YRUU/UUYAN New England/Eastern Leadership and Organization Summit
In light of the UUA's (steering committee's) decision to end national funding for YRUU, in response to an ever increasing bureaucratic demand by the NE District's Board, and along with the greater trend of the deemphasis of Youth Empowerment, I feel obligated to send out this communique.
My intention is not to label those people in positions of power as vindictive or uncaring. The reason for the trend, and the decisions that represent them, is because the larger social structure that is the UUA and its composite bodies have become increasingly incompatible with the philosophy of LRY, YRUU and other similar forms of youth organizing. They do not understand the values behind this culture, or if they understanding they are unwilling to accept the methods that are necessary to enable such a culture.
My true intention is to call you TOGETHER, to discuss the future of our conferences, to maintain a sense of continuity that is already very weak, and to unify in such a way as to be self-sufficient in the means to create those spaces that have changed our lives so significantly.
THIS SUMMER a meeting will be organized in the greater New England area. Youth representatives from other districts will be invited, but the ultimate goal will likely include establishing a solid youth network along the eastern coast.
I have been putting this off for a while, but I fear that if autonomous organizing is delayed for much longer it will be too late to capture those connections that currently exist. Please feel free to pass this on. Date and location will follow through similar channels in the coming months.
Yours truly,
Alec Koumjian
My intention is not to label those people in positions of power as vindictive or uncaring. The reason for the trend, and the decisions that represent them, is because the larger social structure that is the UUA and its composite bodies have become increasingly incompatible with the philosophy of LRY, YRUU and other similar forms of youth organizing. They do not understand the values behind this culture, or if they understanding they are unwilling to accept the methods that are necessary to enable such a culture.
My true intention is to call you TOGETHER, to discuss the future of our conferences, to maintain a sense of continuity that is already very weak, and to unify in such a way as to be self-sufficient in the means to create those spaces that have changed our lives so significantly.
THIS SUMMER a meeting will be organized in the greater New England area. Youth representatives from other districts will be invited, but the ultimate goal will likely include establishing a solid youth network along the eastern coast.
I have been putting this off for a while, but I fear that if autonomous organizing is delayed for much longer it will be too late to capture those connections that currently exist. Please feel free to pass this on. Date and location will follow through similar channels in the coming months.
Yours truly,
Alec Koumjian
good