss options for building capacity to meet these needs.
Accompaniment includes:
- Accompanying people to court for immigration hearings, both federal and district courts
- Accompanying people to the Burlington ICE office for check-ins
- Letter writing in support of someone’s upcoming hearing
- Posting bond
- Raising funds for bond and legal fees
- Developing legal resources and connecting people to attorneys
- Organizing vigils and Jericho Walks
- Family support and much more
For further information on the MA program, which will assist us in developing our AZ program, please visit https://www.uumassaction.org/immigrant-justice/
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Intersectional Organizing and UU Action
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Sanctuary Beyond Buildings
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