Love is the spirit of our church and it is that love that guides us to seek justice for all. In that spirit the Heritage Social Justice Collaborative brings together individuals who have passion around various areas of social justice.
We gather to share information and support each other around these passions. We meet to generate ideas using the power of group interaction. Individuals or teams take the lead in a specific area of justice work. They communicate their activities to the greater congregation. With congregational involvement, more impact can occur as we work together to change injustices in our world. We also meet to vote on the use of monies from the church’s Social Justice balance sheet account.
Any Heritage UU Church member or friend is welcome to join the Social Justice Collaborative and lead the congregation in their passion.
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Immigrant Assistance Cards – Rights and ID
Two local organizations (Ignite Peace and MARCC) are offering assistance to immigrants regarding their rights and needs for an ID.
According to their website (https://ignitepeace.org/), Ignite Peace is a Cincinnati based organization (formerly known as Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center) that educates and advocates for peace, challenges unjust systems, and promotes the creation of nonviolent society. Ignite Peace is offering a free, downloadable cards listing immigrant right to hand out or leave in places where immigrants might find them. These “Red Cards” are available at https://ignitepeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Know-Your-Rights-Cards.pdf
MARCC (Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition of Cincinnati) ( https://marcconline.com/ ) is a coalition of 14 Jewish, Roman Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Unitarian-Universalist organizations that collaborate together on a few local social concerns to improve life for the people of Metropolitan Cincinnati. They are offering Identification cards. According to their website, “The (MARCC) community identification (ID) card will improve the potential for individuals to be recognized and provided with equal protection and due process under the law and receive governmental services in Cincinnati. The MARCC ID card is for any resident who may have limited access to government issued forms of identification.” For more information see https://cincinnatilatino.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/09.15.2018-MARCC-ID-Flyer.pdf.
Images sources: https://ignitepeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Know-Your-Rights-Cards.pdf and https://marcconline.com/
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Protest & Boycott – The Signs of Our Times!
Unfortunately, protest and boycott signs may truly be the signs of our new times. The HUUC Social Justice Collaborative (SJC) group is tracking many of the local protests and individuals are participating in them. The March HUUC-SJC meeting minutes cited several upcoming events. Further information on such events is distributed via the HUUC-Social-Justice Google Group. If a person is not a member of the Google Group but wants to be, they should email a request to Mimi Sinclair at:
The following list indicates those SJC cited economic boycott events that will occur following the release of the April Heirloom.
- March 21-28: Do not buy Nestle products.
- April 7-14: Do not buy from Walmart.
- April 18: General economic boycott.
- April 21-18: Do not buy General Mills products.
- April 5-11: Do not use Meta services, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger.
Image source: https://tinyurl.com/2xaj8vdj
- March 21-28: Do not buy Nestle products.
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May Social Justice Collaborative Meeting
Sunday, May 4, 2025, Starting 10 minutes after the morning worship service.
Immigration and the new administration’s policies were a big focus of the March 2025 meeting of Heritage UU Church’s Social Justice Collaborative. Topics ranged from the status of the Haitian community in Springfield, to workshops to understand the complicated immigration legal process, to reasserting the right of immigrants not to be apprehended while receiving sanctuary in a house of worship.
The HUUC Social Justice Collaborative meeting topics included:
- Racial Justice
- Housing and Homelessness
- Indigenous Peoples
- Immigration
- Climate Change
- Government Reform
- Activities in UU Organizations
The next meeting will be on Sunday, May 4, 2025, starting about 10 minutes after the end worship service ends, in the Heritage Room. All Heritage members and friends are invited to attend.
If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Louise Lawarre or Mimi Sinclair.
Louise Lawarre – May meeting leader:
Mimi Sinclair – May agenda and communications:
Photo Caption: Rev. Bill Gupton and other Heritage Church members join in an immigration-related rally on September 5, 2017.
Photo Credit: Russ Araujo.
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Indigenous Film Screening
Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 7 – 9 p.m. in the Heritage Room
The Indigenous Issues group will gather to watch “Drunktown’s Finest,” a feature film from 2014 that follows three young Native Americans – an adopted Native girl, a young father-to-be, and a trans woman who dreams of being a model – as they wrestle with their relationship with their Navajo home and relations. The film illuminates the impacts of colonialism on the Navajo nation while affirming the continued vitality of Navajo culture.
A segment from the program 20/20 focusing on Gallup, New Mexico titled “Drunk Town USA” inspired writer-director Freeland to make the film. Sydney Freeland is a member of the Navajo Nation and is also known for “Reservation Dogs” (2021) and “Rez Ball” (2024). “Drunktown’s Finest” won several awards including Best Film at the American Indian Film Festival in 2014.
For questions or more information, contact Mimi Sinclair at
Link to trailer: https://tinyurl.com/ywpcpd2a
Image source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3091286/?ref_=tt_mv_close