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How to Humanist

American Humanist Association

How to Humanist asks life’s questions big and small with the help of brilliant humans along the way.

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#38
Monday · 1 hr 3 min
#38 Start Making Humanist Content Today with Hemant Mehta of "The Friendly Atheist"
Humanists have so much to say to each other in our every day lives, but have you ever considered sharing your story to a wider audience? Hemant Mehta of The Friendly Atheist joins us on today's episode to talk about how he puts out a tremendous amount of quality content, the do's & don'ts of putting yourself out there, and why it's so important to share your message online. He also mentions the AHA Creator Program, which you can apply to by visiting the link below. ABOUT HEMANT MEHTA: Hemant Mehta is the founder and editor of FriendlyAtheist.com, a YouTube creator, and co-host of the Friendly Atheist Podcast. A former National Board Certified math teacher, he’s the author of I Sold My Soul on eBay and The Young Atheist’s Survival Guide, a New York Times crossword constructor, and a Jeopardy! champion. The Friendly Atheist Site: https://friendlyatheist.com LEARN MORE Apply to join the Creator Program: https://americanhumanist.org/creatorapply For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#37
November 2 · 39 min
#37 Paging Dr. Humanist with Wil Jeudy
Measles outbreaks. Pandemics. A broken healthcare system. What is a humanist to do? Well, to start, we can look to our good friend, Wil Jeudy, an urgent care physician of many hats who understands the intersectionality between our health and who we elect to office. He's here to help us remind everyone about just how vital it is to participate in our country's elections, because it truly effects everything else we experience in our day to day lives (and even our deaths!). ABOUT WIL JEUDY: Wil Jeudy is an urgent care physician by day and a secular activist the rest of the time. He is the Texas State Director for American Atheists, Board of Advisors for the Center for Freethought Equality, Board member of Secular Coalition for America, and founder of Secular Houston and Secular Texas PAC. Voting resources: https:vote411.org/make-a-plan LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#36
October 26 · 1 hr
#36 All About Abortions with Nancy Cárdenas Peña
****This information isn’t a replacement for medical care, advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare professional, and it shouldn’t be considered legal advice. If you have questions about your health or a legal matter, we encourage you to speak with a qualified professional.**** Humanism advocates for each of us to have the rights to our own bodily autonomy. And yet, for over half of the population -- depending on your location -- the "say" lies with men, policy holders, and even strangers, as to what someone with a uterus can do with their own body. On today's episode, we welcome Galina Varchena, Policy Manager at the Center For Freethought Equality who tells us more about what's at stake with abortion laws, as well as Nancy Cárdenas Peña, Campaign Director at Abortion On Our Own Terms. ABOUT NANCY CÁRDENAS PEÑA: Nancy was born and raised in the Texas border community of the Rio Grande Valley. Nancy worked at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice where she organized at the intersection of immigration and abortion care. Nancy also helps with rapid response networks on the border against immigration raids. Nancy served on the board of Reproaction, Frontera Fund, and is currently on the board of the Abortion Freedom Fund. Nancy is part of We Testify, an organization of abortion storytellers Get abortion resources: https://abortiononourownterms.org LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#35
October 19 · 33 min
#35 How You Can Stop Christian Nationalism with Rachel Deitch
The fight against Christian Nationalism can leave us feeling powerless as we witness those in power trying to destroy our freedoms. But we refuse to let that threat come to fruition, and our Policy and Political Director, Rachel Deitch is here to tell us what we can do about it. If you're still left with any questions, reach out to our policy team at the email below, and we'll be happy to help. ABOUT RACHEL DEITCH: Rachel Deitch (she/her) is the Policy and Political Director at the American Humanist Association and the Center for Freethought Equality, where she leads federal and state advocacy to advance secular and progressive values. In her first stint at AHA, she helped pass bipartisan legislation and testified before Congress. She also founded a 65-organization coalition during the mpox public health emergency. Rachel holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and serves on the board of Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. policy [ at ] americanhumanist [dot ] org LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#34
October 12 · 35 min
#34 So What are Humanists Doing? with Fish Stark
If you're new to humanism, then you're probably also new to the American Humanist Association, a nonprofit that's been around for nearly 100 years. And we've been BUSY! In this episode you'll be inspired by the mentions of some important revolutionaries in our world's history, and then you'll learn about the ambitious and passionate work being done by the AHA with the help of supporters like you. There's way more to come! ABOUT FISH STARK: Fish Stark is an organizer, educator, social entrepreneur, and lifelong humanist. Prior to joining the AHA as Executive Director, Fish was the Head of Program + Curriculum at Legends, an educational technology startup helping children. Fish lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where he is President of the Speaker Mike Busch District 30 Democratic Club, is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, and serves on several nonprofit boards. He moonlights as an award-winning stand-up comedian and has performed in 13 states. NEW HUMANIST MERCH: "Loving Truth" Unisex T-shirt: https://www.store.americanhumanist.org/shop/p/loving-truth-unisex-t-shirt (Use code: BLOCH25 for 25% off this shirt) "Loving Truth" Unisex long sleeve tee: https://www.store.americanhumanist.org/shop/p/loving-truth-unisex-long-sleeve-tee (Use code: MARCBLOCH25 for 25% off this shirt) LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#33
October 5 · 1 hr 2 min
#33 What is Humanism? with Greg Epstein [REPLAY]
Today we return to the foundations, the brick laying of humanism, if you will. In this episode, Greg Epstein — Harvard and MIT's Humanist Chaplain and author of the NY Times bestseller Good Without God — joins us to break down what humanism actually is, where it came from, and why some of our biggest existential questions have been getting wrestled with for millennia, by regular people who just wanted to live a good life without being strong-armed into it. Welcome to humanism... we're glad to have you. ABOUT GREG EPSTEIN Greg M. Epstein serves as Humanist Chaplain at Harvard & MIT, where he advises students, faculty, and staff members on ethical and existential concerns from a humanist perspective. TechCrunch's first “ethicist in residence,” he has been called “a symbol of the transition in how Americans relate to organized religion” (The Conversation). He is author of the New York Times-bestseller Good Without God, and the multi-award-winning Tech Agnostic, and has written for TIME, CNN, and The Boston Globe. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregmepstein Good Without God: https://bit.ly/goodwithoutgodbook Tech Agnostic: https://bit.ly/techagnosticbook LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#32
September 28 · 51 min
#32 Huertas is a Humanist with Jon Huertas
We're chatting with actor, director, writer (and humanist) Jon Huertas today, traveling down the memory lane of his iconic roles and learning some of our favorite tidbits from his career. Jon also shares how humanism has impacted his career and just how cuddly cows are. Enjoy this conversation with Jon as we continue to honor Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month. #meetyourheroes ABOUT JON HUERTAS Agnostic Humanist. Air Force vet. Musical Theatre grad. 31 years in the game. Jon Huertas is Miguel on This Is Us, Esposito on Castle, and Poke in HBO's Generation Kill. Now he's calling the shots, directing The Rookie, Tracker, Ballard and more, prepping his feature debut Letters From Lebanon, and building series through his company WestSide Stories. Academy member. Lives on a horse ranch in Nevada City, California. Follow Jon on Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonhuertas LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#31
September 21 · 32 min
#31 Jordan Klepper Accepts the Humanist of the Year Award 2026
Why wait? We're still on a kick from celebrating AHA's 85th annual conference this past weekend which included honorees Jordan Klepper, Anthea Butler, and Hank Green. And although we sold out of tickets for it (not once, but) twice, we know that not everyone got a chance to attend all the wonderful sessions. So we figured, let's give the people what they want -- and what everyone wants -- is more Klepper. ABOUT JORDAN KLEPPER Jordan Klepper, our Humanist of the Year Awardee is a three-time Emmy Award winner and co-host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. He is also a recipient of the Peabody Award and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Journalism for his work on The Daily Show, where he created and hosts the acclaimed Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse series, which has been viewed over 100 million times. Klepper has written essays and op-eds for CBS Mornings and The Boston Globe on politics and civic life. He is also a nationally touring performer whose show Suffering Fools has sold out theaters across the country, and he recently delivered a top-ranked TED Talk on democracy and public discourse that has been viewed by millions. LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#30
September 14 · 36 min
#30 "Am I a Humanist?" Shay Leonia on Discovering Humanism in Public
It's a humanist crossover episode! "I've never heard of humanism, but is this what I've been all along?" What happens when you discover the word for what you've believed your whole life? Shay Leonia came to humanism only recently, and rather than hide the learning curve, she has made it the heart of her work. In this episode, James Hodgson talks with Shay about her journey into humanism, the art of admitting what you don't know, and how to bring humanist values to people who have never heard the term. We discuss growing up with everyday kindness as a lived value, letting go of the supernatural without losing what matters, the AHA Creator Program and building coalitions beyond the secular space, and why humanism needs to become more accessible and more representative if it is going to grow. ABOUT SHAY LEONIA Shay Leonia is the communications manager at the American Humanist Association (AHA), where she hosts the How to Humanist podcast and runs AHA's Creator Program, partnering with content creators to bring humanism to new audiences. A lifelong musician based in Philadelphia, she founded the media company 44th Minute Media and came to humanism recently, arriving, as she puts it, curious, a little confused, and glad she stayed. In this episode How Shay discovered humanism through a job posting and realised it named the values she'd held all along Learning out loud: the "fourth wall break" behind How to Humanist, and why admitting what you don't know builds trust The AHA Creator Program, giving people a "soft landing" into humanism, and why the movement must become more accessible and representative LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#30
September 7 · 3 min
Have a question about Humanism?
Have a question about Humanism that you'd like answered on an upcoming episode of How to Humanist? Great! We'd love to hear from you! Send your questions to ->-> podcast [at] americanhumanist.org for your chance to hear your question on a future episode! podcast [at] americanhumanist.org LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#29
August 31 · 48 min
#29 Rebuilding Joy After Deconstruction with Rev. Leika Lewis
As humans, we can find comfort in the most uncomfortable environments as long as it means we don't have to face change and sacrifice the only life we've known. Well, not only did Rev. Leika Lewis take that brave step and live to tell the tale -- they did it twice! As a professional Change Management expert, who better to assist us than Rev. Lewis on the windy road that can be deconstructing our beliefs, and helping us to build something even better this time around. Something like... joy. ABOUT REV. LEIKA LEWIS Rev. Leika Lewis (they/she) is a secular minister, chaplain, coach, and consultant. After a career as a corporate change management expert, Leika turned their skills to guiding secular folx and seekers who want to map their own path post-deconstruction and beyond dogma. Leika is a past president of the UU Humanist Association; a queer, kinky, polyamorous poet; and an unabashed Trekkie and Rennie. Heretics are their favorite people. Leika Lewis Free Masterclass: https://masterclass.leikalewis.com LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#28
August 24 · 1 hr 2 min
#28 Start Your Humanist Group Today with Elizabeth Hegwood
Where there's one of us, there's many. All around the country, people are searching for like-minded community, something AHA's 2025 Humanist Volunteer of the Year, Elizabeth Hegwood, knows very well. AHA has over 230 chapters and affiliates, but far more are needed to reach the communities that want them. That's why we're so grateful to have Elizabeth and Jake walk us through exactly how to start a humanist group near you. For any additional questions on starting a chapter, contact Jake at jake [at ] humanist [dot ] org. ABOUT ELIZABETH HEGWOOD Elizabeth Hegwood is the president of Gulf Coast Humanists as well as the Mississippi State Director for American Atheists. Gulf Coast Humanists: https://gulfcoasthumanists.org Get in touch with Elizabeth: elizabeth.hegwood [at ] atheists [dot ]org LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#27
August 17 · 1 hr 3 min
#27 Sci-Fi Fantasy and Gods Who Are a Nuisance with Jordan Ifueko
Ever wonder if it's possible to give your children and teenagers books they will love purely for their entertainment value, while also teaching them about capitalist societies and the giant tapioca balls that can destroy evil? Oddly specific, but Jordan Ifueko is up to the challenge. The NYT Bestselling Author joins us this week to discuss children's rights, her journey through deconstruction, and her acclaimed novels that are being sought after around the world. Oh, and Happy Birthday Jordan! ABOUT JORDAN IFUEKO Jordan Ifueko is the NYT Bestselling Author of the RAYBEARER series & the Disney-Marvel comics MOON GIRL & DEVIL DINOSAUR. She's been featured in People Magazine & NPR Best Books. She writes about magic Black girls who aren’t magic all the time, because honestly, they deserve a vacation. Jordan on Instagram: https://instagram/jordanifueko Invite Jordan to speak near you: https://jordanifueko.com/authorvisits LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#26
August 10 · 54 min
#26 Who have we forgotten? What have we forgotten? with Dr. Anthony Pinn
Dr. Anthony Pinn spent 13 years in ministry before he couldn't preach what he no longer believed. What he found on the other side of that was humanism, and what he's found inside humanism since then has not always been pretty. Hip hop and religion are asking the same questions, he says. Who are we, what are we, and why are we here. The difference is who gets to answer those questions, and who gets forgotten in the process. By the end of this conversation, the call-out lands squarely on (white) humanists to do better, starting now. ABOUT DR. ANTHONY PINN Agnes Cullen Arnold Distinguished Professor of Humanities and Founding Director of the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning--Rice University LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#25
August 3 · 1 hr 12 min
#25 Atheism vs Humanism with Nick Fish & Fish Stark
Two Fish walk into a podcast... One is the Executive Director of the American Humanist Association. The other is the President of American Atheists. They have been getting each other's mail, confusing each other's colleagues, and creating increasingly dorkier inside jokes with one another. Yet somehow, in the middle of all that chaos, they managed to become one of the most effective partnerships in the secular movement. If you have ever tried to explain the difference between humanism and atheism and ended up more confused than when you started, Fish and Fish -- or "The Fish Tank" -- are here to help. They talk about where the movements overlap, where they diverge, why the endless God debate might finally be losing its grip on the community, and what it actually looks like when two organizations decide to just be good neighbors. ABOUT NICK FISH Since 2018, Nick Fish has served as the president of American Atheists. Nick first joined American Atheists in 2012 and has spent his career defending the separation of religion and government, advocating for equality under the law, and protecting civil rights for all Americans. Nick was born and raised in Michigan but now calls Philadelphia home. American Atheists Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/atheists.org American Atheists Instagram: https://instagram.com/AmericanAtheists American Atheists Action Alerts and Emails: https://atheists.org/sign-up Nick Fish Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/nickfish.me LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#24
July 27 · 57 min
#24 Drawing the Line for a Healthier Life with Chris Line
Chris Line is a lawyer at the Freedom From Religion Foundation who lost 270 pounds and has kept it off for years. But this isn't a weight loss episode. Well... it is, but... it's a lot more, too. It's a conversation about what happens when you stop looking for a trick and start thinking clearly about your own life. Chris talks about growing up in a family where processed food was just the reality, what it actually feels like to have a brain that won't stop telling you to eat, and why the same moment he got serious about secular thinking was the same moment things started to change. And we promise, he doesn't have a magic pill he'll try to sell you. Just a really honest conversation about being human and doing the best you can with that. ABOUT CHRIS LINE Chris began working for Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) in 2015 as a legal intern while attending law school at the University of Wisconsin. Shortly after receiving his Juris Doctor in 2017, Chris began working full-time for FFRF as an attorney. He is an accomplished photographer whose work has appeared in The Humanist magazine, the Progressive, and FFRF’s Freethought Today. In 2017, Chris began a weight loss journey, losing more than 270 pounds and maintaining that transformation ever since. Chris' Story: https://www.freethoughttoday.com/free/chris-line-ffrf-attorney-tips-scales-back-in-his-favor/ AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#23
July 20 · 56 min
#23 Fascists Never Win with Qasim Rashid
Have you or anyone you know ever been pulled over for speeding? What if instead of issuing a ticket and a court date, you were stripped of your rights and thrown into a gulag across the country, with no way for your loved ones to know where you are or if you're even safe. This nightmare scenario only scratches the surface of what predominantly Black & Brown immigrants are facing in the United States, for what is supposed to be treated as a civil infraction, much like speeding. Human Rights lawyer Qasim Rashid joins us to share the moving goalposts of legal immigration, why its history is inherently racist, and what steps immigrants should take starting today to protect themselves. If there has ever been an episode worth sharing, this is the one to start with. ¿Alguna vez te han puesto una multa por exceso de velocidad, o conoces a alguien a quien le haya pasado? Imagina que en lugar de recibir una multa y una fecha en el tribunal, te despojaran de tus derechos y te enviaran a un centro de detención al otro lado del país, sin que tus seres queridos pudieran saber dónde estás ni si estás a salvo. Este escenario de pesadilla apenas rasca la superficie de lo que están viviendo los inmigrantes predominantemente negros y mestizos en los Estados Unidos, por lo que se supone debe tratarse como una infracción civil, al igual que el exceso de velocidad. El abogado de derechos humanos Qasim Rashid nos acompaña para hablar sobre los objetivos cambiantes de la inmigración legal, por qué su historia es inherentemente racista, y qué pasos deben tomar los inmigrantes a partir de hoy para protegerse. Si alguna vez ha habido un episodio que valga la pena compartir, este es por donde empezar. Avez-vous déjà été arrêté pour excès de vitesse, ou connaissez-vous quelqu'un à qui c'est arrivé ? Imaginez qu'au lieu de recevoir une amende et une date d'audience, on vous prive de vos droits et vous envoie dans un centre de détention à l'autre bout du pays, sans que vos proches puissent savoir où vous êtes ni si vous êtes en sécurité. Ce scénario cauchemardesque n'effleure qu'à peine la surface de ce que vivent les immigrants majoritairement noirs et métis aux États-Unis, pour ce qui est censé être traité comme une infraction civile, tout comme l'excès de vitesse. L'avocat spécialisé en droits de l'homme Qasim Rashid nous rejoint pour parler des objectifs changeants de l'immigration légale, des raisons pour lesquelles son histoire est intrinsèquement raciste, et des mesures que les immigrants devraient prendre dès aujourd'hui pour se protéger. S'il y a jamais eu un épisode qui mérite d'être partagé, c'est bien celui-ci. ABOUT QASIM RASHID Qasim Rashid is a human rights lawyer, author, and former nominee for U.S. Congress. Qasim is the Founder and President of Just Win, a creator representation firm focused on social justice and human rights. He runs a popular human rights Substack with more than 167,000 subscribers titled "Let's Address This with Qasim Rashid,” and has more than 2.8M total social media followers. You can find him across platforms @QasimRashid. Qasim Website: https://qasimrashid.com LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#22
July 13 · 1 hr 4 min
#22 Knowing When to "No" with Franchesca Ramsey
As kids, we sometimes grow up fantasizing about the many jobs we can have simultaneously. Somehow, we'll manage to be a fireman, a fashion designer, and a florist all at the same time. And while that example does a piss-poor job of conveying the realities of a multi-hyphenate professional with big dreams, it should land you somewhere in the ballpark of understanding what makes someone like Franchesca Ramsey so damn special. The balls stay afloat thanks to her commitment to know when to say "no". In this conversation, Franchesca talks about The Artist's Way, about building a career across comedy, writing, acting, and advocacy without losing the thread, and about what it looks like to set goals you can control when the industry keeps moving the goalposts. It's the kind of conversation that makes you want to grab a good pen and paper and get to work. ABOUT FRANCHESCA RAMSEY Franchesca Ramsey is a TV writer, actress, producer and social media strategist. Franchesca Website: https://franchesca.net LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#21
July 6 · 37 min
#21 Sorry, I'm on a Safari Right Now with Faith Litchfield
Someone reached out to our team not long ago and asked a question that a lot of people are probably carrying around: when you stop believing, where does the magic go? Faith Litchfield, content creator and professional lover of people, is basically a living answer to that question. Her entire existence is proof that wonder, whimsy, and the deep conviction that life is genuinely special do not require a supernatural source. If we know where to look, magic is everywhere. This conversation is about what it looks like to find the extraordinary in the ordinary, from crushed ice at the gym to the millions of people in your lineage who had to find each other just so you could exist. Faith also opens up about her own winding journey out of Christianity, what she misses, what she doesn't, and what it means to be the one calling the shots for your own life when you've spent years being really good at obeying someone else. It's a good one. ABOUT FAITH LITCHFIELD Faith Litchfield is a content creator whose videos are meant to find the light, silly, and magical moments in her life, and the world around her. Faith strives to create community and people-first conversation both in the digital world and the tangible one. Faith on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@faithisntcool Faith on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithissonotcool LEARN MORE AHA Conference 2026: https://conference.americanhumanist.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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#20
June 29 · 56 min
#20 Get Them a Goddamn Folding Chair with Rev. Dr. Jé Exodus Hooper
Reverend Dr. Je' Exodus Hooper is an arts and cultural community curator, clergy leader, and scholar, but none of those words will prepare you for what it actually feels like to be in conversation with them. Je' moves through ideas the way a painter moves through color, layering meaning on top of meaning until you realize you've been seeing the world in a shade you didn't have a name for before. From the gentrification of Black knowledge within humanist spaces, to why cancel culture is a form of erasure, to the three values Je' will go to their grave defending, this conversation is a full-body experience. Shay walked away from this recording and immediately needed to dance in her living room. If you scooch over the coffee table, you just might dance too. ABOUT REV. JE' EXODUS HOOPER Rev. Jé Exodus Hooper, PhD (them/they) is an arts and cultural community curator, clergy leader, and scholar who serves in Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Summit, NJ, the Ethical Culture Movement, and other congregational Humanist spaces. LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
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