Are there any black/African-American Unitarian Universalists?

People of color are definitely under represented in our denomination. However, our last denominational president, William G. Sinkford, was African/Black American and our current president, Peter Morales, is Hispanic. We are, as far as I know, the first predominantly white denomination to elect an African/Black American to our highest denominational office.

Despite our under represented numbers, we do indeed have people of color in our congregations, clergy and leadership. I'm not certain, nor am I sure anyone else is certain the exact reasons for our lack of success in attracting certain minority groups. There are particular congregations that have had great success, but they are few in number.

UUs have historically been vocal in their advocacy for civil rights, and social and economic justice.

Please don't listen to Rebecca. Alas, she, as do many, speaks from ignorance as to what Unitarian Universalism truly is. Ted does a wonderful job of debunking the cult claim, so I'll not repeat it in my answer.

I encourage you to seek out and "try out" your local UU congregation. I hope we live up to your expectations.

I myself am a seventh generation Universalist.

There are some, but not many; 2% or so, nationally, as I recall. Our congregation has one young woman of color, out of 135, and three or four Hispanics.

Davies Memorial UU in Maryland is famous (among us, at least) for its diversity.

http://www.dmuuc.org/

http://www.uua.org/calendar/179498.shtml

says they had "Youth and Young Adults of Color Multicultural Leadership School" over the weekend.

It's a sore point with us; we know you aren't all Baptists, but we can't seem to attract people of color. We keep trying.

I copy and paste this into almost every answer give about UU:

If you leave your question up long enough, someone will say we're a cult, and another will say we are "the church that doesn't believe in anything".

Cults have five hallmarks, according to the dictionary.

1) They are small,

2) They are unconventional,

3) They are relatively new,

4) They have a single, charismatic leader,

5) They share a single mindset.

1) We ARE small; there are about 220,000 of us in the USA.

2) We ARE unconventional. Not many churches welcome agnostics.

3) We have been around for more than 200 years.

4) Our leader, the president of the UUA, serves a four-year term, and can be re-elected just once.

5) Some of us believe in God, some don't. That's a wide variety of "mindset".

We are not a normal denomination, but we are not a cult. You can call a whole dill pickle a hot dog if you like; both are food and both are cylinders, so they match on two points. You'd get some odd looks, though.

On to beliefs: There are Presbyterians who vote Democratic and Presbyterians who vote Republican. No one calls them "The church that doesn't vote for anything". There are Lutherans who eat lima beans and Lutherans who do not. No one calls them "The church that doesn't eat anything". There are UUs who believe that God exists and UUs who believe that God does not exist. This upsets people and they call us "The church that doesn't believe in anything."

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Disclaimer 1: I'm not a minister. I'm speaking for myself, not my congregation or my denomination.

Disclaimer 2: You should treat the answers you get from people who are not UUs the way you would answers from an Eskimo about the care and feeding of kangaroos.

First Unitarian Church of Portland, OR

> Meet our Ministers

> Rev. Bill Sinkford, Senior Minister

...and see his picture

http://www.firstunitarianportland.org/our-church/m...

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, VA

> The Rev. Carlton Elliot Smith, new consulting minister

...and see his picture

http://www.uucava.org/profiles/blogs/the-rev-carlt...

First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh, PA

Reverend Alma Faith Crawford, Associate Minister

...and see her picture (scroll down)

http://www.first-unitarian-pgh.org/OurMinisters.ht...

Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, MD

Associate Minister Rev. John T. Crestwell, Jr.

...and see his picture

http://www.uuca-md.org/index.php?option=com_conten...

> Rev. Peter Morales Elected as Eighth President of Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

...and see his picture

http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/144235.sht...

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Central Nassau, NY

Rev. Hope Johnson

...and see her picture

http://uuccn.org/#/about-us/our-minister

Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, Walnut Creek, CA

Rev. Leslie Takahashi Morris

...and see her picture

http://www.mduuc.org/about-mduuc-/ministers-and-st...

Dr. Ibrahim Abdurrahman Farajajé

Theologian and Activist

African & Native American, Tsalagi/Cherokee

Professor of Cultural Studies and Islamic Studies

at the Starr King School of the Graduate Theological Union,

Unitarian Universalist School of Theology

...and see his picture

http://www.sksm.edu/faculty/ibrahim_farajaje.php

Mark Morrison-Reed

author, retired Unitarian Universalist minister

Ordained in 1979, the Rev. Morrison-Reed and his wife, Donna, served as co-ministers for 26 years.

...and see his picture

http://forum-network.org/speaker/mark-morrison-ree...

book:

_Black Pioneers in a White Denomination: Third Edition_

Author: Mark D. Morrison-Reed

Available at uuabookstore dot org - can't include link because of Yahoo limit.

"Congregation Honors African American Unitarian Minister with Change in Name, Expansion of Vision"

http://www.uua.org/news/newssubmissions/93750.shtm...

Goodloe Memorial Unitarian Universalist Congregation.

www dot goodloeuu dot org

Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM)

> A welcoming spiritual and cultural home for People of Color, DRUUMM was organized in 1998 by religious professionals of color (Ministers, Directors of Religious Education, UUA Staff) and has grown to be inclusive of all People of Color who share in the vision of DRUUMM and seek to build a meaningful anti-racist, anti-oppressive, multicultural community. DRUUMM sponsors workshops, speakers, and events of specific interest to People of Color.

druumm dot onefireplace dot org

LUUNA - Latina/o Unitarian Universalist Networking Association

www dot .facebook dot com slash FansofLUUNA

what's Unitarian ideals intimately? Do they use NT or talk approximately Jesus as a sacrifice? if so, they're Christian now. previous that - Judaism isn't the guy faith that others are. To belong to the community, you may belong to it, in a manner that isn't make others experience such as you have have been given your foot in another door in the event that they talk with you. So lots relies upon on specifics right here. Why are they going someplace else? What are they doing at the same time as there? How do THEY view that different participation? for my area, i could be uncomfortable with their determination. So i could assume others could be too. If it is composed of Jesus then ignore it. Too opposite to middle Judaism to evaluate a human or God-man or woman killed as a stable component. Are they attempting to instruct their teenagers pluraism? depending on how that is finished, in line with possibility i could discover that ok. I had a stable pal who saved inviting me to her Unitarian centers. She'd left Catholicsm & became greater beneficial than happy. i could no longer look to get her to appreciate that Judaism isn't attending centers to establish in the event that they experience stable (that's why she gave the look to be offering it to me), or in the event that they upload a sprint something on your lifestyles. Judaism is an area & an exceedingly wealthy history, & does not comprise the stuff i've got already suggested. I had no reason to flow to a pair different faith's centers, whilst i could be dropping all those products of my very own to be someplace else. I had lots to learn from my very own nonetheless. =============== Edit: i understand they don't have self assurance in Jesus as a deity. yet do they use NT & do they suspect in Jesus as a sacrifice... or maybe some do & talk approximately it? A Rabbinic ruling could be that one should not be worshipping the place idolatry (for a Jew) is going on, & any variety of alternative religions might qualify as no longer ok for a Jew to be in universal worship with. If UU became there merely upbringing or in line with possibility a accepted one - they have left the Jewish community & prepare of Judaism with it. you may no longer merely declare your self nonetheless working in direction of Judaism, yet prepare in a non-Jewish community. nonetheless what's the reason & specifics consequently?