First UU Organizations

Social Justice Committee

The Social Justice Committee coordinates the social justice activities and projects of First UU, both within the church and in the larger community. These activities are largely determined by the interests of our members and include advocacy, support of community organizations, and hands-on volunteer opportunities. These initiatives can range from once annual events to ongoing organizational activities.

The Committee promotes and participates in numerous activities and communicates with other First UU Justice groups such as the Racial Justice-Black Lives Matter Work Group, the Rainbow Inclusion Committee, and the Green Sanctuary Team.

In the larger community, the Committee works with many active groups and organizations and participates in events throughout the city, such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Day March, the International Women’s Day March, the Cesar Chavez March, Gay Pride Celebration, CROP Hunger Walk, and events promoting peace and justice, reproductive rights, concerts raising awareness about the death penalty and the environment, and more. Please review “Before You Go to a Protest” if you are considering attending such an event.

Throughout the year, members of our congregation also serve those in need in the local community by preparing meals at Haven for Hope for unhoused residents and preparing or distributing food for the hungry at the San Antonio Food Bank.

Since 2014, the Social Justice Committee has presented the Courageous Love Award to San Antonio area social justice heroes.

For more information about the Social Justice Committee, contact socialjustice@uusat.org.

Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East Work Group

First UU San Antonio has joined the Unitarian Universalists for Justice in the Middle East, by forming a local chapter, and has started connecting with congregations throughout the United States.

Our vision is for a just peace in Palestine-Israel that reflects our UU values of respect for the inherent worth and dignity of every human being and justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. 

Our mission is to work within the Unitarian Universalist community to educate and mobilize individuals, congregations, and denominational leaders to recognize and counter inequality and injustice in Palestine-Israel and to support our allies in the global justice and anti-oppression movements. 

For more information about the UUs for Justice in the Middle East Work Group, contact uujme@uusat.org.

Democracy Action Team

Our Democracy Action Team was created to respond to the election results which threaten our democracy with authoritarianism and concerns among our congregation that the end of our fragile, embattled democracy will mean reversals for social justice and human rights. We intend to help to inspire and organize our congregation, to help support helpful action. 

The UUSJ (Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice), which advances policies and actions aligned with Unitarian Universalist values at the federal level, has had a Democracy Action Team (DAT) for some time. Their DAT has worked to develop ideas, actions, and resources that UUs and congregations can use in their work. They envision a pro-democracy network of congregational DATs that can work locally and communicate with the national UUSJ and with the State Action Networks—in our case, the Texas UU Justice Ministry.

Our DAT is nonpartisan and focuses on issues rather than candidates or parties. Our DAT does not try to re-invent wheels, but rather to be in coalition with and support the work of other organizations in our community. Some in our congregation may feel exhausted, discouraged, or uncertain of how to constructively respond to the new situation.  According to experts, however, it is important to organize and plan early, since power is largely given away to autocrats early in their tenure. To learn more or to get involved contact democracyactionteam@uusat.org.

Community Partners

COPS/Metro Alliance

COPS/Metro Alliance is a broad-based interfaith community organization dedicated to organizing local citizens and working on a range of issues of concern to our families. First UU is a member of COPS/Metro Alliance, and many members of our church are active in this effective organization. For more information about COPS/Metro Alliance, visit their website.

Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry (TXUUJM)

TXUUJM is a statewide justice ministry that raises the voice of Unitarian Universalist values in the public arena and seeks to have those values enacted into legislation and promulgated in public policy. Guided by UU principles, TXUUJM educates and organizes member congregations, and partners with sympathetic organizations, in order to advocate effectively for just public policies. For more information about TXUUJM, visit their website.

Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)

The UUA is the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. The UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to Seven Principles that include the worth of each person, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs. The UUA provides information about current social justice issue priorities, as well as links to social justice statements and other social justice resources.  For more information about the UUA, visit their website.

Unitarian Universalist Service Committee (UUSC)

Through advocacy, education, and partnerships with grassroots organizations, UUSC supports programs and policies that empower women, defend the rights of children, and support the struggles of indigenous people and oppressed racial and ethnic groups. For more information about UUSC, visit their website.