Transformation

The Transformation Team was established by the Standing Committee in June 2009 to coordinate steps toward transforming First Parish in Cambridge into a multiracial, multicultural, justice-making congregation. These efforts include:

• Liaison with the Program Council to involve all committees and groups of the church in the shared work of transformation;
• Fostering conversation and action toward this goal;
• Guiding a revision of the First Parish mission statement;
• Review of the First Parish website, publications, and other communications to incorporate this message; and
• Promotion of workshops, conferences, and adult spiritual education programs to encourage conversation.

The members of the 2012-2013 Transformation Team are Karin Lin (Chair), LeLaina Romero, Susan Shepherd (Standing Committee Vice-Chair), Maricris Vlassidis, and Marcia Yousik, who work in collaboration with Senior Minister Rev. Fred Small, Associate Minister Rev. Lilia Cuervo, Ministerial Intern Kenny Wiley, and Director of Religious Education Mandy Neff.

"Opening the Doors to Diversity"

First Parish in Cambridge was featured in the UUA's "A Religion for Our Time" video series in January 2011 for our journey toward a multiracial, multicultural future.

Past events
2012-2013

• DRUUMM/ARE regional gathering
• Group attendance at Central Square Theater's The Mountaintop
• Día de Reyes (Three Kings) service
• Commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation
• "A Beloved Community Approach to Social Justice" workshop with MBD's Meck Groot (Co-sponsored by the Social Justice Council)
• Discussion of The New Jim Crow (Co-sponsored by the Prison Justice Group)
• Kim & Reggie Harris concert and workshop on the Underground Railroad
• "Celebrating Our Journey" Homecoming celebration

2011-2012

• "Becoming Better Allies" class examining white privilege
• Intergenerational fellowship and worship with DRUUMM, Diverse and Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries (Co-sponsored by Religious Education)
• Beginning Spanish classes and Spanish conversation groups
• Lunar New Year celebration (Co-sponsored by Religious Education)
• "Building Multicultural Community and Partnerships" workshop, led by Paula Cole Jones
• Building the World We Dream About for members of the Transformation Team, Standing Committee, and Social Justice Council

2010-2011

• Gathering for those who identify as people of color, Latino/Latina/Hispanic, or multiracial, and their families
• Wilderness Journey screening and discussion
• Multicultural potluck and sharing immigration stories (Co-sponsored by the Immigration Task Force)
• "Mission Matters": conversations about the significance, identity, and direction of First Parish in Cambridge
• Darkening the Doorways: Black Trailblazers and Missed Opportunities in Unitarian Universalism workshop with the Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed

2009-2010

• Workshop on Diversity and Accessibility led by Barbara Ceconi, Ceconi Consulting Group
• Screening and discussion of the movie Race: The Power of an Illusion
• Screening of Disney's The Princess and the Frog, followed by adult and youth group discussions (Co-sponsored by Religious Education)
• Presentation and discussion of A Simple Act of Courage, a one-woman play by Vanessa Adams-Harris on the life of Rosa Parks (Co-sponsored by the Social Justice Council)
• Discussion of the relationship between Transformation and our UU Faith
• Screening and discussion of the movie Made in L.A. (Co-sponsored by the Immigrant Issues Planning Group of the Social Justice Council)

Services by the Rev. Fred Small

To Be An Ally
Voices From All Souls (with Transformation Team members)
Colorwise
We Shall Overcome
Welcome to the Borderlands
The Leading Edge (with Transformation Team members)
The Destiny of Diversity
A Call to Transformation
A Multiracial, Multicultural Future
Building the Beloved Community

Services by the Rev. Lilia Cuervo

Paradigm Shifts
Day of the Dead
Installation Service: The Challenge of Race, Class, and Culture by Rev. Peter Morales

Services by Kenny Wiley

Two Black Kids: A Unitarian Universalist Story

Services by Elizabeth Nguyen

"Happy New Years [Again]!"

Resources

A comprehensive list of books, curricula, and organizations is available at the Unitarian Universalist Association's "Top Picks for Multiculturalism".

Contact

To contact the Transformation team, send email to transform [at] firstparishcambridge [dot] org