This Sunday, October 30, we hold our annual service of remembrance.

If you are attending in person, at either 9:30 or 11, you are invited to bring photos and mementos to bedeck the physical altar. There will also be a place to light candles, and to write … read more.

Immediately after the service on Sunday, you are welcome to follow me and Mary to the memorial garden in front of the Main Hall. We will dedicate a new bench and bricks, and give our gift of water to the tree that symbolizes our ancestors, … read more.

Sunday October 30th, 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., Fireside Room and Zoom

Santa Clara County Board Supervisor Joe Simitian joins us for a life and death analysis of the power our local law enforcement – in this case the Sheriff’s Office – holds in its hands. For over four years Joe has driven the effort to establish civilian oversight for the Sheriff’s Office – which does not report to anyone in the County. The appalling incidents impacting real people – the majority people of color living here – cried out for transparency and accountability for that powerful office. San Mateo County residents formed Fixin’ SMC last year and tapped Joe to advise them on how to build their effective civilian oversight entity – that story is still unfolding. Entrenched power vs. humane values – the battle in our own back yards. Please join us for insights locally and from around the country on what works, what clearly doesn’t, and implications for the path forward.

Location: Fireside Room (in-person* with zoom access possible)

This coming Tuesday, October 25, is the next session of White Folks Dismantling White Supremacy. We’ll be looking at the “Model Minority” stereotype often applied to Asian Americans — that they are intelligent, skillful in math and science, hard working, and deservedly successful. This may sound great,, but in reality the myth of the model minority has negative impacts on Asian Americans and on other minority groups. We’ll view and discuss the video “How the Asian ‘Model Minority’ perpetuates Anti-Blackness”, which was created by an Asian-Canadian woman. She discusses how the myth arose and how it has been applied to support White Supremacy

If you would like to attend this session and are not subscribed to the email list, please email dismantlingwhitesupremacy+subscribe@uucpa.org. Zoom information for the session will be sent to this list early next week. We welcome new attendees* at any time!

*All people of whatever race or background are welcome to attend any or all sessions. We call the group “White Folks . . . ” because we recognize that the work of dismantling white supremacy is for white people to do. It’s also important to have anti-racism learning spaces for white folks, where they can grapple with new ideas about racism and speak candidly about their fears and misconceptions. It can be painful for people of color to witness these conversations, so we have created this space apart from the main body of the congregation.