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Welcome to the

Congregational Climate Convergence

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THANK YOU!

Rev. Ashley Horan

Rev. Ranwa Hammamy

Rev. Cathy Rion Starr

Rev. Karen Brammer

Aly Tharp

Audra French

Beth Postner-Waldron

Canedy Knowles

Eva Berringer

Kayoki Whiteduck

Iain Goddard

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AGENDA
1:00	Welcome to the Congregational Climate Convergence
1:15	Systems Thinking & Connections For Climate Justice
1:45	Cultivating relationships with frontline communities
2:25	Break
2:40	Engaging a broader spectrum of leadership
3:20	Break
3:30	Action Center Spotlight
4:20	Closing & Next Steps
4:30	Adjourn

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There is a unique & powerful conversation that can only happen with this group of people �in this particular �point in time.

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Our job is to �shape that conversation.

adrienne maree brown

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Low ego, high impact
Building alignment, not selling ideas
Relationship is the measure of our strength
Trust your own work and each other
This will be as amazing as you are�

Emergent Strategy

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Change your perspective.

A systems approach

begins when first

you see the world

through the eyes

of another.

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What are the connections?

Who is impacted?

What are the

root causes?

How does THIS change THAT?

Oof. So many questions!

NO CLEAR ANSWER

ABUNDANCE OF POSSIBILITIES

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Stretch your Systems Thinking Muscles

Pathways to Success

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What? So What? Now What?

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Deep Listening

Direct Communication

Appreciative Inquiry

Genuine Appreciation

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“How do I listen �to others?��As if everyone �were my teacher.”�- Hafez

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Getting to �know each other

Introduce yourself - your name, pronouns, organization, location, etc.
Share “What brings you to the work of climate justice?”
Try to organize your thoughts using the What? So What? Now What? framework.
Remember to share some genuine appreciation for your partner

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Frame:

Most of today on the What is happening & So what (why it matters)

Now to the “Now what: what should we do about it”

Side With Love Action Center is a place to harness the power of our faith to build the communities we need to contend with the systems of oppression that create multiple, intersecting crises.

We are joining together to skill up our community and join actions to advance our values and build grassroots power to confront injustice from the national to the local levels.

Action Center is about building our capacity as UUs – our spiritual capacity, strategic capacity, leadership building, – at the local level & across space

4 intersecting priority issues:

Creating Climate Justice - (inclusive of Indigenous sovereignty and Climate Resilience, and Green Sanctuary
UU the Vote & Democracy
Uplift: LGBTQ+ & Gender & Reproductive Justice
Love Resists - Decriminalization & (incl.Racial Justice and Immigration Justice)

- are joining together to skill up our community and join actions to advance our values and build grassroots power to confront injustice from the national to the local levels.

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ACTION

CENTER

1

2

3

4

5

POLITICAL EDUCATION & TRAINING

NATIONAL ACTION

LEADERSHIP/VOLUNTEER TEAMS

DISTRIBUTED LOCAL ACTION

MUTUAL SUPPORT, REFLECTION, REPORTING

State action, Volunteer teams

National training & actions

Local

Distributed

Activity

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Spirals of Engagement

Integrated & Intentional

Leadership Development

“Ladders of Engagement use action strategically to build teams, power, and movements”

Pam Coukos (Reeb Voting Rights project at All Souls DC)

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So what about the action part? How does this work?

Amplify: Organize your community to join our political education events, or host watch parties of the recordings. This is how we learn together and build an analysis to transform as we take action. (eg, this Climate Convergence, or combatting anti-trans legislation last week)

Multiply: Organize your congregation to join our monthly national action, or host local distributed Action Center mobilizations in your community. This is how we grow our impact, sharpen our skills, and apply our learning.

(eg, we’ll invite you to take action on WRRDA today – and you can take that to your congregations)

Ground: Organize your community to work with partners to build local power around these justice priorities. This is how you build power alongside your local communities and develop accountable relationships for transformative organizing.

(eg, case study / Eva’s work on the ground – or WRRDA

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100 STATE & NATIONAL EVENTS

OVER 1,500 INDIVIDUALS

Showed up & took action

including

500 NEW PEOPLE

….and that’s not all!

Since the September Launch:

Together, we build!

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ACTION

1000+ Org Sign ons to Build Back Fossil Free letter –15% UU!

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bit.ly/whatwevedone

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Tell us what you need!

One more Menti.com – code 3946 3464

Our monthly Community of Praxis dives into:

Recruitment - building a team
Partner relationships
Action Center & how it works
Tech Support
Spiritual grounding & practice

What else do need support with? What gifts do you have to share?

SideWithLove.org | @SideWithLove | #SideWithLove

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Add your event to the calendar:

sidewithlove.org/events

Download the AC Guide:

sidewithlove.org/

ActionCenterGuide

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So let’s practice - let’s take action together.

→ Stop share & go to Audra for the video.

At end, leave that slide up & Cathy invites folks to take action now.

– email through Salsa – give clear instructions (congregation – “other” is an option under “O”, sorry about the Mrs/Mr thing)

Put in the chat “I signed on!” when you’re done.

Cathy wraps up by summarizing & inviting to more action:

Amplify: Organize your community to learn about WRDA – share this video

Multiply: Organize your congregation to take action on WRDA with this email, or even better – have a call in party to call your reps/senators! We’ll followup with a click to call soon. We will help you call your congresspeople - watch for a follow up invite to call your congressperson about WRDA. Super easy Click to Call! Share with your people and ask them to do that also

This is how we grow our impact, sharpen our skills, and apply our learning.

Ground: Organize your community to work with partners to build local power around these justice priorities. This is how you build power alongside your local communities and develop accountable relationships for transformative organizing – as some of y’all are doing already!

[invitation to commit: put in the chat: I will share. I will recruit 10 people to sign/call. I will work with local partners on this]

Together, we harness the power of love to contend with the mess of a world we live in – we ground deep locally & with partners. we multiply & amplify to get there.

Action Center is here for you – for your spirit, for your strategy, for your learning, for your building.

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NEXT STEPS

Go to: sidewithlove.org/events

Join April 24 Skill Up: The Art of the Ask with Nicole Pressley
Join Mar. 28 or Apr. 25 Community of Praxis

Watch for a follow up on the WRDA Action!
Encourage your congregation, friends, and family to take the WRDA Action

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April 22: Virtual Earth Day Worship Service

9am PT / 10 MT / 11 CT / 12 ET

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online April 22 - May 1, 2022