Social Justice Team
WHO WE ARE
Our purpose is to focus attention on current issues of social justice and to suggest ways that we as a spiritual community may address these issues. We meet once a month on Zoom. Please email admin@unityofgaithersurg.org for more information on our Social Justice Team. We enthusiastically welcome all who have an interest in social justice to join us.
NEWSLETTER
For a copy of our most recent monthly newsletter, Click here.
UNITY'S STATEMENT ON SOCIAL ACTION
Click here to read the entire document.
NEED HELP?
If you or someone you know is experiencing economic hardships or other challenges at this time the Montgomery County website can help.
Click here for more information.
If you or someone you know is experiencing food insecurity at this time, our team has compiled a list of local resources. Click here for the list.
WANT TO HELP?
Unity of Gaithersburg and Our Social Justice Team is sponsoring a digital food drive for the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB). Your contributions to CAFB will help alleviate food insecurity to many of our neighbors in great need at this difficult time. To make a donation Click here.
UPCOMING SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS
Wednesday, April 21, 12:00 PM: The Maryland Commission on Civil Rights is sponsoring a presentation, " A Covert Crisis: Violence, Discrimination, and Civil Rights Issues facing Asian Americans". Click here for more information.
Tuesday, April 20, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm: "Rethinking Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Policies and Programs to Address Waste", a webinar sponsored by The Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Click here for details.
Thursday, April 22, from 4-6 p.m: A group of Chevy Chase Churches (Methodist, Catholic and Presbyterian) are sponsoring a masked Earth Day demonstration at Chevy Chase Circle. Click here for the flyer.
Saturday, April 24th: Food, supplies and business clothing drive. Click here for more information
Friday, April 30, 2021, 6:00 pm - Sunday, May 2, 2021, 6:00 pm EDT : Jubilee Three Anti-Racism Training, sponsored by the Central East Region of the UUA . For more information click here
Tuesday - Thursday, May 4 - 6: Virtual Montgomery County Energy Summit
The Summit will explore strategies, technologies and case studies focused on enhancing the resiliency of the commercial, multifamily and residential built environment. This year's Summit is a forum for the community to discuss ways to adapt and become more resilient against changes to the regional and global climate. For more details and to register, click here.
SOCIAL JUSTICE ITEMS IN THE NEWS
Anti-Asian Hate Crimes Are On The Rise! Here's How You Can Help Click here.
Montgomery County’s Faith Community Advisory Group Stands With Our Asian American Pacific Islander Neighbors and Condemns Hate, Bias, and Violence. Click here for more information.
Reimaging Public Safety Task Force
On February 4, the Montgomery County government released the report of its Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. The Task Force was established in August 2020 following the death of George Floyd and other incidents. It is focused on the problem of racial injustice in Montgomery County. The report makes dozens of recommendations that include the elimination of School Resource Officers, changes to the routing of some 311/911 calls to include mental health or other non-police responders, changes to police training and culture, and many others. Click here for a copy of the report.
Creating a Racial Equity and Social Justice Policy
Montgomery County leaders have created and adopted a Racial Equity and Social Justice Policy. Click here for details on this groundbreaking work!
Racial Impact Statements
The MD Legislature becomes the fourth state legislature to require “Racial Impact Statements” for legislative analysis on all future pieces of proposed legislation. Click here to read the recap.
Race In America
Washington Post Live: An archive of the discussion, Race in America: Dismantling Structural Racism with Opal Tometi. Click here to go to the web page.
Advancing Racial Equity
Click here for the text of President Biden’s Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Maryland state legislature passes a law that will allow MoCo to purchase electricity in bulk, including renewable electricity such as wind and solar, at a lower price than is generally available to individual users, and pass that price to residents and businesses, thereby making renewable electricity more affordable. Click here for details.
An April 12 Washington Post article criticized Montgomery County for slow action on climate change. Click here to read the article.
The Montgomery County Green Bank has a low-cost home improvement program with no money down and low interest rates to help with: HVAC and energy efficiency upgrades, Insulation and building envelope sealing. Solar, EV Charging, and Geothermal.
Click here for more information about this program.. To learn more about the Montgomery County Green Bank, click here.
Climate Action in Montgomery County
Montgomery County is working on a groundbreaking plan for addressing climate issues throughout the county. Click here for more details on this impressive and far reaching initiative.
Climate Action Progress
Montgomery County has made some significant progress in the area of climate action and reducing energy use! Click here for details!
Breaking Free from Plastic Pollution Act: This Act which is currently being considered in Congress would take actions to address the ever increasing crisis in plastic proliferation. Click here to read an excellent discussion of this topic by Jim McGalliard.
Recycle your used electronics
A lot of electronic items are no longer usable. For more information on how to recycle your electronics, Click here.
Recycle your cellphone
This article from Charity Watch details the how, where, and why of recycling your outdated cellphones: Click Here
Ways to reduce your carbon footprint
These four handouts provide dozens of simple, practical suggestions for reducing our personal carbon footprints in terms of food, transportation, recycling, and home energy use. Click on the links below to download the pdfs.
1. Sustainable food practices
2. Transportation
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
4. Home Energy
