UUANI NEWS
Q3 2026 www.uuani.org
Our 9/26 Solidarity Central summit at Abraham Lincoln UU Congregation in Springfield was a great success!
UUANI leaders, congregational members, and grassroots partners gathered for our Solidarity Central Solidarity Summit—a powerful day dedicated to spiritual grounding, leadership development, and strategic movement-building across Illinois. We were honored to welcome Sonny Garcia from Faith in Place as our keynote speaker, who shared vital insights on local environmental justice campaigns—including winning the Bloomington-Normal data center moratorium—and led a training on effective organizing strategies. Attendees from 10 Unitarian Universalist congregations engaged in collaborative learning experiences, nourishing minds and spirits. Solidarity Central reaffirmed our commitment to building capacity among UUs in struggles for justice across Illinois. Many thanks to the speakers, volunteers, and participants who brought energy, wisdom, and dedication to making Solidarity Central a resounding success!
FALL VETO SESSION WILL TAKE PLACE NOV 17-19 AND DEC 1-3
Focus efforts on:
Witness Slips: For veto overrides or when last-minute trailer/priority bills are assigned to committee.
Phone Cascades & Postcards: For critical floor votes (Third Reading) call key committee chairs and swing district legislators directly.
In-Person Presence: Coordinate brief delegation visits with state representatives in their local district offices ahead of November 17, or send representatives to Springfield during key committee hearings.
Continue to build power:
INVEST IN UU ACTION
Our annual UUANI fundraising campaign kicks off soon!
Jajwanica Johnson of ALUUC reads a story during We Are Builders
Solidarity Central Keynote Speaker, Sonny Garcia
leads Central Illinois outreach for Faith in Place
CONGREGATIONS VISITED
Tree of Life Abraham Lincoln
Prairie Circle Unity Temple
NATASHA’S NOTES
As we transition into the crisp days of autumn, I find myself reflecting on the unique rhythms of the past few months. Summer often brings a welcome lull in our usual Unitarian Universalist busyness—a precious window that our staff and board embraced to rest, strategize, and deeply prepare for the vital work ahead this fall.
During this season of intentional pause and planning, I also had the opportunity to attend the AUUMM (Association of Unitarian Universalist Music Ministries) and DRUUMM (Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries) conferences. Being immersed in these transformative spaces of song, spirit, and multicultural community truly nourished my soul and bolstered my spirit for the journey ahead.
The highlight and culmination of our collective summer efforts was undoubtedly our Solidarity Summit. Seeing our leaders, congregational members, and grassroots partners gather in person to ground ourselves spiritually, build organizing skills, and strategize across regions was deeply inspiring. It was a testament to what we can achieve through true collaboration and relational accountability.
With renewed energy and purpose, I am thrilled to resume my congregational tour across Illinois. I am excited to visit your communities, hear your stories, and talk with all of you about how we can continue putting our shared values into action together.
In faith and solidarity
Natasha
COMING UP IN Q4
Keep an eye out for:
Volunteer opportunities
2026 Fundraising Campaign
Q4 Congregational Visits
DeKalb
First Unitarian (Chicago)
Quincy
DuPage
Rock Valley
Joliet
CONTACT US
Natasha Walker, Executive Director
Atena Danner, Action Strategy Director
Michael Skilton, Communications Co-Chair
Sallee Lowery, Board Chair
We have UUANI Shirts available
Let us know if you’re interested in buying a shirt. Bright yellow, they help identify you at rallies, protests, and other UU Side with Love events.