People of the Global Majority

MLK Day 2025

01/15/2025

Happy birthday, Dr King!

There are many ways to uplift the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other servant leaders of the Civil Rights Movement as we celebrate this annual day on, not a day off. Below are a few activities from our extended Wildflower community and friends to get involved in this week. (You can also read the Austin Statesman for additional activities and volunteer service projects in our region. Or watch programming from The King Center in Atlanta on YouTube or other platforms.)

Thursday, January 16th, 9 am to 12 pm
Resist! Pre-Inauguration Kingian Nonviolence Workshop

Join Nonviolent Austin for a Kingian Nonviolence workshop to honor MLK’s birth & meet the moment of the upcoming presidential inauguration. Thursday, January 16 · 9am – 12pm CST. Doors at 8:45am at the Carver Library

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resist-pre-inauguration-kingian-nonviolence-workshop-tickets-1120990214909

Thursday, January 16, 7 PM
TXUUJM Action Hour on Zoom

Join Texas UU Justice Ministry as we take action every week, over Zoom, as a community. We check-in and connect with folks around the state as we make calls to elected officials, write letters to the editor, send emails of appreciate to justice partners, and more. https://txuujm.org/

Sunday, January 19th, 11: 45 am MLK Worship Service at Wildflower

“Revolutionary Dreams” sermon by Simone Monique Barnes. Drawing inspiration from some of the music, poetry, and speeches of the civil rights movement and the liberation era, we’ll think about one of the most revolutionary prophetic dreams of all: normal life.

After the Sunday worship service, spend some time in Beloved Community by engaging in conversations and other moments of connection over popcorn and coffee in the Community Room, as we celebrate the life and legacy of Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, and other servant leaders of the civil rights movement and beyond. Encourage a friend or neighbor who needs community this weekend to join us for the service at 11:45 am, or for coffee in the community room from 1 pm

Monday, January 20th MLK March and Festival, 9:30 am to 4 pm
UPDATE: The March is cancelled due to inclement weather. Festival is postponed to February 1st

The Annual Community March celebrates Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy while uplifting diversity and multi-culturalism in our city. All are invited to march and celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.

The MLK Community March kicks off on Monday, January 20, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. on the south steps of the State Capitol for a rally.

At the conclusion of the program we will march to Huston-Tillotson University for the MLK Festival, from 11am to 4 pm.

The family friendly festival includes vendors and local musical artists to make this year’s celebration the best ever! Come prepared to have a great time. Marchers are asked to help by bringing can goods or non-perishable food items which will be donated to the Central Texas Food Bank. See the march and festival webpage for guidelines on what to donate. https://mlkcelebration.com/celebration-events/march-and-festival/

Interested in volunteering at the march or festival? Sign up here: https://mlkcelebration.com/volunteer-information/

Monday, January 20th, 2-4PM BRAVE Communities Connection

“MLK’s Dream in Action”. This family-friendly event is a chance for all of us to embody MLK’s values and vision of a beloved community through community conversations, community service, and meaningful connections.

This free event is open to all, but pre-registration is required. Let’s honor Dr. King’s dream by coming together to create the beloved community he envisioned—a community where everyone belongs, and justice and love prevail. Rozco’s Comedy Club, 1805 E 7th St, Austin TX 78702

(Note: The event venue is a very short walk from MLK Festival held at Huston-Tillotson. Festival postponed until February 1.)

Día de los Muertos Community Altar Invitation Sunday 11/3

10/25/2024

Wildflowers and community friends are invited to add photos or items that honor their ancestors and loved ones who have passed on to the Día de los Muertos community altar after Sunday’s service in the community room. If you would like to learn more about the history and traditions of El Día de los Muertos, please read this reflection by Maestra Grace Sesma from Curanderismo, the Healing Art of Mexico.

The altar we remain in the community room, through Sunday, November 10.

(You may choose to temporarily place your photos or items on the altar during the gathering on November 3 and bring them home the same day, or you may choose to leave your items on the altar until November 10, when it will be deinstalled and all items returned (please plan to pick up your items).

Here’s a guide for Dia de Los Muertos colors: 

Purple – Signifies pain, suffering, grief, and mourning.

Pink – Celebration

White – Purity and hope

Orange – Sun

Red – The blood of life

Yellow – Cempazuchitl are marigolds that symbolize death. Petals are used to make a trail so that the spirits can see the path to their altars.

How to build an altar 

September BLUU Online Worship: “Come as You Are”

09/05/2024

Sunday, September 8, 2024, 3pm to 4:30 pm Central Time

Black Lives of Unitarian Universalists (BLUU)‘s online worship services are Black Sacred Space in their entirety – by and for Black people, with the words and voices of Black folks across the diaspora – and we hope that Black UUs and Black UU-adjacent folks (who share our values) from far and wide will join us!

For our non-Black siblings in faith, please DO share this invitation with Black folks in your life and community. Getting the word out about BLUU’s gatherings and other programming is one powerful way of lending your support, and we deeply appreciate it!

For all of our services, feel free to come into our BLUU Zoom Room as early as 15 minutes before the start of the service to get settled, say hello to the folks who are already gathering, and listen to the music softly playing as we all prepare for our time together.

In September, Rev. Mykal Slack will be bringing us a special Homecoming message, “Come As You Are.”

Worship description: There is artistry in holding the complexities of how we connect with one another, including how we uphold the very best of our faith. It takes persistence, audacity, humbleness, a healthy curiosity, and a commitment to community to live into this artistry and this creativity.

Register to attend: https://bit.ly/3wYfnjb

For the Buried and the Unearthed: A Unitarian Universalist Vigil for Gaza, 09 Jun 2024

05/30/2024

UUA Connectional Event

DRUUMM continues to partner with the Church of the Larger Fellowship, concerned religious professionals, Palestinian, Arabs, Southwest Asian/North African and Jewish members of our community on a weekly Vigil for Gaza. Vigils are open to all.

5 candles

This vigil, held on June 9, 2024, 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Central (8:00 PM to 9:00 PM Eastern), open to all, is to honor the spiritual work toward ending the violence. We are calling for a permanent ceasefire and end to the indiscriminate bombing of Gaza, a release of all hostages/prisoners, humanitarian aid, and an accountability process that is not rooted in revenge. We deeply honor the worth and dignity of all Palestinians and all Israelis.

We are centering the voices of those most affected and we ask attendees to hold this with intention. We aim to be present with one another and deepen our attention to the crises in Gaza as Unitarian Universalists. We are mindful of the deep and complex roots in the minds and hearts of Westerners.

Join us as we grieve, rage, learn, and find solace together. The vigil will be held for 45 minutes, and we may host facilitated breakout session afterwards depending on capacity for those who wish to connect more intentionally.

RSVP Required for Zoom: druumm.org/events

View DRUUMM’s previous vigil at youtube.com/@DRUUMM

Hosted by concerned Unitarian Universalist ministers, religious professionals, lay leaders, the Church of the Larger Fellowship, UU Service Committee, UU Women’s Federation, UUs for Justice in the Middle East and more.

DRUUMM logo

Interested in joining DRUUMM? Wildflowers can sign up via our Group Membership Form. Event Registration links are sent directly to DRUUMM members.

Membership is open to those who affirm DRUUMM’s mission and values, self-identify as a Black, Indigenous and/or Person of Color/Person of the Global Majority, and make a modest, meaningful, contribution of presence at one or more of our events or programs each year, volunteer at any of our DRUUMM events or community projects, and/or support financially (as you are able). (Wildflower had paid for a group membership. There is no fee for an individual to join through our Wildflower DRUUMM membership.)

DRUUMM Village at General Assembly (June 19-22, 2024)

05/29/2024

UUA Connectional Event: The Power of Our Stories, Our Unity, and Our Love (Diverse & Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM) Event Info)

DRUUMM Village at General Assembly 2024 is a virtual event concurrent with the UUA General Assembly. (General Assembly is the Unitarian Universalist Association’s Annual Meeting.)

The Village is where members of DRUUMM (and those curious about us) can have the opportunity to fellowship, be seen, be heard, and be held in beloved community and in faith. We will hold space for you and for each other. Whether you have registered for the main UUA General Assembly or not, DRUUMM Village programming is open to all People of Color in Unitarian Universalism and BIPOC friends of DRUUMM. Our events will be held virtually via zoom or YouTube, and are predominately BIPOC-only spaces.

This year’s DRUUMM Virtual Village will feature:

  • DRUUMM In Gathering- Wednesday- June 19, 5:30 pm EST
  • Virtual Meditation Brunches and Connection- Thursday- June 20 & Friday- June 21, 10:30 am EST
  • Annual Meeting- Saturday, June 22, 10:30 am EST
  • Virtual Party with Music a various offerings from the DRUUMM community. – Saturday, June 22, 8:30 pm EST

Interested in joining DRUUMM? Wildflowers can sign up via our Group Membership Form. Event Registration links are sent directly to DRUUMM members.

Membership is open to those who affirm DRUUMM’s mission and values, self-identify as a Black, Indigenous and/or Person of Color/Person of the Global Majority, and make a modest, meaningful, contribution of presence at one or more of our events or programs each year, volunteer at any of our DRUUMM events or community projects, and/or support financially (as you are able). (Wildflower had paid for a group membership. There is no fee for an individual to join through our Wildflower DRUUMM membership.)

Rooted – Black Sacred Worship – June 1, 2024

From the Wider Community (Invitation to this sacred gathering for Black the Community)

The next ROOTED gathering, on Saturday, June 1, at DAWA HQ, 916 Springdale Rd, Bldg 4, Ste 109, in East Austin.
ROOTED is a bi-monthly Black sacred collective worship experience by and for black folxs of all faiths.

Our spiritual gatherings honor Black wisdom, music, rituals, ceremonies, healing, and text from many experiences and traditions.

Families with children are welcome.
Elders are welcome.
ROOTED is LGBTQIA+ affirming.

DAWA (Diversity Awareness and Wellness in Action) is a platform that invests in BIPOC community and culture.
🖤🤎🖤