Awards presented at General Assembly to outstanding UUSC human rights advocates
	Mary-Ella Holst, long-time UUSC supporter, activist and youth advocate, is shown here with Ryan Ersland, the 2005 winner of the youth activist award named in her honor.

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee has honored three social justice activists with its top awards for outstanding activism and commitment to principles that promote human rights and social justice. The 2005 awards were presented June 25 at UUSC's Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Luncheon, held in Fort Worth, Texas, as part of the annual General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

The Social Action Leadership Award was presented to Debby Sublett, of Louisville, Ky., the Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist Award to Ryan Ersland of Littleton, Mass., and the Vision of Justice Sermon Award to the Rev. Becky Edmiston-Lange, co-minister of the Emerson Unitarian Church of Houston, Texas.

Social Action Leadership Award
Debby Sublett is co-chair of the Social Responsibilities Committee at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church in Louisville, and is also the UUSC local representative for her church.

Ms. Sublett has been a committed social activist for many years. During the past year, she provided leadership in promoting UUSC's STOP (Stop Torture Permanently) Campaign and conducted letter-writing drives to help end the genocide taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. She also spearheaded her church's participation in UUSC's Fair Trade Coffee Project in partnership with Equal Exchange.

She also demonstrated leadership on numerous social justice issues, including economic justice issues in support of migrant farm workers in Florida and the Kentucky Jobs for Justice initiative. Internationally, she organized and manages the sponsorship of 56 children at the Vihiga Children's Home, an orphanage in Kenya. Each child at the orphanage is sponsored by a member or friend of a Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church member who provide the children with medical and educational support, as well as intercultural friendship.

The Social Action Leadership Award was established by UUSC in 1977 to honor creative, inspiring and effective leadership by an individual or group working for justice in cooperation with the Service Committee. The recipient must have provided an outstanding model of committed and effective action on UUSC programs, priorities and public policy positions.

Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist Award
Ryan Ersland is entering his senior year at Littleton High School in Littleton, Mass. In 2004, he participated in two UUSC workcamps, the spring vacation workcamp for high school students with the Native American community of Kanatsiohareke in the Mohawk Valley of upstate New York and the inaugural Freedom Summer: A Civil Rights Journey workcamp. During these workcamps, he demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities and a commitment to long-term social activism.

Ryan has been an active member of his church's Senior Youth Group for the past four years and has been involved in numerous community service events in his hometown. He has attended General Assembly every year since 2002.

The Mary-Ella Holst Youth Activist Award was established in 2000 to recognize and honor the achievement of young people who are advance human rights and social justice through activism and leadership. The recipient(s) must demonstrate a commitment to social justice and human rights through participation in a UUSC program of service, action and/or advocacy.

Vision of Justice Sermon Award
Rev. Becky Edmiston-Lange has been co-minister at Emerson Unitarian Church since 1999. Her award-winning sermon, entitled "Freedom Come, Freedom Come," delivers a powerful message about modern-day slavery and how our Unitarian Universalist faith calls on us to act to eliminate this egregious affront to human dignity.

In her sermon, Rev. Edmiston-Lange says, "And all over the world small, nongovernmental organizations are bringing the message of liberation and hope to enslaved workers... By becoming a member of the UUSC or by supporting the work of the Unitarian Universalist Holdeen India program, you stand with those already working in our name to build a future of freedom and justice."

The Vision of Justice award was established in 1992 to honor a sermon given by a minister or ministerial student which most clearly expresses UU principles as they are put into practice through the Service Committee's human rights and social justice programs.

Outstanding Local Representative Award
The 2005 Outstanding Local Representative awards for extraordinary commitment to UUSC were presented to Lee Engler, of the First Parish Church of Weston, Mass., and Millie Seltzer, of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, Texas. Local representatives serve as resources in their congregations for information about UUSC, promote our programs and policy priorities, and help to increase membership in the Service Committee.

by Dick Campbell
Posted June 28, 2005