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Social Action Committee

The Social Action Committee of UUCM currently meets on the Third Sunday of the month from 12-1PM. The topics under discussion vary from month to month and are driven by the interests and energy of members, who are not necessarily church members, as the Committee welcomes others who share our concerns. Some of our work is what might be broadly characterized as charitable.

 

Some is educational, and leads to efforts to effect change through political processes, and ranges from local to national or international in scope. When possible, we work collaboratively with other groups concerned with the same issue. We have worked with Sustainable Marblehead, ECCO, and UU Mass Action amongst other groups. Several times a year we offer Meetinghouse Series Events which we offer to the town at large.


This Fall the Committee has been focused on the issue of Housing. The Planning Board had long recognized a need for more diversified housing in town, and in 2017 published a Housing Development Plan. The goal was to develop a model for new construction that would make it possible for people who were not millionaires to live in town. This would require a change in the Zoning by-law since currently 70% of the town is zoned as single family and no new multifamily housing can be built. Last Year’s town meeting voted down the by-law change that was proposed, even though it was mandated by the State for any town that gets MBTA services. The lack of affordable Housing is a problem for the whole state and underlies many other social problems of concern to the Committee. We hope to present a Meetinghouse Series Event on this shortly.


The second topic the committee is presently working on is Immigration. In collaboration with UUMass Action we are learning more about the situation of refugees coming to Boston from Haiti in particular, but other places in Latin America as well. Several of our members are working to assist in the resettlement of these undocumented families and to protect them from forcible deportation. Many church members support Mariposa House in Lynn. Others following the lead of UU Mass Action, are providing short term housing for recently arrived refugees.

Over time we have offered education about Mass Incarceration, Reconstruction after the Civil War, the Palestine/Israel conflict and the Risks to Democracy. Members worked to achieve a town meeting vote to change Marblehead’s celebration of Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. We regularly attend Pride Day Events, have raised money and collected clothes for a physical therapist member’s work after the Nepal earthquake, and currently have undertaken to be regular contributors to the Marblehead Food Pantry.

UUCM 7th Principle
Climate Change
(Sustainability)

The 7th Principle for UUs calls for Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part. Current actions are focused on Sustainable Marblehead and Climate Matters.

Family Promise

UUCM participates in the Family Promise North Shore Boston program. Family Promise North Shore Boston is a nonprofit interfaith hospitality network that provides temporary shelter, meals, hospitality, and case management for families experiencing homelessness on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

Family Promsie
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Lifebridge Meals

UUCM has an on-going relationship with Lifebridge in Salem which provides regular meals to those in need. We have two adult groups and our Youth Group that prepares and serves meals during the month. 

Racism & White Privilege 

Many members of our church community are involved in the Marblehead Racial Justice Team and responsible for several events. This is a very active area of interest.

UUCM Racism and White Privilege
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Justice in the Middle East (UUJME-MA)

Members of the Church have long been concerned about the treatment of Arabs in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Educational activities have helped raise awareness and further understanding.

Welcoming Congregation

Affirming the Bisexual, Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Community

 

In order to continue our desire to be a Welcoming Congregation, we continued many of the programs that we have had for several years.

Welcoming Congregation
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Immigration

We have a long history of working to improve the conditions and treatment of persons seeking justice and a better life.

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Indigenous Peoples

Committee members have led a town-wide  effort to change the name Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.

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Guatemala

Members of the Committee have a particular interest in the people, especially children in Guatemala

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Criminal Justice Reform

Many members are deeply concerned about the current Mass Incarceration and working to try to improve the system.

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Affordable Housing

The lack of affordable housing has been a long-standing issue for Marblehead as it is for most communities in the Greater Boston area.

Protecting Democracy

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. As of September 27, 2021, 19 state legislatures have enacted 33 new laws so far this year that restrict access to the vote. For more detail, click here. 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.

Washington Monument
Meetinghouse Series
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This open community lecture/discussion series focuses on a variety of Social Action topics.

Completed Project

Rehab Nepal

Need is dramatic when a catastrophe hits. In April of 2015 23,000 people were injured by the earthquakes and landslides in Nepal. The immediate medical care was remarkably good considering the numbers of persons needing treatment, but thousands still required rehabilitation to recover from the multiple fractures, amputations, spinal cord and brain injuries sustained in the quakes and landslides.

This successful project which brought physical therapy services to rural communities was spearheaded by Dr. Patrica Sullivan who coordinated efforts of the Marblehead Harbor Rotary Club, Dhulikhel Nepal Rotary,  Dhulikhel Hospital, Kathmandu University, and Rehab Nepal Inc.   UUCM was instrumental in providing donations for the project and support for a local village. 

Rehab Nepal
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