On January 28, 2024, please join the Veatch Board of Governors for Veatch Sunday, a long-standing tradition within the Shelter Rock community. Veatch Sunday provides a wonderful opportunity for congregants to meet and hear directly from Veatch grantees. This year, we are delighted to welcome Deborah Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Veatch grantee Georgia STAND-UP, to deliver the sermon during Sunday Worship at 11am. Following lunch sponsored by the Veatch Board of Governors, we will hold our Veatch Annual Meeting at 1pm where we will welcome Rosemary Rivera, Executive Director of Veatch grantee Public Policy and Education Fund, to join us in dialogue with Deborah Scott.
Deborah Scott has been an organizer for more than 25 years, and has mentored dozens of younger activists and organizers, many of them women of color, along the way. She is known nationally for her work in civic engagement, voting rights, and community empowerment—and founded Georgia STAND-UP in 2004 to organize for progressive change in the state. Deborah has previously spoken about the difficulty she faced in the founding of STAND-UP attracting support from the philanthropic community for a Black-led organization in Georgia. Through the Veatch Program, UUCSR has supported Deborah’s critical work as a grantee since 2007—a testament to our commitment to fund leaders and organizers for the long term.
Georgia STAND-UP was part of a coalition of organizing groups in the state that successfully mobilized low-income and voters of color in historic numbers to the polls during the 2020 election cycle. The record-breaking turnout that year, led in particular by Black women, surprised many political observers. But Deborah had been confident in the group’s success. In a New York Times article from that year, she noted that Georgia STAND-UP and others had been working toward a more inclusive and progressive political landscape in Georgia for decades.
Deborah Scott, Executive Director, Georgia STAND-UP
Rosemary Rivera is the Executive Director of Public Policy and Education Fund, which was founded in 1986 to bring about progressive, inclusive and transformational change for Black and Brown, immigrant, and low-income communities in New York. Rosemary’s work has been at the forefront of many statewide victories, including recent wins like securing a $4 billion increase in state funding for public schools. On Veatch Sunday, Rosemary will talk about how her organization is using community organizing and civic engagement strategies to energize New Yorkers on issues including housing, healthcare, and climate change.
Rosemary began working as a volunteer over 18 years ago. The first Latina and LGBTQ+ person to serve as Executive Director, Rosemary credits the leadership development and political education she has received over the past two decades with her ability to lead today.
Rosemary Rivera, Executive Director, Public Policy and Education Fund
Join us for Veatch Sunday this year for the wonderful opportunity to hear directly from these two powerful women. Veatch Sunday will be held onsite and livestreamed on January 28, 2024. All are welcome! Please see below for a schedule of the day’s events.
Schedule of Events
11:00am: Worship Service
12:00pm: Lunch Sponsored by the Veatch Board of Governors
1:00pm: Veatch Program Annual Meeting with Grantee Discussion
Joan Minieri
Executive Director