Plenary 1
Welcoming and Opening Pomp:
Puddy Game:
Election of the Moderator:
Going over Steering Committee and Youth Office Roles:
Approving the Youth Council 2000 Minutes:
Steering Committee and Youth Office ex-officio Role:
Training Groups:
YCRS
Adults
Why/How we do consensus:
How to do it:
Plenary 2:
Youth Office Role:
YFUUD
Brainstorming Goals for YRUU
Reports and Updates on Youth council 2000
Project Proposals
YATF Recommendation Collection of district youth advisor Resources
Resolutions
Resolution to utilize General Assembly as a fourth meeting for YRUU Steering Committee.
To Foster Life-long UU involvement: Networking, Empowerment and Transitions
Commitment to strengthening YRUU in Canada
Resolution to Create youth and young adult political response network
Resolution to create meaningful social justice structures in YRUU
Process feedback and observations
YFUUD Issues are Raised:
Concerns Brought to the Group:
Learning Consensus (Part 2):
Passing Last Year’s Bylaw Changes in Their Second Year.
Project Proposal to change the necessary bylaws:
Concerns:
Brainstorming Concerns:
Resolving Concerns:
Proposal: Consensus Word
Questions:
Concerns:
Resolve Concerns:
Announcements relevant for record:
Process Observation for Today:
Plenary 3
Money Management
YFUUD
YFUUD process:
In proposal Explain:
What /How we will prioritize
Who will decide?
3 Questions
YFUUD Needs
Utilizing GA as a 4th Steering Committee meeting.
Modifying Some Youth-at-Large to be two year terms
Comments:
Concerns:
Plenary 4
ConCon Theme Ideas
Recent History of ConCon Themes:
Brainstorm of Theme Concepts
Mini-Groups
Plenary 5
Agenda Item Groups
people break up into groups
people reconvene
process concerns:
Plenary 6
YFUUD group report.
Local:
District:
Continental:
List of concerns
-no consensus-
Plenary 7
List and Prioritize Agenda:
Plenary 8
Y-FUUD Report:
Problems from Y-FUUD this year:
Concerns:
Open up to general conversation:
Concerns:
Consensus
Comments from group on the situation:
We are gathering back together.
Concerns:
Restating the concerns:
More concerns:
amir summarizes the concerns:
an anti-concern: –
Proposed Resolutions
LRP resolution:
Restructuring the YSJC
CUC SOB (actually a resolution)
Change for Business Manager Election Process:
MBD/BCD stuff:
Forming Allies with other social action groups.

Youth Council 2001 Minutes
Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo Ontario, Canada
July 28th-August 3rd 2001

Present: Kate Kidder (Steering Committee); Greg DuBow (Mid-South); Leif Anderson (Western Canada); Stuart Neils-Kraft (Heartland); Kristen Harper (Adult at-large); Steve Feinstein (Steering Committee, Adult at-large); Chris Hillman (Adult at-large); Kelsey Boler (People of Colour Caucus); Jacob Larsen (Canadian At-Large); Nat Balder (Clara Barton); Annie Abernethy (Pacific Southwest); Lindsey Bater (Metro New York); Matt Moore (Steering Committee); Charise Sowells (People of Colour Caucus); Jennifer Tsoi (Post-High Transitional Age Range Representative); chris weber (incoming Position on Appraisal); Michaela Christopher (Steering Committee); Emily Young (New Hampshire/Vermont); Jason Tanzman (Central Midwest); Jennifer Dunmore (People of Colour Caucus); Kayle Hoehn (Mountain Desert District); Laura Belzer (Mountain Desert District); Alexandra Stewart (Junior High Transitional Age Range Representative); Sara Halperin (Northeast); Sasha Hood (Pacific Central); graham baas (YRUU Programs Specialist); Maia Cudhea (Steering Committee); Jen Devine (Youth Programs Director); Danielle DiBona (People of Colour Caucus); laura douglas (Southwest); Amir Fouad (People of Colour Caucus); Helen Harris (People of Colour Caucus, Steering Committee); Ed Irvin (Joseph Priestly); Rev. Carol Johnson (People of Colour Caucus); Ayn Lapidus (Steering Committee); Robin Lea (YRUU Programs Specialist); Kathryn Mareci (Florida); Maura McGill (Ballou Channing); Nan Moore (Adult at Large); Paula Nett (YRUU Programs Specialist); Gary Pierre (People of Colour Caucus); Alex Pirozzi (Mass Bay); Glen Pritchard (Adult at Large); Shea Schachameyer (Continental Social Action Coordinator); Lily Sparks (People of Colour Caucus); Kay Shiffler (Prairie Star); Eric Swanson (Adult at Large); Abbey Tennis (YRUU Programs Specialist); Katie Test (Thomas Jefferson); Sam Trumbull (Some district); Evan Woodhouse (People of Colour Caucus);

Not Present: Ed Wilde (Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees Representative); Julie Slater (Position on Appraisal); Leah Dugan (People of Colour Caucus)

Plenary 1

Welcoming and Opening Pomp:
Marc Loustau Lights the Chalice and invites us into the space

Puddy Game:
Ayn leads and introducing our puddies and playing cool kat

Election of the Moderator:
Marc Loustau is the new Moderator!!!!!

Going over Steering Committee and Youth Office Roles:
Energy: Helen Harris
Chaplains: Matt Moore, Kristen Harper, Helen Harris and Danielle DiBona
Minutes: Paula, Youth Office, and Steve
Time: Matt and Michaela
Peacekeeper: Ayn
Doorkeeper: Micaela and Steve
Advocates: Kate Kidder and Lily Sparks
Scribe: Youth Office
Moderator: Marc Loustau
Marc talks about his facilitation style; interactive, looking for a lot of direction, etc. If you have an information question or process question, raise hand with one finger up or with a piece of paper in your hand.

Approving the Youth Council 2000 Minutes:
question as to what reports were the reports that were to be given in the Youth Council postpacket. The reports were the Position on Appraisal report, the Board report, the CSAC report, the post-high and jr. high TARR reports, etc. it is unclear as to whether those reports were ever written.

Steering Committee and Youth Office ex-officio Role:
we discuss why Steering Committee and the Youth Office are ex-officio – we have been doing this all yea, sometimes we’re emotionally involved, and there tends to be a power dynamic that because Steering Committee and Youth Office have been doing this work all year, we automatically know what we’re doing, when we don’t…. and the youth council body can come up with as good or better decisions than Steering Committee or the Youth Office would.

Training Groups:
How to be a District Rep, how to be an adult at-large, how to be a youth at-large and how to be a People of Colour Caucus member.

YCRS
· Role of the YCR’s
· Accountable to district
· Role model Communication Continentally
· Liaison Between district and Continental
· Help spread work of other districts
· Get district youth involved with continental YRUU
· Active in District YAC/SC
· Schedule LDC
· Set up Jahnny Depps
· Keep YO updated of roster and trainings
· Inter-district relations
· Support other YCR’s
· Keep communicated
· Participate in AR experience & bring back to district
· Train districts on continental structure
· Stay in contact with each other
· Do the work of YCR’s in agenda items
· Write an YC report immediately when you get home –lead a workshop
· Take notes at YC
· Review post-packet
· Be a representative of your district body
· Network to local work out district issues with other YCR’s
· Fears/concerns/issues of YCR’s
· Lack of training of predecessors and continental YO and SC
· Need updated YCR notebook
· Needs help/ doesn’t understand role in building support network in district
· Apathy in district
· Lack of resources

Adults
· Boundaries-know self
· Let youth speak first
· Support youth- connect to faith i.e.: tension, hurt, recognize tough stuff
· Friend of youth community-care
· Be part of the process/ participate
· Stay open to what we personally learning about how to be empowering
· Have adult voice present…in awareness of youth empowerment
· Know role is challenging/work it/ support each other as adults… and calling each other on our stuff
· Gentle fly in ointment
· His/her story: bigger contextualize
· Ministry –love- learn, but here first for youth
· Interact- be a part of community
· Think about our culture- power as adults/white other powers
· Modeling-things don’t go “right” but we keep on keeping on
· Celebration of youth and folks and UUism

Why/How we do consensus:
Last Year, Steering Committee decided to use formal consensus process instead of Roberts Rules because a) they were inviting a people of color caucus and they wanted them to be participants in the work, b) consensus is much less oppressive. Consensus is inclusive of everyone at the table, and intentionally anti-oppressive, anti-racist, and feminist.
Consensus is based on the idea that a group can make decisions that no one person can. They can make decisions that are the best for the group while feeling like everyone is heard, everyone is accountable to the decision; instead of people feeling like they were against it, but were in the minority.

How to do it:
Level 1: Broad open discussion – the group talks about broad things. Is this a good idea, or general problems which need to be addressed. Discussion at this level often has a philosophical or principled tone, purposely addressing how this proposal might affect the group in the long run or what kind of precedent it might create, etc.

Call for consensus – are there any unresolved concerns? (If no one has any issues with it at all, we’re at consensus. if there are concerns, we move on to level 2)

Level 2: Identifying Concerns - we throw out all of our concerns. They are listed so everyone can see them. The concerns are grouped if related. At this point concerns are being freely expressed. This isn’t the time to try to resolve the concerns.

Helen Harris leads a tai bo energy break

Level 3: Resolving Concerns – we go over the concerns that have been grouped. Often, related concerns can be resolved as a group. If most concerns have been resolved, call for consensus. If there are concerns left then a more focused discussion is needed. Each remaining concern is rested clearly and concisely and addressed one at a time. The discussion should be focused only upon the particular concern until every suggestion has been offered. If no new ideas are coming forward and the concern cannot be resolved, or if the time allotted for this item has been entirely used, move close by either sending the concern to a nitty gritty committee, adopt a stand aside, or declare a block. They can be sent to nitty gritty committees to try to work the concerns out in a smaller setting and not take up the large group’s time. If it is a preference concern that cannot be resolved, a few things can happen. 1) Stand aside – the person with the concern can say, well, it’s not what I would prefer to happen, but the group wants it, so I’m ok with it… and the unresolved preference concern would be stated at the bottom of the resolution and included as part of the document. After having spent the allotted agenda time moving through the three levels of discussion trying to achieve consensus and concerns remain which are unresolved, the facilitator is obligated to declare that consensus cannot be reached at this meeting, that the proposal is blocked, and move on to the next agenda item

And Plenary 1 is adjourned

Plenary 2:

Opening by Greg DuBow and Matt Moore

Youth Office Role:
Abbey talks forever about what the youth office does; and how the YO can help the youth council members out at home and here at YC.

The youth office is a resource and the different YRUU program specialists have been chosen with specific skill sets in mind to support YRUU.
Robin or the June YPS focuses on: Trainings, Social Justice, and Resource development.
Paula or the Sept YPS focuses on: GA organization, Anti-Racism, and networking
Graham or the Jan YPS focuses on: Computer stuff, Con Con and YC, and the Website
Sascha the youth office assistant does: paper resource distribution, answers general questions, helps director and YPS’s.
Jen Devine or YPD: budget, contact with other departments, supports everything, consulting for JR High, OWL Consultant, Boy Scout issues

Everyone does: Anti-racism, synapse, trainings, conferences, consulting calls, tours

YFUUD

YFUUD isn’t really known by many district youth leaders. Even though the priority for YFUUD grants is local, district, than continental. Most grants have been given to continental leaders who already have access to money and resources. No YFUUD grants have been given to local groups. That needs to be talked up to local leaders.

Energy Break
Helen Harris called for an energy break. Instead of doing the shark song we did a soul train line that was so fun.

Brainstorming Goals for YRUU
Maia speaking to the fact that many of the things that Youth Council decides to do aren’t always followed through with because people aren’t feeling really accountable to Youth Council as a whole. We are going to brainstorm by answering 3 questions on index cards.
Question 1: As members of the YRUU community what common threads bind us together?
Question 2: What has been your most meaningful experience as a member of the YRUU community?
Question 3: What is the one most important change that YRUU community needs to make?
The questions were collected and we will come back to this tomorrow at plenary.

Reports and Updates on Youth council 2000

Project Proposals

International Association for Religious Freedom
· sending a delegation to a conference.
· Jacob says firm up details, or just do what the Project Proposal says
· Project Proposal To Change Necessary Bylaws
· Has been done.

YATF Recommendation Collection of district youth advisor Resources
· Rick Roehlk has been collecting resources but is still doing more work
· PP Revising and updating the Youth Council Resource Notebook
· Kathryn Mareci says that she wasn’t able to finish it but it will be getting done.

This brings up the topic of people not fulfilling their obligations. Even though it was last years PP the time line has been changed and is still expected to be completed. It has been asked to note in the minutes that Steering committee should be aware that there are several PP that haven’t been finished and needs to be followed up with next year.

This goes for most of the PP, because none of them have been completed. NO one has done his or her jobs. The Bylaw PP was completed but none of the others and they all need to be checked up on again next year.

It has been noted that many people have learned a lot from working on the PP and it was suggested that we create some sort of written document that can help others on their PP. Rev Carol is going to write something up and give to the youth office.

There should be something in the minutes that helps the Youth Council Representatives stay in touch with each other over the year to help stay accountable to the commitments that they have made to Youth Council.

Resolutions

Resolution to utilize General Assembly as a fourth meeting for YRUU Steering Committee.
· There is some money for this but it could possibly change because there is some budget discussions going on at the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION but as of right now there is an extra 5000 for steering committee to meet at GA.

To Foster Life-long UU involvement: Networking, Empowerment and Transitions
· Sonja has dropped off the face of the planet, and there hasn’t been any work on this resolution.
· C*UUYAN is very committed to this as well as Youth Council members.
· For people who are interested in continuing to do this work there will be a meeting later at Youth Council to talk more about this.

Commitment to strengthening YRUU in Canada
· Nothing was really followed through with.

Resolution to Create youth and young adult political response network
· The goal of getting people to the SOA protest was successful.
· There was a creation of a list serve UUIGNITE@yahoogroups.com they continue to talk about ongoing political events.

ENERGY BREAK

Resolution to create a Youth Council Steering Committee RTF –
· Create a large conference to redefine YRUU (aka Common Ground3). This would happen in a couple years. A $3000 grant was received from FUU.
· Steps 1,2,3,4 were done.
· Kat doesn’t know what to say. She doesn’t know what’s going on.
· Short version – didn’t happen
· long version:
o Steering Committee encountered some problems.
o Not enough people at the table.
o Logistics weren’t followed through with.
o The Board of Trustees didn’t give us the money for this.
o Without money this isn’t possible.

Resolution to create JAHNEY DEPP-
· It’s on the website http://uua.org /YRUU. Some people are doing it.

Resolution to create meaningful social justice structures in YRUU
· Some things have changed.
· Making WAM and CSAC the same terms. It went to the Board of Trustees and it might be approved.
· Bringing the WAM didn’t work out (except it did).
· The current WAI is prison reform.
· The CSAC and WAM are now both on YSJC staff.
· The Youth Office didn’t provide JW AR training to youth.
· Some info has been sent to district SACs.
· Anti-racism has become the focus of both the WAM and CSAC.
· Some things were removed from the resolution and don’t matter.

graham makes an announcement

silly putty sucks on carpet.

Lily is making the mugbook thing

Process feedback and observations

· various learning styles weren’t being addressed
· important things weren’t being addressed due to attempts to stick to the agenda
· general lack of interest disrupted process
· introverts and first year YCRs not talking
· speak slowly
· beeping things annoying
· good energy
· not enough hand signals
· too many crutch words (abbey)
· simple things were accomplished, avoided big important things
· SC and YO talk too much
· where is the enthusiasm?
· not enough focus
· more involvement
· people explaining acronyms
· why isn’t there feedback time on the schedule?
· energy breaks were annoying
· not enough time
· room set up needs to be changed.
· there needs to be two people to a table
· no bathroom breaks.
· side conversations are evil.
· good idea to put failed projects in minutes for next years Youth Council

YFUUD Issues are Raised:

Jennifer Tsoi makes a presentation with Lily Sparks about an YFUUD proposal. It is a presentation about calling the Youth Council and YFUUD committee out on a racist process in selecting YFUUD grant proposals. Lily introduces the issue. Jennifer talks about her proposal. Lily talks about how the POCC responded to the issue with their white allies. Helen further explains the confusion about Jen’s proposal. Some clarifying questions are asked and answered. Lily comments about the process of the YFUUD proposals, where a proposal from a youth of color about youth of color was changed with no people of color at the table to help make the decision.
The idea behind asking for a grant was to enable youth of color to be trained on a continental level so that they could go back to their district as leaders I think this makes it a district issue, but it was treated as a continental issue

Concerns Brought to the Group:
· I don’t know how rational my other concerns are… mostly I’m just confused by this process
· I’m concerned there wasn’t a people of color voice in the conversation to decide how to fund/amend Jen’s proposal. The white people in the group failed to make the decision while using an anti-racist lens. The fact that nobody realized that this wasn’t happening is an example of the systemic racism that exists in YRUU.
· My concern is that an adult stepped in and spoke as if he made a decision for the youth an explained the decision as if he was the creator
· The main issue I see is the lack of UU youth of color in leadership positions. For someone to try and deny us of the chance to progress on this issue when we are all supposedly working towards an anti-racist group is totally a huge leap backwards. Continental (conferences and leadership) is our chance to gain roles of power, confining us to the district events, merely as general participants, will get us nowhere in the process, we as a group has claimed to agree on working forwards.
· That the People of Colour Caucus youth gave energy, heart, attention and talent to address the dearth/lack of youth of color at most continental gatherings and structures.
o This committee disregarded this objective and changed the proposal.
o That there appeared to be a youth empowerment gap.
o If the structure doesn’t facilitate the covenant to anti-racism perhaps the structure should be reevaluated.
· I’m not sure how our anti-racist covenant was met by YFUUD in other ways.
· I am concerned that we as a caucus have to sit here and toil over this while everyone else at the conference is completely oblivious to the pain that they have caused
· I am concerned that an anti-racist imperative such as Jen’s proposal wasn’t given a higher priority considering a commitment to anti-racism
· I am concerned about the unhealthy and uneasy youth/adult dynamic that has been taking place around this issue
· As a white ally, I am deeply concerned that the YFUUD group assumed that people of color have an easy way and ability to get to continental events and therefore do not need any sort of added help and continued support to get continental experience and visibility.
· I am extremely concerned that the YFUUD group left their Anti-racism lens in the box.
· I am angry that if the People of Colour Caucus hadn’t brought this up, it never would have happened.
· I am concerned that YFUUD felt that it was totally acceptable to make the funding decisions without the voices of people.
· I am angry that the logic used by the YFUUD massively changed the intent of the proposal because “it’s easy for people of color to get to continental events” Hello? We have to bring a People of Colour Caucus to Youth Council because the institution is often closed to them, we have already recognized that, so the backtrack sounds very much like an excuse for racism.

Learning Consensus (Part 2):
Marc talks about how consensus works and the difference between preference and principle, and how consensus can be blocked.

Passing Last Year’s Bylaw Changes in Their Second Year.

Project Proposal to change the necessary bylaws:
Michaela introduces it, explains that last year’s steering committee felt it was necessary to go over the bylaws and change them to reflect our current practices.
Questions about moderator selection –
question about how P&P works
What is article UU? It should be labeled article 7

Concerns:
Steering Committee might have too much power in reviewing the bylaws

Note to next year’s Steering Committee – do a mock resolution with the moderator before you do it with youth council.

Brainstorming Concerns:
· Steering Committee will gain too much executive power if this passes
· -If we delete the “two” in that paragraph it might not be implied in the future thatwe always want to have at least two YRUU Programs Specialist

LEVEL III!!!!!!!!!! (Gee, Marc has such skinny legs).
Resolving Concerns:
· if it states “YRUU Programs Specialists” it implies plural, meaning at least two. Are people comfortable with it like so?

Straw Poll:
· people comfortable with it as stated.

Consensus: Proposal remains as is, unchanged.

Energy Break: Totally Bizarre, this Youth Council is sooo unenergized.

Proposal: Consensus Word
Need a word for when we reach consensus, how about “You not da ho, I da ho”

Questions:
· Does the entire group say the whole thing? A few people say “You not da ho,” then everyone responds “I da ho.”
· People do not like it, not welcoming, general discomfort

Concerns:
· not businessee
· derogatory term, especially to womyn
· American and Idaho exclusive
· cultural (mis)appropriation, not anti-racist

Resolve Concerns:
· the group suggests we propose a new word or expression, move onto a different proposal

Group will not and cannot come to consensus on this. Move on.

Remaining Concern:
· How do we get consensus word? Have informal discussion and bring a proposal back to the group.
· Put paper on the wall and people can write down ideas for consensus word.

Moment of Silence to reflect on decision in proportion to seriousness of issue.

Announcements relevant for record:
· Magician made racist joke last night, Steering Committee talked with him before hand telling him not to say anything conflicting with out anti-racist and anti-sexist/oppression principals, he made joke despite that. Steering Committee apologizes to YC.

Process Observation for Today:
· journal writing to process Y-FUUD was good
· Bible comment created tension
· a bit much note passing, keep it to business
· started late
· anti-racism: just as racist to assume one group of people says “da hoe”
· better organize energy breaks, general low energy
· need more visuals
· people not on time at all, at every meeting
· people not listening to Marc when he was trying to focus group
· Yeah Water!
· People need to be more word sensitive, specifically Christian Bible thing and California thing (note taker doesn’t know what that references)
· confusion on consensus process with both moderator and group
· be aware of volume, PROJECT, keep Putty’s awake, and use hand signals
· lots of “pillow words” and stalling
· cross-room signs made (non verbal conversation) distracting
· side conversations too much

Plenary 3

Marc explains the roles and sort of goes over the agenda for today

Money Management
– Kathryn Mareci reports

They are writing a resolution to create a long range planning meeting for the management of the $2m capital campaign

YFUUD
– Jacob Larsen
· YFUUD needs to be more accountable to People of Color
· There needs to be more tracking of what happens to the money.
· A group needs to be created to manage the money.
· Who’s getting the money this year?

There needs to be more meeting about this, possibly over lunch.

YFUUD process:
· YFUUD reports back to plenary, and then plenary makes the final decision.
· There will be a short supplementary report from YFUUD at a later plenary.
· This needs to be formatted better

In proposal Explain:
· Grant writing app.
· How it helps community/withholds YRUU purposes
· How you will be accountable and if you aren’t what you think should happen
· How much $ allocating

What /How we will prioritize
· Anti-Racism
· Anti-Classism
· Youth/young adult networking
· Canadian outreach
· Other resolutions passed
· Local, district, continental
· First time apps

Who will decide?
· 4 at larges
· Adult at Large
· YCR
· People of color caucus

3 Questions
· Who Benefit
· Who has $ who gets paid
· Where do I fit

YFUUD Needs
· Evaluation /Accountability process
· Process to track $ receipts

Utilizing GA as a 4th Steering Committee meeting.
– Michaela Christopher

The bylaws call for 3 or 4 meetings a year with the 4th meeting to be done at ConCon. In practice this is has never worked.

Various A/V problems impede process

How will this be done without funding?
This only accounts for 7 people, however Steering Committee has more than 7 members.
Aren’t all Steering Committee meetings just budgeted for 7 people?
There are currently 11 members of Steering Committee not including the Youth Office
This discussion needs to take place with the people who know more about the budget (a la Jen Devine)
Tabled till later
Greg is going to talk to Jen and find out the 411

Modifying Some Youth-at-Large to be two year terms

Comments:
Which positions will be affected by this?
the p’n’p must be consulted
the CSAC will be a two-year term
Jacob is concerned.
Concerns:
Bringing the WAM and the CSAC to so many different events can be hierarchal.
CSAC is supposed to publish the SACPAC quarterly, wondering about SAC resources
WE ARE NOT DISUSSING THE RESOLUTION, ONLY THE BYLAW CHANGES Steering Committee wants this to start in two years so that Shea doesn’t have to serve 3 years.

TWO-MINUTE DI USSION ABOUT THIS WITH PUDDIES

The WAM elected at Youth Caucus 2001 was for a two-year term.
Doing this would make it difficult is someone else was chosen as CSAC next year.
Would it be possible to change the wording of this to accommodate this?
NO.
Wouldn’t this make the WAM and CSAC non-staggered?
This is going to be a problem for someone, no matter what.
Would this impede the consensus process?
NO
Has the group reached consensus?
YES

Plenary 4

Ayn demonstrates the informal consensus word. 11 claps and then “move on”
graham was distracted by the stealing of Pikachu

ConCon Theme Ideas
· http://www.con.con
· Anti-Racism & Puppies

Why does Youth Council even pick the theme?

Recent History of ConCon Themes:
Youth Council 2000 picked World Domination as the ConCon 2001 theme.
At the ConCon 2001 presite the ConCon staff came to consensus that the original theme did not comply with the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST Association’s or YRUU’s beliefs, so they changed it to: Stopping World Domination; Reclaiming our Communities.

Brainstorm of Theme Concepts

· Meaningful
· building community
· loving
· inclusive
· reflects our principles
· universal
· Unitarian
· spreading the faith/growth
· applicable
· anti-oppression
· timely
· celebratory
· celebration
· respect
· music & arts
· stuff that doesn’t piss people off.
· socially aware

This isn’t actually in the bylaws, so we don’t really have to make a decision.
It is asked that this brainstorm list be given to the deans.
It might be a good idea to have more local involvement.
The list will be left up and more brainstorming will be done.
Consensus was reached about not making a decision and giving this list to the ConCon Deans.

Mini-Groups
The group decides to read off the agenda items then break up into smaller groups
Some of the mini-groups met, however not all of them have been able to report back yet.
There is discussion on discussing agenda items

Plenary 5
Agenda Item Groups
· YFUUD accountability
· something about family planning – rather unclear
· restructuring the YSJC
· a youth council at large position about spirituality
· Youth Council Steering Committee RTFLRPM
· YRUU images and faith – a super scrap book.
· altering the GA business manager election process
· bringing more structure for the POCC
· paying attention to Canadian concerns
· merging CGD and MB. fucked up.
· giving awards for cool cons.
· helping to stop the drug war.
· social action stuff
· bylaw to change bylaw changes.
· anti-harassment statement of belief
· creating partnerships with other groups doing cool work.
· Rev. Carroll talks about the 1999 South Africa delegation amendment.

people break up into groups
people reconvene

Jen Tsoi brings some disturbing news to the group
Greg DuBow embarrasses graham baas

process concerns:
· a lot of people arrived late, which was distracting
· I feel that there is some uncomfortableness surrounding leadership not being present at activities throughout Youth Council
· turning and sharing was good.
· doors are squeaky
· great energy break
· appreciate spirit of honesty & taking responsibility for mistakes

breathe and allow, everyone to be how they’re gonna be… including me
breathe and allow, everyone to be how they’re gonna be… including me
they did that… anyway

Adjournment of plenary 5…

Plenary 6

we need to talk to jen about consensus and agenda items… then we nitty gritty committee meetings

paula went to get jen and then we talked about who was doing what (energy, etc.)

greg started doing minutes and then he was ripped from his craft. Ayn takes charge.

We go over the Steering Committee roles.

Considering Bylaw amendment to have Steering Committee meet at General Assembly as a 4th meeting.

Concern: Though the Steering Committee budget has increased, so has the size of the Steering Committee with the People of Colour Advisory Council being now a part of Steering Committee… The price of General Assembly has increased since Youth Council met consensus on this resolution. The cost to send Steering Committee to GA would be $6944… we have only $5000 to budget this. This budget can be negotiated.

Question: If the budget is not available is having a meeting at someplace other than General Assembly possible?
This is an issue of Bylaw violation and the distinction of having the 4th meeting at General Assembly is not defined specifically.

Proposal: ratify this Bylaw amendment on the grounds that the meeting should happen if the budget is available.

All Youth Council members should lobby their Board of Trustees and finance committee members in their district to get money for this specifically. A good person to lobby is Genni Courier.

-Consensus-
<clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap> move on!

YFUUD group report.
Grant applications have been finalized. Proposal from Jen Tosi has been reviewed.

· YFUUD has written a resolution to help next years group run better.
· YFUUD’s objective to give money to local, district, than continental.
Local:
· $1000, San Antonio Trip to Boston
· $1500, “Tearing Down the Walls: A day of Prison Reform” Presented by Shea Schachamayer
District:
· $400, 2002 District Social Justice Con in Thomas Jefferson, presented by Katie Test
· 2 LDCs in the Northeast District help fund an LDC Sara Halperine
· $1500, “Western Canada YAC Attack” help finance their first YAC meeting, presented by Leif Anderson
· Several Johny Depp grants
o $400 Central Midwest
o $800 Prairie Star, Pacific Central
o $400, New Hampshire
o $400 Vermont
Continental:
· $1500, Shut down the SOA
· $1500, Sending People of Colour to Continental events such as CON CON, YSJC, GA.

There is an issue of money coming back from a grant recipient from last year. There is a possibility that $6500 coming back to YFUUD.
-If that happened who would get that remaining money?
Shut down the SOA would like the money and so would POC continental grant recipient.

There is a lot of debate about being able to come to consensus.
Consensus is not reached in the first stage of broad open discussion

List of concerns
· POC empowerment Continental did not get the minimum amount that they applied for.
· Boston Heritage Tour grant promotes racist colonialism
· What will be done with the missing $6500 if it is returned?
· YFUUD committee not in sync with goals of YC

Proposal: send these concerns and grant proposals to a nitty gritty committee
-no consensus-

Lily raises the concern that last year YFUUD screwed over people of colour and nothing was done about it, and it is happening again this year, and again nothing is being done about it. A lot of emotions came out in the room.

After taking a long break, we came back and adjourned Plenary 6

Plenary 7

Chris Weber opens with a story.
Mark goes over roles

List and Prioritize Agenda:
Micaela facilitates
we list, then rate as 1, 2, or 3.. we talk about why our agenda items are important and should be on the agenda.

1 dinner
1 elections
1 lunch
1 plenary
1 agenda item (write and review)
1 new and old Steering Committee meeting
1 ar experience
1 YFUUD approval and dealing with yesterday
1.5 worship
2 slam
2 a-teams
2.5 id groups
-------------------------

Plenary 8

Y-FUUD Report:
Shea Schachameyer reports back: YFUUD met again today, reevaluated proposals. $6500 not spent from last year’s allocation, reallocated to this year’s proposals:
-$4900 granted to Jen Tsoi’s proposal (People of Colour at continental events)
-$3000 granted SOA

Read again the Heritage Tour proposal, clarified that it was granted because it was not about Colonial History, but rather our UU roots. Made a statement to the group proposing reminding them of our anti-racist imperative and encourage to look at both the liberating and oppressive parts of our history.

Problems from Y-FUUD this year:
· Need to have a postmark/deadline date enforced for YFUUD application
· Needs to be advertised more, Synapse, Youth Office, outreach to People of Colour Caucus
· Need to make people who receive grants more accountable, need to report back

New Order of grants prioritize:
· Grants in on time
· Anti-racism
· Anti-classism
· Get Shea to list again
· Keep in mind whom benefits, who gets paid, and where we fit into it.

Suggestion that we brainstorm suggestions for Y-FUUD, mixed reaction, other ideas for next years Y-FUUD process will be sent to minute keeper via notes.

Proposal: Annie Abernethy proposes to the group that we not do agenda items, and that we focus on AR work because it is more important right now in our community. She is at a loss for words and calls up Kate Kidder to speak for her. The idea is that there is more important work that needs preference over agenda items.

Concerns:
· What is the “better thing” that we will do?
There is only silence to this question

The steering committee and Annie have gone outside to speak about this proposal to decide how to bring the proposal back to the group in an articulate way. Also to present their alternative activity.

Proposal: Because there isn’t anything clear to do from here it is proposed to make the decision about YFUUD money. (We proceed to do such, it is not noted in the minutes whether consensus was reached or not).

Open up to general conversation:
· Rev. Carol comments that she was uncomfortable with rumor-type things being said about the individual who received a large sum of money from YFUUD last year but was unable to get the project off the ground.
· Maia Clarifies: there was some miscommunication, the money isn’t missing, and the check was never cashed. She apologized for things being unclear.

Concerns:
-none

Consensus
clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, more cash (modified for YFUUD consensus)

Now that we have reached consensus there is concern about not knowing what to do now. There was a proposal made by Annie A, but she needed to leave the room to gather her thoughts, and has not returned yet.

Comments from group on the situation:
Some people suggested that we move on to prioritize the existing agenda items
there is concern that if we do that we aren’t acknowledging the fact that there was a proposal made to the group.

It has been decided that we will take a 5 min break to let people talk to their neighbors about the proposal that Annie made, and what they would like to see happen the rest of Youth Council. We Break and everyone talks to each other and confers on what they want to have happen for the rest of our time together.

We are gathering back together.

Maia speaks to the fact that there are some people here who feel like our structure is racist and we can’t go through the agenda items with the way things are because we would just be complicit to a racist system.

Concerns:
· It takes a long time for youth and other people to become anti-racist. As soon as we can look through an Anti-Racist lens then we can do the resolutions.
· Who are we accountable to, and are we losing sight of that?
· Going home to districts and not being able to show them what we have done
· What are we doing as a service to YRUU if we can’t change our system from within?
· If agenda items aren’t addressed here, what is stopping people from taking the initiative to follow through on their own agenda items?
· There are some agenda items that need to be addressed because they need bylaw amendments?
· Some of the agenda items that have date and money constraints need to be talked about here

Restating the concerns:
· We are not all looking through Anti-Racist Lens. We are not capable or prepared to look at the agenda items with an anti-racist lens.
· If we continue with the agenda items we are complicit to a racist system.

More concerns:
· glen makes an analogy to a church board not doing any “business” the whole time it’s doing a JTW program
· amir says that, in coming here, we’re complying with a racist system, and we’re never going to all be at the same place and looking through totally anti-racist lenses, etc…because youth council has huge turnover every year
· shea thinks that the resolutions that would be passed here would help to reak down this system…
· eric says that his anti-racist lens is not finished, it’s scratched, bubbled, uneven, and it sucks to look thorugh it, but we’re never going to have a complete lens. we could continue to do ar work for 6 more weeks and we still wouldn’t be at the same time. we are a governing organization, and although we’re glad to have a great community here, that’s not our primary purpose
· chris thinks that YRUU and youthy council have a legacy and vision… we need to stay at the table.. to finish resolutions, to keep up this conversation, and either way, it says something about our vision and our legacy
· greg says that to pretend that we’ll ever be anti-racist enough to do our work well, it ricockulous. we’ll never be able to do it, and we’re doing the best we can.

amir summarizes the concerns:
· we are not equipped or capable of going forth with the agenda item process with an anti-racist lens. we cannot ensure that this process will be truly anti-racist
· should we go forth with the agenda item process, we are essentially being compliant with a racist system and process.

an anti-concern: –
· that if we don’t move on, we will be hurting YRUU and doing a disservice to the organization that we are here for.
· carol - can we look at the concerns on the overhead and use them to help us keep this in mind while we do the rest of this work?

the group decides to move on, with these concerns noted, and at the forefront of our minds, maybe even with a clearer perspective on what we are doing and why we are here.
we take some silence.

Proposed Resolutions

LRP resolution:
we have 2 million dollars coming in from the capital campaign for youth programs, although we don’t actually have control of this money, if we hold this meeting, we will have more institutional buy-in from the big-wigs and will therefore have a better relationships and more control of the money.
there are question marks in the proposal, we don’t have everything worked out… this is the 20 year anniversary of YRUU, maybe we can talk about that a bit too

clarifying questions:
· Can only 50 people go? we don’t quite know, it depends on budgeting and whatever..
· Maura has consented to the places where her name included question marks, so we can remove the question marks in the final version.
· Is there a place to include PoC in the process? yes, the process, kind of complicated, would do that…
· Will this take place after youth council next year? Yes, but we need all year to plan.
· Is it possible to add an adult of colour to the planning committee? Yes, an AoC can be added.

Concern Brainstorming:
· New England power- there is a large body of representatives from that area, might they be over-represented?
· “diverse representation” isn’t enough
· 50 people is not enough (common ground)
· How will LR plans from the meeting be shared with the larger YRUU body?
· How will concerns about those plans be resolved?
· Is email communication enough to plan this event?
· Who selects the selectors?
· Are there no people of colour co sponsors?

Concern Resolutions:
· Are there no people of colour co sponsors? actually, jenny Dunmore co-sponsored, and is a person of colour
· Who selects the attendees? the selection group is open… anyone can join. uh… the group of people from youth council (and anyone else interested) would be helping put together another group to do the selection. aka, the selecting of the selectors is done with anyone who is interested.
· Is email enough to do plan this event? yes, we think email and phone… a presite visit would be forseen maybe with the budget… yeah, we think it’s enough.
· How will LR plans from the meeting be shared with the larger YRUU body? publish in synapse, put them on the website, try to publish it in the UU World magazine
· How can we, as the vision develops, make sure that people who don’t use email and the internet be included and know that their own concerns are being addressed? Greg says yes, we can use phone and snail mail in addition
· (we extend time for this resolution, 30 minutes)
· New England power- there is a large body of representatives from that area, might they be over-represented? we think that we’re not actually doing so bad, there are a lot of other people who were asked to be part of the group and didn’t show. We’re trying to have the meeting near Boston so the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION people can show up easier.
· The language “diverse representation” isn’t enough for us… although we are committed to being an anti-racist organization, I don’t feel comfortable just saying “diverse” representation… it’s not specific enough.
· 50 people is not enough (common ground) Jenny explains what the original common grounds were… we also thought that common ground was a lot more people (Common Ground 1 had maybe 150 people, Common Ground 2 had around 400 maybe?). This is not supposed to be another common ground… that’s coming up after this meeting. CUUYAN got enough funding for 30-40 people for their long-range planning meeting. maybe 50 is too large? we can’t really do this work with that large a group? yes we can, we want a bunch of working groups. also, this proposal is still in process….

Consensus

Restructuring the YSJC

Overview: Currently, there is no way for SACs to interact with each other. We want to make the YSJC a venue for that to happen. Right now, it’s an information conference, it’s American-centric, we lobby and then we go back to our homes and do nothing. We want it to become more like a training so that people can go back to their district and run conferences, etc. We want each district to send their SAC, plus 2 people, at least one of whom is a person of colour, and in the case of cross-border districts, add a Canadian. What about the regular joe-schmoes? They could talk to the SAC and go in addition to the SAC. This restructuring intends to hold SACs accountable to each other and YRUU, plus everyone will be trained about one theme, the WAI, and the attendees can then become the SWAT.

Clarifying Questions:
· How will the additional people be picked? That’s up to the SAC…. it’s going to take a lot of publicity because we also don’t have the money to send everyone, so people have to pay their own way as well, we also want to explore ways to guarentee that the SACs can come. This proposal hopes to move the YSJC to more of a training of trainers rather than a conference. It would be more like a CLDCToT

Concerns:
· How will this be applicable to Canadians? (for example, USA Prison Reform is not a Canadian thing)…. if the theme is selected at GA, and Canadians no longer attend GA because it’s a UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION thing, then that theme is quite probably not going to apply to Canadians…
· Process of choosing attendees: How will it be done, how can it be somewhat uniform?
· We need to create a staff structure before we do that fall issue of Synapse.
· Resolving Concerns:
· How will this be applicable to Canadians? (for example, USA Prison Reform is not a Canadian thing)…. if the theme is selected at GA, and Canadians no longer attend GA because it’s a UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION thing, then that theme is quite probably not going to apply to Canadians… maybe we can note that there is a concern that GA chooses the Working Action Issue and deal with that at the YSJC and at the next GA… Step nine in the resolution outlines all of the skills and stuff taught at the YSJC which would be applicable to all social justice organizers, Canadian, American, etc. although the issue it is based around might kinda not apply, and we’ll try to do a better job next year.
· Process of choosing attendees? We can’t tell districts or local groups what to do, but we can make recommendations. If we suggest that districts work it out within the structures that they are accountable to (like the YAC works it out) then that would be good enough.
· We need to create a staff structure before the spring issue of Synapse. step 6 says the youth office and company is the point person on making sure it gets into Synapse….. ok, this year, the youth office will work on an online before the end of the summer. aka, august 31st

Consensus

CUC SOB (actually a resolution)

Overview: See Jacob’s report. Canadian Congregations voted to shift service delivery from UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST ASSOCIATION to CUC except for ministerial settlement, youth and young adult services. LREDA is also remaining continental. Jacob goes over the resolution, and explains what is happening.

Clarifying Questions:
-none.

Broad Open Discussion:
Amir loves it. Eric also loves it, but he wants to correct spelling. Amir loves it even more with great spelling. Glen also wants to correct grammar, and it is done, with the youth office taking responsibility for doing that right.

Concerns:
none

Consensus

Change for Business Manager Election Process:

Overview: We elect the business manager at youth council, which is ricockulous, because they haven’t ever necessarily been to GA before and it sucks. Jacob also explains the points of the resolution.

Clarifying Questions:
none

Concerns:
What is the fiscal impact of sending an assistant business manager to General Assembly?

Resolving Concerns:
What is the fiscal impact of sending an assistant business manager to General Assembly? Correction, there are no references to a two-year term or to an assistant business manager…. it costs something like $792.
-Consensus-

MBD/BCD stuff:
Overview: This is a proposal to make a task force to think about whether it’s a good idea that MBD and BCD merge because otherwise BCD is going to die.

Clarifying Questions:
None

Concerns:
Violation of district polity because no one from the districts have asked for this type of federation.
Having joint meeting of district YAC’s is directly going against [remainder of this portion of the minutes lost due to acts of various Deities]
Resolving Concerns:
Step 3: organize a meeting of YAC’s; Step 4: to attend or facilitate the joint meeting of the two YAC’s

Consensus

Unitarian Universalists for Drug Policy Reform Solidarity
– statement of belief
Overview: The Drug war is classist, racist and horrible. We are against those things.

Broad discussion:
this is nice.

Concerns:
This shouldn’t be an action item, it should be an agenda item, the group agrees to make this change.

Consensus

Forming Allies with other social action groups.
Overview: Annie describes what Ruckus camps are and what they do. They are interested in our resources and we like what they do. We could do some cool collaboration with them.

Clarifying Questions:
Do all Youth Council Reps have to find organizations to work with? No, but it’d be cool if they did.

Broad discussion:
· wicked awesome
· liaisoning is cool

Concerns:
· This might not have any long term affects and will peter out quickly
· http://yruu.org is dead
· There is no evaluation process

Addressing Concerns:
· The people who brought it to the floor overlooked the lack of an evaluation process. Mimi and Nathaniel are co-sponsors and are notable for their follow through abilities.
· Just b/c there are committed people sponsoring this, that’s not going to help ycrs.
· Any work done by this is going to be so awesome that it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect or not.
· This should be done perfectly, we should just write an evaluation

Consensus

The End!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!