Week Four of 30 Days of Love is here!
As week 4 of 30 Days of Love begins, I’m thrilled to introduce myself to you. I’m Rachel Myslivy, Climate Justice Organizer for the UUA’s Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team.
As someone who has worked in the climate movement for roughly fifteen years, I know that we all come to the work from different places with different perspectives and strategies. Climate justice requires us to see climate change not as a technical problem to be solved, but as a moral and ethical challenge that we as people of faith need to rise to meet and overcome.
Climate justice requires us to act on the reality that the communities hit first and worst by climate change are the least responsible for climate impacts. Similarly, climate impacts exacerbate existing inequities. We must balance the urgent need for rapid action with the critical yet sometimes-slow process of building trust and developing collective strategy led by communities most impacted. On top of all of that, we need to dismantle institutionalized racism and systemic oppression while co-creating new systems that prioritize justice for all. Yet, we still need beauty, laughter, and love to truly flourish in the new world we create together.
As my friend Marcus says, “healing begins at the wound.” Those most impacted know the best solutions for their communities, and we, as climate activists and organizers, must follow their lead and support their efforts. When I come to this work, I find grounding in the following quote from adrienne maree brown: “Humble yourself to what is. Accept that this is what has unfolded so far. Notice that you have your whole life to shape what comes next.”
Throughout this last week of 30 Days of Love, we encourage you to listen, learn, reflect, and take actions through the lens of climate justice to shape a more just and equitable future for all.
Join our political education webinar E Ala E! The Red Road to DC Totem Pole Journey Mural. Indigenous sovereignty is critical to Climate Justice, and The Red Road to DC journey and corresponding mural emphasize the need to protect gravely imperiled Native American sacred sites, lands, and waters across the United States.
Join UU Ministry for Earth and Side With Love for a live concert with Emma’s Revolution.
Explore our on-demand multigenerational resources and invitations to Read, Watch, Act, Listen, and Worship.
Take part in our individual and congregational actions for climate justice
And as always, we will be offering our weekly Chalice Lighting (Monday), Meditation (Wednesday), and Friday Songs of Joy: Embodied Practice.
We have the Order of Service posted for this year’s Side With Love Sunday, and will have the entire service available on February 7.
Climate change is a wicked problem that does not have one simple, easy fix, but rather holds an abundance of possibility grounded in hope for our shared future. I’m grateful to be doing this together with you.
In community,
Rachel Myslivy
Climate Justice Organizer, UUA Side With Love Organizing Strategy Team