EqUUal Access and the Unitarian Universalist Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that marks new and renewed commitments to anti-ableism for our faith movement.
The text of the joint press release is below, and it can also be found on the UUA website.
Unitarian Universalists Commit to Addressing Ableism
Boston, Mass. (October 19, 2022) – The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) and EqUUal Access are announcing today that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support our Unitarian Universalist faith communities’ work for accessibility and inclusion, and expanding our commitments to disability justice. The MOU builds on the historic partnership between the two organizations. It ensures that the UUA will provide more resources and staff to address ableism within Unitarian Universalism and to support equity in the engagement of disabled people in society as a whole.
“We are thrilled to move forward together with the UUA on the work defined in this memorandum of understanding,” said EqUUal Access Board of Directors in a statement. “It has taken a long time and much perseverance by those doing disability advocacy and disability justice work to arrive at this important milestone. We look forward to our collective efforts to establish disability justice as a priority for our association, its congregations, and the broader communities we are part of.”
With the MOU, the UUA and EqUUal Access agreed to:
- Build up the use of an anti-ableist lens in Unitarian Universalism, and provide resources to UU faith communities for this work;
- Invest in the leadership of disabled people, and build up the capacity of the UU disability community to create by-us-for-us spaces; and
- Advance disability justice as a core aspect of the UUA’s justice and organizing.
“This MOU creates a strong, transparent and accountable foundation for our relationship with EqUUal Access for years to come,” said Carey McDonald, the UUA’s Executive Vice President. “It puts resources into our commitment to countering ableism, advancing disability justice, and promoting full inclusion in UUA spaces and in our local congregation and communities. We are grateful to EqUUal Access for their long-term partnership, and recognize that expanding the UUA’s support of historically marginalized communities is a core recommendation of the 2020 Widening the Circle of Concern report from the Commission on Institutional Change.”
About the UUA
The UUA is the central organization for the Unitarian Universalist (UU) religious movement in the United States. Our faith is diverse and inclusive and the UUA’s 1000+ member congregations are committed to Seven Principles that hold closely the worth and dignity of each person as sacred, the need for justice and compassion, and the right to choose one’s own beliefs.
About EqUUal Access
EqUUal Access is a voluntary organization of Unitarian Universalists committed to disability justice. We promote anti-ableism, equity, and access for disabled Unitarian Universalists in Unitarian Universalist communities and the broader society.
