2019 Building Beloved Community Beyond the Binary

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Help us put love into action.

As a congregation it is our hope that this one-day conference will be both a place where trans and gender non-conforming folk can gather, connect and learn and where cisgender folk can learn about being better allies. We are also hoping that by hosting this conference we will make a BOLD statement to our larger community that we are a safe and welcoming community because we really do want to build beloved community beyond the binary.

By doing this fundraising, we are able to offer a nationally known keynote speaker and excellent workshops at a sliding scale ticket price that is accessible to all. Your contribution will also allow us to provide FREE tickets to youth and FREE childcare to those who need it.

Exciting and NEW THIS YEAR, we are working on creating a “toolbox” that will be available to other UU congregations so that they too can host a successful Building Beloved Community Beyond the Binary conference of their own. Your support will help to spread our UU welcome throughout our Association.

Our keynote speaker is J Mase III, who is a Black/trans/queer poet & educator based in Seattle by way of Philly. As an educator, Mase has worked with community members in the US, UK, and Canada on LGBTQIA+ rights and racial justice in spaces such as K-12 schools, universities, faith communities and restricted care facilities. He is founder of awQward, the first trans and queer people of color talent agency.

His work has been featured on MSNBC, Essence Live, Everyday Feminism, Black Girl Dangerous, the New York Times, Buzzfeed, the Root, theGrio, Teen Vogue and more.

His current projects include being the head writer of the theatrical production, Black Bois and being co-editor of the #BlackTransPrayerBook.

Find him on Instagram (@jmaseiii) and www.jmaseiii.com!

J Mase will also be offering two workshops, in addition to the keynote – On Faith and the Criminalization of the Black Trans Body, Write Me Where It Hurts

Workshops

While workshops are being finalized, here are some topics we are planning to offer:

De-escalation and micro-aggressions

Parenting trans kids

How to make your classroom trans friendly and inclusive

On Faith and the Criminalization of the Black Trans Body

Write Me Where It Hurts

Legal rights

Preemptive Radical Hospitality

Trans 101

How to be a trans ally activist

Health issues and transitioning

This year we have a grant from the UU Funding Program – Yay! Reaching our Faithify goal will allow to also access a challenge grant of 1500.00. Please donate.

If you would like to register for the event click here

Updates

Project FAQ

Unitarian Universalism has a history of welcoming LGBTQ people. And while we have become a welcoming environment for lesbian and gay folks, we have not made as much progress understanding trans issues in order to become a more welcoming environment for more trans folks. Yesterday was the time to start this work.

We believe that our faith calls us to accept all people, regardless of who they love or what gender identity they claim. To enact this belief, we need to help our community become more versed in phrases like “gender non-conforming,” “genderqueer” and “gender binary.” We will also need to deepen our partnerships with local and regional organizations which support trans folks so we can stay in touch with that community’s needs.

This project is part of the continuing LGBTQ work of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse. It comes directly out of our commitment to respecting the dignity of all people, our first principle.