One of the three Actions of Immediate Witness approved at General Assembly in Pittsburgh in June is “Organizing for Health Equity.” Remember that Actions of Immediate Witness (“AIWs”) are UU social justice initiatives proposed by members and intended to inspire congregations to take action (more details are available on the UUCC website, Understanding UUA “Actions of Immediate Witness”).
When UUCC GA delegates asked attendees at the Congregational Conversation about GA in May about their AIW preferences the Health Equity AIW was the most frequently endorsed proposed AIW. You can read the full 2-page AIW proposal here: Organizing for Health Equity. So let’s dive into what is in the document, and what it calls us to do.
In summary, through the Health Equity AIW, General Assembly requests furthering partnerships at 3 levels, local, national, international):
At the Local level:
General Assembly called for
“New programs for emergency preparedness, for mental health services, for health and safety education, and to provide access to family planning services, are needed immediately. We ask for mutual aid and solidarity instead of charity. . . . Health care programs should be proactive, and they should help to empower individuals in healthy relationships. We will work with others to create healthy workplaces and communities. We will be held accountable by future generations.”
Locally, one of the most important actions you can take right now is to VOTE NO on Issue 1 on or before August 8!
Then, this Fall, UUCC could organize to take other actions:
- Work to defeat HB 68, the falsely named Ohio Saving Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act in the Ohio Senate (it has already passed the Ohio House). HB68 would take away the ability of families to work with their health care professionals for a personalized, evidence-based health care plan to support transgender children in living their authentic lives.
- Support other really important work and ongoing work to bridge the gaps in health disparities, such as the birthing center coming to the east side and the access to care in the churches in East Cleveland sponsored by GCC.
- Advocate for the passage of a just 2023 Farm Bill from the US Congress, “Different Communities are asked to help each other by creating a Farm Bill that works for the distribution of healthy food in a healthy environment.”
At the National level
General Assembly affirmed:
“We call for equitable programs for paid family and medical care leave. We support strong Social Security programs and programs that empower people of all ages and with different abilities. In the United States, we affirm our support for a single-payer system that will provide medical insurance and long-term care insurance for all residents. . . . We support workers as they organize democratic labor unions to secure adequate compensation, worker representation, pensions, and occupational health and safety.”
At the International level
General Assembly expressed support for the health equity work of the United Nations:
“We support global partnerships for health improvement with a strong Unitarian Universalist presence at the United Nations. We ask congregations to study the Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations programs that promote health equity and justice. . . . We ask Unitarian Universalists to celebrate Human Rights Day on Sunday December 10, 2023.”
Your delegates will organize possible actions, if at least a couple of people indicate a desire to engage. Please let us know at Delegates@uucleveland.org