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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Jack Harrison-Quintana has spent his career doing work that has shaped LGBTQ lives in corners of the world most advocates never get to reach. He has shown up, in person, in over 76 countries, building real relationships with LGBTQ activists on the ground, helping communities collect their own data on discrimination when their governments wouldn't, and working to make sure that the most vulnerable queer people in the world had access to resources, safety, and each other. His resume reads like a life fully committed to the idea that no one should have to fight for their dignity alone. This conversation is a rare opportunity to hear someone who has seen the global state of LGBTQ rights up close and still chooses to believe in the direction we are heading. Jack is honest about how bad it is in too many places, and equally honest about why the backlash we are living through right now is not the whole story. If you have been trying to hold onto hope without looking away from the truth, this is the episode for that. ABOUT JACK HARRISON-QUINTANA Jack Harrison-Quintana, M.A., is a queer Latino activist, author, and researcher. His work at the intersection of digital advocacy and LGBTQ justice has earned him recognition as one of Foreign Policy magazine’s top geopolitical thinkers of 2016 as well as Fast Company’s most creative people in business. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-harrison-quintana-5002958b/ Kink for Dummies: https://bit.ly/kinkfordummies LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
As the founder of Yesterqueers, Amanda W. Timpson is doing the work of restoring what got left out of queer history, correcting narratives that were shaped by white supremacy and patriarchy, and sharing it in an accessible and entertaining way. This conversation goes beyond Stonewall and the names we think we already know. Amanda makes a case that history belongs to all of us. The diary you're not keeping, the photo albums sitting in a box, the family member you haven't interviewed yet -- these are all part of a record that is actively disappearing and worth saving, with help from all of us. ABOUT AMANDA W. TIMPSON Yesterqueers founder Amanda W. Timpson is a public historian, a former television executive, and a Carrie Fisher-inspired sass factory who is passionate about celebrating the broad expanse of queer history. As the descendent of a long line of writers and raconteurs, storytelling is part of Amanda’s DNA; she believes that restorative storytelling is our most powerful tool for connection, understanding, and change. Yesterqueers: https://yesterqueers.com Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson: https://bit.ly/marshabook LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Shane Lukas runs an award-winning design agency, has a TEDx Talk dropping, and owns a record collection that is genuinely not fair. He also does respite foster care with his partner in North Carolina -- meaning when a kid comes into the system with nowhere to go, sometimes they land at Shane's house. It's a commitment, it's not always easy, and he's not here to make it sound like it is. What this conversation gets into is the full picture: the kids who are aging out of the age range that most foster parents are comfortable with, the religious institutions that have stepped in to fill a gap that nobody else showed up for, the queer kids who end up in homes that don't see them, and the systemic failures that make all of it so much harder than it needs to be. If you've ever thought about fostering, or wondered why humanists aren't more present in that space, or just wanted to understand what the foster care system actually looks like from the inside -- this is the episode. The need is urgent, it's everywhere, and most people have no idea how close it already is to them. ABOUT SHANE LUKAS Shane Lukas (he/him) leads A Great Idea—an award-winning agency delivering digital and print design and content solutions nationwide to grow, empower and activate brand advocates for purpose-driven companies and organizations. In addition to his 10 years of success leading AGI, he is a proud Humanist, lifelong harm reduction organizer, author, and public speaker named one of GDUSA’s “Designers for Good." A Great Idea: https://agreatidea.com Shane Lukas: https://shanelukas.com LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Shay has been known to keep her cool in interviews... until now. But it's Cain Culto, so... fair. Cain's music and striking visual artistry has been breaking people's brains since from the beginning, even while working at Sprouts and finding ways to build professional-grade visuals from scratch. He is, as Shay's sister Seren put it, a piece of art on two feet. Get ready for one of the most inspiring conversations this podcast has seen thus far. Cain talks about leaving the church, the shame he carried, the sisters he mourned, and the transmutation of all of it into something that sounds like nothing else on earth in the best way possible. His album drops in September, 2026, and we are vying for a sold out tour and an epic month of Pride performances. ABOUT CAIN CULTO Cain Culto is a former worship pastor turned queer renegade, blending left-field pop and hip-hop with global influences. Raised in a Colombian-Nicaraguan household, he grew up between Florida and Kentucky, absorbing salsa, bluegrass, and evangelical culture. After leaving his acclaimed Christian band Ecclesia in 2021, he reemerged as Cain Culto — an artist reclaiming his spirituality, sexuality, and cultural roots. A fearless DIY auteur, he crafts provocative music and visuals that challenge faith, politics, and capitalism, fusing protest, satire, and undeniable pop magic. Cain Culto Instagram: https://instagram.com/cainculto LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Shay has a bestie. Her bestie is a Christian named Cheryl. They have been besties since May 19th, 2009, and neither of them has tried to convert the other once. And yet they've both survived. It's a miracle. This episode is for everyone who has ever wondered whether an interfaith friendship can actually work, or whether you have to choose between your beliefs and the people you love. You don't. And if you listen closely, there are emotional intelligence cues in this conversation that could genuinely change how you show up for the people in your life — from how to create a protected space for honest conversation, to how to hold your tongue just long enough to actually hear someone. Also, but let's be real... the fact that these two aren't married and living on an island somewhere is honestly a pretty strong argument against the existence of a supernatural being, don't you think? ABOUT CHERYL ANSCOMBE Cheryl Anscombe is a Global Talent Development Specialist at NBCUniversal, a mom of two amazing girls, and a self-proclaimed plant mom who is always in the middle of some kind of creative project — whether that's putting together charcuterie boards, attempting a DIY home project she saw on TikTok, or creating digital designs. Lately she has been building fairy gardens with her daughters, and she also loves cooking and baking. A North Jersey native, she currently lives in the Philadelphia suburbs and on occasion, will charge her phone... but only partially. LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
On our first international episide, we visit Bergen to talk to Christian Lomsdalen -- the president of the Norwegian Humanist Association, a high school teacher, a religious studies scientist at the University of Bergen, and a person who has gods tattooed on his back. Apparently this is completely normal in Norway. So is a state-funded humanist organization with 180,000 members, a confirmation ceremony that rivals a quinceañera, and a K-12 curriculum where humanism is just part of the lesson plan. The humanist world we are fighting for in the United States already exists there, and nobody has to explain it to the guy in the corner of the room. Can you imagine? This conversation will totally make you jealous and then it will (or at least should) make you want to get to work. ABOUT CHRISTIAN LOMSDALEN Norwegian educator, scholar of religion, and the current president of the Norwegian Humanist Association (Human-Etisk Forbund), a position he has held since his election in 2021. He is widely recognized in Norway as a prominent secular humanist leader, academic researcher, and educational podcaster Norwegian Humanist Association: https://human.no Confirmation Ceremony: https://fritanke.no/rekordpamelding-til-humanistisk-konfirmasjon-i-2018/19.10614 LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Dr. Monica Johnson is a licensed clinical psychologist, a self-proclaimed Swiss Army knife of a human being, and someone who will absolutely bring up DMX at exactly the right moment in a conversation about allyship. That's ok -- if you've been listening, you'll already know that Shay was ready with her jukebox trigger. "Flesh of my FLESH!", and all that. Anyway... This is one of those episodes where you come in thinking you're talking about race-based stress and ADHD, and somehow end up somewhere far more personal and far more honest than you expected, and by the end you're thinking about the reason you're doing this work to begin with. Take a listen. ABOUT DR. MONICA JOHNSON Monica Johnson is a licensed clinical psychologist, AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, and founder of Kind Mind Psychology, a Black-owned virtual group practice serving clients across New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Delaware, and 40+ PSYPACT states. Kind Mind specializes in evidence-based treatment for ADHD, anxiety, depression, OCD, trauma, borderline personality disorder, and relationship issues using CBT, DBT, EMDR, IFS, and ERP. The practice is deeply affirming of BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and alternative lifestyle communities. Kind Mind also offers executive functioning and ADHD coaching nationwide. Johnson hosts ADHD & on Understood.org, exploring how ADHD intersects with relationships, identity, parenting, and daily life. She’s also a recurring guest expert on Understood.org’s Expert Answers, ADHD Aha!, and Sorry, I Missed This. Johnson is the author of Push Back: Assert Yourself in Relationships and co-author of Addressing Race-Based Stress in Therapy With Black Clients. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, British Vogue, SELF, the Associated Press, Ebony, and Them. Official Website: https://kindmindpsych.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/kindmindpsych LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Turns out you can have the chuppah, break the glass, do the hora, and still not have to mention God once. Or you can mention God exactly once, specifically for grandma, and everyone goes home happy. Humanist celebrant Bethel Nathan has been building ceremonies around real people and real love for 17 years, and her secret weapon is a questionnaire, a puzzle metaphor, and the radical idea that tradition should actually mean something to you personally. She will ask you things nobody else thought to ask, keep your answers a secret from your partner until the day of, and send you your vows every year on your anniversary just to remind you what you promised. If you are getting married and you want a ceremony that actually sounds like you, her information is below. ABOUT BETHEL NATHAN Successful business owner and award-winning Humanist Celebrant, Bethel Nathan of Ceremonies by Bethel knows how to build and run a successful wedding industry business. Combining her background in both very large companies (at two global investment banks in Tokyo, New York, and London) and small companies (including her family’s now-40-year-old business), Bethel found the right way to build a business that fit her. Focusing on her ideal couple and having a rave-worthy customer experience, as well as her strong support for marriage equality, Bethel has now married 1400 couples over the past 17 years and has built up more than 500 5-star reviews. Her couples come from a wide variety of backgrounds, but all are looking for a ceremony that is uniquely theirs, and that is personal, meaningful, fun, and non-traditional. So, Bethel enjoys getting to know her couples, becoming their voice in a meaningful moment, meant to celebrate what they share, all in a fitting and worthy way. Bethel's Official Site: www.ceremoniesbybethel.com Bethel's Instagram: www.instagram.com/bethelnathan LEARN MORE For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist
Salem, Massachusetts. Austin, Texas. Kingston, Pennsylvania. Turns out if you know where to look, Satanists have been quietly securing the best real estate in America for decades. In this episode, Shay sits down with Taylor Leigh of The Antibot, a Satanist-humanist and former evangelical missionary kid who grew up in Indonesia, came back to the States, and somehow ended up with a pentagram necklace from an occult store in Cleveland. As one does. They cover the Satanic Temple, Baphomet, why most Satanists are not actually worshipping the devil, and why Taylor reclaimed a label that people were already throwing at them for having a septum ring. Shay learns a lot. Shay still knows very little. Both things continue to be true. ABOUT TAYLOR LEIGH Taylor Leigh runs the YouTube channel The Antibot. On her channel, she discusses life after leaving the Christian church and also provides commentary on the modern Evangelical movement from the perspective of a nontheistic Satanist. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theantibot LEARN MORE American Empathy Project: americanempathyproject.org For more on humanism: https://linktr.ee/americanhumanist