UUA General Assembly 2022: Introductions, Call for 2023 Local Area Coordinator, In-person Safety Update - Archived

June 22-26, 2022
Meet and Greet for Portland Area Volunteers
Sunday, April 10, 2022
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. PT for Volunteers
4:45 – 5:45 p.m. PT for GA 2022 Ambiance Team
Bridgetown Restaurant
in the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center
375 NE Holladay St., Portland
Complimentary street parking + Valet parking service by the Hyatt
Refreshments provided compliments of the Hyatt.
RSVP only if you plan to attend: lrichardson@uua.org
This in-person meet-and-greet is for local area volunteers. For all others interested in learning more about GA, please join the virtual open house, hosted by the UUA Board of Trustees, on Tuesday, April 12. The open house will highlight GA 2022.
April 2022 UUA Board Open House
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
4:00pm PT / 5:00pm MT / 6:00pm CT / 7:00pm ET
Carol Hinton
Introducing 2022 Local Area Coordinator Carol Hinton
Dr. Carol Hinton serves as the Local Area Coordinator for the 2022 GA. Thrilled to have moved to Portland four years ago, she has prayed for opportunities to use her skills, and to be of service at First Church, and the community. She has had experience as a hospital administrator, teaching college students, and more recently, studying shared leadership in nonprofit boards. Carol is excited to lead the dedicated team that will host this summer’s GA.
GA Staff jumping for joy in front of the Pittsburgh Skyline
Seeking a Pittsburgh Area UU to Serve as the 2023 Local Area Coordinator
Are you someone from the Pittsburgh area with UU leadership experience? We are looking for such an individual to serve as the 2023 Local Area Coordinator (LAC).
Tasks of the Local Area Coordinator include:
  • recruiting local UUs to serve on the Local Area Task Force (LATF) and facilitate trainings
  • assisting in recruiting volunteers prior to GA, training them during GA, and ensuring that each is carrying out assignments.
  • chairing meetings of the entire LATF before and during GA (as needed)
  • serving as liaison between host city/wider UU area and the GA Planning Committee and/or General Assembly and Conference Services (GACS) office
  • Educating the host area as planning for GA commences; promote interest and enthusiasm within the host area for participating in GA.
Skills should include ability to recruit and organize volunteers, written and oral communication skills, and an ability to remain calm in the midst of chaos. Being a non-anxious presence is key.
Please send an email of interest to LaTonya Richardson lrichardson@uua.org.
Debra Gray Boyd
Introducing the 2022 GA COVID Care & Well-Being Coordinator Debra Gray Boyd
Debra Gray Boyd has been known as a self-described “safety geek” for decades. Having recently rolled off 10 years of service on the GA Planning Committee supporting two justice-focused GAs and two virtual GAs, she is excited to be returning as a lead volunteer this year. Debra is combining her safety notions and her decade of national UU experience to help craft the Portland portion of GA in an accountable, radically inclusive way that prioritizes those most at risk while acknowledging our need for community and connection. In other UU spaces, Debra serves on the Nominating Committee for her brick and mortar congregation First UU Columbus OH, on the Nominating Committee for her online congregation Church of the Larger Fellowship, and is being put forth at GA 2022 to be elected as a member of the UUA Nominating Committee. When she isn’t doing church stuff, Debra works with small business owners to improve their workflows and processes to better serve customers, employees, vendors, and owners. Debra is married to Mark and they both enjoy traveling to see Emma as she attends Smith College.
Social Distancing Solution for In-Person Attendees
As we come together in a large group environment, attendees will have a wide range of comfort levels around physical proximity and touch. We will invite in-person attendees to put a red, yellow, or green sticker on their name badge to let people know your personal comfort level. The choices are:
  • Red Sticker – 6 feet apart
  • Yellow Sticker – 3 feet apart
  • Green Sticker – within 3 feet
Please secure other peoples’ permission before engaging in any physical acts of greeting, support, or affection. As Unitarian Universalists, we prioritize body autonomy and demonstrate respect for individuals’ rights by creating and supporting a high-consent culture at our gatherings.
Thank you for helping to make our community safe.
Flash Poll
Which sticker would you choose to put on your name badge?
Green – within 3 feet
Yellow – 3 feet apart
Red – 6 feet apart
Youth and Young Adult Financial Support
People who’ve competed 9th grade (or the homeschool equivalent) up to those who are 35 years old can get a scholarship in the form of a discount code they apply during the registration process.
Youth group trip organizers whose group is using the UUA GA Housing Reservation system should encourage group members to use the Financial Support Application to apply for lodging credit.
Scholarships are distributed by Lifespan Faith Engagement and provided by contributions from GA registrants, the Katie Tyson Fund for Youth and Young Adult Ministry and the Jerry And Denny Davidoff Fund For Lay Leadership.
To talk with a friendly UUA staffer in Lifespan Faith Engagement about additional options for youth and young adult funding to attend GA 2022 email yayaministry@uua.org.
Please Welcome Our 2022 GA Band Leader, Dustin Hunley
Dustin Hunley
Dustin Hunley serves as Associate Director of Music, Children and Youth, at the First Unitarian Church of Portland, and performs as a vocalist and instrumentalist in many of the church’s choirs. He is usually involved in directing any kind of accompanying band that isn’t a classical chamber group. He also performed as the keyboardist of the GA Band in Portland 2015.
Dustin holds a Masters of Science in Music from Portland State University, and a Bachelors of Music in Jazz and Commercial Music Piano Performance from the University of Denver. He has completed the four-year levels training program in the Kodály music education method, and is an active member of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE.)
As a public school teacher of 20 years, Dustin is beginning his ninth year as music specialist at Dorothy Fox Elementary School. Prior to coming to the Camas School District, he taught elementary music in Oregon and high school music in Washington and Santa Fe, NM.
As a performer, Dustin has worked as a pianist, keyboardist, and vocalist for over 25 years in a wide variety of jazz, popular, funk, and commercial groups. He has performed in countless venues, and has played extended engagements in Las Vegas and with Carnival Cruise Lines. He currently performs as a soloist, with the Rock/Funk band “Ants in the Kitchen,” and with many of Portland’s best jazz musicians at its top venues.
Introducing our GA Conflict and Covenant Co-Leads AJ van Tine and Chloë Briedé
The Conflict & Covenant Team assists registered attendees of virtual General Assembly who are in conflict and/or whose actions violate the GA covenant, which is accepted and agreed to by all attendees .
Rev. AJ van Tine
AJ van Tine is a lifelong UU who grew up at the UU Congregation of Fairfax, Virginia. His call to ministry developed as he participated in and led youth conferences, campus ministry, young adult conferences, and of course many General Assemblies. AJ has served congregations in Colorado and Northern California, and currently serves as Assistant Minister of the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY. AJ lives in Rochester with his wife Ada, who is a writer, and their little black dog, Mina.
Chloe Briede
Chloë Briedé currently serves as the Interim Minister at the Unitarian Universalist Community Church of Augusta, Maine. She is a life-long Unitarian Universalist with a background in chaplaincy and disaster relief. Chloë lives in Maine with her partner, Div, and their rat terrier Dobby. She loves getting out in nature with her family.
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
Safety and Wellness in Portland
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. Additionally, the OCC’s requirement of vaccination extends to all contracted service providers working in the facility. In addition, masking is required and physically distanced seating options will be reserved in our meeting spaces.
The Oregon Convention Center’s COVID-19 Safety Measures page provides parameters by which our GA safety policy is built upon. All GA attendees are required to provide proof of Covid-19 Vaccination for in-person attendance. Exceptions will not be granted for unvaccinated attendees with negative test results. Alternatively, unvaccinated attendees are welcome to register and participate virtually. This policy is congruent with the UUA’s

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