What does reconstruction in Haiti look like two and a half years after the 2012 earthquake? With about 390,000 people still in tents in the heat of Port-au-Prince? Well, according to the Haitian government, the U.S. State Department, and the Inter-American Development Bank, reconstruction in Haiti looks like the Caracol Industrial Park project they are building for $224 million in northern Haiti far from the site of the earthquake.

To build this "showcase" reconstruction project, the Haitian government evicted 366 farmers off fertile land in a country that cannot feed itself and where rural farmland is at a premium. According to a New York Times article on July 5, 2012, "The project includes a heavy fuel-oil power plant, a dense housing complex and a port" all supported by the U.S. State Department.  Environmentalists are alarmed about the detrimental impact on the pristine bay and aquifer of a port, high-density housing, and the burning of heavy fuel oil. Funds approved by the U.S. Congress will go to build houses in Caracol, although they have not yet built any in Port-au- Prince. This reconstruction project to provide housing and jobs for homeless earthquake survivors begins by pushing 366 families off their land and will damage a fragile environment.

But these details pale in comparison to the labor record of the Korean company Sae-A, which the project's backers have actively recruited as the anchor company for the industrial park. According to the New York Times article, the Workers Rights Consortium, the AFL-CIO, and Guatemalan labor leaders have all documented labor-rights abuses — including use of force against union members, use of riot police, death threats, harassments, and assaults on workers — by Sae-A in their Guatemala factory. Why is Sae-A the employer of choice in a country that desperately needs decent jobs?

The Haitian historian and author Laurent DuBois said, "The way I see it, in a deep, long historical way, Haiti was founded by ex-slaves who overthrew a plantation systems and people keep trying to get them to return to some form of plantation." We all agree the people of Haiti suffered terribly in the earthquake. Is a reconstruction project that displaces families, damages the environment, and offers jobs under a ruthless sweatshop enterprise with a grave record of labor violations the best the U.S. government can come up with for reconstruction?  

The U.S. government could improve this project in several ways. They could seek an employer with a good record in labor rights instead of Sae-A. They could provide funding for a labor-rights monitor. They could make sure they integrate stringent environmental protections into the project plan. They could ensure that there is adequate housing for workers and guarantee adequate pay. They could guarantee that the displaced farmers have access to ongoing livelihoods or access to other viable land. All of these actions would signal that this is a reconstruction effort that takes into account the voices of the Haitian people, that sees them as active participants — not submissive recipients — in this effort.

In the post below, Shelley Moskowitz, UUSC's manager for public policy and mobilization, gives an update on human-right-to-water legislation in California.

We did it! In a cliff-hanger vote, A.B. 685 [Bill Text], our human-right-to-water bill, passed the California State Senate! Thanks to coordinated action in the Capitol and mobilization in the field, we won a 22-15 victory. As the day began, we had reports of serious scare tactics used by the opposition to try to peel off support for our bill.

We were one vote short when the vote was about to be called. Senator Rubio — a key swing vote — walked off the floor, perhaps in an attempt to avoid taking a public position. Our partner Community Water Center responded immediately by flooding Sen. Rubio's Sacramento office with calls and drove several cars full of residents to his district office to urge his support. Ultimately, it was Senator Rubio who cast the final winning vote! The next step in the legislative process is for the Assembly to concur with the Senate bill (usually pro forma, but still an opening for the opposition) which could happen early next week. Then it is on to the governor's desk.

Thanks to everyone who has kept the human right to water flowing towards justice! I can't even begin to tell you how happy, proud, and teary-eyed I am to be part of this sweet victory and how grateful I am for our team at UUSC and across California. Please lift a glass of water in celebration tonight! 



Voice your support for the human right to water by signing UUSC’s statement today.

It's almost time for UUSC's annual Guest at Your Table congregational program! Guest at Your Table has evolved quite a bit over the past couple years! As we prepare for this year's activities, I want to share with you some key points about this intergenerational program:

• Guest at Your Table is designed to educate, inspire, and raise awareness about human rights. It introduces UUSC's work by highlighting a series of "guests" — leading partners that UUSC works with throughout the world.
• Suggested launch date is Sunday, November 18 — mark your calendars now!
• Our theme this year is innovative partnerships. Congregations can incorporate Guest at Your Table into a comprehensive social-justice awareness and action plan.
• One valuable Guest at Your Table resources is the Stories of Hope collection, which features short stories about four UUSC partners — our guests — written for a broad range of reading levels.
• Stories of Hope offers ways that readers can learn more and take action on the groundbreaking initiatives it features. The booklet has also been redesigned so that it's easier to read and can be used in brochure racks or as order-of-service inserts.
• Guest at Your Table religious education resources include lesson plans for all ages, from preschool to adult. Jessica York, the youth programs director in the UUA's Ministries and Faith Development Office, authored this year's materials.
• The program also offers relevant, easy-to-use worship resources. Rev. Nate Walker, minister of First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, authored the worship resource packet this year.
• Guest at Your Table is an ideal way for UUs to give back during a season of reflection and gratitude by collecting contributions during the program to support the work of our partners.
• Fostering support and membership in UUSC during Guest at Your Table helps congregations achieve Justice Banner Society award eligibility! Such achievement is recognized at UUA General Assembly, in UUSC's annual report, and in other ways.
• All new resources and planning materials will be available online in September.

Guest at Your Table is an important, nearly 40-year UU tradition. We hope you will include it in your congregational calendar. As always, we welcome input and offer assistance. Many congregations have a UUSC local representative; if you do not currently have a volunteer liaison and would like to identify one within your congregation, please contact us at volunteerservices@uusc.org. We look forward to working with you!

In the post below, Shelley Moskowitz, UUSC's manager for public policy and mobilization, shares exciting news about the trajectory of human-right-to-water legislation in California.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." —Margaret Mead

These words ring so true today. Thanks to the dedication, persistence, and skill of amazing allies in the Safe Water Alliance, Californians are now one step closer to the day when everyone can drink clean, affordable water from their taps. Together with our partners, we succeeded in keeping A.B. 685, the human-right-to-water bill, alive against the odds. The legislative process is not for the faint of heart — luckily we, our members, and especially our partners have strong hearts with a passion for justice.

One year ago, the California Senate Appropriations Committee placed our historic bill on a "suspense list," which is essentially where good bills go to die. But we joined our community partners in refusing to give up. And yesterday, A.B. 685 was one of only 5 (out of 250) bills that were allowed to move forward. We achieved this through sustained, coordinated activism. Over the past year, UUSC has worked closely with the Safe Water Alliance (SWA), a dynamic group of faith-based, environmental-justice, tribal, consumer, and public-health and human-rights advocates, to develop and carry out an action plan that included work inside the state capitol and with grassroots groups across the state.  

In July, the SWA strategy team determined that there was broad support for the human right to water but a dangerous lack of political will from state senate leadership that, if unchallenged, would doom our bill. We needed strong, swift action and moxie to change the political climate. So we mobilized our grassroots and "grasstops" opinion leaders with a focus on two key senators — Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) — who would decide by August 17 which bills live.

Patricia Jones, human-right-to-water expert and manager of UUSC's Environmental Justice Program, provided key leadership and helped our partners draft powerful opinion pieces supporting A.B. 685. UUSC President and CEO Rev. Bill Schulz made personal phone calls to Senators Kehoe and Steinberg and encouraged our California members to do the same. Even Catarina D'Albuquerque, the U.N. special rapporteur for the human right to water and sanitation, sent an open letter of support. I traveled to Sacramento to assist with lobbying and personally deliver Schulz's Huffington Post column to Senator Kehoe. I thanked her for her support for the bill in the past and asked her to allow our bill to move forward. She was quick to say that she supports our goal but feared liability to the state.   

Our partners the Community Water Center and the California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation brought residents from Central Valley communities without safe drinking water to Sacramento to meet with lawmakers on the first day after the legislative recess. UU Legislative Ministry Action Network leaders accompanied residents as they gave powerful testimony to senate leadership. It was an essential turning point for our efforts. 

Pledges of support rolled in from key senate leadership staff who were moved by the testimony. An article in the Sacramento Bee highlighted the work of the Community Water Center and the necessity of A.B. 685. A steady flow of grassroots calls of support for A.B. 685 flooded the offices of Senators Kehoe and Steinberg. All of this meant that we were on the leadership's radar. But legislators remained tight-lipped about what the committee would do. In a last strategic push that lifted A.B. 685 above the political fray, UU leaders shared a clear, moral voice on the issue in an opinion piece in the San Diego Tribune, Senator Kehoe's home district.   

It all came together yesterday, with a 5-2 vote allowing A.B. 685 to move forward. The Senate Appropriations Committee unfortunately made amendments to the bill to address their perceived threat of lawsuits. They watered down the implementation language, but the bill continues to have a clear statement: "It is hereby declared to be the established policy of the state that every human being has the right to clean, affordable, and accessible water for human consumption, cooking, and sanitary purposes, that is adequate for the health and well-being of the individual and family." The bill provides a basic framework for realizing the human right to water, and it declares that our partners' needs are not forgotten. 

In a debrief with partners today, there was renewed energy and optimism about the significance of what A.B. 685 will mean for communities struggling with unsafe water. It may not a perfect bill, but few are. Yesterday, in a flurry of e-mails and phone calls, there were cheers and tears as we processed what we had accomplished. Now we are ready for the next two-week push to win the human-right-to-water bill on the state senate floor. It is an honor and privilege to part of this historic campaign. It's not only what we have done but also how we have done it — an inspiration for all to continue the struggle for human rights and social justice. 

Add your voice to the moral call for the human right to water by signing UUSC's statement today.

UUs across the country have been raising the moral voice affirming that the human right to water — access to safe, affordable, and adequate water for drinking and sanitation — must be protected both at home and abroad.

Many congregations (I hope yours!) will celebrate the reconvening of your community this fall with Water Communion or a water ceremony. Last year, more than 70 congregations across the country included a statement of solidarity for the human right to water in their Water Communion. This year, we invite you to join them.

Consider recognizing the human right to water in your ritual this year by symbolically pouring an empty vessel into the communal bowl and making a simple statement such as the following:

• "This container, empty of water, reminds us of all who lack access to safe and affordable water."
• "We stand in solidarity with UUSC and all those around the world who are calling for the human right to water."

You are also welcome to use any other words to honor the human right to water. Please let us know if your congregation will incorporate the human right to water into your Water Communion or water ritual this fall. 

UUSC is working with partners throughout the world to protect and defend this most precious and necessary right. In Tanzania, the Tanzania Gender Networking Program is researching the affects of water privatization on women. In Guatemala, the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas of Sipakapa is monitoring the impacts of Goldcorp gold-mining operations on water quality and quantity. In California, our community partners such as the Community Water Center and allies like the UU Legislative Ministry of California are working for 11.5 million Californians who don't have access to safe drinking water. This work is only possible because our members are standing with us and lifting up their voices in support — thank you!

Looking for some inspiration?

• Over 1,145 UUSC members and supporters have signed a statement of support for the human right to water. Raise your moral voice and share it with your congregation.

• Read about how congregations participated last year.

• Check out recent press coverage of the human right to water in California:
  • "Water crisis a moral mandate, matter of justice," by Arvid Straube, Susan Weaver, and Lindi Ramsden, in the San Diego Tribune, on August 16, 2012.
  • "California Water: No More Tadpoles, Please," by UUSC President Rev. Bill Schulz, in the Huffington Post, on August 8, 2012. 
  • "Who carries their water?" by Dan Morain, in the Sacramento Bee, on August 13, 2012.

Elias Estabrook was a recent UUSC grassroots mobilization intern whose work focused on engaging youth. In the following blog post, he reflects on his time as a UUSC intern and the questions that youth face as they try to make positive change in the world.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
— Rev. Howard Thurman

What does this mean for young people like me? Rev. Howard Thurman's widely cherished and respected words capture what I grapple with as I seek out opportunities to learn about the world and make a difference. Where and how will I discover what truly makes me come alive? And how can we help other youth discover that for themselves?

Over the past two months, after an eight-month immersion experience abroad, I've settled into UUSC's office in Cambridge as an intern for grassroots mobilization. Just as I did in my rural, Senegalese host community, I've taken on the challenge of examining the role of youth in social change — and formulating ways for them to engage as leaders and aware members of society. In particular, I've focused on youth activism with respect to economic justice, from fair trade to restaurant workers' rights.

In my final week, I had the opportunity to attend parts of the National Youth Justice Summit, a UU College of Social Justice program. It was a privilege to see how 10 young Unitarian Universalists — much like I was just a few years ago — are tackling fundamental questions about social justice and developing realistic visions for how they can be agents of change. During the week, the youth forged connections as they shared perspectives. They were united by not only their UU faith and their leadership qualities but also their joint motivation and aspiration to make a difference. And that week can serve as the jumping off point for something even bigger.  

It was a blessing to end my stint at UUSC with such an interactive week. As we closed one of the sessions, assembled in a circle with joined hands, I voiced my gratitude for seeing my hopes for engaged young people manifested in the wisdom and determination of these eager leaders. Even though I spent much of my internship at a desk shaping important research and creative ideas into strategic information kits and workshop programs, being face-to-face with young UUs for a short time was ultimately the most gratifying. It made the youth-led social-justice movement I was envisioning and writing about incredibly real.

The world needs youth leaders to take on the complicated challenges of our time. But there are far too many for one young leader to take on alone. And so, as Howard Thurman believes, we need more youth who are intrinsically motivated and passionate about the good they can do in the world. As they explore, they will discover what they are most drawn to, whether it be campaigning for marriage equality or coordinating job-training programs for marginalized youth.  

Bringing out this enthusiasm and conviction is, of course, easier said than done. Reaching and harnessing this energy was one of the greatest challenges of my work. How do you motivate youth to contribute to social action, to understand and get involved with an important human-rights campaign? These were the questions I pondered. Yet, after this National Youth Justice Summit, this task seems much more possible. Surrounded by lively, inquisitive, and invested youth, I find my optimism about our generation reaffirmed.

On July 26, 2012, on the heels of the three-year anniversary of the last raise in the federal minimum wage, Rep. George Miller (D-CA) introduced the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2012 (H.R. 6211) with over 100 original cosponsors! Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced a companion bill in the U.S. Senate. This is a critical success within a long-term strategy for building the political climate necessary for raising the minimum wage.

This step forward is a result of the hard work of UUSC supporters, our partner organizations Let Justice Roll and Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, and many other minimum-wage advocates around the country who called and e-mailed representatives in the U.S. House asking them to cosponsor the bill. Thanks to this show of grassroots support for increasing the minimum wage, Representative Miller exceeded his goal of having 100 cosponsors when he introduced the legislation!

We really want to thank our supporters who took the time to call or e-mail their representatives in Congress. Dozens of UUSC supporters called their representatives, and many more sent e-mails. At least 16 of the legislators who signed on as original cosponsors received personal calls from UUSC supporters to their offices.

The next step is to keep the pressure on and continue increasing the number of cosponsors for the Fair Minimum Wage Act in the House. Every legislator who signs on is making a public commitment to supporting this legislation and the broader goal of raising the minimum wage. Contact Congress today!