The Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Santa Monica

Multi-Racial Development Committee

The Multi-Racial Development Committee (MRDC) welcomes people of all ethnicities to our church and encourages them to join our congregation. At the same time we encourage and act upon anti-racist efforts in our local and global community. 

The Unitarian Universalist Association has made progress in creating a multi-ethnic and anti-racist church. The website: http://www.uua.org/multimedia/religion10, entitled “Multicultural Ministry” is an example of how to create a more diverse congregation. We in the MRDC are dedicated to this goal.  

In May 2010, we marched in Phoenix with our brothers and sisters against the racist Arizona anti-immigrant bill, AB 1070. In September, 2010 CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) and a member of the Car Wash Workers unionizing campaign spoke to the congregation about the efforts of the mainly Latino and African-American workers to fight for their labor rights. In October, 27 members and friends of the church walked the ½ mile Great Wall of Los Angeles, the longest mural in the world, which depicts the history of the Los Angeles basin and celebrates the contributions and struggles of our multi-ethnic population. 

On January 9, 2011 we sponsored the Second Sunday Supper with multi-ethnic cuisine. On, Saturday, January 14 we and other members of the church attended Beth Shir Shalom in Santa Monica for their Martin Luther King Jr. service and Sunday, January 15 we marched on Martin Luther King Day from Beth Shir Shalom to UUCCSM. On Monday, January 16 we attended the annual Martin Luther King Santa Monica celebration at SGI in Santa Monica. One of our members, Will Coley, with Diana Spears' help, created a responsive video, interviewing attendees on how King would have responded to the attack on bystanders at a recent political event in Phoenix. The interviews, with mature activists, young people, and children can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPJSA7dwjRI.

Upcoming events:

Our plans for 2011 are just beginning. We have had a Seder celebration for the last two years and hope to continue this tradition. We are considering a second celebration of Juneteenth, the day on June 19, 1865 when the news of the Emancipation Proclamation was announced in Texas. Please stay in touch for more information, and we welcome you to contact us with suggestions to carry out our commitment.

Please contact committee chair Peggy Rhoads for more information.