Making Democracy Work Awards Ceremony and Cocktail Reception
2024-05-15 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Madison Hotel, 1, Convent Road, Morristown, 07960, United States
Making Democracy Work
Awards Ceremony & Cocktail Reception
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Madison Hotel
One Convent Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
Please join the League of Women Voters of New Jersey as we gather to celebrate over 100 years of empowering voters and defending democracy.
We will present our prestigious Making Democracy Work Award to individuals and organizations who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to improving our democracy.
HONOREES
Lieutenant Governor Tahesha L. Way, Esq.
‍New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State
CJ Griffin, Esq.
‍Director of the Justice Gary S. Stein Public Interest Center
‍New Jersey Monitor
‍Independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news site that strives to be a watchdog for all residents of the Garden State
‍Sara Peña
‍Director of External Affairs, PSEG

No Voter Left Behind: Getting Out The Vote | LWVNJ Activist Training
2024-05-16 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
“No Voter Left Behind: Getting Out The Vote”

Date: Thursday, May 16th
Time: 6pm – 7:30pm
Location: Zoom
REGISTER FOR TRAINING

In the final days leading up to an election, it can be challenging for voters to navigate the process and get all the information they need to vote. But we can all play an important role in supporting and empowering voters. In this workshop we’ll break down the strategies and resources you can use to Get Out The Vote in your community and make sure that no voter is left behind.

The Activist Training Program was launched in 2021 with the goal of providing free and nonpartisan public education and training on the knowledge and skills activists need to drive grassroots change and defend democracy.
LWVNJ offers training in 4 core areas:

Understanding New Jersey Government
Grassroots Organizing
Voter Outreach
Legislative Advocacy

These trainings are open to League members and members of the public who support the League’s mission and goals.

Northern New Jersey Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive Conference
2024-05-18 10:30 - 16:00 | River Edge Public Library, United States
Northern New Jersey Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Expansive Conference
Saturday, May 18th 10:30am – 4pm
River Edge Public Library
Register to Attend
The all-day conference is free of charge to all participants and will include a variety of workshops, resources, and networking opportunities. Mental health clinicians, educators, health care practitioners, faith leaders, family, friends, partners and allies are all welcome to attend.
The conference is being co-hosted by Equality Mental Health, the Bergen County LGBTQ+ Alliance, and P-Flag of Paramus and will be supported by Valley Health Care Systems and New Bridge Medical Center.
We would very much value your attendance and participation.
Registration is strongly recommended. Register online here.

Criminal Justice Reform Monthly Conference Call
2024-05-20 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
Join us on the third Monday of the month from 7–8 PM for our UU statewide Criminal Justice Reform call, where we strategize around issues like racial justice, mass incarceration, prison conditions and more.
For the Zoom or phone dial-up information to join the call, and/or to get on the email list for upcoming meetings and events, please contact admin@uufaithaction.org.

NJ Abolition Workshop
2024-05-21 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-25 18:00 - 20:00 | The HUUB, 35 & 47 Cleveland St, Orange, NJ, 07050, United States
Event info and registration at https://isyourlifebetter.net/nj-abolition-workshops/

All workshop sessions will be free for participants. We will only request that everyone who attends, come with both the intention to learn and the willingness to share with others. The greater goal for this program is to promote an “Each One Teach One” strategy. We hope attendees will bring the knowledge they gain from the workshops back to their organizations and communities. Workshops will meet on the 3rd Tuesday of odd numbered months, and the 4th Tuesday of even numbered months.
Please direct all questions and inquiries to: isyourlifebetter@gmail.com.
Space for the in-person participation is very limited, but we encourage all who can attend in person to do so! We are asking that potential participants register in advance, being sure to register for either the virtual option OR the in-person option. Both links can be found below.
To register to join workshops in person, please register with this form: https://forms.gle/WxvFjbVn4vpJi5vh9
To register to join workshops virtually, please register with this form: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMscOquqzwiG9xWXMFD-CgLLCJbWaCwx8KR
NJ Abolition Workshop details
Dates – 3rd Tuesday (odd months) and 4th Tuesday (even months)

January 16 (Abolition 101 – an introduction)
February 27 (Cop Cities and the Police State)
March 19
April 23
May 21
June 25
July 16
August 27
September 17
October 22
November 19
December TBD

List of additional possible topics (in no particular order):

Climate and Environmental effects
Incarceration and the Prison Industrial Complex
Copaganda and Media Complicity
Mental Health
Gentrification/Displacement
Policing Common Areas
School to Prison pipeline
The role of child/family services in the carceral state
“Crime” and creating criminals
Post incarceration

Reparations Task Force Monthly Call
2024-05-21 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-06-18 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The Reparations Task Force convenes monthly, for Unitarian Universalists to strategize around advancing reparations for New Jersey. Newcomers are warmly welcome!
Read and sign the petition.
For more info and to join the call, contact Task Force Chairs Rohn Hein (reparations@uufaithaction.org) or administrator Emily Parker (admin@uufaithaction.org).

Reproductive Justice Task Force Monthly Call
2024-05-27 19:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-24 19:00 - 20:00 | Zoom
The monthly conference call to update and strategize around reproductive justice and rights in New Jersey. Join us monthly on the fourth Monday, 7-8 PM.
For Zoom invitation and agenda, please email reprojustice@uufaithaction.org attn. Carol Loscalzo, Task Force Chair.
Carol A. Loscalzo (The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood) is Task Force Chair. For more information on reproductive justice, please email reprojustice@uufaithaction.org attn. Carol Loscalzo.
For general inquiries about our Task Forces, email admin@uufaithaction.org.

UPLIFT Trans/Non-Binary Gathering
2024-05-28 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-06-25 20:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Register to Attend
UPLIFT Gatherings
Fourth Tuesdays September-June
1.5 hours starting at 8 Eastern Time/7 Central Time/6 Mountain Time/5 Pacific Time
Join the UPLIFT monthly gatherings for trans, nonbinary, and other not-entirely-or-at-all-cis UUs and friends of UUism. Join us to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ UUs and co-create support and community across our faith. All you need to bring is yourself (and other trans/nonbinary friends, if you’d like)! Non-UUs are welcome if they are OK with being in a UU-focused community (we won’t proselytize). If you are interested in this space, and you aren’t (entirely or at all) cisgender, it’s a space for you.
What do we do during the gatherings? They are a cozy community space where we connect with each other with games and breakout groups, share ideas and stories on all kinds of topics, listen to music and poetry (often by trans/nonbinary+ creators), and much more!
This is a drop-in space, where folks can come and go as works best for them, and where people can join us at any time. You can be a regular or someone new, someone who’s been curious for a while but hasn’t yet checked us out, somebody who is rejoining after time away, and all other ways of relating to this space! You are welcome here, and you are loved.
Check out our covenant if you’re wondering more about how we are in community together.
All-Ages Community
This space is intentionally multi-generational. It is open to and welcoming of trans/nonbinary elders as well as children, youth, and young adults. Standard UUA online safety measures apply to ensure all people under 18 are able to attend. We’re glad to have you here!
Accessibility Information
Closed captioning will be available, and any common chat content will also be spoken aloud. Please be mindful of processing and communication access, and speak one at a time. The meeting will not be recorded, and participation, as well as what is shared, will be confidential. There is no requirement to appear on video or to otherwise maintain “conventional” appearances. Any additional accessibility needs? Let us know by emailing lgbtq@uua.org or aballou@uua.org! We’ll do our best to ensure you can fully access the space.
Registration
To attend the next gathering and join the community, REGISTER TODAY.

Rally for Reparations
2024-05-31 08:00 - 17:00, 2024-06-06 09:00 - 12:00 | State House, 131 West State Street, Trenton, United States

Second Chance NJ Conference
2024-06-03 08:00 - 17:00 | Montclair State University, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair, NJ, 07043, United States
At the Second Chance NJ Conference we will hear from experts and policymakers about the need for “Second Look” policy to allow for rehabilitative release for incarcerated senior citizens, and learning how to advocate for smart and compassionate criminal justice policy.

Register for this FREE conference by visiting
www.secondlooknj.org/conference.

Immigration Justice Task Force monthly call
2024-06-06 20:00 - 21:00, 2024-07-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Zoom
Join our monthly Immigration Justice Task Force call, where we share updates, strategize and organize to promote immigration justice in our state.
For the Zoom login information and/or to be added to our task force mailing list, contact Chair Marty Rothfelder (immigration@uufaithaction.org) or Administrator Meera Rao (admin@uufaithaction.org).

First Friday Action Hour
2024-06-07 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
“First Friday Action Hour” — The 1st Friday of every month!
Join us at 12 noon, on Zoom, to TAKE ACTION together!
➱➱ bit.ly/1st-fridays

Join us on Zoom!
Topic: First Friday Action Hour
Every month on the First Friday, 12 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 943 1396 0594
Passcode: [REDACTED]
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At our 2023 Fall Issues Conference, we officially announced the launch of a new initiative for UU FaithAction NJ—First Fridays Action Hour! Our Action Hour is inspired by and modeled after the successful program of our sibling state action network, UU Justice North Carolina.
Here’s how it will work: UU FaithAction NJ will host a one-hour Zoom meeting on the First Friday of every month, at 12 noon. During that time, we take action together, in real-time! For those who cannot join us at 12pm on Friday, we provide a Google Doc with all necessary instructions.
An action could be almost anything, like making a phone call to key legislators to express your support for a bill. In that example, we’d briefly outline the talking points, provide you with a sample script and then the phone number of the legislators to call. And you’d make the call right there—in real time. Or, maybe the action is writing a letter to the editor about a justice issue. Again, we’d provide the key talking points, some sample language and the contact information and during that zoom meeting, we’d collectively write our letters. Another possibility for an action is that we invite a key coalition partner to guide us in taking an action. The possibilities are almost limitless.
You don’t have to prepare. You don’t have to commit to coming to every single First Friday. This is not a committee, nor a commitment—it is a come-as-you-are-able opportunity!
Can’t join us on a particular Friday, or maybe noon is just never gonna work for your schedule? No problem! The Google Doc will have all the information you need so that you can take the action at a time convenient for you. Not only that— we hope you will share the action with your congregation or community, and our one little pebble can start to produce ripples.

Pinelands Science Forums: Forest and Climate Change
2024-06-13 08:00 - 17:00 | Pinelands Preservation Alliance, 17 Pemberton Rd, Southampton NJ 08088
Pinelands Science Forum: Forests and Climate Change

Share:

Flooding at Rancocas Creek Farm
Planting trees to reduce stormwater
Rancocas Creek Farm

Pinelands Preservation Alliance is pleased to announce the second in its series of Pinelands Science Forums. Forest and Climate Change dives deeper into one aspect of climate change – the crucial role of forests and the nuances of forestry practices. Forests are critical to carbon absorption, but are often heavily manipulated. Scientists and advocates will share their research on the benefits of tree planting, the tools available for identifying locations, and forestry pros and cons.
Our first forum, Climate Change, brought together scientists to share information about climate change impacts we are already experiencing, what we may see in the future, and how we can make changes to mitigate and adapt. The Pinelands’ unique flora, fauna, chemistry, and topography require special consideration as we work to prevent future changes and adapt to the changes already happening.
The daylong forum will take place in our renovated, two-story barn. The barn is handicap accessible with an elevator to the second floor. The conference includes light breakfast and lunch and a short tour of PPA’s Rancocas Creek Farm where we are practicing what we preach regarding carbon sequestration and chemical-free practices. Presentations will be recorded and shared publicly.

REGISTRATION
Registration is $45 per person. Registration closes on June 3, 2024.

Register Today

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Please click on the button to review the available sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorships are due by May 31, 2024.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Pinelands Science Forum: Forests & Climate Change Part 2
Date: Thursday, June 13, 2024
Location: Pinelands Preservation Alliance, 17 Pemberton Rd, Southampton NJ 08088
Speakers represent regulatory agencies, academia, and non-profits. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided for all in attendance.
Thursday, June 13th Agenda
8:30 – 9:15 AM – Light breakfast
9:30 AM – Welcome by Pinelands Preservation Alliance
9:45 AM – Susan Cook Patton, Senior Forest Restoration Scientist for The Nature Conservancy: Reforestation Hub – Publicly Available Tool for Identifying Reforestation Opportunities throughout the United States
Patricia Leopold, Climate Adaptation Specialist, US Department of Agriculture – Forest Carbon Stewardship: Climate Change Adaptation & Mitigation
11:10 AM – Karina VR Schäfer, PhD, Ecosystem Ecologist, Rutgers University: Refining Carbon Budgets: What does that mean in the Pinelands?
11:45 – 1:30 PM – Lunch and Tour of Rancocas Creek Farm.
1:30 PM – Pinelands Preservation Alliance New Science Director – Pinelands Forest and Forestry Research for the Future
2:15 PM – Emile DeVito, Ph.D., Manager of Science and Stewardship, NJ Conservation Foundation – New Jersey’s Forest Task Force Report
Leslie Sauer, a founder emeritus of Andropogon Associates and author of The Once and Future Forests – Managing Our Forest Landscapes
3:30 PM – Closing comments
Questions? Contact Jaclyn Rhoads, Assistant Executive Director at jaclyn@pinelandsalliance.org or 609-859-8860 x 118.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Partner Sponsors

Patron Sponsors
Patricia A. Butenis, Chair Pinelands Preservation Alliance Board of Trustees
Ret., Ambassador, U.S. Foreign Service
Bill Fisher, Pinelands Preservation Alliance Board of Trustees, Retired Architect

Nonprofit

You Can Help

Your donation protects forests, water and wildlife in the Pinelands and removes barriers so all people can enjoy nature here.

DONATE NOW

Fix Our Parks

New Jersey’s Parks and Forests are used, abused and underfunded. Let’s fix the problem.

LEARN MORE

First Friends: In Person Visitation Training
2024-06-13 13:00 | bit.ly/FFInPersonVisitation.

UPLIFT Trans/Nonbinary+ Pastoral Care Small Group
2024-06-14 20:00 - 21:00
Register for the pastoral care group space.
Pastoral Care Group Space
Second Fridays September-June
1-hour program starting at 8 Eastern Time/7 Central Time/6 Mountain Time/5 Pacific Time
What is pastoral care, exactly? Pastoral care is support with navigating life—big and small things, joys and hardships and all those mixed together. It’s not therapy, but a way for us to be in community together, supporting each other. This is a space to share the hard stuff and to hold the hard stuff that others are navigating in their lives. To read more about pastoral care and find some resources to locate pastoral care, check out this post by UU Youth Ministry: What is pastoral care and where you can find it.
During our time together, our lead chaplain/facilitators will share opening and closing words, and in between, there is time for everyone to share what’s on their heards, and receive what others are sharing about their own lives. It’s a supportive, judgment-free place to connect with other trans/nonbinary+ people.
This year, the pastoral space is for adults only. If you’re a child or a youth and you’d like to have a space to talk about the hard stuff, let us know by registering for the pastoral space and putting a note in the comments. When we have enough children and youth registered, we’ll plan for opening additional spaces for different ages. And stay tuned for additional opportunities for children and youth to connect—we’re working on this!
Accessibility Information
Programming is trauma-informed. Closed captioning will be available, and any common chat content will also be spoken aloud. Please be mindful of processing and communication access, and speak one at a time. Meeting will not be recorded, and participation, as well as what is shared, will be confidential. There is no requirement to appear on video or to otherwise maintain “conventional” appearances. Any additional accessibility needs? Let us know by emailing lgbtq@uua.org or aballou@uua.org! We’ll do our best to ensure you can fully access the space.

Join our pastoral care community–register here!

Global Wind Day At Liberty State Park
2024-06-15 11:00 | Liberty State Park
Global Wind Day is an international occasion to celebrate the importance of wind energy for our clean energy future and decarbonizing our economy.

The NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club, NJ Wind Works Coalition, and various environmental and environmental justice partners will host a day-long event to celebrate and support responsible offshore wind development and clean energy more broadly in New Jersey. Offshore wind has the power to carry our state into the future, all while creating thousands of green, high-paying jobs, cleaning our air, and helping us achieve energy independence.

This family-friendly event will have live music, food trucks, a speaking program, children’s entertainment and education, offshore wind coloring books, pinwheels and kites, and more, all with the iconic New York City skyline in the background! We encourage folks to bring family and friends, make the day at one of New Jersey’s most treasured urban state parks, and enjoy the June sunshine and outdoors with us.

>>>RSVP Now to Attend the Global Wind Day Celebration at Liberty State Park!<<<

Environmental Justice Task Force monthly call
2024-06-19 15:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Monthly Environmental Justice Task Force meeting to discuss current issues, updates and strategies

Would you like to join in the conversation, find out what’s going on *now* in New Jersey around environmental justice? Then join our statewide call held the 1st Thursday of every month at 12 noon sharp. All are invited.
For more info and to join the call, contact Environmental Justice Task Force co-chairs, Peggy Middaugh and Ray Nichols (environment@uufaithaction.org), or administrator Emily Parker (admin@uufaithaction.org).
Call hosted by Environmental Justice Task Force co-chairs, Peggy Middaugh (UU Congregation of Ocean County) and Ray Nichols (UU in Princeton Congregation).

The Promise of Juneteenth
2024-06-19 19:00 | NJPAC, Newrak, United States
On June 19th we will be be celebrating Juneteenth – the holiday of freedom commemorating the day in 1865 when enslaved Black people in Texas finally learned that they were no longer considered property.
Even as we enthusiastically celebrate that day we know that full freedom – not only from slavery itself but from its oppressive aftermath – requires repair.
That’s why on Juneteenth last year we launched the first-of-its-kind New Jersey Reparations Council to study New Jersey’s own often overlooked history of slavery and its legacy – and to make bold, strategic policy recommendations to address it.
We are not afraid to Say the Word: Reparations!
On Juneteenth this year, as we mark one year since the Council began its work, please join us for
The Promise of Juneteenth: New Jersey Reparations Council Year One.

General Assembly
2024-06-20 10:30 - 17:00, 2024-06-21 10:30 - 17:00, 2024-06-22 10:30 - 17:00, 2024-06-23 10:30 - 17:00 | Virtual

UUFANJ Board Meeting
2024-07-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Zoom
Members/supporters of UU FaithAction NJ are welcome to attend our monthly all-volunteer Board meetings. To access online meetings (all meetings from March 2020 onward will be conducted online) via the Zoom conferencing platform, please contact Board President Mia Morse, at mia.morse19@gmail.com, and request the Zoom login code. You must give at least 48 hours notice to request the code to allow our volunteer board members enough time to reply.
In the event you do not hear back with 48 hours notice, please contact Executive Director Charles Loflin, at execdir@uufaithaction.org or at (908) 376-6535.
As per our bylaws, the board leadership reserves the right to call an executive session of the board to discuss matters not appropriate for a more public conversation.
