• First and foremost, we put protecting all beings from exploitation at the heart of our faith for all UUs. We did that by continuing our years-long work to ensure that animals will be in the UUA's “new principles,” by developing and overseeing the General Assembly's passage of Amendment 52 to Article 2 of the UUA bylaws. The language we drafted and worked with UU leaders across the continent to hone modified the “Interdependence” Value and reads, in part, “We covenant to protect Earth and all beings from exploitation, creating and nurturing sustainable relationships of repair, mutuality, and justice.” The amendment passed with almost 80 percent of the vote, and it was one of only five amendments to the Article II Commission's draft that were adopted. This was quite the accomplishment and only could have happened with the help of many of you who spoke up on its behalf.

• We supported more than 30 local Chapters and aspiring Chapters with free monthly online meetings for Chapter leaders and prospective leaders.

• We hosted animal advocate speakers like:

• Christopher “Soul” Eubanks, who works with communities of color for total liberation of people and animals, and who spoke at our annual Blessing of the Animals online service,

• former farmer Harold Brown, who grew up on a Michigan beef farm and now advocates for veganism, and 

• Christine Kim from My Dog is My Home, which advocates for unhoused people and animals.

• We co-organized and hosted an interfaith panel featuring Unitarian Universalist, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist leaders, who spoke about building a more just food system for animals, people, and the Earth.

• Our free Pet Loss Support Group, facilitated by our Chaplain, met once a month throughout 2023. 

• We connected thousands of UU to animal concerns by placing ads in the UU World magazine and staffing a booth at General Assembly.

• We annually award grants to chapters to support their local efforts. This year we awarded $1,000 in grants to seven chapters who submitted outstanding proposals.

• We welcomed several new UUAM local Chapters, including our first virtual Chapter for residents of Canada. 

• We promoted virtual participation in local Chapter activities like concerts, speakers, and book and movie discussions.

• We launched this beautiful new website that makes compassion and justice for animals far more accessible to UUs across the continent.

• We revamped our free monthly e-newsletter, which now features in-depth articles in every issue—thanks to all you who have contributed articles!

• We continued our tradition of hosting the Albert Schweitzer sermon contest. The sermon prize this year was our largest ever, $1,000, which encouraged preaching on our responsibilities to other animals in UU pulpits across the continent.

We accomplished all of this and more through the efforts of our part-time Executive Director, an all-volunteer Board, the volunteers who lead our Chapter activities, edit our newsletter, and maintain the website, and our supporters like you.

Together, we are helping Unitarian Universalists appreciate their nonhuman kin, and support compassion, respect, and justice for people and for other animals.

Thanks to all who support our work. You can be part of building a better world for humans and the more-than-human world by donating to UUAM today. Thank you!