Young Ethnic Scholars invites everyone to “Wake Up, Wellesley” a series of four biweekly, online conference-style discussions on racism in Wellesley, intended to illuminate the injustices and microaggressions that permeate various dimensions of our children’s and our neighbors’ everyday lives. We hope to bring the national dialogue to our home and incite a collaborative effort among our community members in developing an action plan for eradicating racism in our town.

As the pandemic subsides and we are able to safely convene in person, this discourse will continue as a bi-weekly or monthly meeting. “Wake Up, Wellesley” is intended to serve as only the beginning of an ongoing commitment to acknowledging our privilege, lifting up our black neighbors, and actively promoting equality. Wellesley will refuse to let this movement lose steam. Wellesley will not allow these voices – growing increasingly hoarse with every hour – to go unheard. Wellesley will set an example for the rest of Massachusetts, for the rest of our nation, on what it means to listen, learn, and change.

We are holding our first panel-style discussion on Tuesday, June 16 at 6 PM. It will be a Zoom meeting broadcasted live to YouTube on this channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUrpmU5aNJdN64NTP9wo4rA?view_as=subscriber. This first meeting will provide Black members of our community with the opportunity to share their stories and illuminate the racism in our own schools, stores, and community spaces. All are welcome – residents of Wellesley and beyond – to listen to Wellesley’s own students’. Here is a list of speakers (names you will recognize as having left indelible imprints on our school community!) who have generously agreed to give their time and share powerful anecdotes of their experiences as black members of this community: Kayla Reid, Bongani Msikavanhu, Keleyia Rochelle, Yasmine Jaffier, Zoe Gomez, Sierra Sinclair. Hope to (virtually, from a safe social distance) see you there!!

This is a partner event offered to the Wellesley community by Young Ethnic Scholars, students of color and allies of Wellesley High School taking action against racism in our community.

Members of the UU Wellesley Hills Advocacy & Witness Interest Group invite you to stand with us for racial justice and human rights.

While our church campus is closed due to COVID-19, the UU Wellesley Hills Advocacy & Witness Task Force is sponsoring a “virtual vigil” so that we can continue to take a public stand, as we have since October 2017, to affirm that Black Lives Matter. 

Please visit the UU Wellesley Hills Facebook page at 12:30 on Sunday, June 7 and share our post on your timeline. While we will miss gathering in front of 309 Washington Street, we can have an even greater impact with the help of social media.  Please join us!

Join us for a vigil held each month, as we proclaim that “Black Lives Matter” and protest white supremacy in America.

If you have any questions, contact info@uuwellesley.org.

Hosted by our partner UU Wellesley Hills.

United in the conviction that Black Lives Matter, that police brutality and racial injustice must end, and that we are called to pray and work for justice and joy for all people.

You are invited to gather safely* in solidarity on the church lawn, sidewalks, church steps and driveway for music, reflection and prayer.

We’ll ring the steeple bells and throw open the sanctuary windows to hear the organ. A focused time of reflection and music will be led from the main steps at 4:15pm.

*Masks are required and physical distance between family groups is expected. Please only come if you feel safe; we will live-stream from Facebook for all those who wish to participate from home.

In partnership with Wellesley Village Church, Congregational Church of Weston, Charles St. AME, clergy, St. Andrews Church, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Temple Beth Elohim, Dover UCC, Wellesley UU, St. John/St. Paul Roman Catholic Community, Wellesley Police Department, and Pilgrim Church in Sherborn.