Mission: Started in 2019, the 'Unity Group' focuses on the UUAA community, offering intellectual and cultural programs representing a range of religious perspectives, in an effort to expand interfaith and intercultural understanding. The group presents programming that reflects our UU principle of respecting the inherent worth and dignity of every person. We are especially interested in presenting under-represented voices at UUAA. Events might include intercultural music or dance, speakers and more. If you have suggestions for Unity Group programs, you can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Background: The “Unity Group” is named in honor of a proud part of UUAA's history, the very successful Unity Club” started in 19th century Ann Arbor by our then minister, Rev Jabez Sunderland. The Unity Club held public meetings with a variety of speakers on issues of the times. The program was said to bring people into a stronger sense of community and fostered positive interfaith dialog in Ann Arbor.
Interested in co-sponsoring a forum with the Unity Group? Download and fill out a forum information form to help us schedule and advertise the program.
Upcoming Programs - 'Curiosity, Conversation, Covenant' Series
*POSTPONED-- This will be rescheduled asap* Sunday, March 22nd: 'Conflict Resolution: Part III'
Reese Havlatka, UM Office of Student Conflict Management, Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and Shared Ministries Team
This is Part III of a workshop on Conflict Management that includes interactive activities and a question/answer session. You do not need to have attended Part I or Part II to participate! We work together to learn new insights and skills for talking and working with others we may not agree with. With elections coming up, these skills are essential.
Sunday, April 26th: 'Separated'
Author William Lopez; Co-sponsored by the Unity Group and UUAA's Immigration Action Coalition and Challenging Racism Group
Author William Lopez will conduct a book discussion of his new book, “Separated: Family and Community in the Aftermath of an Immigration Raid.” The book tells the story of a raid in Ypsilanti that directly impacted the lives of three different families with young children and how their health and welfare was negatively affected by this event.
Past Programs
Sunday, Nov 24th: 'Conflict Management: Talking Across the Divide II'
Reese Havlatka, UM Office of Student Conflict Management, Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and Shared Ministries Team
Part II of a workshop on Conflict Management included interactive activities and a question/answer session
Handouts will be posted here soon.
Sunday, November 17th, 1-2:30pm, Fahs Chapel: 'Michigan Poor People's Campaign - Work in Washtenaw County and Beyond'
Rev. Joe Summers, Eric Krawczak and John Hollingworth, Michigan Poor People's Campaign
Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and Challenging Racism Group
Participants were encouraged to sign up to receive the Poor People's Campaign newsletter to learn about actions taking place in housing, education, climate change, hunger and other intersectional issues that have huge effects on poor people in our state. The PPC website is https://www.michiganppc.org/ and their Facebook Page is https://www.facebook.com/michigansppc/
Sunday, October 27th, 1-2:30pm, Fahs Chapel: 'UU Multicultural Outreach and Ministry'
Quiana Perkins, UUAA Social Justice & Pastoral Care Coordinator
Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and Challenging Racism Group
Quiana Perkins presented the Multicultural Outreach projects in progress at UUAA, including UUAA participation in BLUU (Black Lives of UU), DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary UU Multicultural Ministries) and the UUAA's POC (People of Color) gatherings.
Download the chalice lighting written by Micky ScottBey JonesDownload the reflection questions and resource list Quiana provided, (read at the presentation by Lou Calloway).
Download the reflection questions and resource list Quiana provided.
Sunday, Sept 22nd: 'Conflict Management: Talking Across the Divide'
Reese Havlatka, UM Office of Student Conflict Management
Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and Shared Ministries Team
Conflict can be hard--and right now, it feels like there is a lot of it. You are not alone in struggling with this! We will hold time and space for each other to understand what we believe about conflict, how we tend to respond to it, and what we might be missing as we search for practical and just ways of engaging across differences. Being socialized in white supremacy culture means that certain conflict resolution approaches are elevated over others. This workshop offered several opportunities to explore this socialization and how it contributes to division and polarization.
Due to popular demand, a Part II will be scheduled in the near future.
You can download the materials from the workshop:
The presentation slides, including references
Handout on culture based perspectives on conflict.
August 25, 2019: 'Refusing to Be Enemies' Laurie White and the Zeitouna Group
Co-sponsored by UUAA's Unity Group and UU Justice in the Middle East Group
A viewing of the documentary "Refusing to be Enemies" was followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker Laurie White and another member of "Zeitouna", a group of Michigan women, half are Jewish and half Palestinian. For over a decade they have modeled their approach to listening to others, remaining in conversation and good relationship, even in the face of profound disagreement.
You can view the documentary "Refusing to Be Enemies" following this link.
On 8/25/19 filmmaker Lauri White led a Q&A after a screening of "Refusing to Be Enemies" , a presentation in the Unity Group's "Dialog Across the Divide" series.
May 19, 2019: A Contemporary Overview of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Professor Victor B. Lieberman
Prof Lieberman is a Raoul Wallenberg Distinguished University Professor of History and Professor of Asian and Comparative History at the University of Michigan. An historical and contemporary overview of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict based on a course that he teaches at the University of Michigan, a course popular with students of quite diverse ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds. His talk considered the origins of the conflict, self-images and grievances held by the two sides, and barriers to resolution.