More than 50 UUCP members and friends joined with 675+ other local congregants at Wahoos Stadium on Monday to ask our community leaders to support worthwhile, measurable initiatives in the areas of housing and criminal justice.

UUCP had 51 members and friends present for the event, second only to one other congregation with 81 folks present. We are a small congregation, but we are mighty, and we stand up for justice! Because we showed up today with our neighbors and because we continue to support JUST Pensacola in tangible ways, we got YES commitments from the leaders present. On housing, City Council members Ann Hill and Casey Jones agreed to consider creating a trust fund to support expansion of rental housing stock. On criminal justice, Pensacola Police Chief Eric Randall and Florida First Circuit State Attorney Ginger Bowen Madden agreed to meet with other stakeholders to discuss the development of a second screening process to review cases and identify youth who might benefit from a civil citation and to consider expanding civil citations for use among adults who commit minor offenses.

Our work is not completed, however. Now we must continue to monitor these issues and to hold these leaders accountable to these commitments. We also must continue building relationships with these leaders and the others who were not present at the event, despite being invited. We also get to celebrate on Monday, June 13, 6pm. Stay tuned for more on our JUST Pensacola involvement.