This past weekend, hundreds of humanists gathered online for the American Humanist Association’s 83rd Annual Conference, The Future is Humanist: Shaping Tomorrow Together.
Attendees joined exciting sessions on topics including Humanism and AI, Hidden Disabilities, Threats to Public Education, Re-Imagining Relationships, Reproductive Rights, Humanism and Science, Humanist Professionals, Secular Elected Officials, and Progressive Parenting. They also gathered in networking sessions and discussion boards to discuss these ideas further.
In addition, participants had the opportunity to meet the AHA’s new Executive Director, Fish Stark. Fish is an organizer, educator, social entrepreneur, and lifelong humanist who has spent his career turning big ideas into bold action in service of belonging, flourishing, and social justice for all people. In keeping with the conference theme, Fish presented his vibrant vision for the future of the AHA, with ample opportunities for the audience to ask questions and get to know him. He also introduced an vital new project to combat Project 2025, Democracy Not Theocracy, which you can read about elsewhere in this newsletter.
The AHA also presented awards to several deserving individuals. The Religious Freedom Award was given jointly to Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-8) for their work protecting separation of church and state, especially through their co-founding of the Congressional Freethought Caucus.
Karen Hao
Journalist Karen Hao accepted the Humanist Media Award for her work covering artificial intelligence. She was the first journalist to ever profile OpenAI and is now working on a book about the company and the AI industry to be published in 2025. She is a contributing writer for The Atlantic and leads The AI Spotlight Series, a program she designed to train journalists on covering AI. Previously, she was a foreign correspondent at The Wall Street Journal and a senior editor at MIT Technology Review. She has been a fellow with the Harvard Technology and Public Purpose Project, the MIT Knight Science Journalism Program, and the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network.
The Inquiry and Innovation Award was presented to Ted Chiang, renowned science fiction writer. His fiction has won four Hugo, four Nebula, and six Locus Awards, and has been reprinted in Best American Short Stories. His first collection, Stories of Your Life and Others, has been translated into twenty-one languages, and the title story was the basis for the Oscar-nominated film Arrival. His second collection Exhalation was chosen by The New York Times as one of the 10 Best Books of 2019.
Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman was named the 2024 Humanist of the Year. Ms. Goodman is a broadcast journalist and serves as the host and executive producer of Democracy Now!, a national, daily, independent, award-winning news program airing on over 1,400 public television and radio stations worldwide. The New York Times has written that Democracy Now!, “distinguishes itself by documenting social movements, struggles for justice and the effects of American foreign policy, along with the rest of the day’s developments.” Ms. Goodman has reported on violent conflicts around the world, on unrest here at home, and has been arrested covering protests at The White House and the Republican Convention. Her journalism has been recognized with a host of awards.
If you were able to attend our 83rd annual conference, we hope you enjoyed these thought-provoking discussions, were inspired by our impactful awardees, and found virtual community with fellow humanists around the world. Mark your calendars – the 84th annual conference will be held in person in Chicago on June 27th – 29th, 2025.
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