Youth Council 2005

Camp Hantessa - Boone, Iowa
July 21st through 30th   

Attendees

Empowerment I

  • Letter from Board of Trustees about GA
  • What Happened to Common Ground III?

Empowerment II

  • Presentation of the Plan for the Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth
  • Q&A About Consultation Process
  • Timeline for Consultation Process
  • Concerns About Consultation Process

Empowerment III

Consultation Strategy Session

Empowerment IV

Consensus on Consultation Problems

Empowerment V: Youth Council Reports by Region

  • Central
  • Northeast
  • Mountain - Coastal
  • Southern

Empowerment VI: RevolUUtion Circus

  • RevolUUtion 1
  • RevolUUtion 2
  • RevolUUtion 3
  • RevolUUtion 4
  • Consensus on RevolUUtion 2
  • Consensus on RevolUUtion 3
  • Consensus on RevolUUtion 4
  • Consensus on RevolUUtion 1

Empowerment VII

  • Steering Committee Report
  • Trustee Report
  • Youth Office Reports
  • At-Large Reports


Present:

Sarah Baxter (YCR-QuOM)
 Jennifer Bell (YCR-SW, SC)
 Gregory Boyd (Post-High TARR, SC)
 Becca Brown (YCR-H)
 Emily Brunts (YCR-CMW)
 Dale Brydon (Canadian At-Large)
 Kelsey Campbell (YCR-PNW)
 Tony Carpenter (YCR-MD)
 Jason Carruthers (PoCC)
 Sara Castro (PoCC)
 Lyn Conley (BOT, SC)
 John Crestwell (Adult At-Large)
 Ben D’Avanzo (YCR-BC)
 Sean Fletcher (YCR-CB)
 Barton Frost (Junior-High TARR)
 Wynters Leigh Geimer (YCR-JP)
 Jessy Hennesy (YCR-MD)
 Lehna Huie (PoCC, SC)
 Jesse Jaeger (YPD)
 Al Jensen (C*SAC)
 Sean Jones (C*SAC, PoCC)
 Brian Kuzma (YPS)
 Siri Larsen (SC)
 Erica Lindegren (YCR-MS)
 Nora Lindsey (SC)
 Nicole Lord (PoCC)
 Alice Mandt (PoCC)
 Kat Manker-Seale (YCR-PSW)
 Breida Martin (PoCC)
 Chester McCall (Adult At-Large)
 Weston Miller (YCR-OM)
 Erik Mohn (PoCC)
 Nan Moore (Adult At-Large)
 Tsuki Naka (YCR-BCR)
 Laurel Newton (SC)
 Brietta O’Leary (YCR-CANW)
 Kate Philipson (YCR-MNY)
 Paul Phillips (POA)
 Mary Roffers (Adult At-Large)
 Jazmin Luz Sandoz-Rosado (POA)
 Robert Smith (Adult At-Large)
 Lily Joo Yung Sparks (YPS)
 Malcolm Spruiell (PoCC)
 Terry Stafford (Adult At-Large)
 Alana Sullivan-Glick (YCR-PC)
 Dylan Uscher (YCR-MB)
 Jova Vargas (PoCC, SC)
 Tansy Wait (YCR-TJ)

Empowerment I

Julian Sharp reads letter from UUA Board of Trustees in response to racism at GA.

Julian: This letter is a wake up call and there will be systemic change

  • Breakthrough Congregations will have to work on Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression within their communities.
  • The UUA administration is sending a letter to Ft. Worth officials notifying them of the racial profiling. The Board considers this to be a teachable moment
  • The Board has asked that the Ministerial Fellowship Committee (MFC) and the UU Ministers Association (UUMA) start investigations into the incident involving the minister involved in the Closing Ceremony incident.
  • Gini Courter (UUA Moderator) has contacted the GA Planning Committee to make sure there is AR/AO next year.
  • GA Opening Ceremony will work to speak to AR/AO/MC.
  • There were booths at GA that were culturally appropriating, so a screening process will be set up to look into who will be able to have booths next year.
  • A story will be in the UU World.
  • The Board has come under scrutiny recently and stands by the letter.
  • The Board recognizes many things happened at GA and the UUMA and MFC are only looking into the Closing Ceremony incident, but a Special Review Commission is looking into all of the racism at the Youth of Color Leadership Development Conference and GA. This is being done so that systemic change can be made.
  • The Board’s focus is to create systemic change. The Board cannot prevent racism, but can set up a space to dialogue and process any racist incident.
  • If you witnessed any racism at GA please document it so it can be looked into in the future.

ENERGY BREAK!!!

Steering Committee (SC) gives presentation on: “What the hell happened to Common Ground III?”

Last year a resolution came to Youth Council called “Common Ground III: Can we just change the world already?” “CG III,” as it is referred to, was to revision YRUU. A long-range planning meeting took place three years ago to look into revisioning YRUU. There was not enough support and money to create change from that meeting. Two years ago Steering Committee member Jennifer Dunmore wrote the resolutlue'>Common Ground III: Can we just change the world already?” Many stakeholders including Bill Sinkford supported this. Last year, YC 2004, CGIII did not pass, so it was sent to committee. SC tried to form a committee in the fall, but many people backed out of the committee. At the October SC meeting Bill and Gini sent a letter that was directed by the Board of Trustees saying “we are going to follow through on CG III.” SC felt like the decision was being imposed on them and that YC’s decision wasn’t being respected. SC decided that it wanted a say in the process to go forward with CGIII. SC got seven folks to go to the Convocation on Ministry to and with Youth. SC members got together after the October SC meeting and sent a letter to the Board, saying it was a forced decision and that it didn’t respect YRUU’s rights. SC members went to the Board’s Our Association working group meeting, which was also attended by Dylan’s mom (the LREDA representative), Greg Boyd, the Youth Office, Bill Sinkford, Gini Courter, Kay Montgomery, and Nan Moore. Paul Rickter convened the working group meeting, which was intense, heated, and emotional. There were issues as to how SC worded their letter. Kay thought that there was emotional baggage around the words “Common Ground,” since Common Ground meetings destroyed LRY. The Board then decided to change the name to the Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth. The Convocation happened in February and the “YRUU 7” (representatives of YRUU) went, including two SC members. Some of the YRUU seven were Rick, Jova, Sean, Al, and Lehna.

Empowerment II

  • Beth, Megan, Sean, and Julian present plans for the Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth and the task force that will oversee the Consultation.
  • Youth Council members are given the Consultation on Ministry to and With Youth brochure
  • Megan was Youth At-Large to the Board up until GA Ft. Worth.
  • What is the Consultation:
    • Revision and support for our Association’s ministries to and with youth
    • Solicit input and commitment of widest possible spectrum of stakeholders in UU youth ministry
    • Focus constituencies on what we can do at different levels and how the Association can support youth ministry as a whole
    • Build from ideas and needs of youth and adults at the grass roots level
  • Sean speaks to the Convocation on Ministry to and With Youth (February meeting).
  • Al, Jova, Lehna, Sean were also at the Convocation.
  • Convocation was in February in Essex MA.  The YRUU7 were picked by SC and voiced concerns around how the Convocation came about. There was networking amongst local, district, and continentally involved youth. There was discussion around:
    • What YRUU means to different youth
    • What leadership means
    • How YRUU can better support local Youth Ministry
    • There was criticism of Continental YRUU
    • And much more
  • It was decided that youth were not to blame that there wasn’t a lot of YRUU involvement at the local level. Adults in leadership positions had failed. It was also discussed that continental events could be seen as a waste of resources and that they didn’t attract youth as much as they could.
  • A design team was formed out of the members of the Convocation and was tasked with following through on the goals set forward by the Convocation.
  • In March the design team met and created a plan that has been approved by the co-conveners.

      

Question: What was the process of selecting youth from local youth groups?
Answer: Talked with congregations that weren’t connected with YRUU but who had youth programming.  Also talked with district program consultants, who asked the congregations to put names forward of youth who are active, but not active at a district level.

Question: Were there Canadian youth?
Answer: There was supposed to be a Canadian youth, but she was unable to be there at the last minute. There was a Canadian advisor.

The desired outcomes of the Convocation were chosen by multi-voting out of twenty-some outcomes. The five outcomes are:

  • A youth ministry that is robust, flexible and diverse.
  • Denominational youth work that focuses on local youth programs.
  • Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression work infused within every part of youth ministry, while recognizing that there is not necessarily one way of doing it and the “right way” depends on individual identities.
  • Effective communication within, between and among continental, district, local, and organizational levels.
  • An authority structure that respects the role of institutional youth and adult leadership at the same time that it supports the growth and empowerment of all UU youth.

The design team was selected by Convocation members.  The design team is: Mandy Keithan, Sean Jones, Frank Filz, Sara Eskrich, Julian Sharp, Judith Frediani, and Jesse Jaeger.

Question: Can you talk about non-YRUU youth there?
Answer: There are a lot of concerns that all youth aren’t being served on all levels and that some UU youth don’t identify as YRUUers. The Consultation is looking to find out how to support such youth and youth within their congregational life, not necessarily through youth-specific programming. It was never YRUU’s job to work to support these youth. Bill Sinkford often used the term “Youth Abandonment” meaning that our congregations/denomination have been letting down youth.

Question: I know that YRUU isn’t for everyone - what is the goal to support local non-YRUU youth?
Answer: This is about revisioning and we don’t have those specific answers yet, we need everyone to reimagine. There needs to be an ideological shift in our actions. Ageism shouldn’t be a part of our denomination. Congregational leaders need to recognize that youth are a part of congregational life. Congregational presidents and Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA) were contacted and asked to participate in the Consultation. We need to be aware that YRUUers identify at local, district, and continental levels.

Process goals (with ongoing evaluation):

  • Timeliness
  • Youth empowerment
  • Financial viability
  • Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression
  • Transparency + COMMUNICATION
  • Collaboration
  • Inclusiveness

Question: Do you have the process recommendation doc at YC?
We have about ten here.

ENERGY BREAK!!!

Interactive presentation of the timeline

  • January-May 2006: Congregational Conversations
  • March 2006-May 2007: Stakeholder Organizations
  • The Design Team defined a stakeholder as one who should have a voice in the creation of a new ministry to and with youth because (1) they are or will be affected by the outcome, (2) they should be invested in the outcome, and (3) we need their buy-in.
  • Core stakeholder organizations have been identified as:
    • Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU)
    • Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA)
    • Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA)
    • Diverse Revolutonary UU Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM)
    • Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network (UUMN)
    • Association of Unitarian Universalist Administrators (AUUA)
  • September 2006-May 2007: District Gatherings
  • July 2007: Summit on Ministry to and with Youth

Comments/Concerns:

  • There is a concern around supporting Queer Youth and Youth and Adults of Color on the task force. Concerns about power dynamics of the task force. There are two queer identified youth on the committee, but there are concerns. There is to be only one Youth of Color on the committee, and this is an issue that needs to be addressed. These people don’t have institutional power, and they are not directly accountable to the communities they need to be.
  • There are serious questions about the effectiveness of this task force. We need People of Color who hold positions of power, otherwise this task force will probably not be able to make actual change. Can the task force be changed?
  • This change needs to happen. We need People of Color in positions of power to be accountable. Revisioning of the task force has been looked at many times, and this doesn’t fix the concerns raised, and it IS a priority to have People of Color in positions of power on the task force.
  • It is scary to hear that nothing can be done about the task force and something needs to be done and excuses aren’t going to help.
  • This Consultation looks very American and the process needs to be very intentional about including the CUC. There need to be regional as well as district gatherings.
  • This is American-centric, but this is a resolution by the UUA Board and needs to be passed by the CUC Board. Jesse went to the CUC for their Annual Conference.  The CUC needs to agree to be engaged in the Consultation process. The process proposals were not finalized at the time of the CUC Annual Conference, but the CUC needs to agree to going along with the Consultation. Regions could be seen as districts, the CUC could also be seen as one big district, or it could be seen as a stakeholder.
  • Sylvia Bass-West sent a letter to Canadian Youth Council Reps to get involved a while back.
  • Process observation: A Person of Color raised a concern and white folks derailed it and we need to get back on that.
  • Response from presenters: It is not too late for this process to be changed.  We are here for feedback, and we will work to take this back. It is also a concern of mine that a Person of Color had to bring up the concern of the amount of People of Color on the task force.
  • Jesse: I don’t have the power to change this task force by myself, but you all can come up with a resolution to modify this task force.
  • Mostly people in leadership have been speaking and I want to hear what people in the community are thinking.
  • Question: How much approximately will the consultation cost? Answer: $150,000, this includes everything.
  • That money could be incredibly useful to hold AR/AO events in America and Canada and could also support DRUUMM Youth and Young Adults.
  • There needs to be more Youth of Color on the task force. If this task force is to do what it says it will do around AR/AO, Youth of Color need to be added to the task force.
  • It should be noted that the task force does not have executive decision-making power.
  • Process observation: Many ex-officio people are speaking right now and maybe those folks should step back.
  • Question: Did you want to set up a new task force or did you want to add more members? Answer: I wanted to add more folks to the task force. I wear many hats, such as YPS, Adult and a Person of Color who has been hurt by the UUA and YRUU. 
  • I hear that people are listening, but I don’t know if there is actual change and I do know that our reps could be two Youth of Color.
  • Superficially nominating Youth of Color can be tokenizing.
  • We can write a resolution statement, but I just hope this is not a machine that is turning and can’t be stopped.
  • My constituents (12-14 year olds) are going to be affected and this needs to be changed.
  • We may go into strategy session real soon.
  • Will we be in small groups, because we need to be unified?
  • We may break up into small groups around Youth Council teams.
  • We have a voice.  We are a constituency and if we protest this, the task force cannot go on with this in good conscience.
  • We may not need to completely withdraw from the process, because we may not be able to speak for the best of YRUU if we do.
  • I believe we can have a say about People of Color on the task force, and Canadian CUC youth are also YRUUers and if CUC doesn’t continue and YRUU does continue on with this process, Canadian youth need to be involved.
  • Lets up our energy into a resolution and it will be very effective.
  • Beth Dana: Please take index cards and write down any questions and concerns about the Consultation so that they can be addressed.

Empowerment III: Consultation Strategy Session!!!!

Small group- how would we like to be involved in the process of the consultation?  How would we like to see the process go from here?  How would we like YC to be involved in this group?  How do we want YRUU to be involved? 

    • Youth council should have a larger involvement other than two youth appointed by us.  While there are other youth, YRUUers are the ones that are affected by every change that happens.
    • Having alternate youth so that if one youth couldn’t participate, getting more youth involved.
    • Youth are not always welcomed at district events and because of that, district governing bodies (YAC and DYSC) should be more involved in the process
    • Having an outreach team that was comprised of a group from YC to be involved in the assessment to be supportive and encouraging of youth in the districts/regions.  Encouraging different community voices.

Suggested problem: The Task Force does not live out our AR/AO commitment.  Due to a lack of representation of People of Color interested and dedicated to Youth Ministry, the approximate $150,000 process cannot be as efficient as we need it to be.

Concern that youth voices will not be heard when trying to explain our issues of non-representation of People of Color.

Concern that Direct Action organizing is not the right method of organizing because of the alteration of power.  If we are a part of the UUA and they are the ones that hold the power, we cannot change the relationship of power between these two groups.

  • If we can’t change the relationship of power between us and the rest of the UUA, how are we going to affect change through this project?
  • It’s possible that when we make a powerful, unified statement, we can certainly change the power dynamics on the task force.  à even if we create a unified statement, the actual change does not come from us, the UUA still has to agree to it and say that it’s alright.
  • Concern that queer youth are not represented in the problem either àthat is a separate issue like Canadians, queer youth, youth of color, youth voice.

Changed “efficient” to “effective”

Concern that youth should not only be “interested and dedicated” but “interested, dedicated, and qualified”; changed to “interested, qualified and dedicated to”

Because we are completely out of time, we are forming four different working groups to determine a problem and an issue for each of the four concerns:

  •  AR/AO/Youth of Color representation
  • Queer Youth involvement
  • Canadian Youth Involvement
  • Youth Voices being heard

These groups will be writing four different revolution statements for each of these different groups and work independently of one another. In each of the groups:

  • Define the problem
  • Find a solution that may be in the form of a letter, a revoluution statement, organizing in communities, strategizing.

If, after the statements are written, those involved in planning the consultation can prioritize the four different concerns so that voices are represented how we want them to be.

EMPOWERMENT IV


Problem: The task force does not live out our AR/AO commitment. Due to a lack of representation of People of Color interested, qualified, and dedicated to Youth Ministry. The $150,000 process cannot be as effective as we need it to be.

YC CONSENTS TO THE PROBLEM

  • Other issues:
    • -Queer youth representation
    • -YRUU’s voice not being heard
    • -Canadian representation
  • We need to keep in mind the importance of the issues of queer youth and People of Color, because the other issues may affect those issues because of the power they hold.
  • Each group could write a different resolution.
  • Facilitator’s suggestion: Does anyone have serious questions or problems with this suggestion? We could have 4 working groups to work on individual issues and write resolutions.
  • Those groups can also work on systemic change, working within your communities or other things.
  • AR/AO is a priority so could we have more people in the AR/AO group?
  • Once the resolutions are written, we can work on strategies to bring it back to the administration.
  • We can have a working lunch since we are running out of time and document our work and then maybe ask SC for more time to work on this issue.
  • There are people already working during lunch.
  • Is there more time to work on this later?
  • You can ask SC about more time.

EMPOWERMENT V

Steering Committee was not at the last empowerment meeting because they were setting up food. Furthermore, there was a concern that the adults need more time to caucus so that they can support youth. The adult meeting will be pushed till later and we will speak to that then.

YOUTH COUNCIL REPORTS!!!

Each YCR (at-larges will report tomorrow) reports to Youth Council as to what is happening in their district/region. This year, YCRs will break into their Youth Council groups (regional groupings of YCMs) and report in their small groups and will then bring back highlights to the larger group. YCRs are to look for major similarities and differences while in their Youth Council reports.

Central Group: (Heartland, Central Midwest, Ohio-Meadville, Prairie Star, Quebec Ontario Maritime)

 Positive report backs

  • Good listserve activity  
  • Some cons have been over 200 in attendance

Difficulties

  • No AR/AO work
  • No Young Adult programming (except in St. Louis)
  • Youth Disempowerment (examples: DRE disbanded youth group after argument)
  • Attendance low (Heartland had to cancel all cons due to low attendance, except 1 which had 40 participants)
  • Lack of trainers and trainings
  • Lack of qualified advisors
  • Financial instability

North East Group: (Clara Barton, Mass Bay, Ballou Channing, Saint Lawrence, Metro New York, Joseph Priestly)

Positive Report Backs

  • A couple districts had AR conferences that were trainings and conferences
  • Mass districts working well together
  • QuOM had more participation and YAC members
  • BCD had LDC
  • Looks to be good next year
  • Metro had many policy changes and new initiatives this year
  • Metro had an SDC
  • JPD had pfuufing laws revised, working on consent and personal space
  • Large pride support in QuOM

Difficulties

  • Low level of AR work
  • Low Social Action Work (BCD has had some social action)
  • Cons have been planned late and there has been a lack of organization and then often canceled
  • Low outreach to congregations
  • Youth Adult Committees/Youth Steering Committees are not reaching all congregations
  • Declining numbers at conferences

Mountain Coastal Group: (Mountain Desert, Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Pacific Central, Pacific Southwest)

Positive report backs

  • Many trainings/SDCs/LDCs
  • PCD is restarting UUYAN
  • MDD had mountain involved
  • PCD had WUUKI (Week long summer conference)
  • MDD youth adult relations are doing MUCH better than last year

Difficulties

  • Don’t have AR/AO work
  • Lack of working cons
  • Lots of changes organizationally
  • Lost elected officials

Southern Group: (Southwest Conference, Mid-South, Thomas Jefferson)

Positive report backs

  • MSD had good attendance
  • Good youth-adult relations
  • MSD had second Junior High Con
  • MSD put on a workshop at GA about youth worship

Difficulties

  • TJ and MSD have had adult involvement
  • Lack of Youth Leadership
  • Lack of AR/AO work in districts
  • Lack of Young Adult Programming

Empowerment VI

RevolUUtion = Resolution. RevolUUtions are read.

Question: Where is the YFUUD endowment invested?
Answer: The money is invested by professionals who know what they are doing. They use screens to make sure the money is invested in socially responsible ways.

Question: Are there any programs that survive on YFUUD grants annually?
Jesse: Not that I know of.

There is a concern that there should have been another page to the 4th revolUUtion, but there isn’t another page.

RevolUUtion circus: Large group discussion about revolutions – 15 minutes each

YCMs rotate amongst different revolUUtions and ask clarifying questions in small groups.

Pass around the silly putty.  Have fun!

RevolUUtion 1: To the Task Force for the Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth, to the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees, and to whomever it might concern:

  • A smaller group talked about increasing the # of surveys to make it no less than 500 or so. 
  • Put survey on YRUU website so it’s more accessible to all youth. 
  • Put it on all district/region websites if they have one.  Be more accountable to people who aren’t involved continentally. 
  • We have to be cautious about privileged viewpoint.  Not everyone has access to online.  Need to make sure there are hard copies available.
  • Typo concern. 
  • Facilitator: Not doing typos now.
  • Print it out and bring it to conferences to get youth to take it.  Don’t let them eat/register until they do!
  • What about concern that resolutions of Youth Council have been overlooked in the past?  (e.g. Common Ground III).  This isn’t included in the revolUUtion this year.
  • Survey will be done professionally, so they know how to get as many youth as possible to take it.
  • Lyn: Wearing my Board hat.  The Board does not give direction to the Task Force on the details of how things are done.  Board’s role was to get the process going.  They don’t micromanage. 
  • Should include quote from brochure, which says that YC “introduced” resolution, but not that they didn’t pass it.
  • 2nd paragraph says we’re putting together several revolUUtion statements. Should include statement about how it’ll change depending on other revolUUtions.
  • Assuming 3rd revolUUtion passes, it will be included with the letter and the letter’s wording will be changed. 
  • Note of process:  SC isn’t in decision-making process right now.  When we get to decision-making we’ll do RevolUUtion 3 first so we know what to include in the letter (RevolUUtion 1). 

RevolUUtion 2: Its time we did even more about Racism in YRUU

  • Concern: “We” means YRUU, so the CUC should be included.
  • I asked if the revolUUtion affects this Youth Council, and I was told that it would affect this Youth Council and go to Youth of Color programming immediately.
  • People of Color Advisory Council (PoCAC, on SC) is a part of the implementation of this revolution and PoCAC isn’t directly accountable to anybody. DRUUMM YaYA needs to be involved.

RevolUUtion 3: Accountability on the Task Force on Ministry to and with Youth

  • This revolUUtion speaks of “tolerance” and we should be accepting people and be a welcoming community.
  • Need to say that all representatives should be interested, committed, qualified, dedicated. We can’t just have anybody.
  • There was a concern of an evaluation in the revolUUtion circus.
  • There were other aspects of the first draft of the revolUUtion involving youth programming in Canada and that we’re forgotten.
  • Numbers for representation are low.
  • I think we should have more representation, and I don’t think we should ask for too much. We are not in the best of relations and if we ask for too much too soon, they won’t give any to us.
  • It isn’t clear as to who would be choosing the positions that are to be filled. 
  • While the word “tolerance” isn’t a welcoming word, it is in the goals of YRUU and we will need to change our goals before we change this revolUUtion.
  • We could just put, “Fostering acceptance and tolerance.”
  • As a process observation to the last comment, we do not need to quote the goals exactly if we don’t want.

RevolUUtion 4: Encouraging Regions and Districts to Create the Position of YRUU Anti-Racism/Anti-Oppression Consultant

  • “Trained and qualified” is not defined and I am afraid that might hurt district and regional programming.
  •  I do not understand the last paragraph around under-qualified program consultants.
  • Social Action Coordinators (SACs) can be under-qualified to do trainings because trainers are qualified.
  • When Nan brought that up to me earlier I also didn’t understand. Greg wrote this revolUUtion, but Elandria’s understanding makes the most sense.
  • Please unpack acronyms for our new members.
  • What is ARTOP?
  • ARTOP is the Anti-Racism Trainer-Organizer Program.  It is a group of youth and young adults who were trained in May 2004. They were trained to lead workshops and conferences. They stay in touch and lead AR trainings on local, regional, and district levels.
  • It list goals of AR consultants, but it doesn’t have steps. I don’t know how to be a consultant.
  • We didn’t put in steps when writing this revolUUtion so that districts and regions can make this work best for them.

Amendment Groups

After brainstorming concerns around the revolUUtions, YC breaks into small groups and works on amendments to resolutions so we work through our concerns in an efficient manner.

CONSENSUS PROCESS: It’s time we did even more for Anti-Racism in YRUU!

  • No Clarifying Questions
  • Broad open discussion
  • Amendment group presents:
  • “CUC” has been added to the revolUUtion.
  • PoCC will direct the creation of this committee while remaining accountable to this community.
  • Could you unpack those acronyms?
  • PoCC is People of Color Caucus. DRUUMM is Diverse Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries.
  • If this is to be passed, who will see this outside the YRUU community?  I would like it if we used active language.
  • Can we see the YRUU Funding for UU Development (YFUUD) applications first?
  • Answer from Steering Committee: No.
  • What are the specific problems that this is addressing?
  • There are many specific Youth of Color problems in UUism and this money can be used to help that. And this could work to alleviate the lack of support.
  • Will there be official recordings of the money that is used?
  • The committee that is formed will work with the Youth Office to create a plan and the Youth Office has knowledge of the accounting to be able to handle monetary flow.
  • Any other concerns?
  • Without YFUUD, Commit 2 Community couldn’t have happened and I am concerned about other programming.
  • In response to that concern, there are other grants they can apply for.
  • Youth of Color programming isn’t getting enough money and maybe when that happens, YFUUD could come back.
  • This won’t cut down on YRUU programming, just projects people apply for.
  • Is there going to be a way to get this information out?
  • It is the job of YCRs to take the info back to their districts.
  • YFUUD grants are often not used fully and that seems wasteful so now it is time to act on this.
  • Listing concerns:
  • I support this resolution, but I have a concern that this may not be fair to the people who have applied for the grant this year.
  • I hear that concern, but DRUUMM is an organization in need of money, and I believe that this is the place for it.
  • I think we are listing concerns right now.
  • Listed concerns
    • Grammar
    • Formal bookkeeping stuff
    • Other programs won’t get funds
    • People who applied this year did a lot of work
  • Can we group any of these concerns?
  • I think “other programs won’t get funds” and “people who applied this year did a lot of work” are related.
  • I think it is different to say that we won’t fund programs this year and from now on.
  • CONCERNS STAY UNGROUPED
  • Let’s talk about the grammar concern.
  • Can we empower Weston and the Youth Office to work on grammar?
  • I want to lift up that a process observation was already made that a lot of white folks have been talking and I don’t believe that people have heard that.
  • Consensus around grammar concern: Youth Office and Weston will work on grammar.
  • Can we work on the bookkeeping concern?
  • My concern was clarified in rereading the revolUUtion.
  • Do we have consensus?
  • Formal bookkeeping concern is no longer a concern.
  • Is there any other way we can resolve the concern that other projects won’t be funded?
  • There are other grants that projects can find funding from.
  • I see that this revolUUtion is most in line with our principles and that if we fund other projects we won’t be funding this.
  • Perhaps on the website we can add links to other grants, so other projects can be funded.
  • Just a note, once a concern has been resolved, we can’t go back to it.
  • Has this concern been resolved?
  • Consensus: Concern resolved.
  • Is there any way we can resolve the concern around the people applying for this grant?
  • People often apply to more than one grant and people often get rejected so we shouldn’t feel like it’s our fault.
  • Just to clarify, we will not be doing YFUUD if this passes this year.
  • Is there a reason why this is effective immediately?
  • RevolUUtions are always effective immediately, so this money would go to Youth of Color programming.
  • If a committee is set up it will take a while for this money to be accessed.
  • I don’t want to block consensus, but people should be notified in the future that such a program might be phased out.
  • I think we should send a letter of apology to the YFUUD grant applicants to let them know why they didn’t get money and that there were two stand asides.
  • Can I call for consensus?

Consensus with two stand asides --“It’s time we did even more for Anti-Racism in YRUU!” is passed!

 

CONSENSUS PROCESS: Accountability on the Task Force on Ministry to and with Youth.

  • What was amended?
  • Any clarifying questions for the process? No clarifying questions, so, right now we are in group discussion.
  • We changed the title, to “Accountability on the Task Force on Ministry to and With Youth.” 
  • Short term goals: Lists all changes in taskforce, people must be interested, qualified, and dedicated.
  • Financial impact: change it to “the cost of adding three people.” They had many grammar changes. Hooray!
  • Consensus? Yay, we did that really fast!  It passed.
  • That is the shortest revolUUtion in the history of YRUU.
  • Structural changes….
  • Is it just structural changes? For resolution number one?
  • We didn’t finish all the amendments.
  • Did you change the content?
  • We did change the content.

 

CONSENSUS PROCESS: Encouraging regions and districts to create the position of YRUU Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression consultant

  • Amendment group: As a long term goal, an AR/AO training recognition program should be proposed to next year’s YC, similar to Chrysalis Training Recognition Program. Will be for AR/AO work for youth ministry, ARTOP trainers, are considered highly for AR/AO position. They suggest that only ARTOP peoples considered the only ones as highly trained and highly qualified until the process is presented next year at YC.
  • Resources should be developed in particular for this position, made into a handbook both electronic and hard copy, based on what the AR/AO consultant would need. A manual, written by the Youth Office, to be distributed to all the districts and regions.
  • Ways to fulfill the position: Member of a DYSC, YAC, or RYSC; member could either be a youth or a young adult. ARTOP is a youth and young adult group.
  • This doesn’t reduce the need of Social Action Coordinators to have AR trainings; it just increases their support. It recommends that SACs support the AR/AO consultant, by becoming as educated on AR/AO.
  • Financial impact: It will be limited to the hard copy manuals.
  • Grammar: As are, scratch “are”.
  • Concerns? Call for consensus?
  • To foster and develop… this concerns me, it needs to be changed to both United States of America and Canada.
  • Can we resolve concerns?
  • Do what was said.
  • Can we agree? Oi! I’m going to call for consensus.

Consensus.  The revolUUtion is passed. 

Can we focus please. Please! I’m going to call for consensus! Yay! And we’ll deal with the first revolUUtion letter tomorrow! We have an hour left?! We can get the final revolUUtion done! Wait! No. Hold on hold on hold on give me a second please!

[Jova is hit with balloon]

The group on the first revolUUtion can meet for twenty minutes and work on it. The letter might be too extensive, that they can write it out and Siri can read it. Does 20 minutes sound good ya’ll? Group: 25 Do what you gotta do! Be back here in twenty minutes!

We will now have a process observation:  Hi! I’m the Position on Appraisal (POA), uh okay, 3rd time brought up now. There is a lot of info coming up, a lot of Canadian people involved, try to slow down the conversation. Step back a bit, a lot of white folks are talking. A lot of people need to step up. Thanks for listening to my advice.

Jova tells a funny story about Krian Buzma’s uncle’s apartment. Story about a cookie.

Meggie, is amazing.

 

CONSENSUS PROCESS: To the Task Force for the Consultation on Ministry to and with Youth, to the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees, and to whomever it might concern

  • Any questions? We’re going to read the amendment first.
  • First sentence, subtracted “very”, it just reads, “concerned”. And then we dropped the rest of the paragraph.
  • Changed the survey number to 500.
  • Fixed typos and grammatical stuff. Plurals.
  • Dropped the temporarily postponing process.
  • Added institutionally underrepresented, and institutional youth representation.
  • Changed “we have formed” to “we have attached” a revolUUtion.
  • We’re going to change a passive voice to an active voice.
  • Youth in all congregations.
  • Understand these historically marginalized groups and the churches that serve them are affected by the task force, receive this survey and are involved in all aspects of the task force.
  • Changed “wants” to “strives”.
  • Weston reads the new letter.
  •  [Clapping]
  • Are there any further questions that need to be heard?
  • This letter used queer when the other one used GLPBTQQI and queer isn’t as inclusive.
  • Actually, queer is any person who is marginalized by the gender binary and people marginalized for their sexuality. I don’t know, I didn’t hear the whole letter, it matters on who you are sending it to, make sure they know what you mean. Who is your audience, you are trying to reach.
  • Could use “regarding”, instead of “as to”, it just flows better.
  • Because we used it in the other resolution, it would be good to maintain continuity.
  • Change to GLBPTQQI.
  • Call for consensus.

Consensus.  It passes!

  • We are finished with our revolUUtions!!!!! Twenty times faster than last year!!!
  • Elections are not going to happen tomorrow.
  • Please can we wear our nametags, new people are here.
  • Can we clean up the space and all the putty, which is everywhere?
  • Uh, yeah awesome! We’re getting everything done! WOOOO!

EMPOWERMENT VII

Steering Committee Report

  • Youth Council Members write questions and Steering Committee answers.
  • This Youth Council was really really good and you deserve a lot of credit.
  • We have been to three meetings, have run YC, and were at GA. We have recommended YPSs and those processes have taken the bulk of two meetings.
  • We have liaisonships with other organizations.
  • Some of you may notice that I am not the adult that was elected this year.  This Steering Committee selected me in the fall.
  • We also select the HUUPER (GA Youth Caucus Dean).
  • I was the POA and I am to write reports on each SC meeting and network with different groups. I didn’t really get to funnel too much information from different organizations. I got to work with NCCJ and I didn’t like my experience in Boston and they have a while to go before they call themselves anti-racist. I have networked with DRUUMM. We had José and Kathryn on SC and now Lyn has been our Board liaison. We had consensus trainings at the first meeting, and we have done AR work at every meeting.
  • We helped change the June YPS job description to support Queer youth.
  • We were at different Anti-Racism Analysis Development Conferences and all went to the YSJC.
  • CUUYAN and DRUUMM YaYA met with us during out first meeting in the fall so we could network and support our constituencies. A lot of SC’s job is to plan Youth Council.
  • Nora and Jazmin and I went to the Summit on Drug and Alcohol Use in February at Nan’s house.
  • So we are going to answer questions to the best of our ability.

Elaborate on the CYF? Nora: It is the Church of the Younger Fellowship. This is a church for folks who don’t have a concrete church to go to and much of this is done online to give people a spiritual home. Sean Jones has worked with the CYF as well.

There is a question about what steps did you take to make this year better than last? Nora: We started off with a lot of intentional community building, AR work, and consensus training at the beginning of this year.

We have heard that Youth Council is classist by being 10 days. Siri: After last year it became clear that people need consensus and AR training before we go into business. We also didn’t want to go till 4 a.m. doing business and we wanted to spread the business out so it isn’t so stressful. We didn’t want to stress out the community and have breakdowns. I hear the classism piece and we have heard that several times. It was pretty wild that we passed revolUUtions so quickly. Lehna: Also we wanted to have a strong community, which we didn’t have last year. If there is not a strong community business will not go well. The community building bonding activities were important to you.

What is the most important decision you made? Jazmin: Selecting Lily as the June YPS as a Person of Color. There haven’t been People of Color as YPSs in a long time. Jennifer: Both of our YPS selections were positive and helpful.

What can you do to help new SC members? Siri: We will send big long letters to you.

Can we hold a discussion on the Chalice Revolution?

  • Jova: SC sent out a letter on our not accepting the recommendation. This can be found in the folder we handed out in the beginning. First off, Youth Council was planned when the recommendation went out. We feel there was false information in the letter and that people didn’t get all the information before their names went on the document. Just that there was much false info in that letter. The whole question of right relationship with the Youth Office was false.  We have worked to stay in right relationship with the Youth Office.
  • Jazmin: When I read the Chalice Revolution, it was shocking and it seemed liked the Chalice Revolution was the wrong way to go about it. When I talked to some of the co-signers, they retracted their names, as they didn’t expect the Chalice Revolution to look like it did. This document hurt and felt like a smack in the face.  There is a lot of confidential information that we can’t tell and we need you to be in continual dialogue with us and not just write a large letter.
  • Sean: Can you just explain what the chalice revolution was?
  • Nora: Siri’s and my name were on it and we didn’t expect it as it came out.  You can talk to us later.
  • Jazmin: It was a major concern that SC was dysfunctional and asked that SC not run YC and that YC members run YC. And that SC members could help but not as an SC. To be honest, we have had shaky times with the Youth Office and we realize that we have all grown in so many ways and there have been many learning points. We have learned how to be cooperative as leaders and not as people who had issues with each other.
  • Nora: Just remember that YC went well this year and that we made a good decision to not except the Chalice Revolution.

How are Steering Committee-Board relations?

  • Jazmin: There have been ambiguous relations with the administration this year, not the Board. I personally feel that SC has been filled up and dropped by the administration. It’s been crazy, and insane, and unfair this year. Our relation with the Board should be much stronger in the coming year and I am confident in that. As the Youth Observer I am excited to work with the Board. This sets a path for me to allow the BOT and SC to become very tight and do much networking.
  • Jova: Communication between Admin and SC has been difficult. It hurt SC when the admin said one thing to us and other things to other people. We have tried hard to stay in right relationship but we have not had guidelines as to how to stay in right relationship. It has been a hard year with the admin. We don’t know what is happening with the Youth Ministry Associate positions so we can’t tell ya’ll.
  • Jazmin: We need YC to help create the guidelines as to what right relations are.  That can be a way y’all can support us.

Jova: Now we are going to talk about our personal experiences on SC. These are going to be personal explanations and not SC speaking as a body.

  • Jennifer: We have had to make a lot of really difficult decisions. We have done a lot of caucusing and long meetings. And it has been all for the benefit of YRUU and we did the best we could. We also had a lot of fun.
  • Jazmin: I enjoyed SC this year. I feel like I have grown in a lot of ways. I have gotten agitated and it is time for me to relax even if I am on the board now. I think it can be more relaxing. I think this year was awesome because of all the new ideas we have had. It was just check and guess and seeing what worked and what didn’t. New things needed to happen even if some things didn’t work out, it was better that we didn’t. Some of the things we went through with the YO were intense, hurtful, and difficult, it was important to do so, it had to be done even though it was difficult. When I heard the Con Con decision, I was happy. I think Con Con was the worst thing ever and it was not what YRUU was about. We are about being a welcoming AR/AO community and that’s not what Con Con was. I hope that new Steering Committee can make new continental communities that are welcoming. Throw out Con Con and start from scratch. I loved this Steering Committee and its members.
  • Laurel: It was such an experience.  I am sad to say goodbye to you all. We have grown close together. And I am glad to see what next year’s Steering Committee does. Advice for YC, we need support.
  • Siri: We need to trust one another and we need to keep each other in check and challenge, and ask questions. I think that it was hard to know what to expect when we sent e-mails out on the list serve and then random rumors would spread without much direct feedback. There was not enough direct communication on the list serve. People need to be more dedicated to phone chains. We could trust each other better if we were in more dialogue.  Had a blast and it was amazing, it was the most rewarding and challenging experience ever. It is super duper hard and it takes a LOT OF COMMITMENT! I want people to know that you need to be dedicated if you are going to be on SC. It is not all awful; it gave me amazing experience as to how to work with UU organizations.
  • Lehna: SC was amazing; it was the most intense experience of my life. It was a lot of fun and there was so much work and we built strong community with each other and with the Youth Office. Jordan was on PoCAC though he can’t be here.
  • Nora: SC was amazing as well. I am coming out of this with a lot of pain and anger that I am going to carry for a while and I am going to take a break for a while. But also, I learned the importance of the direct and honest communication. I learned how to step up and step back. Meetings were amazing and I feel like we accomplished much. Steering Committee members can call me next year.
  • Rick: It has been a privilege to work with the SC and the Youth Office. It has been an interesting year. It has been a year where our AR/AO goals have moved in quantum leaps. I feel as if I need to work out issues with this Board and administration before I come back, but YRUU has my undying love.
  • Jova: This has been my 2nd year on Steering Committee. This takes a lot out of you. The rewards are amazing but it is a lot of stuff you have to take on. You have to be super dedicated. Sometimes I don’t know how we do it. It has been amazing to work with these people even when a lot of stuff was thrown in our faces and even when lies were spread about us. I hope next year’s SC can spend the first days just bonding. Like Nora said, I am ready to be off of Steering Committee, I am leaving with a lot of pain and hurt. There is going to be stuff that you get that you don’t deserve. Go to meetings, conference calls, and conferences otherwise you will not be affective. I am sad to leave, and yet I am happy that this has shaped who I am.
  • Lehna: Coming out of last year’s YC was hell. We barely knew each other and it was hard, but we have built relationships this year and I hope Paul and I can support you this year.
  • Siri: I don’t think the new SC is doomed. There is ageism in the denomination and AR work is not important to many people so it can be tough. Communication is important, but you are not doomed.  It’s up to you to make this year. If people are dedicated you will do a good job and you will have fun.
  • Jova: I may have sounded dreary but you learn a lot inside and outside the YRUU world. YC should support each other and SC needs to support YC and vice versa.

 Why isn’t there more discussion on theology in YRUU? Jazmin: We need to do more than just have more worships when putting the R back in YRUU. Maybe we could have more conferences about this aside from SDCs where people learn to lead worships. That would be a really great thing to talk to next year’s SC about.

Why are you all so awesome? Rick: Because we are just like you.

 

Trustee Report - Julian Sharp

  • GA elected me and last year I was the Youth Observer on the Board.
  • Joined the Board in October. The Consultation on Ministry to and With Youth was a big conversation I first attended. (Point of Information: Julian’s address in the book is not his address.) We had a large conversation around that.
  • Wayne Arnason and Julian wrote a motion to pass the Consultation.
  • Congregations provide health insurance and the UUA is struggling with it, but ministers are being underserved.
  • There have been some new safe congregation requirements. These are for safety and for insurance issues.
  • What is the Board doing for AR/AO work? The Board has trainings at all meetings, and has process observations. They struggle to get AR/AO to all congregations especially because some congregations are resistant.
  • There are fireside chats where the Board talks together informally. The Board once chatted about spirituality, which is something we don’t do often at a continental level.
  • Our theological schools Meadville Lombard and Starr King are working with the UUA to possibly consolidate. This is something that we as young people may be interested in.
  • Independent affiliates: It will reshape how GA works. Every affiliate will possibly not be getting two workshop slots.
  • The Board got snowed in in January.
  • The Convocation on Youth Ministry happened in February
  • Without the Chalice Revolution, we might not all have been here. We don’t know what right relations mean. There were a lot of concerns happening around Steering Committee. It is good to question leadership. I am happy with the way Youth Council has turned out.
  • Being on the Board has been fun and the Board of Trustees respects youth.  Though youth may not feel as if they have a voice, if you write a letter, the Board along with Gini will make sure you are heard.
  • Meadville and Starr King are looking into collaboration.
  • Is enrollment down? Lyn: Yes, and costs are enormous.
  • Julian: Our ministers coming out of school have so much debt, and this is a real concern.
  • Julian: I don’t want to be tough on SC because I know they have had a tough year and I want to thank them for the work they have done.

Youth Office Reports

Jesse starts with the shifts of who’s going to be doing what in the YO

  • Almost every year the YO finds itself reconfiguring who does what and checking who they’re accountable to
  • One of the big differences between YPS and YMA is the level in which they work with the youth leadership.

June YPS does the following work:

  • YSJT
  • Logistical and programming support
  • Support for YRUU Social Justice work
  • Working with the C*SAC and new WAM (Working Action Manager)
  • Support for YRUU leadership
  • Logistical stuff for SC meetings and youth council
  • Newly added support for queer folx from the resolution last year

June YMA does the following work:

  • All of the support for the consultation on ministry to and with youth

September YMA will work on

  • GA Youth Caucus
  • Chrysalis training program
  • Training of Trainers- Chaplain and Basic Advisor Training
  • Managing all of the training programs going on in the Regions/Districts around
  • AR work
  • Support for Youth of Color across assocaion

All of the YO staff will work on

  • Synapse- YRUU magazine
  • Resources
  • Everyone has a responsibility for AR/AO work
  • Synapse is changing

What Youth Want from Youth Office:

  • Help compile 12-14 yr old resource
  • Support district and regional POC programming/white allies
  • Support for districts
  • Support restructuring for districts & more programming in Canada more CA AR
  • Links to district regional websites
  • Election guide for districts
  • More resource for ycm’s to take back especially AR/AO, spirituality
  • Encourage YRUUers to contact youth office
  • Support YaC and YoC’s in leadership and give more information
  • Work with congregations to become welcoming to marginalized youth
  • Train more advisors
  • Anti-bias training for youth groups, talk about classism and different subgroups

At-Large Reports

Junior High Transitional Age Range Representative:

  • Bart: I just got the position so haven’t done much, but I have visions and want to help create a 12-14 program book or guide. I plan on staying in touch with YC.

Canadian At-Large:

  • Dale: Our Board is very crazy. They made a decision about no nudity at youth conferences. They have been micro managing and making over-the-top decisions. There has been a lot of concern with relations with the Board. The YAG (Youth Advisory Group) has been trying to figure out their role in working with the YACs. I am on the YAG and I still don’t know what we do.
  • Paul: They are to support the youth on the Board and stay in contact with the Lifespan Faith Director Sylvia Bass-West.
  • Dale: Our YACs are trying to go through this alley of miscommunication. There is tons of miscommunication and we are trying to improve communication lines.

Continental Social Action Coordinators

  • Sean and Al: We are going to talk about what we have done.
  • We were going to do a SAC PAC (list of resources).  Unfortunately, real life situations prevented us from getting it done.
  • However we had the YRUU Social Justice Conference (YSJC). There were several problems at the YSJC and there were good points with the YSJC.
  • We plan on putting out this SAC PAC and another SAC PAC.
  • There were problems with AR/AO community work and there was only one day of training and we are hoping to have more.
  • There was worship with cultural misappropriation that had the biggest effect on the YSJC.
  • We are going to focus more on Education Reform & Multiculturalism this coming year.