Ending Racism

The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to fight racism wherever you find it, including in yourself. And it’s the only way forward. –Ijoema Oluo

How do Unitarian Universalists work towards ending racism? We start with ourselves because for us, ending racism is soul work. Through readings, discussions, workshops, training programs, healing practices, teach-ins, service, and public witnessing, ERC attempts to help identify and fight racism in ourselves and in our communities. We offer many resources below and linked.

ERC meetings and events can be found to the right or below this page. The link to ERC Zoom meetings is bit.ly/endingracism 

The Facing Racism Together group is  beginning an engagement with White Women Get Ready by Amanda Gross!
We invite others to join us (Treva Burger, Carla Campbell, Chris Downs, Dev Howerton, Eileen Teti and Kay Weiser), as we use this book to guide us and support each other in taking the next steps on our anti-racist journeys. Next meeting, May 6, 7pm, on Zoom. Contact bookstudy@usguu.org for info or the link. 

Annual Minns Lectures. Image of the three speakers together.

This year the Minns Lecture will be presented as a three part series both in person and online on the theme of Deconstructing Mythologies of Unitarian Anti-Racism. Each presentation will be followed by a response.
  • April 30, Rev. Dr. Wayne Arnason will present Rehearsal for Reconstruction at 8 pm ET at Unity Church-Unitarian, St. Paul, MN
  • May 8, Rev. Lisa Friedman will present To Uplift the Race at 7 pm ET at First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY.
  • May 14, Rev. Dr. Mark Morrison-Reed will present Founders or Followers at 7 pm ET at First Church, Boston, MA.
All are welcome to attend in person or online. Learn more and register at the Minns Lectures website.

Check out books from the ERC Library! The Ending Racism Committee Library collection of over 100 books is now available for searching and browsing, visit our ONLINE CATALOG. If you see something you’d like to borrow, you can email erclibrary@usguu.org or click here to fill out a quick form, and we’ll check it out to you and make arrangements to get you the book(s). We have a book cart available for browsing on Sundays after the service.

If you are interested in getting any of the titles in our library as an e-book, you can try searching your public library’s e-book resources:  in Philadelphia  or in Montgomery County.

If you are interested in materials from Black Lives UU and possible meetings to discuss them, please email bookstudy@usguu.org.

ERC vision and mission statements

Vision: ERC envisions a society in which racial justice and equality are the reality for all. 

Mission: ERC works toward dismantling racism in all its forms; individual, institutional, and systemic; through self-examination, education, advocacy, public witness, and service.

The Ending Racism Committee (ERC) has been active since 2002 at USG and has been committed to raising awareness among its own members and in the congregation. Members feel that ERC work is necessary, supportive, positive, empowering. Contact Treva Burger (ERC contact person) for more information at endingracism@usguu.org.