Get ready to buckle up and join the excitement because the American Humanist Association’s 82nd Annual Conference: Crossroads and Collective Futures is almost here! In just a little more than three short weeks, humanists from every corner of the country will unite in Denver (and online!) for an unforgettable experience.
Get ready to be blown away by our incredible line-up of inspiring speakers, thought-provoking panelists, and electrifying performers. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a newcomer to humanism, there will be networking opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals, award ceremonies to celebrate our community’s trailblazers, and plenty of time to build lasting relationships and strengthen our collective future.
We’ve been building up the anticipation over the last few weeks with sneak peeks of our incredible sessions, panel discussions, and breakout events. And guess what? This week is no exception!
Stephanie Zvan answers the question What Do You Mean, Science is Racist? Many humanists resist the idea that science can be racist because, after all, science is how we come to an objective understanding of our world. However, we’ll discover this couldn’t be further from the truth. The problem, of course, is that science is still a human endeavor. With that come all the biases that plague humanity. Join us for a fascinating journey through science’s dark past, as we explore the uncomfortable truths about its relationship with racism. Discover how science is working to confront and overcome its past biases, and learn about the challenges that still lie ahead.
“I am dying out loud” is a declarative statement. Dave Warnock uses it to say he is taking control of not only how he lives, but how he dies. As a humanist, he will not only live on his own terms, he will die on his own terms. Unwanted religious overreach is a major problem in this country in our hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care facilities, and funeral homes. The religious sometimes pray on people in vulnerable situations; folks who are compromised with serious health issues, or are dying. Dave will tell us about a new grassroots organization he’s developing with chapters in every state, that working with organizations like AHA, will help ensure that every citizen has the right to live and die on their own terms.
Would you like to learn about programming for families? In the breakout session Focus on the Family: A Good Idea?, Monica Toole will guide you through the world of youth and family programming within secular communities. Discover how these programs can help combat the alarming rise of violations of the separation between church and state and the dangerous trend of Christian nationalism in the US. Plus, learn how these programs can help promote diversity and inclusivity within secular communities. Monica’s practical knowledge, gained through her groundbreaking work at Denver’s Secular Hub, will equip you with the tools you need to create effective and engaging programming in your own community.
Following the family theme, Anne Klaeysen and Audrey Kindred in the breakout panel discussion Humanist Family Life Ceremonies, will offer humanist guidance for ethical ceremonies, celebrations, and practices that families of all kinds can explore, adopt, revise, and create together, to express their relationships and values in a humanist context. With a god-free or nontheistic base, they bring a meaning-filled groundwork with diversity, inclusion, and humanely creative potential. It will lay the ground for a holistic approach for families to develop self-directed experiences/events, as well as to work with professional helpers as facilitators.
Get ready to ignite your community and take your humanist chapter to the next level! How to Grow and Sustain a Humanist Presence in Your Community will feature a panel of representatives from some of the most successful humanist chapters across the US. These powerhouse leaders will share their proven strategies for building membership and promoting humanism in the community, including cutting-edge marketing and advocacy methods, creative ideas for expanding equity and diversity, and innovative approaches to building operational effectiveness. Whether you’re a group leader, organizer, or simply passionate about building a more vibrant and inclusive humanist community, this session is packed with practical ideas and actionable insights that you can take back to your own group.
We hope that you’ll join us in-person or online by registering for the Conference and booking a hotel room in our room block at the Conference hotel, the Renaissance Denver Central Park. This opportunity to connect, learn, and grow with the humanist community only comes once a year. We can’t wait to see you there!
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