We invite you to contribute your story of lived experience of disability in your congregation.

Nothing about Us without Us! That is the rallying cry of the Disability Rights Movement and one we intend to honor. We are working with Skinner House to publish a book on the lived experience of disability in congregations. We are seeking authors, named or anonymous, who would be willing to share their authentic story. If chosen, these candidates will receive an honorarium.  We want the book to have a strong intersectional framework, so we are looking for stories in which authors bring their whole selves.  We welcome you to reflect on how your other identities are part of your experience as a disabled person in a UU community.  This book is meant to give insight into how disabled people worship and experience life in their congregations; how disability impacts a person’s faith, spiritual identity, and showing up with your authentic self. It will show the gifts that disabled people can bring to their congregations. It is also a book on moving from the Disability Rights Movement to the Disability Justice Movement. Please let us know if you would be able to write your story or be interviewed.

We hope that this message is viewed far and wide and realize that we may need additional permissions. If you are under 18, or sharing with someone under 18, we welcome your story! AND we ask that you let us know, so we may obtain the proper permissions.

The average contribution for books like this one is around 3,000 words, and the typical range is 1,500-5,000 words.

A rough draft of your submission is due on May 15, 2023.

Rev. Barbara Meyers

Shelly McFadyen Rohe

Please send your submission to uudisabilitybook@gmail.com

At a meeting during General Assembly, EqUUal Access members approved these new bylaws for the organization. EqUUal Access Bylaws 2022

EqUUal Access is seeking a Virtual Booth Coordinator for General Assembly 2022! This is a stipended position; the stipend will cover registration for Virtual GA as well as an additional $300 in compensation. To apply, please fill out the following form asap. Thank you for your interest! Please email GA@EqUUalAccess.org with any questions, or if there are ways we can make this process more accessible to you.

Here’s a link to a form to fill out if you are interested: Booth Coordinator Form

September 22, 2020

We’re pleased to announce that Shelly Rohe has been hired to be the new AIM Administrator, who will be taking over from our beloved administrator Rev. Helen McFadyen.  Shelly will start working in December and Helen will be training Shelly during the month of December.

Shelly grew up Lutheran, a minister’s granddaughter, full of questions.  It was not until she came to Unitarian Universalism six years ago that she found religious peace and a spiritual home.   She became active with the Disabilities Task Group, now The AIM Team, at the First UU Church of Rochester, MN five years ago and went through the credentialing process to be an AIM Certified Congregation.  She became a co-chair of the committee until moving to Los Angeles, California earlier this year.  She is proud of the work the committee and congregation have done and continue to do.

Shelly has been a long-time advocate for people with disabilities. In high school, she worked with elementary students with learning disorders and mental health concerns.  She graduated from college with a degree in psychology already working with people with developmental disabilities; learning and growing in various positions for approximately 10 years.  She found out in 2006 that she had brain tumors and in 2013, after having one in her brainstem removed, she discovered another side of disability.  She has seen disability from all angels—professional to lived experience and believe disability to be part of the fabric of life. While she believes in all Seven Principles, she pays particular attention to the 7^th– Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

In addition to project management skills, she has attended several marketing seminars gaining social media marketing, eNewsletter, and graphic and website design skills and has worked on advertising for ABILITY Magazine.  She has volunteered for a number of disability-related organizations.  With her experiences and skillset, she is uniquely qualified for the AIM Administrator position.   She now brings her enthusiasm, energy, experience, and skills to AIM.

CONTACT AIM ADMINISTRATOR:

E-mail:  aim@uua.org

The Rev. Helen McFadyen will be leaving her job as AIM Administrative Director at the end of 2020.  We are in search for another administrator for the AIM program starting in December.  The job description for this position, and how to apply can be found here: Administrator job description – AIM Program 2020.

All applications must be received by August 31 for consideration. Applicants will be contacted with details regarding interviews during the first week of September.