Hi 2018 Thrive Youth West participant, We (the staff: India, Rev. Kimberly, Katie and Sara) are so excited that you ve chosen to spend a portion of your summer with other young Unitarian Universalists of Color at Thrive Youth West. This year, as the struggle for racial justice lives on in our streets and classrooms, in courtrooms and corner stores continues, Thrive Youth West will be a space for us to get connected to hope and to the skills to lead. We will gather as Unitarian Universalist youth of color to deepen our faith, lift our spirits, and build critical skills for leadership in the face of our uncertain, broken and beautiful world. And in case you are having a hard time feeling how excited we are to meet and build community with you, check out the moves in this video.. because that basically summarizes it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oje0z4snlzk As always, if you have any questions or challenges, don t hesitate to contact me and I ll be glad to help. We appreciate who you are and what you bring and are so excited to be together in community in August! In love and solidarity, Sara Green sgreen@uua.org 504-248-0124
Draft Schedule Wednesday Airport, etc. Pickups 12-6 In-Gathering 6:00pm Orientation 6:30pm Covenant building 7:00pm Opening Worship 8:00pm Thursday 9:00am Morning Ritual 9:30 Self-Identity, Leadership and Community 10:00am 12:00pm The People Before Us 1:00pm Exploring Spiritual Practice 3:00pm - Covenant 6:00pm Gender and Sexual orientation 7:00pm Worship 8:00pm Friday Morning Ritual Dealing with Conflict Connecting with other UU POCs Intersections of Race and Class - Covenant Worship 9:00am 9:30am 10:00am 11:00am 12:00pm 1:00pm 6:00pm 8:00pm Saturday 9:00 Morning Ritual 9:30 Geography and Identity 10:00 Living in Covenant 11:00am 12:00pm Visions for our faith 1:00pm - Covenant 6:00pm
Gratitude, Community and Leadership Worship 7:00pm 8:00pm Sunday 9:00am Morning Ritual 9:30am Attend Worship 10:30am Closing Ritual/Lunch 11:30 Departure 12-6
What to bring: This is not a comprehensive packing list, just some ideas to get you going! Please make sure you can carry your bag or let us know if you won t be able to since some transportation to and from the airport will be by public transit. An object that represents your family s ancestry Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, sunscreen, contacts/glasses, menstrual supplies, medication, shower shoes if you d like) Clothes (comfortable for weather with temperatures in the 60s-90s ) Pajamas Bedding (sleeping bag or sleep sack or sheets and a blanket and a pillow) Towel Comfortable shoes for walking Water bottle Raincoat or umbrella (just in case!) A journal or other items related to your spiritual practice
Staff Bios Katie Resendiz joined the UUCP staff in July 2015. She holds a Master's degree in Conflict Transformation with a focus on the role of education. In addition to having taught RE in two previous UU congregations, Katie has worked as a teacher, a curriculum developer, and a non-profit executive director. She is particularly passionate about community building and creating inclusive spaces. Katie and her wife Elena Perez are members of UUCP along with their children Ashley, Nigel, and Bela. They share a brightly painted, sun loving, fully gardened, mult-generational home in downtown Phoenix. Kimberly Quinn Johnson serves as minister of the Unitarian Universalist congregation of the South Fork in Bridgehampton, Long Island. She serves our faith on an number of local and national UU committees, including as VP for her local UUMA Chapter, on the Central Eastern Region Congregational Life Advisory Council, on the UUA Appointments Committee, and the Steering Committee for UU Class Conversations. Kimberly received a Master of Divinity degree from Meadville Lombard Theological School. Kimberly has a strong commitment to Youth Ministry and Social Justice. In addition to being a UUCSJ program leader, she has served as GA Youth Caucus chaplain, Minister-in-Residence for UU Summer Seminary, and as a facilitator for UU Youth of Color events. India Harris is the Youth and Young Adult Program Coordinator at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock. She lives in Brooklyn, NY and is originally from the Washington D.C. India is an active member of the Audre Lorde Project (ALP). ALP is a community organizing center for LGBTSTGNC people of color in NYC. Her community organizing work consists of supporting membership development, leading community organizing trainings and campaign development. After having traveled to almost every state in the US & many countries abroad, she is most interested in building deeper connections with folks. She looks forward to meeting everyone!
Sara Green (she/her) is your relatively new Youth and Young Adults of Color Ministry Associate. Sara, a graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School, is a southern, cis/queer/poly, Black femme minister living in Nashville, TN. She imagine liberation/salvation/beloved community as communities that have the ability to eat good food together, experience pleasure in our bodies and regularly put their hands in soilall the while free from fear and violence by way of all of the cultural and legal changes that must happen in order for this world to exist. Sara understand herself as part of a legacy of cultural workers, healers, maroons and creoles, southern queer freedom fighters and artists trying to shape god.