The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee advances human rights through grassroots collaborations.
Strength for the Fight Ahead
By on January 23, 2018
January 20 marks the one-year anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration. For human rights advocates, the past 365 days have been marked by daily efforts to resist actions from our nation’s highest office that propagate racism, hate, fear, ignorance, and greed. Right now, we are fighting for a clean Dream Act even as dysfunction in Washington holds up these efforts.
However, reflecting on the past year, and the work of our partners and staff in action, gives us hope—this work tells a story that is much more about courage and perseverance than one of despair.
Our shared vision of a world free from oppression provides fuel in the fight to advance human rights. Working together, with our partners and allies, we have activated strategies that confront unjust power structures and challenge oppressive policies.
Here are just a few moments from the past year that motivate us for the work that lies ahead.
- Collaborated with 15 Alaska Native Tribes to enhance their ability to adapt to a radically changing environment and to help secure basic human rights if they are forced to relocate due to climate change.
- Advocated for United Nations investigations and continued to press for U.S. action to help end ongoing ethnic cleansing in Burma and allow the safe return of the Rohingya to their homes.
- Convened our partners in Eastern Europe to enhance regional collaboration and support for refugees in the Balkans who are fleeing violence in Syria and elsewhere.
- Worked with partners on grassroots advocacy and faith-based trainings designed to dismantle institutionalized prejudice against LGBTQI individuals in countries like Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and South Africa.
This year, sustained by the passion of our community and supporters, we will continue to focus on strategies for protecting families fleeing violence in Central America, fighting for an end to ethnic cleansing in Burma, and responding to the front lines of climate change and ready to respond to natural disasters.
