Renaissance/Multiculturalism Training for Congregations
JamesA Banks, a primary theorist in multiculturalism says,
“The goal of multicultural education is an education for freedom that is essential in today’s ethnically polarized and troubled world. It promotes the freedom, abilities and skills to cross ethnic and cultural boundaries to participation in other cultures and groups. It should help people to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to participate in a democratic and free society. In a word, multicultural education is education for social justice.”
We need to learn to honor and celebrate the gifts that multiculturalism brings. Our UU principle that talks about interdependence calls us to be accountable to the whole of our
multicultural religious community and the possibilities of this multicultural world.
In our religious education programs we generally have far more diversity than is found in the general adult population of our congregations. We need to be more aware of this diversity and help these families find a home in the whole of our congregation.
Multicultural leadership is a way of thinking. It is a way of welcoming everyone’s stories that is inclusive and leads to caring and taking action to make our society and our congregations more just and humane.
Multicultural leadership has implications for all parts of our congregations. It is a philosophy that encompasses the
entire congregation all of the time. It includes race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities and socioeconomic status. It prepares our children to live in this
rapidly changing and diverse world. It prepares our congregations to open their doors to this changing world and welcome the views and perspectives of many different people. It requires that we all educate ourselves to live together in a world that values respect, justice and equity.
-From the introduction to the Multicultural Renaissance Unit:
We offer your congregation the opportunity to join a learning community to explore multicultural leadership in your congregations. There are two separate units offered.
One unit is designed for people who work in the programmatic parts of our congregational life that includes faith development, membership, social justice and worship.
The second unit is for people primarily in leadership positions. It is for board members, nominating/leadership development committee members, committees on ministry, finance and facilities.
We encourage you to bring a team from your
congregation for this very important work.
DATE
March 11 – 13, 2011
LOCATION Haw River State Park Brown Summit, NC (near Greensboro)
REGISTRATION Early registration is offered until January 15th at $250. After January 15th, regular registration will be $300. Scholarships are available. Please click here to register.
QUESTIONS Contact
Sue Sinnamon, 757-254-6389 or ssinnamon@uua.org, for further information.
Thomas Jefferson District ♦ 9704 Mallard Creek Road ♦ Charlotte, NC 28262 ♦ 800-549-0751 ♦ tjd@uua.org
