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At this summer’s UUA General Assembly, Unitarian Universalists approved a new statement of Shared Values. The values, centered on Love, are Interdependence, Pluralism, Justice, Transformation, Generosity, and Equity.
Since the historic moment in June, UUA staff has been working behind the scenes to update official websites, share the latest information with congregations, and create new educational tools.
In this Q&A, Mary Benard, Publishing Director of Skinner House Books and UUA Publications, shares how people across the Association are collaborating to create helpful resources for UUs.
- Q: What kinds of printed materials and products will Skinner House and the inSpirit Bookstore offer UU congregations and groups to engage people on the newly approved Shared Values?
- A: Our first priority for print products is pamphlets and posters to help congregations publicly share their affirmation of the new Shared Values statement with members and visitors.
As we have opportunities to reprint our books, we will also update them. And, of course, we will be looking for authors to create new Skinner House books that explore the rich implications and opportunities of the new Shared Values language.
Staff across the Unitarian Universalist Association, particularly in Communications, Lifespan Faith Engagement, and Congregational Life will generate resources online, and we in the Publications Office will look carefully at those resources for content that could be helpful in print and eBook form as well.
We also plan to offer a variety of items such as apparel, drinkware, plantable items, notepads, cards, buttons, pins, and stickers to help UU individuals and congregations express their values.
- Q: What goes into making these items? What are some of the ways that your team determines what to create for UUs, and who authors/creates the pieces?
- A: A merchandise team of Publications and Bookstore staff meets monthly to brainstorm new products. We will focus heavily on new products that incorporate the Shared Values, and we will vet the designs to make sure they align with language that is still evolving as Unitarian Universalists collectively live into what the new Shared Values mean and how best to articulate them.
This emerging language will be a dynamic collaborative effort across staff groups so that we can ensure clear and consistent messaging.
Resources won’t be generated solely by Publications based on what might sell, but rather they will be continuously informed by the expertise of staff across the UUA about what is needed to meet the moment for congregations and communities.
Text content for pamphlets, posters, and other short-form resources will most often be written by UUA staff. Skinner House welcomes book proposals from anyone, and we encourage you to check out our book proposal guidelines.
For designs, we expect to use existing ones designed by UUs or other UUA departments, custom art from a handful of artists we work with, and new designs that will be created by Unitarian Universalists eager to bring their creativity to the expression of these Shared Values.
Although we expect that there will be one primary “official” version of the Shared Values graphic, we also encourage new designs. Artists can send their designs to Kiana Nwaobia (knwaobia@uua.org) for a cross-staff team to consider.
All designs will be vetted for fidelity to the meanings inherent in the original flower image included by the Article II Study Commission in their report.
When choosing vendors to manufacture merchandise, we are guided by Unitarian Universalist values. When possible, we choose union shops and source apparel made in the United States.
We consider the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and the product and particularly prefer vendors that measure and offset their carbon footprint. We try to give our business to vendors who support progressive causes and activist groups.
- Q: What materials are you receiving the most requests about lately? Or is there a resource coming out that you’re especially excited to offer?
- A: The eBook Love at the Center: Unitarian Universalist Theologies, edited by (UUA President) Rev. Dr. Sofía Betancourt, and published before General Assembly, has been very well received. We’re working on an updated and expanded print edition now that Article II has passed, and we’re trying for a January publication date.
People who have already purchased the eBook will be able to refresh their purchase on their eBook app to have it updated to the new version at no extra cost. With hundreds of back orders already placed, this book is on a fast track.
- Q: When might the materials be ready for public purchase? How can people purchase them?
- A: We expect to have pamphlets and posters available by October and shirts shortly after. Other items will roll out gradually on a continuous basis over time.
- Q: Where can UUs get the latest updates on the availability of these materials?
- A: All UUs are encouraged to subscribe to the inSpirit Bookstore newsletter for continuous updates about new offerings.
- Q: Is there anything else you’d like UUs to keep in mind as they wait for updated and new resources?
- A: We ask for patience. Rather than produce a lot of merchandise and resources as quickly as possible, we want to be sure to choose affordable and practical options that are developed with fidelity to the Shared Values themselves, are guided by the expertise and experience of UUA program staff, and reflect what is sure to be an evolving understanding of the new Shared Values language. All of that will take time.
In the meantime, several study resources for the Shared Values are already online and several products featuring them are available from the inSpirit Bookstore.
The graphic of the Shared Values flower found in Article II is available for Unitarian Universalist congregations to use, without fee or special permission from the artist, as long as they meet the current requirements. These resources and usage requirements are likely to evolve over time, so please check for any updates regularly.
We’d also like to take this opportunity to affirm that the Principles will not be purged from UUA publishing and resources. They are still woven inextricably into the fabric of Unitarian Universalism.
Publications will be updated as appropriate when they are reprinted to include the Shared Values as well, and going forward, our policy will not be to exclude all mention of the Principles but rather to ensure that when they are included, they are always presented in context and not without also presenting the new Shared Values language.