AMONG Team

Josh Bookin
Patrick Cooleybeck
Sarah Cooleybeck
Kat Fahey
Sarah Foleno
Anne Grossi
Margy Herley
Frank Lee
Art Nava
Marie O’Brien
Rev. John O’Connor
Rev. Parisa Parsa
Laura Pattison
Harriotte Ranvig
Philip Roberts
Barb Seidl
Kelly Anne Weaver
Coach: Rev. Elka Carrier-Ladd

Watch the AMONG Sunday Service

History of Racial Justice Work

Arlington Street members have worked for racial justice at many points throughout our long history. Our most recent effort began in 2012. For two years, twelve people met twice monthly to explore the Unitarian Universalist Association’s curriculum called “Building the World We Dream About.” From this work, the group established Arlington Street’s Transformation Team for Racial Justice.

Between 2014 and 2020, the Transformation Team engaged the congregation in learning opportunities on racism through pulpit editorials, workshops, films, book discussions, White Supremacy Teach-ins, and Uncomfortable Conversations.

At the top of the pandemic, twenty members of the congregation joined the global community of over 3,000 people who’ve participated in Beloved Conversations. This program, grounded in Unitarian Universalism, was developed by the Fahs Collaborative at Meadville Lombard Theological School. Beloved Conversations supports participants in healing the impacts of racism and embodying racial justice as a spiritual practice.

Arlington Street members completed the first part of Beloved Conversations, called WITHIN, which focuses on individual learning and personal development. This virtual program has two separate courses: Gathering Our Selves designed to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in building community and meeting personal spiritual needs and Un/Learning for Liberation designed to support for white people in building the spiritual skills to eradicate white supremacy culture both within and beyond themselves.

In 2023, the Transformation Team applied to take part in AMONG, the second phase of Beloved Conversations. Since October 2023, the AMONG team has met twice monthly with a focus on dismantling systems of oppression in our congregation and building communities that center liberation. The AMONG team is supporting Arlington Street in moving closer into alignment with our vision of the Beloved Community by: 

• Exploring the ways dominant white culture is woven into our systems
• Learning from examples of others who have made bold changes
• Centering the spiritual needs and voices of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
• Creating a plan for change that fits our congregation and context