From Diana L.

First off, I want to applaud Rev. Michelle for a very thoughtful and inspiring service on November 17 to commemorate and honor the Transgender Day of Remembrance and the National Day of Mourning at Plymouth as she spoke of “Honoring and Repairing Intersecting Legacy Burdens of History.”

And another round of applause and appreciation for Rev. Michelle and Rev. Clyde’s work, along with many FPUU members such as Don S. and Kitty M., in partnering with the Canton Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (CDEI) for the second ever public community-wide event in Canton to honor the Transgender Day of Remembrance, held during Transgender Awareness Week, later in the day on Sunday, November 17 (rather than on TDOR Nov. 20th).

Waltham House has been the recipient of our November Faith in Action donations for the past four years, making it the beginning of an annual tradition. Waltham House offers a group home setting for LGBTQI+ adolescents by providing a safe home environment, counseling and ancillary services. Thank you to all who donated last month to support their work! A reminder that this year’s educational module will be a discussion based on the UUA’s Common Read for this year which is Authentic Selves: Celebrating Trans and Nonbinary People and Their Families (Skinner House, 2023) – Rev. Michelle read from it during her Nov. 17th sermon. It can be found at https://www.uua.org/lifespan/curricula/read. The book was developed in collaboration with PFLAG National and the Transgender Legal Defense and Educational Fund. It contains over 30 interviews with trans and non-binary folks and their families. We will plan on meeting after the New Year via ZOOM to discuss our thoughts and insights about the experiences shared, which hopefully also will strengthen our ability to be strong allies. Please arrange for a copy of the book and begin reading. I’ll let you know when a date for our discussion is finalized.