Author Archives: T. Resnikoff

My name is Lehna Huie.

I am 22 years old and loving discovering life.

I grew up UU and Community Church is my home church in NYC. I became very involved in social justice work through my youth group and YRUU [Young Religious Unitarian Universalist]. I hold my UU values as core values of living- it has been the backbone of my spirituality, and struggles and joys of being an artist and activist.

As a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts (BFA) and being an activist and UU Sunday School teacher, I have composed a language that is ever broadened by indulging myself physically and mentally in the community.  My responsibility and commitment to the urgency of social change and awareness brings me to.

I am enlightened and motivated by the power of the collective voice- awareness and community through shared knowledge and heightened consciousness. My art is representative of my spiritual journey and quest for answers. As a Black woman committed to being an agent of change in this world- art is a positive tool for change.

I am committed to collectively bring young Black artists together to do projects. In recently founding the art collective Native Tongue, I recognized the urgency for growth for supporting young Black creators within NYC’s community. We are a group of 15 black artists and activists finding alternative strategies for sharing knowledge and creation beyond the group. The aim is to build a self-sustainable community of Black artists committed to resisting oppression, and documenting and delivering our voice where it matters most. We will do so in developing new ways of sharing information, creative insight, history and knowledge on an intergenerational and multidisciplinary level in community with one another.

I am also am aspiring to become a Yoga teacher. I wish to observe and practice fusion of the body, mind and spirit in healthy ways and sharing that with others.

Paintings:

Elias Waddington

Elias Waddington has been an active Unitarian Universalist for just over a year and has been a member of the Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church for just over half a year. He discovered the UU community at Camp De Benneville Pines where he realized that he has been raised with UU ideas. His American father has been a UU since High School.
Elias has been playing piano since he was five and at Camp De Benneville Pines, he discovered a new way to express his spirituality through music. He draws inspiration and influence from widely varying genres including cool jazz, classical, and power metal.
In his church, Elias is an active member in the youth discussion group, the Senior High youth group, and youth and adult committees. He has also been elected to the Central Midwestern District’s Youth Steering Committee as the communications director, writing articles for the CMwD newsletter, the Midwesterner. Elias’s main contribution to Unitarian Universalist gatherings is his music. Playing both piano and percussion, Elias uses his music to enhance worship services that promote relaxation and self expression. Beyond music, his hobbies range from miniatures to computer and information technology. He is currently planning to pursue a career in aerospace and systems engineering.

Abhimanyu Janamanchi

Abhimanyu Janamanchi is 16 years old and is a junior at Palm Harbor University High School. He was born in India and is a lifelong UU Hindu.
Abhimanyu is an active member at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Clearwater where he participates in leading worship and Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU) related programs.
Abhimanyu is currently the worship coordinator for the General Assembly Youth Caucus, is on the Florida district board as a youth representative and is a Chrysalis trainer. Abhimanyu enjoys playing basketball, watching movies, and living out his faith every day.

Natalia (Natty) Maria Francisco Averett

Natty’s nonprofit experience includes organizing workshops on race for the Anti-Defamation League and involvement in the Environmental Club, and black, Latino, Queer and multicultural organizations. She has worked as a volunteer coordinator, co-managed a women’s center, interned at Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project and Libreria Del Pueblo, and worked as a campus organizer for the Feminist Majority Foundation. She is currently a member of the D.C. HIV/Prevention Community Planning Group, a joint effort of the Centers for Disease Control and the D.C. Department of Health.
In the UU world, Natty served on the Joseph Priestly District Young Adult Network Steering Committee and has been involved in young adult activities at the national level. She was a leader in the UU Church of Arlington’s (UUCA) young adult community, where she helped organize a conference inspired by the Our Whole Lives pilot course for young adults. She has been a UUCA covenant-group facilitator and was a member of the congregation’s 2008/2009 Strategic Planning Task Force. In 2009, she joined the Board of Trustees and was recently elected Chair for the 2010/2011 fiscal year. Over the last few years, she’s been involved in several UU racial justice trainings and activities.
In her day job, Natty works for the consulting firm SAIC, where she provides industrial security strategic planning assistance, policy advice and training to company leadership and professional colleagues. She is active in her company’s multicultural network and women’s network, where she chaired community outreach and was nominated for an achievement award for Excellence in Corporate Responsibility.
Natty strives for personal connection, consensus and efficiency. She enjoys walking, sleeping, sitting outside, reading, art, film, puzzles, music, dancing, beaches, food culture, and finding “the funny,” the small thing that makes something hilarious when it would otherwise not be funny at all.