We will be using the video conferencing system Zoom to share our Assembly Programs online. If you’re unfamiliar with joining a Zoom Meeting, please watch this video. Make sure you download the latest version. All events will use https://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions You can use the Zoom app or website on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Below discussions will review the business items to be voted on at Saturday, August 7, 12pm ET Assembly Meeting.

Delegate Training – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Saturday, June 5, 6:00 pm ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend these sessions, please contact Sonja Kueppers, skueppers@aeu.org.

Budget and Finance – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Wednesday, June 23, 8:00 pm ET Saturday, July 24, 4:00 pm ET Saturday, July 31, 4:00 pm ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend these sessions, please contact Tom Castelnuovo, tcastelnuovo@aeu.org.

Resolutions – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Wednesday, June 16, 8:00 pm ET Saturday, July 10, 4:00 pm ET Saturday, July 17, 11:00 am ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend these sessions, please contact Sonja Kueppers, skueppers@aeu.org.

Meet the Board Candidates – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Wednesday, July 7, 8:00 pm ET Saturday, July 31, 11:00 am ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend these sessions, please contact Sue Walton, swalton@aeu.org.

Bylaws Amendments and Policy Changes – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Wednesday, June 30, 8:00 pm ET Saturday, July 17, 4:00 pm ET Saturday, July 24, 11:00 am ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend these sessions, please contact Casey Gardonio-Foat, cgardonio-foat@aeu.org.

Assembly Business Meeting 2021 – http://bit.ly/AEUAssemblySessions Saturday, August 7, 12:00 pm ET If you are a delegate and unable to attend this session, please contact office@aeu.org.

• LAY LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW - Tuesday, June 15, 8 pm ET

  LAY LEADERSHIP OVERVIEW Jone Johnson Lewis and Bart Worden Tuesday, June 15, 8pm ET – Watch on youtube here! Jone Johnson Lewis and Bart Worden will describe the Lay Leadership Skills project, describe which modules are available and explain how the modules will be available. Will include demonstrations and practice.

• THE WASTEFULNESS OF RACISM - Thursday June 17 8 pm ET

  THE WASTEFULNESS OF RACISM  Nick Sanders Thursday, June 17, 8pm ET – Watch on youtube here! In discussions of racism, there is often the need to broaden the understanding of “racism” as going beyond individuals’ and groups’ name-calling and violence to see also the “institutional” or “systemic” nature of racial discrimination. Both these characterizations of racism imply that the problem is one of the negative impact on persons of color based solely on their identity as persons of color, and specifically on the failure to judge the person based on their character or inherent worth. This presentation will go beyond those ethical arguments against racism to consider also the waste of human talent that comes from racism. While this is an underlying theme in popular literature on racism, this presentation will more formally introduce this pragmatic dimension to anti-racism, one that highlights economic benefits in addition to the usual ethical orientations to anti-racism of caring and justice. To reverse the direction of the socially-responsible-investing mantra of “doing good while doing well,” we should acknowledge the value in “doing well while doing good.”

• MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT- Tuesday June 22nd 8pm ET

  MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Jone Johnson Lewis and Bart Worden –– Watch on youtube here! Sponsored by the AEU Membership Committee, Jone and Bart will explore some key practices that encourage membership development. Why do you want more members? How do you attract visitors and help them choose to become members? How do you encourage deeper engagement of your members in your Ethical Society? Participants will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about their impressions of their Societies’ strengths and challenges in some typical membership growth activities.

• RECLAIMING THE NEW COLOSSUS - Thursday June 24th 8pm ET

  RECLAIMING THE NEW COLOSSUS Scott Franciscus Thursday, June 24th, 8pm ET — Watch on youtube here! Although envisioning the Statue of Liberty as a “new colossus”, the United States has become very much like the old ones. It is time to reclaim the vision of Emma Lazarus’ poem and remake the United States to be what it could become : a place for immigrants, refugees, where the poor can find equity, and equal rights are truly experienced by all and for all. This workshop will explore the historical context and authorship of the New Colossus poem found at the base of the Statue of Liberty as a basis for a discussion on immigration. Here is a link to read The New Colossus. 

• POLARITY MANAGEMENT - Tuesday June 29 8 pm ET

  POLARITY MANAGEMENT Jone Johnson Lewis and Bart Worden Tuesday, June 29th, 8pm ET  — Watch on youtube here! Some conflicts in Ethical Societies are difficult to resolve because they are actually polarities where both ends of the disagreement have value and are necessary. Jone and Bart will present a model for managing the tensions between them. They will be providing some examples and tools to help.

• HUMANIST YOUTH LEADERSHIP: A SURVEY AND SKILLS BUILDING WORKSHOP - July 13 8pm ET

  HUMANIST YOUTH LEADERSHIP: A SURVEY AND SKILLS BUILDING WORKSHOP Moderated by Julia Julstrom-Agoyo with Evan Clark, Debbie Goddard, Jé Hooper, Javen Lev, and Anya Overmann  July 13, 8 pm EST— Watch on Youtube here! Though Ethical Culture has an average age of membership that leans in the more seasoned direction, Youth are a vital part of Ethical Culture’s past and present. What are they up to? How would they suggest maintaining and attracting young people to your Ethical Society? Diverse viewpoints are key to building a better sense of “truth.” Filling the knowledge gap of activities of young people in the movement as well as building more diverse communities in terms of age will assist in Ethical Culture’s push for “truth.”

• RACISM AND ANTIRACISM: TWO AMERICAN TRADITIONS - July 15 8pm ET

  RACISM AND ANTIRACISM: TWO AMERICAN TRADITIONS Jone Johnson Lewis Thursday, July 15, 8pm ET-–  Watch on youtube here! One of the many subtle myths of American history is to ignore not only the persistence of racism in America, but also the continuity of racial justice activism, instead highlighting a few periods (abolition, the civil rights era of the 60s, for example) and failing to see the connections between them. Each time there are major advances in racial justice, there is a major backlash reinforcing racism. But even in those tough periods, the tradition is passed on. Jone Johnson Lewis, Leader of the Riverdale-Yonkers Society for Ethical Culture, will lead us in a reflection on the reliability and unreliability of racial justice in America and in Ethical Culture, and what it means for those of us today committed to anti-racist work.

• ETHICAL CULTURE: ITS PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY HUMANISM - July 20 8pm ET

  ETHICAL CULTURE: ITS PLACE IN CONTEMPORARY HUMANISM Richard Koral Tuesday, July 20, 8 pm ET— Watch on youtube here! Whether Ethical Culture is viewed as a religion or a philosophical life stance, there remains the fundamental question:  What do we believe?  At a time when bad things happen to good people, when so many people fail to be their best selves, when good people lose faith in their leaders, what does Ethical Humanism have to offer the world?

• REPRESENTING ETHICAL CULTURE IN INTERFAITH SETTINGS - July 27 8pm ET

  REPRESENTING ETHICAL CULTURE IN INTERFAITH SETTINGS James Croft Tuesday, July 27, 8 pm ET — Watch on youtube here! We live in a multi-religious society and are members of a tiny, often misunderstood minority religion. How can we develop relationships with people of other religious perspectives while effectively representing our own? What unique voice does Ethical Culture bring to interfaith settings, and how can we use that voice to exercise influence? Who are we accountable to when we represent Ethical Culture in interfaith spaces, and how do we best fulfill our responsibilities? Through a series of case studies drawn from his own work representing Ethical Culture in numerous interfaith settings, James will help you navigate the enriching – but potentially treacherous – world of interfaith engagement.

• ADDRESSING THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT AMERICA'S MONETARY SYSTEM - July 22 8pm ET

  ADDRESSING THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT AMERICA’S MONETARY SYSTEM Ellen H. Brown and Walt McRee Thursday, July 22, 8 pm ET — Watch on youtube here! A deep dive into the mechanics and history of America’s financial system, where it came from, what it has become, and what is being done to make it more democratic and just. Ethical public policies depend on collaborative and supportive monetary systems. These systems have strayed far from the potential that was demonstrated early in America’s history — but can be recovered through enlightening the public.

• ETHICAL CULTURE IN 40 YEARS- August 3 8pm ET

  Ethical Culture in 40 Years Christian Hayden Tuesday, August 3, 8 pm ET— Watch on youtube here! As we enter a critical period of being post-pandemic, it is an opportune time to think about what we want Ethical Culture to become. Though it feels we have this conversation often, very rarely is it documented, and presented and weighed. With this workshop, we would like to collect various voices in the movement to articulate the Ethical Culture they want to exist in 40 years. It is likely many of us will not be here to see it, but the question of what we want to exist beyond us is something humans need to do more often. Truth is constantly being created, what we work to put into reality is a manifestation of our beliefs and deeply held principles. We must then take time to shape the truth that we want to exist.

Click on a speaker for headshot and bio.

• Ellen Brown

  Ellen Brown, J.D., developed her research skills as an attorney practicing civil litigation in Los Angeles. She is the author of 12 books, including the groundbreaking Web of Debt and The Public Bank Solution. The latter traces the history and evolution of the current private banking system, showing how it usurped the power to create money from the public, and how the people can take that power back through public banks that operate in the public interest. Ellen’s 300+ articles are posted at EllenBrown.com. She also co-hosts a radio program called “It’s Our Money” on PRN.FM. She is a Fellow of the Democracy Collaborative and has degrees from UC Berkeley and UCLA School of Law.”

• Evan Clarke

  Evan is a humanist entrepreneur, political consultant, and public speaker with over 12 years of experience tinkering with secular communities. Evan is also the founder and creative director at Spectrum Experience LLC and serves as Board Chair for the Secular Student Alliance. Previously he was co-host of the Humanist Experience podcast and co-founder of the Humanist Community of Ventura County. As a student leader, Evan was the founder and president of the Secular Student Alliance at California Lutheran University (CLU). In 2010, Evan was also elected CLU’s first openly atheist student body president. Evan was hired in 2019 as Atheists United’s first Executive Director.

• James Croft

  Dr. James Croft is the Leader of the Ethical Society of St. Louis – one of the largest Humanist congregations in the world. A graduate of Cambridge and Harvard Universities, James is an in-demand public speaker, an engaging teacher, and a passionate activist for human rights. James was raised on William Shakespeare, Carl Sagan and Star Trek, and lives in St. Louis with his fabulous drag queen husband Kolten.

• Scott Franciscus

  Scott Franciscus is a member of the Susquehanna Valley Ethical Society in Lewisburg, PA. Married with four children, he is a recent “convert” to Ethical Culture having served as a youth pastor for over 12 years. He will be entering graduate school at Meadville Lombard in the fall for his M. Div degree with the focus on becoming a Humanist Chaplain.

• Debbie Goddard

  Debbie Goddard is an organizer with experience in secular and skeptic organizing, queer activism, and racial justice work. Currently the Vice President for Programs at American Atheists, she helps develop campaigns for activists and affiliates, manages national programs, and coordinates the national convention. Debbie previously worked at the Center for Inquiry directing Campus & Community Programs and African Americans for Humanism. While there, she launched a national billboard campaign highlighting black freethinkers, coordinated an international campaign on blasphemy laws and free expression, and organized the Women in Secularism 4 conference and the annual Leadership Conferences.

• Christian Hayden

  Christian Hayden (Philadelphia, Leader-In-Training) is a Community Educator with Women Against Abuse. Christian served three years as an AmeriCorps member. Following Christian’s time with AmeriCorps he began work as a Community Liaison in both the Mantua and Southwest communities of Philadelphia. In 2015, Christian left for a year abroad in Ghana working with the Humanist Service Corps. While in Ghana he worked with a women’s rights organizations addressing issues around violence against women. Coupled with his experience, he has interests in art, photography, hip hop, and sociology. Christian brings all of these elements together as he facilitates dialogue around safety in relationships with students. Christian earned a B.A in Urban Studies from the College of Wooster in Ohio. Christian finds grounding and guidance in contributing to and shaking up the Ethical Culture community.

• Richard Koral

  Dr. Richard L. Koral is Leader at the New York Society for Ethical Culture and the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island. He holds a B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from New York Law School. He attended The Humanist Institute and earned a Doctor of Ministry in Interfaith Pastoral Counseling from Hebrew Union College. Richard is also a long-time member of the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester where he was Society president from 1997 to 2002 and has been active with the AEU, serving as its board president from 2012 to 2015.

• Javan Lev

  Javan joined Humanists International as Young Humanists International Coordinator and Social Media Consultant in February 2021. He works with young humanists worldwide, focusing on their development and growth as humanists. He also manages the social media platforms of Humanists International and assists in creating materials to promote humanism. Before joining Humanists International, Javan has been active in community work zeroing on environmental conservation, climate justice, human rights, and civic engagement advocacies since 2012.He is currently the Chief Executive of Humanists Alliance Philippines International, a government registered and progressive humanist organization in the Philippines that stands for human rights, secular education and strives for a world free from violence and division. Javan is the co-founder and former pioneer president of the Association of Young Environmental Journalists, a youth-led environmental media organization.

• Jone Johnson Lewis

  Jone Johnson Lewis has been an Ethical Culture Leader for 30 years. She has served Societies in Riverdale-Yonkers, Brooklyn, Northern Virginia, and Chicago, and has been an interim Executive Director of the AEU. She currently serves on the AEU Membership and Board Development Committees, and is president and Leader representative to National Ethical Service

• Walt McRee

  Walt McRee has held leadership roles with PBI since its earliest years including as Chair and President (2015-2017), Board Director and in his continuing role as Senior Advisor. He co-founded and helped direct other public banking initiatives including the Pennsylvania Project and Banking On New Jersey. Walt produces and co-hosts the radio podcast “It’s Our Money with Ellen Brown” on the Progressive Radio Network as well as hosts the “Public Bank Solution” online TV series. Following his time as PBI Chair, Walt became president of Public Banking Associates, a national consultancy of public banking experts helping legislators and policy professionals address creation of their own public banks. Along with a career in media as a performing artist, entrepreneur and strategist, Walt has held leadership positions in a variety of public interest issues including world hunger, the environment, public broadcasting and the arts. He holds a BA in Philosophy and Geography from Valparaiso University.

• Anya Overman

  Anya Overmann is President of Young Humanists International and has held multiple roles in the American Ethical Union, specifically in the Future of Ethical Societies. She was raised in the Ethical Culture movement and attended the Ethical Society of St. Louis since she was a young child. Anya received her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Truman State University and has been running a business as a writer for four years. She currently lives as a digital nomad, living and working wherever she wanders. Her passion lies in advocating vigorously for humanist and progressive values both within and beyond the United States.

• Nick Sanders

  Nick Sanders joined the Philadelphia Ethical Society in 2003 and has chaired the EAC there in two stints of three years each. He has also been an active member of the Society’s Ending Racism Task Force and its principal coordinator with the interfaith coalition POWER’s Education Justice campaign. Nick is a retired education researcher and program evaluator, having been on the Educational Psychology faculty at Penn State University, in the Training Department of CIGNA Property & Casualty Insurance Company, and with Temple University’s Center for Research in Education and Human Development. He has published studies of cognitive processes, ethical and citizenship education, and workforce development, and is co-editor of The School-to-Work Movement (Praeger, 2003). Having a career-long interest in the relationship between pre-adult education and fulfilling adult roles, Nick has been focusing his attention over the past couple of years on how education adequacy and equity result in positive societal outcomes.

• Bart Worden

  Bart Worden (Westchester, AEU) is the Executive Director for the American Ethical Union and the Clergy Leader for the Ethical Culture Society of Westchester in White Plains, New York. Bart has also worked extensively in the area of community behavioral health as direct care provider, program developer, and administrator. Bart’s recent social justice efforts have focused on addressing bias and discrimination in communities in Westchester County, and he is a member of the Westchester Coalition for Police Reform and the 400 Years Project – a countywide coalition.

Assembly 2021 will feature two award ceremonies: The Anna Garlin Spencer Award Ceremony will be held Saturday, June 26 at 2 pm ET. Watch on youtube here! Born in 1851, Anna Garlin Spencer was a social activist and feminist icon. She was the first woman ordained in Rhode Island, became a founder of the NAACP, promoted child labor laws, and worked for equal rights for women. She was also the first woman Ethical Culture Leader and her life-long work embodies the spirit intended by this award. The AEU Anna Garlin Spencer Volunteer Award recognizes a lay member of any AEU Member Organization in good standing for their significant volunteer contributions to the success of their organization and/or to the AEU. The AEU Board presents the award on behalf of the AEU and the nominating congregation. Read about our 2021 Awardees Here! Support the AEU