Accountability

ARE Accountability Guidelines

Allies for Racial Equity (ARE) is an organization of white, anti-racist Unitarian Universalists in an accountable relationship with Diverse Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM).  We seek to participate in the anti-racist transformation of our faith movement and our world. These guidelines exist as a living document within the covenant of our relationship with DRUUMM.

Institutional and Community Relationships

• Work with the Unitarian Universalist Association, UU congregations and other UU institutions to further our shared goals of anti-racist transformation.
• Support, initiate and expand anti-racism, anti-oppression and multiculturalism work in UU congregations and communities.
• Deepen the understanding of white people of systemic oppression and white privilege in our organizations and institutions. 
• Know and understand the institutional relationship and history of DRUUMM and ARE.
• Respond to requests from DRUUMM for allied participation in our UU movement. 
• Uphold a relationship of mutual accountability within ARE and with DRUUMM, including periodic auditing of these guidelines.

Interpersonal Relationships and Communication 

• Show up, speak up and challenge oppression, racism and white privilege.
• Commit to building relationships of mutual trust and accountability with people and communities of color.
• Be open to diverse forms of leadership and communication.
• Commit to listening and learning.
• Honor the experiences and cultural expressions of others and be respectful when stating our own beliefs, needs and feelings.
• Be aware of personal assumptions and open to challenges of those assumptions.
• Give and receive feedback openly, honestly and with compassion.
• Ensure that all actions are taken within the framework of a healthy, accountable process.
• Develop relationships of mentoring, support and mutual accountability with other white people.
• Invite other white people to join us in this work.
• Honor all people, exercise power consistent with the ARE mission, and seek to maintain right relationships.
• Be mindful of the power of our non-verbal communication.
• Stay at the table, even when it’s difficult.

Personal Practices, Reflection and Transformation 

• Examine our white privilege, entitlement and internalized sense of superiority and engage in ongoing discernment about personal assumptions, attitudes and motivations.
• Learn to analyze how racism, privilege and power work on different levels in our society and seek to develop an understanding that is consistent with the analysis of DRUUMM and other UU groups that have been historically marginalized because of race or ethnicity.
• Develop a spiritual practice that includes anti-racist reflection and transformation.
• Commit to ongoing learning and action.
• Take risks, be willing to make mistakes, act responsibly and seek reconciliation when there is conflict. 
• Strive for excellence and accept that we will sometimes fail.
• Seek to connect our actions with our theology and to achieve ARE goals in a spirit of integrity, humility, generosity and love.