GA Collections Fuel Our Movement
This year’s GA collections benefit the Living Tradition Fund, the Katie Tyson Fund for Youth and Young Adult Ministries, Side with Love, and this year’s local beneficiary of the Sunday worship collection, East County Rising Community Projects (ECRCP). ECRCP builds grassroots leadership within East Multnomah County to create an equitable, inclusive, and livable community centered on the needs of the most underrepresented and marginalized residents. During each collection participants will have an opportunity to donate online, via text-to-give, or through the GA mobile app using a credit card, PayPal, or Apple Pay—these are the preferred, as well as the fastest, safest ways to donate. For those who prefer to donate by check, or via a donor advised fund or IRA qualified charitable distribution, registrants will receive a mailer a few days prior to GA with instructions on how to do this. Onsite attendees will still be able to place cash or checks into the collection basket.
Visit  https://bit.ly/uua-gacollections to learn more about the collections as well as the Express Donate option—make one gift that is evenly divided between all four of this year’s beneficiaries.
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COVID Testing in Portland
We are pleased to announce that the Curative Testing Center will continue to be stationed outside of the Oregon Convention Center, near the NE Holladay Street entrance (closest to the Hyatt Regency). Curative offers free PCR testing Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. PT. Appointments are available via online reservation, or you can show up without reservation. All GA attendees experiencing symptoms or simply seeking peace of mind are welcome to seek COVID-19 testing at Curative. Additional testing sites near the Oregon Convention Center include Zoom care (0.3 miles), COVID Clinic (0.3 miles) and Carreon Health (0.9 miles). Pricing and insurance coverages for these clinics may vary.
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GA Children’s Programs Registration is Open
Child Care (6 months – 4 years) and Day Camp (5 – 13 years) will be available during the five days of GA. Child care will be provided at a nearby hotel by Northwest Nannies, in collaboration with Unitarian Universalist Religious Educators and adult GA volunteers.
Northwest Nannies has served the Portland community since 1985, and has provided care for the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association. Child Care activities may include fun themes, arts & crafts, group games, music & movement, board games, story time, and dramatic play.
On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Jenn Blosser, Director of Religious Education for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hartford County, MD, and Matthew Davis, Worship Arts Coordinator at the First Unitarian Society of Denver, CO, will provide children 5 – 13 with an immersive camp experience, using fantasy as a framework for reimagining the world and harnessing individual and collective power.
Vaccination will be required for children 5 and up. Children 2 years and up must be masked to participate. Space is limited. Register Now!
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Pre-GA Workshop for GA Volunteers
This year all volunteers will attend a DEI Workshop entitled Honoring DEI at General Assembly. Understanding the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion is critical to ensuring a safe and equitable environment at GA. Volunteers are the heartbeat of GA, therefore, we are all committed to ensuring that mutual respect and compassion is the norm, and every attendee feels valued.
This year’s workshops will be led by Ann Verdine-Jones, MBA. Ann is a change agent who partners with organizations across the country to create DEI strategic planning, mold the communication of the organization’s new plan, and facilitate difficult conversations while offering tools and recommendations to continue the momentum. If you are a GA volunteer and haven’t pre-registered for one of the six sessions offered in May, please reach out to generalassembly@uua.org or gacsdiversityequityinclusion@gmail.com.
- Monday, May 16 at 9 am Pacific / noon Eastern
- Wednesday, May 18 at 5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern
- Tuesday, May 24 at 9 am Pacific / noon Eastern
- Thursday, May 26 at 5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern
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Housing Reservations Are Still Available!
May 23 is the cut-off date for making reservations with the GA Housing Reservation System. After this time you can still modify or cancel an existing reservation on the housing website, however, room cancellations after this date are subject to a non-refundable $50 cancellation fee for each reservation (in addition to any hotel policies). If you need any assistance with your reservation please contact the General Assembly Housing Call Center at 702-476-6976 or email TravelPortland@connectionshousing.com.
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Dormitory Housing at Portland State University
Dormitory reservations can be made at Portland State University (PSU) by visiting the PSU Housing Reservation system. PSU Dorm housing is located in Broadway Residence Hall and Ondine Residence Hall. Both Broadway and Ondine Hall are accessible by MAX light rail. Free MAX light rail passes will be available at the Travel Portland desk at the Oregon Convention Center.
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Governance at General Assembly
The UUA Board of Trustees leads the governance process each year at General Assembly (GA).
Pre-GA Webinars Led by the Board
Each year, the Board of Trustees hosts a series of webinars to help delegates and GA attendees understand how the business at GA will work. We invite you to pre-register for a webinar. Business Resolutions for GA 2022
The following two business resolutions will be up for discussion and vote at GA 2022:
- Renewing UUA Bylaws for Theologically Grounded and Mission-Focused Governance (PDF, 2 pages)
- General Assembly Planning Committee (PDF, 1 page)
Discussion Forum
After you’ve participated in the webinar on the business resolutions (or watched the recording which will be posted on this page soon), the Board of Trustees invites you to engage with them in discussion about the two business resolutions linked above. Register for the forums and share your thoughts. Business Mini-Assembly
This year, the business mini-assembly will take place before GA begins on Saturday, June 11, 2022 at 4 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. MT / 1 p.m. PT. Delegates will access the mini-assembly via the delegate platform.
Important Dates:
May 1 – Deadline to email Actions of Immediate Witness (AIW) topic and description to the Commission on Social Witness (CSW).
May 7 – CSW will share any potential collaborators’ contacts with proposers.
May 15 – Deadline to email a draft AIW to the CSW.
May 25 – Final business agenda posted (30 days beforehand).
June 1– CSW will provide feedback on drafts AIWs. The team writing the AIW should incorporate feedback ASAP and resubmit updated version.
June 8 – Proposed amendments to business items are due to the Board.
June 9 – Moderator/Mod Squad reviews submitted amendments.
June 1–15
- Between June 1 and 15, the team proposing an AIW should focus on 1) centering the voices and perspectives of people most impacted by injustice, 2) growing connections and bringing in more people to share plans for action (actual plans as well as ideas and opportunities), and 3) incorporating feedback from interested parties.
- Between June 1 and 15, the CSW will disseminate updated draft AIWs to promote collaboration and awareness. Drafts will be shared via the UUA website, General Assembly email list, CSW email list, and Facebook.
June 15 – Deadline that teams proposing AIWs should email the CSW a revised (nearly final) draft of AIWs.
June 15 – Board posts final text of business items with incorporated amendments.
June 17 – CSW will provide final feedback. Proposers should respond promptly with any revisions.
June 20 – CSW posts final drafts of AIWs. No additional revisions after this date.
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Call for Virtual Volunteers
Contribute 18-20 hours before or during GA and receive a fully funded virtual registration. Virtual volunteer teams are forming now:
- GA App Hosts moderate community discussions
- Post-Production edit captions and video
- Pre-Production prepare title slides and graphics
- Tech Support assist fellow registrants navigating the app and delegate platform
- Virtual Tellers facilitate delegate discussion during business mini-assemblies and General Sessions
- Workshop Zoom and Chat Hosts connect presenters with our virtual audience
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Safety + Wellness in Portland
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In compliance with UUA and Oregon Convention Center guidelines, entry to General Assembly 2022 in Portland, OR is open to people who are fully vaccinated. UUA staff and GA volunteers will be responsible for verifying proof of vaccination for all guests at or before the time of in-person registration at General Assembly. Face masks are required indoors at the Oregon Convention Center, except while eating and drinking in designated spaces.
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The GA App by Whova will bring in-person and virtual attendees together! The GA App will be the the platform for all attendees to access virtual programming and the livestreams of multi-platform programming. It is the portal to the virtual and in-person exhibit halls. It is a networking marvel – allowing all attendees to publicly chat on Community Boards, to direct message other attendees, and to RSVP to and/or suggest Meet-ups and Virtual Meets. General Assembly provides us with the opportunity to build deep connections, worship, engage in faith development, participate in innovative learning and collaboration. It is important that we uphold agreements that support a compassionate, respectful and anti-oppressive environment for all. Please read the Agreement and Practices for Online Content & Discussion. Available for iPhone, Android, or as a mobile-optimized website. Only General Assembly registrants will have use of the GA Mobile App.
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Register Now for GA 2022!
Please join us virtually or in-person for the 61st annual UUA General Assembly. Register now! The 2022 Ware Lecture with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi will be available to GA registrants only. In-person registration is required to attend the event in Portland, Oregon. In-person or full virtual registration is required to live-stream the event on June 25, or access the video on-demand where it will be posted for a limited time after GA.
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Please take a moment to explore the link given below. The Fifth Principle Project was created by UU members and ministers around the U.S. to combat the oppressive atmosphere of Wokism that has been negatively impacting the church. Given that atmosphere, accomplishing the goal of placing two members on the ballot was a brave and worthy start on reclaiming the Church. I urge you to support it. Note if the link does not work, just google “5th Principle Project https://fifthprincipleproject.org/2022/05/12/announcing-two-candidates-for-the-uua-board/