WHEREAS our seven Unitarian Universalist principles uphold the inherent worth and dignity of all people; demand justice, equity and compassion; foster acceptance of one another; seek justice for all; and require respect for the interdependent web of all existence; AND

WHEREAS pervasive racism, so deeply embedded in the dominant culture that it blinds people to the impact on Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), obstructs the congregation from living into these principles; AND

WHEREAS racism and its effects, including the deep divisions caused by inequitable and unjust distribution of power and resources, are embedded in all social institutions as well as in ourselves and will not be eradicated without deliberate engagement in analysis and action and undertaking personal and institutional commitments to end racism; AND

WHEREAS the members of the First Unitarian New Jersey have long been engaged in anti-racism work as individuals and as members of this congregation, including continuing education, activism, ministry, and financial resources, taking on the necessary work of intentionally deconstructing institutional racism has broad support among the members; 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the First Unitarian New Jersey, denounce racism in all forms, both personal and institutional, AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we adopt as an 8th Principle the language proposed by Black Lives Unitarian Universalist (BLUU) in 2017 and under consideration by the Unitarian Universalist Association; “Journeying toward spiritual wholeness by working to build a diverse multicultural Beloved Community by our actions that accountably dismantle racism and other oppressions in ourselves and our institutions,” AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we shall seek out and elevate voices that challenge institutionalized points of view to ensure we obtain racially inclusive perspectives, AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we shall include “accountable deconstruction of institutional racism in our congregation and the fostering of this work in our communities and in the broader society” in the Mission of our congregation, AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we shall intentionally identify and deconstruct practices and systems that perpetuate racism in our institution, and replace them with accountable and actively anti-racist constructs in all of our programs and ministries, including goals for the Board and congregational leadership, AND

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, as a congregation, will provide our individual members with resources to foster their own journey towards spiritual wholeness through identifying and addressing their own relationship with white supremacy, white privilege, and personal and institutional racism, and to empower each other to hold one another accountable for becoming actively anti-racist, AND 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will COVENANT to work as individuals and as members of this congregation, and in support of established organizations to identify and work to deconstruct institutional racism within First Unitarian New Jersey, in the local institutions in our communities, and in the broader society, as well as within our individual relations and world views.