The Social Justice Coordinating Council is asking the congregation to vote on June 8, 2025 to sign the Apartheid-Free Communities pledge, which is as follows:

• We affirm our commitment to freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people and all people;
• We oppose all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination and oppression;
• We declare ourselves an apartheid-free community; and to that end
• We pledge to join others in working to end all support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism and military occupation.

If we sign this pledge it will be up to our congregation on how we want to take action. There are several opportunities to increase our education about apartheid and take action through community building and participating in boycott, divestment and sanctions. Our church has a UU for Justice in the Middle East chapter and they will be leading the opportunities for living the pledge. If you have any questions please attend the in-person meeting on Sunday, May 25, 2025 after the second service or send an email to uujme@UUSpokane.org.

The text of motion is as follows:

MOTION: That the Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane (UUCS) Membership support the movement identified as APARTHEID-FREE petition. Said petition, in the context of UUCS:

affirms UUCS commitment to freedom, justice and equality for the Palestinian people and all people;

UUCS opposes all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination and oppression;

declares UUCS as an apartheid-free community; and

pledges UUCS join others in working to end all support of Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism, and military occupation.

The Membership directs the President of the UUCS Board of Trustees to sign the petition on behalf of the Membership.”