At Mt. Diablo UU Church we strive to bring to life our Unitarian Universalist values as we seek truth and work for justice and bridge the divisions that wound the human family. This is a place to learn a little about what is happening in our world and find quick ways you can take action. If you have suggestions, email to livingourvalues@mduuc.org.
JUSTICE ACTIONS
INCARCERATION JUSTICE
WORTHY NOW: PENPALS
Please consider signing up for a Unitarian Universalist prison pen-pal with the
Worthy Now Program of the Church of the Larger Fellowship.
ELLA BAKER CENTER - OAKLAND
Our Inside Fellow Thanh Tran is free:
You can support his Freedom Fund, and help us boost: http://bit.ly/ThanhFreedomFund!
You can see pictures and read about Thanh's recent homecoming here.
If you prefer to stuff envelopes at home, you can sign up to help us send inside voter information for people in California jails! Please email Elliot (elliot@ellabakercenter.org) directly if you want to coordinate without using the Google doc linked. Our office is located across from Fruitvale BART station. You can help us greatly by supporting us as we migrate our mailing list onto a new platform! If you are interested in joining a working group to edit data from one spreadsheet to a new spreadsheet, please email Elliot (elliot@ellabakercenter.org).
LGBTQ+ JUSTICE
Please educate yourself on the HORRIFIC laws being passed today in Tennessee that will require trans youth to de-transition by March 2024. The science is clear that such acts lead to increased suicide. Please review the article and sign the petition below!
Economic, Food, and Housing Justice
It is time now to start thinking about how you might want to support our work with the Winter Nights Shelter Program. Please Visit the Winter Nights Justice page for more information and to sign up!
HEALTHCARE JUSTICE
Please check back soon for new opportunities!
RACIAL JUSTICE
Justice for Tyre Nichols
Consider signing the Color of Change petition. We're calling on the Memphis City Council to take action.
They have the power to intervene.
Here are our demands:
- End the practice of pretextual stops, and give the Community Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) the power to hold officers accountable
- Fund a civilian response unit
- Eliminate the Organized Crime Unit (OCU), and have transparency and oversight over all special units
Climate Justice
Contra Costa Issues
In the summer of 2019, County planners approved oil drilling on Deer Valley Road just outside of Antioch, a half-mile from Dozier-Libbey Medical High School and Kaiser Antioch, and close to several residences. They did this knowing the well-documented dangers this drilling poses to air quality and public health, and its contribution to a rapidly accelerating climate crisis.
A second permit application for oil drilling came their way in the spring 2020, for a site just a few hundred feet from Brentwood homes. The planners declared there were no negative environmental impacts. It took a massive public outcry before they even agreed to perform an environmental review, now currently underway.
Please consider learning more and signing this petition!
Oakland Issues
The Port of Oakland is proposing 17 new gates at the Oakland Airport, and a Draft Environmental Impact Report will be released in the first quarter of 2023. Please sign this petition to the Port of Oakland Board of Commissioners and relevant elected officials to voice your concerns about this proposed contribution to climate breakdown and environmental injustice.
We Need a Climate-Smart Farm Bill
The next Farm Bill is being written now, and we need it to address the role of the agricultural sector in the climate crisis. Our progressive voices will matter greatly to showcase that faith advocates see a moral imperative at play.
We must advocate that Congress craft a climate-smart proposal that advances sustainability, and justice, offers the chance to reduce hunger, promotes environmental stewardship, and promote fairness to farmers and farmworkers.
You can complete and customize a letter here:
Submit a Comment to the EPA about Pollution!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently took steps to update old and insufficient standards -- but the proposal released in early January falls short of what is needed! We now have 60 days (until March 28) to flood the EPA with comments urging them to strengthen their proposal to help save lives.
Submit a comment to EPA Administrator Regan: Soot pollution is too dangerous to take lightly. Finalize stronger standards!
You can sign the letter here:
EPA and Power Plant Pollution!
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just proposed strengthening protections against mercury pollution and other toxic air pollution from power plants. This is a big step in the right direction to protect people from toxic air pollutants like arsenic, mercury, and other heavy metals that cause disease and premature death.
President Biden promised to cut climate pollution in half by 2030. To keep his climate promises and finish the job, we need the administration and EPA to move forward on updating a number of pollution standards related to power plants, auto emissions, and oil and gas drilling — including this mercury standard.
IMMIGRATION JUSTICE
Please check back soon for new opportunities!
Defending Democracy
Supreme Court justices’ failure to avoid conflicts of interest and their inability to investigate themselves undermines public trust in the Court at a time when its legitimacy is already a matter of significant public debate.
Every federal judge in this country – except the nine justices of the Supreme Court – are bound by a code of ethics that prevents blatant conflicts of interest. It’s time to boost transparency and accountability of the Supreme Court.