The Alliance for Justice

Read more about the Alliance for Justice at this link.

The Alliance for Justice, Inc., is grateful to the leadership of the Wisconsin Conference of the UCC in calling on all congregations to work for racial justice.

Wisconsin is home to one of the largest populations of native people in the United States.

As Wisconsin congregations respond to the call of conference leadership to work for racial justice, we ask that you include in your work attention to the justice on behalf of the native people of this place.

We recommend three ways to do this:

• Learn the true history – Refer to https://wisconsinfirstnations.org and your local library to begin a project of learning that includes your entire congregation. In 2019, Wisconsin congregations voted to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery. In 2020, congregations should move from the general to the specific, understanding how the Doctrine of Discovery affected people in the places you now occupy.
• Advocate for civil rights – There are ways your congregation can support civil rights for native people, starting today. Familiarize yourself with some possible areas for advocacy on the Services and Programs page of the Indian Law Office page of Wisconsin Judicare. Dive deeper into the legal background in Wisconsin on the Wisconsin Bar page on Indian Law.
• Protect the environment – Support the leadership of native people in efforts to save this place according to the traditions and worldview of Wisconsin’s native people. Groups include:
  • Inter-tribal Water Walkers of Wisconsin
  • Stop Line 3
  • Frac Sand Mining
  • Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission

In the weeks ahead, the Alliance for Justice, Inc., will reach out to all UCC Wisconsin Conference congregations to learn more about how you are undertaking this work, and to determine how we can best assist you.

Background Materials on Repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery:

• Wisconsin Conference resolution repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery
• Video: Mark Charles explains the Doctrine of Discovery