 In a powerful display of unity and solidarity, faith leaders and congregants from across San Diego County, including First UU ministers and congregants, gathered on Sunday, January 25th, for the "Procession of Faith: Standing for All That is Sacred." This event was sponsored by the San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP) and was a direct response to increased ICE activity in San Diego neighborhoods, aiming to reclaim the sanctity of the streets and stand in unwavering support of immigrant brothers and sisters.
The afternoon began at Cesar Chavez Park in Barrio Logan, where hundreds of people converged. Faith leaders opened the gathering with heartfelt prayers, setting a tone of solemn purpose and hope. Following the opening prayers, the crowd embarked on a walking procession through the vibrant streets of Barrio Logan. The procession was not merely a walk but a pilgrimage of purpose, stopping at five different locations where recent ICE raids have impacted local San Diegans. Each stop served as a poignant reminder of the human cost of these actions and a moment for collective prayer and reflection. Local elected leaders also participated, demonstrating their support for the community and the powerful message of the procession. The journey culminated at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, where the participants engaged in a deeply meaningful act: the signing of a prophetic declaration. This declaration boldly affirmed their commitment to standing for all that is sacred, specifically for and with their immigrant neighbors who face intimidation and fear. Reverend Kristen read the English version of this powerful pledge, resonating with the hearts of those present. The "Standing for All That is Sacred" procession was a powerful testament to the strength of faith, community, and solidarity in the face of adversity. It was a day when the streets of Barrio Logan became a sacred space, reclaimed by those who believe in justice, compassion, and the inherent dignity of all people. Sign the Prophetic Declaration: Standing for all that is Sacred.
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 In times of uncertainty, our greatest strength lies in our faith and our community. Recently, we have witnessed an increase in ICE activity that has brought a growing sense of fear to the doorsteps of our neighbors, friends, and families.
As people of faith, we know that we cannot remain silent when our community is hurting. We are called to a higher purpose: to act as a public witness, rooted in prayer and moral clarity. Why We WalkThis isn't just a march; it is a prayerful procession. We are coming together to demonstrate that every person is sacred and that our solidarity is stronger than fear. This is an invitation to stand on the side of love, dignity, and justice for all our families. Event DetailsWe invite you, your family, and your congregation to join the San Diego Organizing Project (SDOP) for this vital community action.
RSVP here: bit.ly/SDOPsacred Let’s walk together, pray together, and show our community that they do not stand alone. We look forward to seeing you there.  As we approach the one-year mark of the current administration, ICE Out of San Diego has grown from a local movement into a pillar of resistance. Week after week, our community has met cruelty with courage, refusing to let intimidation silence the demand for justice.
This Thursday, January 22, the momentum continues. The San Diego Immigrant Rights Consortium (SDIRC) and Alliance San Diego are co-hosting our weekly rally at the Federal Building. We are standing together to demand accountability, due process, and a return to fundamental human rights. Why We Are Still Here Even in the face of rising federal overreach and intimidation, San Diegans continue to show up. We are gathering not just to demand that ICE get out of San Diego, but to call for a total end to the brutality and impunity that have defined this past year. We believe our city’s safety and dignity should always come before enforcement games. A Year of Courage This rally marks one year of resistance. It is a celebration of the ways you have shown up, spoken out, and stood firm. We invite you to bring your signs from this past year. Let’s lift up a visual history of our collective struggle and a single, clear demand: SHAVE ICE OUT OF SAN DIEGO. Rally Details
RSVP and Join Us: Sign up on Mobilize here Together, We Stand For:
 In an era defined by political volatility and social uncertainty, how do we move beyond fear and toward collective action?
Dr. Bob Nowlan, Professor Emeritus of Critical Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, in collaboration with the Democratic Socialists of America–San Diego, is proud to announce a new course offering through the Free University of San Diego: End Times Fascism–or What? How Understanding the Present Can Salvage (and Enable the Fight for) the Future. This eight-week seminar is designed to be more than just a lecture series. It is a shared space for San Diegans to dismantle the isolation of modern individualism and replace it with collaboration, participation, and mutual responsibility. Course Details
Why This Class Matters We are living through a unique socio-political phenomenon that many find difficult to name or navigate. By theorizing the "precarious present," we can begin to see the roadmap to a far better future. The curriculum may draw from the works of influential thinkers, activists, and scholars, such as:
Join the Conversation Whether you are a longtime activist or simply someone looking to make sense of the world today, your voice is welcome. We will move through these complex texts and ideas together, practicing the very community-building skills necessary to fight for the future we want to see. How to Enroll Enrollment is completely free and open to all members of the community. For more information or to express your interest in enrolling, please contact Bob Nowlan at [email protected]. 
Most of us are by now familiar with the warnings: loneliness is worse for our health than smoking 15 cigarettes a day. The statistics supporting that are astonishing. Billions of dollars are spent in related health care, hundreds of millions of lives are lived in quiet solitude. What's causing this? Is there a cure? TALK ABOUT LONELY looks at the obvious culprits: smartphones, dating apps, 'social' media, contactless commerce, the pandemic, remote work, urbanization, A.I., the ever-increasing pace of 21st century life. Then it digs much deeper into the hidden, underlying causes: concentration of the media into the hands of self-interested capital, legitimization of inequality prioritizing individual gains over community health, neoliberalism, capitalism gone dramatically wrong. And most importantly, we'll see the pathways many are successfully taking to escape this labyrinth. The film presents evocative images of our many states of both disconnection and re-connection. It features deeply insightful commentary. TALK ABOUT LONELY is raw, beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, challenging, revealing, and most importantly–hopeful. "[A] compelling and beautiful film illustrating the importance of human connection"–Carrie Henning-Smith, Associate Professor, Health Policy, University of Minnesota. "Talk About Lonely is an intelligent, thoughtful, and penetrating portrait of the negative impacts that the escalating levels of social isolation and loneliness are having on our lives. But it is not just a tale of gloom and doom. This film goes beyond just examining the worrisome influences that AI, pornography, public spaces, policy, social media, and climate are having on our ability to meaningfully connect with others–It speaks to the ability of art, music, the outdoors, and our inherent human nature to help us to never walk alone"–Lenard Kaye, Professor of Social Work, Director, Center on Aging, University of Maine. 77 Minutes, 2025, Directed by Charles Wilkinson  In 2024 the film No Other Land was awarded the Oscar for best documentary motion picture. Despite the award, it has not been widely seen in the United States because no distributor had the courage to pick it up. (It is now available for individuals to rent via streaming services). In November, the Palestine/Israel Social Justice Team, with the support of SJET, screened the film in the Common Room.
It was painful to watch. The film shows the forced displacement of the Palestinian residents of Masafer Yatta, a group of hamlets with roots in the 19 th century. When Israel decided it would use the area for tank maneuver training, soldiers systematically demolished residents’ homes. They sealed off Palestinians’ water wells by filling them with cement and bulldozed their children’s playgrounds. Meanwhile Israeli settlers attacked residents, unchecked by nearby Israeli soldiers. During the making of the film two unarmed Palestinians were shot by soldiers, one of whom, Haran, paralyzed from the neck down, dies for lack of medical care. The suppression of No Other Land is replaying with regard to the new film, The Voice of Hind Rajab. The movie is based on the recordings of a terrified 5-year-old Gazan girl trapped in a car with the dead bodies of her family members speaking with rescue workers. Although an ambulance is eight minutes away two hours pass as rescue workers seek a greenlight for its safe passage, while trying to reassure and calm the child. In the end the Israelis destroy the ambulance and kill its crew, as well as the girl. In the New York Times M. Gessen noted: “Everywhere in the world this film, shortlisted for the Oscar for best foreign movie, has major distributors – but not in the United States or Israel.” In August and September of 2024, the crew passed out over 125 waters and well over 100 burritos. Ten young adults prepared the burritos and six of us distributed the them together. ~ Lara Anderson, Youth and Young Adult Coordinator Click any image for a larger view. Click any image for a larger view.
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(619) 298-9978
We have two campuses:
Hillcrest campus: 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA. 92103 | South Bay campus: Saint John’s Episcopal Church, 760 1st Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910
For GPS to our Hillcrest Campus, please use 298 W Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
For detailed directions, parking and more see our Contact page.
We have two campuses:
Hillcrest campus: 4190 Front Street, San Diego, CA. 92103 | South Bay campus: Saint John’s Episcopal Church, 760 1st Ave, Chula Vista, CA 91910
For GPS to our Hillcrest Campus, please use 298 W Arbor Dr., San Diego, CA 92103
For detailed directions, parking and more see our Contact page.
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