UUPMI Events:
For now, our in-person events are suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Get Involved!
We Do This ‘Til We Free Us Abolitionist Praxis Series (Virtual)
June 2021-February 2022
Join our Education team two Sunday afternoons a month (from 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm central time) for community-building, facilitated reflection on the book, and real-time actions we can take that bring us closer to a world of reimagined safety and a world without cages and police. Each gathering, we will work our way through the book, two chapters at a time. We will center inside voices with participating prison pen pals and hope to hear from those you know with direct experience, especially also the recently released. Register here for Zoom links. Due to the extended nature of this praxis, we understand that committing to all sessions may not be accessible. At the same time, we hope to build relationships together that we can carry with us in our community spaces.
Session schedule, two Sundays a month:
June 6, 20 pages xvii-17
Skip July (summer break)
August 1, 15 pages 18-40
September 12 : pages 41-53
September 26: pages 54-62
October 3: pages 63-71
October 17: pages 72-81
November 7: pages 82-103
November 21: postponed to next session
December 5: pages 104-131
December 19: pages 132-147
January 2: pages 148-163
January 16: pages 164-186
February 6: pages 187-192
February 20: last essay and what's next
SPECIAL NOTE FOR PEN PALS: Please order the paperback ASAP and send to your pen pal. As an outside pen pal participant, please take notes from the "outside" zoom discussions and mail/email your inside pen pal the notes so that we get a good flow of inside/outside reflections and conversation. Outside pen pals, with permission from inside pen pal, will share reflections during zoom gatherings.
Join our Education team two Sunday afternoons a month (from 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm central time) for community-building, facilitated reflection on the book, and real-time actions we can take that bring us closer to a world of reimagined safety and a world without cages and police. Each gathering, we will work our way through the book, two chapters at a time. We will center inside voices with participating prison pen pals and hope to hear from those you know with direct experience, especially also the recently released. Register here for Zoom links. Due to the extended nature of this praxis, we understand that committing to all sessions may not be accessible. At the same time, we hope to build relationships together that we can carry with us in our community spaces.
Session schedule, two Sundays a month:
June 6, 20 pages xvii-17
Skip July (summer break)
August 1, 15 pages 18-40
September 12 : pages 41-53
September 26: pages 54-62
October 3: pages 63-71
October 17: pages 72-81
November 7: pages 82-103
November 21: postponed to next session
December 5: pages 104-131
December 19: pages 132-147
January 2: pages 148-163
January 16: pages 164-186
February 6: pages 187-192
February 20: last essay and what's next
SPECIAL NOTE FOR PEN PALS: Please order the paperback ASAP and send to your pen pal. As an outside pen pal participant, please take notes from the "outside" zoom discussions and mail/email your inside pen pal the notes so that we get a good flow of inside/outside reflections and conversation. Outside pen pals, with permission from inside pen pal, will share reflections during zoom gatherings.
Upcoming Virtual Event: Employment When Recently Released:
January 19 from 7pm-8:30pm
Register here
Join UU Dan Yokas and solidarity circle members as we explore the resources available for employment for those recently released. Dan Yokas has been a member of Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church in Palatine, Illinois for the past twenty years. During that time, he has offered his time and talent to a wide range of programs and activities, including the Social Action Committee, which he currently co-chairs. His professional career spans more than forty years in the public service sector as an educator and public servant. Those experiences have included assisting individuals in making career choices, and helping people who face barriers to employment. In that capacity, he has gained knowledge and insight into programs and initiatives that can be helpful in assisting formerly incarcerated individuals. He hopes that his comments may be helpful to mentors and to anyone who seeks to support those facing the difficult challenges of reentry, or who is overcoming barriers to re-employment. Register here
Register here
Join UU Dan Yokas and solidarity circle members as we explore the resources available for employment for those recently released. Dan Yokas has been a member of Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church in Palatine, Illinois for the past twenty years. During that time, he has offered his time and talent to a wide range of programs and activities, including the Social Action Committee, which he currently co-chairs. His professional career spans more than forty years in the public service sector as an educator and public servant. Those experiences have included assisting individuals in making career choices, and helping people who face barriers to employment. In that capacity, he has gained knowledge and insight into programs and initiatives that can be helpful in assisting formerly incarcerated individuals. He hopes that his comments may be helpful to mentors and to anyone who seeks to support those facing the difficult challenges of reentry, or who is overcoming barriers to re-employment. Register here
Upcoming Virtual Teach-In: Pretrial Fairness and Siding with Love
Saturday, Feb 12, 2022
3 pm-4:30 pm
Register here
Unitarian Universalists have an important moral voice to bring to the table in defending the wins of the Safe-T Act, particularly the pre-trial fairness act. We need you to join in this teach-in, learn and take concrete action that can ensure that the gains made in January 2021 will not be rolled back due to fear mongering and racist rhetoric. Join this short session with the Rev. Allison Farnum and a member of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice as we explore how our faith tradition specifically calls us to action in protecting pretrial justice.
3 pm-4:30 pm
Register here
Unitarian Universalists have an important moral voice to bring to the table in defending the wins of the Safe-T Act, particularly the pre-trial fairness act. We need you to join in this teach-in, learn and take concrete action that can ensure that the gains made in January 2021 will not be rolled back due to fear mongering and racist rhetoric. Join this short session with the Rev. Allison Farnum and a member of the Illinois Network for Pretrial Justice as we explore how our faith tradition specifically calls us to action in protecting pretrial justice.
Events you should know about:
Get Involved!
For action you can take, visit the Illinois Prison Project, who is keeping a running list of ways we can stay engaged in our shared vision of liberation in these difficult times.
For action you can take, visit the Illinois Prison Project, who is keeping a running list of ways we can stay engaged in our shared vision of liberation in these difficult times.