From a rally at the border in San Ysidro in March 2018, in response to President Trump’s visit.
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I’m the Rev. Kathleen Owens, Lead Minister at First Unitarian Universalist Church of San Diego answering the call of Love. We are here to speak the truth – that unless we are of Indigenous Native American or Mexican heritage, we are all immigrants on this land.
We’re here to name the truth that immigrants have always made this country better, that we need bridges, not walls. Walls divide people from their families and loved ones, interrupt the natural flow of water, keep animals crossing from one side to the other. Walls divide and we know that divisions never add to an environment, a country, or a people. Walls and division only bring less; division encourages fear, only serves the elite in power, never the people.

Greetings from your Cluster Social Justice Coordinator! I have been traveling to each of the congregations to meet folks and learn more about what you are already engaged in and I am impressed by the breadth and depth of the justice work that you are doing. As a cluster, we are now in the swing of Pride season, which began with our annual participation in the Hillcrest Pride Parade. We were represented at South Bay Pride in Chula Vista on September 8th, with volunteers and participants from Summit and both campuses of First Church and we’ll conclude with Pride by the Beach in Oceanside on October 13th which will bring together folks from Chalice, Palomar and San Dieguito. Now that the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has released the Welcoming Congregations Five Pillars of Welcome Renewal program, we are looking at ways that our congregations can support one another in this renewal process and work together to ensure that we remain “current” across the cluster.