Acting for Justice

The HPCUU Multicultural Action Team (MCAT)

The mission of the HPCUU Multicultural Action Team is to work side by side to:

Raise racial and cultural awareness

Acknowledge diversity and increase equity

Act for the inclusion of all

The Multicultural Action Team works to make a positive difference in our community by participating in various community events to show our support and striving to partner with local organizations that have similar values and missions. We believe that acting for justice is a mandate of our Unitarian Universalist faith.

We promote and provide educational training for our congregation and the wider community with a focus on antiracism, anti-oppression, and multiculturalism. We recently partnered with Educating Children of Color, a local Colorado Springs nonprofit, to sponsor an online series of classes from Diversity University for local professionals and community members to learn and be in conversation about, these crucial issues of our time.

In response to the recently released Widening the Circle of Concern: Report of the UUA Commission on Institutional Change, the MCAT is working with other High Plains Church leaders to further educate our congregation about the impacts of systemic oppression within the Unitarian Universalist Association and our own congregation. Our work to promote justice in our community and the world requires that we also do this work at an individual and organizational level. The recommendations set forth in this report are aligned with our focus on promoting equity, inclusion, and diversity and our goal to increase cultural competency within our congregation.

Here is the statement of commitment issued by our Board of Trustees:

“The Board is committed to addressing the COIC report — Widening the Circle of Concern — through exploration, education, and action. In line with the larger Unitarian Universalist Association, we are committed to promoting a more inclusive community and furthering the journey of High Plains Church along the arc of multicultural competency.”

Following are some of the activities the MCAT has offered during the past year:

Two congregation-wide World Cafés to discuss the PBS production “Reconstruction – America After the Civil War”
Encouraged congregation participation in a 6-hour online antiracism training offered through the Diversity & Resiliency Institute of El Paso, followed by a World Café discussion
Participation in the Front Range UU BiPOC Speakers Series
Diversity University – partnered with Educating Children of Color to sponsor a 7-session online class

In addition, the MCAT keeps the congregation informed about local, regional, and national UU and community justice offerings and trainings. Watch for continued offerings.

We would love to have you join us for future events! If you are interested in finding out more about us or joining our team, we can be contacted at mcat-lead@hpcuu.org.