Category: Audio Archives

“Baby, We Need a Barn-Raising”

Pandemic isolation has had a deep impact on mental health and community dynamics. How can we show up with authenticity – virtually and in person — as we continue to exercise caution due to COVID-19. Rev. Erin Walter will reflect on spiritual resources for mental health and our calling to community care, drawing inspiration from music, Mr. Rogers, and more.

Rev. Erin J. Walter (she/her/hers) is a minister, activist, and musician based in Austin and winner of the 2017 Sermon Award from the UU Women’s Federation. A former YMCA director, Rev. Erin is the singer/songwriter for band Parker Woodland, whose music you’ll hear in this service. She serves as a board member for the Texas Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry and the Affiliated Community Minister of Wildflower (Unitarian Universalist) Church in Austin. You can find more about her music and ministry at ErinWalter.com.

Watch Rev. Walter’s presentation at: https://fb.watch/5JunEXj6UG/

“The Journey to Heal My Community – Dishwasher to Doctor: Healing Hearts,Inspiring Minds & Changing Communities”

As a young Syrian Kurdish refugee washing dishes in a restaurant to support his family, Heval Kelli could not know that many years later he would be a distinguished fellow in cardiology at a university less than one mile from where his journey in the United States began. Facing a steep language learning curve, a monthly rent payment, and mountains of dirty dishes, Heval knew things could be much worse. He and his family fled persecution in Syria where his father was beaten and imprisoned by the police.

As members of the Kurdish minority, the family had few choices and paid a smuggler to get them out. His family arrived in Germany in 1996 and lived in refugee camps until 2001. A circuitous route of migration finally brought them to the United States two weeks after 9/11 where they were assisted by members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in their adjustment and resettlement in Clarkston, Georgia. Through a network of caring community members, Heval was introduced to Dr. Omar Lattouf, an Emory cardiothoracic surgeon who took an interest in mentoring him through his undergraduate pre-med work at Georgia State University and his admission to Morehouse School of Medicine where he graduated cum laude and was selected by his classmates to receive the “Most Inspiring Person” award. He finished his internal medicine residency training at Emory University, earning recognition as resident of the year as well as honorable distinctions in social and in-patient medicine. Dr. Kelli was awarded the Katz Foundation Fellowship in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University where he completed his cardiology fellowship in 2020. Dr. Kelli and his wife Dr. Abdullah are among the first Kurdish American cardiologists in the United States.

Dr. Kelli’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/390653028578596

“Finding Justice in an Unjust System: The Beverly Dowling Story.”

“I’m thinking through a new book on kidnapping and slavery, and I’ve found some interesting stories, some of which rather defy our expectations about the nineteenth century.”

H. Robert Baker is Associate Professor of History at Georgia State University and is the author of Prigg v. Pennsylvania: Slavery, the Supreme Court, and the Ambivalent Constitution (2012) and The Rescue of Joshua Glover: A Fugitive Slave, the Constitution,and the Coming of the Civil War (2006). His scholarly articles have appeared in the Law and History Review, Common-Place, and the Journal of Supreme Court History. He holds a Ph.D. in History from UCLA, where he studied with Joyce Appleby. He has received a Fulbright Fellowship and has also been a fellow at the Institute for Constitutional Studies. He also writes about wine, law, and contemporary culture for the blog Tropics of Meta.

Dr. Baker’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/916607052507231

“We Begin, Again, in Love: Renewal, Resurrection, and the 7th Principle”

In the past several years many UU congregations have begun honoring the Jewish High Holy Days each autumn with the responsive reading “We forgive ourselves and each other and begin again in love,” from A Litany of Atonement, written by UU minister Rev. Rob Eller-Isaacs. These holy days occur near the fall equinox, which is the time when the dark hours of the day begin to surpass the light hours here in the Northern Hemisphere. As we join together on this Easter Day, it feels fitting that we honor spring’s longer day-light hours with a reminder to renew our commitment to love and healing, to begin the resurrection of the growing season with reconnecting to the Earth and the web of life that surrounds us. We are not separate from the Earth, and we are called to connect with all life in service, love, and a commitment to mutual well-being.

Rev. DiAnna Ritola is an Interfaith Minister and a Dianic Wiccan priestess. Her community-based ministry centers on spiritual counseling for trauma, intimate relationships, and sexuality along with rituals to honor life events and passages. DiAnna lives in NYC with her wife, Michele, two dogs (Brigid and Finnbar) and a cat (Lilith), and is doing her best to transform her small yard into a food and flower oasis. In May 2020, she published her first book Mismatched Luggage: Unpacking Your Sexual Baggage for Your Spiritual Journey. Her website is www.DiAnnaRitola.com

Rev. Ritola’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/167091241833574

“To Tell the Truth: A celebration of Women’s History Month”

A founding member of Alternate ROOTS, a service organization for community-based artists in the South, deNobriga served as ROOTS’ executive director and planning/development director for ten years. She continues to serve on the board, working on various committees as needed, and sharing the institutional memory of 40 years of continuous membership.

Raised in Kingsport TN, deNobriga holds an M.A. in Theatre (Directing) from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and a B.A. with honors in Speech Communications and Theatre Arts. Her early employment included directing and managing community theatres in Smithfield and Sanford, NC and performing with The Road Company, a professional ensemble in Johnson City, TN. DeNobriga was a Visiting Artist for two years for the NC Arts Council, and a Fellow in the Rockefeller Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership program and in the Rockwood Leadership Institute.

She is now a consultant, specializing in strategic planning, building organizational capacity, designing staff/board retreats and guiding creative conflict engagement. She trained as a mediator at the Atlanta Justice Center and is a board member for Arts & Democracy and Alternate ROOTS. She served two terms as Councilmember and one as Mayor for the City of Pine Lake, where she lives with her wife Alice Teeter, published poet and bon vivant.

Kathie’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/2878832765693360

“Finishing the Fight and Equality’s Call”

As we near the end of Women’s History Month, the titles and themes of two newish children’s books on brave and revolutionary women provides inspiration and fodder for a look at the status of gender justice in a non-binary world.

Rev. Marti Keller comes into 2021 with a lengthy involvement in issues impacting the human rights of women identified persons, including being the director of community and government relations for Planned Parenthood in Northern California and 20 years of leadership with the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation. She was given their ministry to Women Award in 2020 in recognition of “her commitment to anti-racism and intersectionality in the approach to women’s issues.” Her roles included heading the Margaret Fuller Awards Panel, presidency of the Board, co-facilitator of the New Prophetic Sisterhood of UU religious professionals, creator of the UUWF sermon award, and affiliated minister.

Rev. Keller’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/931565920992683

“Beware the Belittled: A new world view on the old ‘Hell hath no fury’ line”

Paula Larke is a storyteller, motivational speaker, spoken word/vocal innovator, bassist and percussionist. She has used her music, passion, and humor nationally, for over 38 years, to unite, chide, inspire, and restore faith in the human potential for harmony. Her primary work is in community – schools, churches, state fairs, businessmen’s luncheons, workplace employee training – every kind of community gathering allowing her access. Most recently, Paula has been a teaching artist in Eastern Kentucky and Clarkston, GA, adapting her delivery for Appalachian and international refugee audiences. “It has been an enriching experience, seeing through eyes so different from my own” she affirms.

Paula’s CD, “UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY,” produced with activist/percussionist Kim Nimoy, is a performance libretto, designed for use in schools and colleges.

You can view Paula’s presentation here: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/1057859461370558

“Calling In Democracy”

Loretta Ross is a Visiting Associate Professor at Smith College teaching “White Supremacy in the Age of Trump.” She started her career in the women’s movement in the 1970s, working at the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, the National Organization for Women, the National Black Women’s Health Project, the Center for Democratic Renewal (National Anti-Klan Network), the National Center for Human Rights Education, and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective. Her forthcoming book is Calling In the Calling Out Culture.  Her most recent publications are Reproductive Justice: An Introduction and Radical Reproductive Justice.

Ms. Ross’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/171350467934921

“What’s really stopping mental health justice progress? A story from the trenches”

Dominic Thomas is a father of three, husband and believer in progress who once served at First E and is also a

professor and consultant. He regularly volunteers in a variety of causes and groups, particularly as a Scout leader. Some of his current work focuses on digitizing the global maritime industry as well as enabling crisis response improvements in mental health scenarios.

Dominic’s presentation may be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/FirstExistentialist/videos/1926571450814452