Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead

A unique panel of environmental activists will address our climate crisis and how we can act, both as individuals and in community, to ensure our children’s future.

Democracy in the United States has never fully represented the will of ALL the people. Restrictions on voting access, gerrymandering, and campaign finance inequities have also impacted basic freedoms. At least 49 states have introduced more than 400 NEW voter restriction bills. These laws especially affect people of color and young people. Many organizations are working hard to reverse this trend. Two major legislative efforts are underway right now—The Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.

It's a profound question that impacts us all! Where are we now with affordable housing? Where are we going? As a community we have questions, concerns, and opinions.

Join us for a deep dive into the past, present, and future of affordable housing in our beautiful, historic town. We'll begin with a short video exploring the history of housing segregation in the U.S. due to government regulation. Then on to…
- How is housing regulated and organized here in Marblehead?
- What are the factors behind the lack of racial diversity?
- How do we address the needs of people in our community?
- Finally, how can we come together to find equitable solutions to complex housing issues?

Join us to view four fascinating one-hour films, Reconstruction: America After the Civil War. You will come away with a solid understanding of how the themes of Reconstruction, when African Americans enjoyed a brief "moment in the sun", and Redemption, the backlash that followed, persist to this day.

We will give the history of the US relationship with the Central American countries from which most of the refugees are coming. They will also talk about the situation for immigrants here in MA and what we can do to support them. There will also be a refugee present at the presentation whose identity will not be advertised in advance.

We will focus on Indigenous People, i.e. American Indians and their treatment by European colonizers of this country, both in New England and across the country. The speaker will unsettle our national mythology about our relationship with the people who preceded us on this continent. A long term goal is to get the town to rename Columbus Day, Indigenous People Day.

You are invited to take a deep look at the Black Lives Matter movement. When the Ku Klux Klan rallied in Charlottesville, Chris was on the front lines in support of Black Lives. It is his core belief that "we owe it to ourselves to understand this modern-day civil and human rights movement.”

Climate change is a global phenomenon, but its impacts play out on very local scales. Specifically, effects of global warming are the result of weather events, which are in turn “trained” by climate. Making sense of global climate change therefore requires a global perspective, and an understanding of how impacts ripple across our hyper-connected planet. Professor Helmuth will discuss how a “systems thinking” approach can help guide strategies for climate adaptation. Participants will also take part in a novel gaming scenario exploring the often conflicting needs of stakeholders trying to prepare for climate impacts in coastal towns and cities like Marblehead and Boston.

The 3rd offering of the Meetinghouse Series will be a showing of the film "The Occupation of the American Mind" on Sunday afternoon Nov 5th at 4PM. It is an important look at the way in which the news about the Israel/Palestinian conflict is presented to the American public, and how it may influence the political environment for policymakers. The film is produced by MediaEd and features many experienced Middle East observers and journalists.

She is an articulate, English speaking, mother of two children, aged 9 and 6. She will describe incredible resilience as a war refugee and what it's like to live "life away from home." Members of audiences who have heard her presentation were quoted: "This is someone just like us."

Presentation by Susan Tordella and Meghann Perry called "Between the Bars" an exploration of Mass Incarceration.