Save the Date for our 10-Year Anniversary Celebration!

Join us for a celebration of our 10th Anniversary, October 20th at Salt City Market in downtown Syracuse. There'll be food, a look back at our last 10 years as a group, swag, presentations by our members, and guest speakers including Jeff Ingersoll and our featured guest, Kate Cohen, a Washington Post contributing columnist and author.

We can’t believe it’s been 10 years, and we’re so grateful for everyone who has come to our events and supported us over the years.

Kate Cohen, author of We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too)

About Kate Cohen

Kate Cohen is a Washington Post contributing columnist and author of We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too), which chronicles Kate's journey to outspoken atheism and argues that nonbelievers should be more vocal, for the good of the country. For this work and for her columns inspecting America's outsized deference to religion, the Freedom from Religion Foundation honored her with its "Freethought Heroine" award in 2023. She has spoken to groups large and small around the country, and recently gave the keynote address for the inaugural Congressional Reason Reception in Washington, D.C. Kate is the author of two previous books and the mother of three children. She lives with her husband on a hay farm in Albany, New York. 

Event Details

After Kate’s talk, there will be time for Q&A, as well as an opportunity to get your copy of her book signed.

Lunch will be provided by Salt City Market vendors, and a cash bar will be available on premises. Salt City Market is a wonderful community space with delicious food and great atmosphere.

Justin is planning to make a slideshow encompassing as much of our 10 year history as he can, so please send any photos you have to CNYHumanists@gmail.com.

The event is free, but please help us plan by RSVP-ing here. Hope to see you there!

We would like to acknowledge the generous grant we received from the American Humanist Association that is making this event possible!

Newsletter July 2024

It's a Humanist Heatwave!

Why I'm a Humanist
 

       First, my apologies for a later than usual newsletter. It'll be back on its regular schedule starting next month. I'm starting a new segment, which as you saw above, is called "Why I'm a Humanist." I thought it would be a fun idea if you all got to know your board a little more and how we ended up as fellow humanists. If any of you want to submit your reasons/stories though feel free to as well by sending them to cnyhumanists@gmail.com. So, I'm dipping the first toe in the water to check for sharks. That's a messy metaphor and probably an ineffective method of testing for sharks.       

       Anyway, I've been an atheist as long as I can remember. Sure, my parents took me to church, but I would just play on my Gameboy during the sermons. It didn't last long though as we all decided we preferred sleeping in on the weekend. At a young age around 11 or so I discovered George Carlin and well if you know his comedy then religion didn't stand a chance worming its way into my brain after that. However, as we also know being an atheist doesn't necessarily mean you're a humanist too. I honestly never even heard of humanism until I joined the Secular Student Alliance in college.

       I'm not sure exactly when but gradually I realized that for myself, solely criticizing religion, wasn't enough. Atheism answered the god question, but it doesn't really cover morality. Which a common topic when debating theists is where does your morality come from? I think it's important to have not only criticism and skepticism when it comes to religion but alternatives and answers to it as well. Enter secular humanism. As I began watching more call in shows where atheists talk with theists (i.e. The Atheist Experience, etc) and more modern secular speakers I learned more about humanism. I came to see that the ten commitments of humanism reflected my core values of what I consider to be the path to being a decent person. Thus, I fully began to acknowledge myself as a secular humanist.

       I'm a humanist because it reflects my views on personal morality. I'm a humanist because I want to focus on how I can make things better for my fellow human beings. I'm a humanist because I think it's important we build a community to support each other as non-believers, since many have deconverted out of their built in religious communities, and I feel humanist organizations greatly help that cause. Finally, I'm a humanist because I believe you can do good without a god.

       Unfortunately my path to humanism isn't that exciting. I just kind of slowly figured things out through skepticism and curiosity. Thankfully despite a brief moment in my childhood my parents weren't very outwardly religious. They're believers but it's not a subject they cared about enough to push on me which granted me that freedom. It's a privileged path and not many are so lucky. To wrap this up though I really want to encourage any of you to email in your stories of coming to humanism, atheism, etc. to be submitted for the newsletter. 
 

News

 Oh boy, it's only been a little over a month and so much has happened. I will be sticking to the religious/science stuff though.

The end of June brought us Louisiana approving a bill requiring public school classrooms to display the 10 commandments. Because if there's one thing students in Louisiana aren't familiar with it's the religion roughly 84% of their parents partake in. A clear challenge to the separation of church and state; we'll have to see where this goes in the courts: https://apnews.com/article/louisiana-ten-commandments-displayed-classrooms-571a2447906f7bbd5a166d53db005a62 

A week later Oklahoma state superintendent Ryan Walters directed all public schools to teach the bible. He's also one of the main people behind trying to use state taxpayer dollars to fund a public religious school which is currently being contested in the state courts: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/27/us/oklahoma-public-schools-bible.html

Next a little closer to home in the exciting world of historic preservation grants, the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed an amicus brief in support of the New Jersey attorney general to try and prevent a prior ruling that churches couldn't receive these public grants from being overturned: https://ffrf.org/news/releases/ffrf-amicus-brief-seeks-to-maintain-state-church-victory-for-n-j-taxpayers/

Lastly, NASA funded studies have come out talking about climate change's impact on the Earth's rotation. I thought it was interesting that climate could affect something like the spin of a planet: https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/earth-science/nasa-funded-studies-explain-how-climate-is-changing-earths-rotation/
 

Events

Last time I promised more details on a big event and I have more details on a big event. For our group's 10th anniversary we've decided to throw a big anniversary party! Right now it's looking like it'll be the last weekend of October; confirmation of exact day/time for that weekend is to come. Venues are being narrowed down as well and we're very close to a selection we just have to double check the place we have in mind will have what we need technology wise. I'm planning on making a slideshow encompassing as much of our 10 year history as I can so please send any photos you have to the group email. There'll also be food, games, we're looking at possible speakers, etc., it's going to be a fantastic time!

Next the updates for our regular event schedule:

Starting with a virtual event this Friday July 26th at 9pm hosted by me. It is the first iteration of God Awful Movie Club. A club where once a month we'll meet over zoom to watch a quite bad religious film (possibly secular ones down the road) and have fun talking about it. I will be posting the zoom link through the group social media later today.  

Then on Saturday August 3rd, we're visiting the Matilda Joslyn Gage Foundation (Museum & Dialogue Center) at 210 E Genesee St. Fayetteville, NY. 

Our next book discussion is coming up too on August 18th at 1pm at Meier's Creek Inner Harbor. The book being discussed is We of Little Faith by Kate Cohen. 
 

See Our Events Page for information about upcoming events.

To close out here's some more humanist poetry. This time found on www.humanists.uk:

'The Dash'

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on the tombstone

From the beginning…to the end

 

He noted that first came the date of birth

And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years

 

For that dash represents all the time

That they spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved them

Know what that little line is worth

 

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars…the house…the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

 

So, think about this long and hard.

Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

That can still be rearranged.

 

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

 

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we’ve never loved before.

 

If we treat each other with respect

And more often wear a smile,

Remembering this special dash

Might only last a little while

 

So, when your eulogy is being read

With your life’s actions to rehash…

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent YOUR dash?

-Linda Ellis

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Copyright © 2024 Central New York Humanist Association, All rights reserved.

Get Involved! Secular Week of Action, April 26 to May 5, 2024

If you are someone who believes that taking ethical action is more useful than participating in a National Day of Prayer, then the Secular Week of Action is for you! Here in Central New York we have 2 events planned to help you get involved.

4/19-5/5 Secular Week Of Action Blood Drive Central New York Humanist Association

04-19-2024 - 05-05-2024

The Central New York Humanist Association is working with the American Red Cross to hold a virtual blood drive for the Secular Week of Action. Our Goal is for AT LEAST 10 folks to make an appointment and give blood between now and May 5th. So SleevesUp! and help us reach our goal by making and keeping an appointment to give blood with the American Red Cross. #CNYHAblooddrive #SleevesUp #SecularAction #SecularValues #WeekOfAction

4/27 Community Tree Planting with Onondaga Earth Corps

201 Beacon Rd, Syracuse

04-27-2024, 10:00 AM

Who would like to do some outdoor volunteer work during the Secular Week of Action? If so, join us on Saturday 4/27 supporting the Onondaga Earth Corps planting some trees in Eastwood. Wear your CNYHA shirt!

Sign-in at the event is at 10:00am; we will begin planting at 10:30am. Please wear close-toed shoes and clothes are are appropriate for the weather. This event is hosted by OEC and spaces are limited, so please sign up via signupgenius.

Hope to see you there!

Thanksgiving Dinner

Such a great day helping out at Annual Thanksgiving Dinner For The Homeless. I love the feeling of working with a group to accomplish something, and am grateful for the opportunity to interact with folks in the community who are so appreciative of what we’re doing.

With home cooked food, a DJ, haircuts, shoes, clothing, and a festive atmosphere, I think this event was a bright spot for both the volunteers and the folks being served.

Connect with other Humanists on Facebook!

Do you wish there was a good way to connect online with other Humanists in Central New York?

There is!

It’s the Humanists of Central New York Facebook group! It's a place where we can share information of interest to Humanists in the area, such as news, humor, events, recommendations, concerns about the state of the world, etc. Join in!

Other ways to connect:

Subscribe to our Mailing List!

Looking for Ways to Participate in Our Democracy?

At our book club meeting earlier this month, we discussed It’s OK to Be Angry About Capitalism by Bernie Sanders. One thing we learned about in the book is the outsized influence a small number of people and corporations have over elections and elected officials, as well as over media outlets and what is covered in the news. We discussed the importance of local politics and elections, and the lack of independent local news sources that cover local politics. Many, if not all, of us present felt like we wanted to take action to participate more fully in and strengthen our democracy.

One of the attendees suggested the CNY Solidarity Coalition as a resource for those who want to get involved. The CNY Solidarity Coalition has has a very clear left, progressive stance, which may appeal to some more than others, but the group provides a very discreet and important focus on participating in our democracy. According to their website, they are “a grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals vigorously working for economic, social and environmental justice and the protection of our neighbors.”

For folks asking how to get engaged locally in a meaningful way, this may be the strongest group to provide opportunities for that, and guidelines for action. Election day is only a few weeks away! 

Go to https://www.cnysolidarity.org/elections/ to see who is running at the County, City, Town, and Village levels in Onondaga County

Our day at the Westcott Street Fair 2023

We had a great time at the Westcott St. Cultural Fair again this year, marching in the parade and tabling.

A brief glimpse of our group setting up and enjoying the street fair.

We had some great conversations with the folks who came by to check our our booth. The best reaction is when people come to the booth to ask what humanism is, and when we tell them, they say, "Wow! I guess I'm a Humanist and never knew it!"

Help CNY Humanists be the best we can be!

Our goals are to create community among Humanists, educate folks about non-theistic worldviews, and provide opportunities to do good in the community. In order to do these things, we want to get people involved!

Your input on our CNY Humanists event survey will help us gauge interest in and plan future events.

Click here to go to the survey—you don’t need to log in to respond.: https://forms.gle/JwfoiB2w6sokb5aM8

Thank you for your helping us be the best we can be!

Everyone who completes the survey will be entered to win one of two $20 Wegman’s gift cards!

Upcoming CNYHA Board Election

We want to get more people involved in planning and running this organization, and we hope that having an election will be a good place to start! 

Thank you to everyone who came out on Sunday to vote on the proposed amendments to our organization's bylaws! The amendments were approved unanimously.

Now that the updated bylaws are in place, and as part of an effort to get more people involved in planning and running this organization, we’d like to announce our first-ever election, to be held at our Potluck Picnic on June 4 at Clark Reservation!

Open positions

Secretary: Maintains the core documents of the group and other papers necessary for the running of the group. This includes records of speakers, meetings, and events. Ensures that the bylaws are being followed in group operations. 

Treasurer: Responsible for the funds of the group. This includes receiving and (if necessary) providing receipts for membership dues and other donations, depositing income into the group's bank account, paying bills and any debts, and maintaining records of funds status. Keeps the rest of the board of directors up to date on the group's financial status. Files with IRS (a very simple task!).

Communications Director: Oversees the regular production of the group's newsletter. Solicits (from the board of directors and members) content for future issues of the newsletter. Ensures the distribution of the newsletter to members and other interested people and  organizations. 

Board Members at Large (2): Attend monthly board meetings. Perform duties assigned by the President with Board Approval. 

Nominations

• We are now accepting nominations for the following positions: Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Director, and 2 Board- Member-at-Large positions. See descriptions at right—->>>

• Board members must be members in good standing of both this organization and the American Humanist Association. 

• Please email nominations to cnyhumanists@gmail.com. If you are comfortable with it, please include a photo of yourself and a little blurb about you and your interest in the board that we can share with the membership.

• Deadline for nominations is May 31.

Election

• Potluck Picnic and General Meeting at Clark Reservation is scheduled for June 4, 2023, 1-3pm. The We’ll plan to do the election and General Meeting at around 1:30. 

• Candidates will have a chance to introduce themselves.

• Those voting must be paid members in good standing. 

Sandwich Saturday, March 2023

We had a nice couple hours at Billings Park today, joining in with We Rise Above the Streets to help folks get the toiletries, hygiene products, gloves, hats, and socks they need. The sun was out, and people were really appreciative. A great way to start a Saturday!

Jessica Dapson: On Morality

In this talk, Humanist Celebrant Jessica Dapson used a historical approach to understand morality and the world we live in, touching on many religions, parts of the world, and historical eras. Click the video above to see the talk in its entirety.

Some thoughts on Humanist morality from Jessica:

As humanists, why do we believe we should be good?

• Humanists don’t believe we will be rewarded or punished for our behavior after we die 

• If an afterlife was the only reason to be good,  then we might not do the right thing if we saw no opportunity for reward or danger of punishment
  

Most humanists believe that…

• We should treat others the way we would like to be treated 

• If everyone tries to do the right thing, we can make the world a better place; if everyone does the wrong thing, then everyone will be worse off 

• Making other people happy can make us happy

From the American Humanist Association website: Without a definitive set of beliefs, dogma, or scripture, humanism appears nebulous, which is the main reason we at the American Humanist Association Center for Education have developed the Ten Commitments.

Our Membership Drive is in Full Swing!

Membership contributions allow us to plan and hold events like those shown below, while also providing community building and community service opportunities for non-theists in CNY. Please join us!

The CNYHA is a 501(c)(3) public charity, so contributions are tax-deductible.

A Letter from the Vice President

Fellow Humanists,

This is Anthony Krishock, Vice President of the Central New York Humanists. I write to you today to request that you join or renew your membership in our group, the Central New York Humanists, for 2023, if you have not already done so.

I need not tell you of the importance of a group like ours. You, too, see the troubling rise of Christian extremism, the continued encroachment of religion in our secular lives and the importance of supporting the needs of the fast-growing secular communities in our area. We are the only secular group still operating in the central New York area, and without your support, we may not survive either.

As you know, our group is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and as such, we rely heavily on your membership fees and your generous donations. Your membership fees help us organize events, attract speakers and hold events such as Darwin Day, our Winter Solstice potluck and our annual summer picnic. Your membership fees are also helping us build a supportive community of like-minded people who value our events.

Please, help us continue this important effort.

Individual Annual Membership in our group is only $35 and $50 for a family membership. Joining or renewing is quick and easy... just follow this link to renew.

Thank you for your support!

Anthony Krishock

Vice President, Central New York Humanists

2023 Membership Drive

Help continue our work by becoming a paying member

Membership Benefits:

• Voting rights in board elections

• Be elegible to serve on the board

• CNYHA T-shirt

• CNYHA window cling

Join Now!

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What Our Members Supported in 2022  

January we prepared hygiene kits for distribution to the needy. 
February we had a virtual world tour of science museums to celebrate Darwin Day.
March we made and served chili and sandwiches downtown in conjunction with We Rise Above the Streets.
April we picked up trash along the Onondaga Creekwalk and planted trees. 
May we raised money and bought "Colors of the World" crayons for local elementary students. 
June we had our Summer Potluck Picnic.
July we had a speaker from Recovering From Religion.
August, we learned about the Abolition Movement in Syracuse at the Onondaga Historical Society.
September we learned about Humanism's Roots in Astronomy .
October was a book club discussion.
November, we collected food for Clear Path for Veterans for Thanksgiving. 
December was our Winter Potluck, complete with trivia game!

Throughout the year we had many lively discussions, interesting speakers, and, last but not least, enjoyed some excellent meals together. 

We would be unable to continue any of these activities without the help of our members.  Won't you please consider becoming a supporting member or renewing your tax deductible membership today?
Your dues not only help cover the cost of communication platforms such as Zoom and Meetup, but allow us to rent space at public events to make our group presence known, and provide refreshments at our social gatherings.  

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Help Us Reach Our Goal!

Yearly single membership     $35
Yearly family membership     $50
Lifetime individual                $500
Lifetime family                      $800

http://cnyhumanists.org/membership

Thank you for your commitment to the cause of Humanism and the CNY Humanists community!

Those who have renewed since May 31, 2022: your membership is in effect until January 2024.

School "Bored" Meetings

As school gets back in session this month, we encourage you to grab some milk and cookies, get real comfortable on the couch, figure out how to get YouTube working on your TV, and stream yourself some School Board meetings for your local school district.

We can hear complaints from your inner 14 -year-olds from here.  BOOOORING!

But trust us when we say that we wouldn’t ask you to sit through bus garage improvement quotations, elementary school redistricting arguments, and mold abatement of the plenum above the locker rooms (well, hopefully not that…) for nothing.  There are real issues afoot in many districts across the state and country.  All it takes is a few people in a school district who think their views should be everyone’s views, and all of a sudden, teachers stop working any thought provoking reading into their curriculum, librarians have to militarize to defend everyone’s right to read, and kids start to hide things about themselves, like maybe their confusion about how “In God We Trust” ended up on our secular dollars.

Whether you have kids in school or not, we all want well-educated neighbors and an electorate that can think critically. And whether you are the type to speak up or the type to observe quietly, we think that watching or attending school board meetings is empowering—which is about the opposite of boring, if you really think about it!

So look up your school district’s website. See when and where your Board of Education meetings take place. Or—if you’d rather go the milk-and-cookies-in-your-pajamas route—see if your district is broadcasting their meetings on Zoom or YouTube. It’s like watching reality shows, but what happens on the show actually affects you and the people you know. 

Now that is engaging television!

Colors of the World Crayons Fundraiser

Let's help the PTA at Van Buren Elementary School in Baldwinsville, NY, provide a pack of Colors of the World crayons (with an array of skin tones) to each student at the school. There has recently been news coverage of pressure being applied to librarians and teachers in the region by groups that are against providing students with diverse information and a factual view of life in this country. Although we cannot directly involve ourselves politically with any school board, it has come to our attention that teachers in the Baldwinsville schools would like to provide students with "multicultural crayons" that would allow the kids to color faces in a variety of skin tones to better reflect themselves, their families, and their communities. 

How you can help

Click the CRAYON FUNDRAISER button on our homepage to donate to the cause! Packs of 24 crayons are around $2 each, and the goal of the PTA is to have a pack for each of the 500 students at the elementary school. Any amount will help. Thank you!

Secular Week of Action & Food Insecurity Events!

Secular Week of Action

On Saturday, April 30, the CNY Humanists are taking #Action4Unhoused . We’ll join in with Sandwich Saturday, to make bagged lunches and distribute them, along with toiletries, clothing, groceries, and other necessities, to folks in the area who could use a hand. More information.

The Secular Week of Action (SWoA):

harnesses the secular movement’s commitment to making the world a better place by creating an opportunity to: organize service events based around shared values, connect new volunteers to impactful projects in their own towns and neighborhoods, and celebrate what human beings can achieve together when we dedicate ourselves to ethical action.

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Our Food Security Project is in progress! Dates:

• ✓3/19 Make and serve Chili at Sandwich Saturday

• ✓3/24 Lynn Hy of the Food Bank of CNY speaking about Food Insecurity in the region

• 4/30 Make bagged lunches at Sandwich Saturday

• 5/21 tour of Salt City Harvest Farm

• 6/11 volunteer at NOPL Cicero Pantry Garden

See our Events Page for details!

Join us!

The Power Worshippers Book Club Follow-up

We had a great meeting yesterday, with lots of good discussion and great food and drink. Tom led the discussion, and I think we all had a lot of thoughts and feelings about the topic!

Here are a few links to things that came up; if there are some that I missed, feel free to add them in the comments!

Here’s a link https://youtu.be/7DiMcuOjx8Q to a March 2020 talk about the book by the author, part of the AHA Speaker Series.

Richard told us about Oasis, https://upstate.oasisnet.org, and suggested that someone from the group do a class for them. From their Website:

Oasis is a national nonprofit educational organization designed to enhance the quality of life for adults age 50 and older. Join us to make new friends and explore new activities. Stay active with our exercise programs, continue to learn with our classes, volunteer to teach our classes or get involved with one of our inter-generational programs.

Linda talked about ACTS:

The Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse (ACTS) is a grassroots, interfaith network advocating for social justice. We are voices striving for a more just and fair community that improves the quality of life for all. https://www.acts-syracuse.org

I didn’t get to mention it, but here’s a link to an organization called Christians Against Christian Nationalism.

CNY Humanists' Food Security Project

Have you ever wanted to give a hand to someone who needs some help? Ever wanted to do some volunteer work, but didn’t know where to start?

Starting in Spring of 2022, we are assembling a team to do a deep dive into food insecurity in Central New York. It will involve both learning about the problem and hands-on work in the community.

Our goal is to meet twice a month, once to have a speaker, discussion, or watch a video, and the other to take action to help some folks!

Ultimately, we hope to create an ongoing project for Humanists in Central New York to help the larger community while also enjoying being part of a team!

March 19: Serve Chili at Sandwich Saturday

March 24: Speaker—Lynn Hy of the Food Bank of Central New York

April: Volunteer at a community garden—TBD

April: Speaker or discussion—TBD

May: Volunteer at the Food Bank of CNY on a Monday 5-7pm; date TBD

May: Speaker TBD

See our Events Page for details !