Topic: Social and Environmental Justice

“The Life & Times of Harriet Tubman,” by Lauren Young

Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) is a celebrated figure in American history. She was an abolitionist, social activist, and Union spy during the American Civil War. Living through the slavery era, Harriet Tubman faced three major challenges: She was black, she was a woman, and she had a disability. She also had three support systems: family, faith … Continue reading “The Life & Times of Harriet Tubman,” by Lauren Young

“Martin Luther King, Jr’s Radical Inspirations”

Last week, we celebrated America’s most iconic black leftist, Martin Luther King Jr. Most people now don’t think of this Southern Baptist preacher as being particularly liberal, much less a leftist, and don’t know about the radical social philosophies that inspired him.

“Inauguration of a New Day,” by Rev. Dr. Brent Smith

Martin Luther King Jr. was born on January 15, 1929. He was an American Baptist minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.As we remember Dr. King today, let’s ask ourselves what we want to be remembered for, … Continue reading “Inauguration of a New Day,” by Rev. Dr. Brent Smith

“Aunt Rachel’s Story: A True Story, Repeated Word for Word to Mark Twain,” by Lauren Young

Lauren’s presentation will be part song, part dramatic reading, and part sermon, based around the story of “Aunt Rachel” by Mark Twain, as printed by The Atlantic Monthly in November of 1874. Lauren first heard this story in Ken Burns’ documentary about Twain on PBS. The subject is about the one of the tragedies that … Continue reading “Aunt Rachel’s Story: A True Story, Repeated Word for Word to Mark Twain,” by Lauren Young

“The Diagnostics of Pain,” Bill Casey

How do we deal with spiritual pain and better ourselves? The answer: we can transform our personal pain into large-scale social action and social justice. In picking to fight for causes that we care about personally, we can better ourselves and our community.

“The Maravillas: Gangs, Aging, and Mattering in East Los Angeles,” by Dr. Randol Contreras

Dr. Randol Contreras spent close to a decade studying the legendary Maravilla gangs of East Los Angeles. Once celebrated in the gang world as rebels who defied the established inmate prison order, veterano Maravilla gang members now grapple with the consequences of leading violent lives. This talk sheds light on how these aging men struggle … Continue reading “The Maravillas: Gangs, Aging, and Mattering in East Los Angeles,” by Dr. Randol Contreras

“Asexuality and Inherent Worth,” by Wren Monsour

Service Video. Asexuality is a sexual identity, like being gay, for someone who has little to no sexual attraction to any gender. This sermon will discuss the history of asexuality and how UUs can support the asexuals in their lives.