Speech! Speech! (and more)

The Council for Secular Humanism Expands Resources for Secular Humanist Societies

by Ed Buckner

In keeping with the Council’s commitment to strengthen our support of local secular humanist and freethought societies across the United States and Canada, we are broadening our support to local allied groups in the following four areas: administration, promotion, networking, and programs. Field Director DJ Grothe is leading this effort, but many others are supporting the effort also.

The administrative support the Council provides the local secular and humanist societies will consist of broadening our leadership and activist training of local secular humanists and freethinkers and in providing comprehensive print and Web-based resources on the organization and leadership of the local societies. The Council will also continue making available various fund-raising opportunities to provide financial resources for local group activities and outreach.

Promotion support includes the continuing education of our local activists and leaders in public relations strategies, as well as providing access to the Council’s Communications Department and publicity machinery, under the guidance of Katherine Bourdonnay, communications director for the Council (kbourdonnay@centerforinquiry.net). This support is central to our plans to further empower local groups to garner more media attention and to make more of an impact in their local media outlets.

The Council will increase the networking support we provide by actively encouraging more contact among the local secular humanist societies in a region and with the Campus Freethought Alliance groups there. This networking will be central to developing a growing secular humanist community, both on- and off-campus, one that appeals to all segments of the population.

As part of its program support, the Council provides a Speakers Bureau, coordinated by Austin Dacey (adacey@centerforinquiry.net). Council speakers are available to all kinds of organizations, not just to local secular humanist and freethought societies—but we are especially eager to serve local secular humanist needs.

Whether your group is seeking programs for entertainment, education, fund raising, organizational leadership training, or activism support, we have resources to help you. The following headquarters staff of the Council travel, at least occasionally, to provide programs to local secular humanist and freethought societies:

Norm Allen, Executive Director, African Americans for Humanism;

Joe Beck, host of Humanist Perspective and Director of Secular Celebrants Services;

Tim Binga, Director of Libraries for the Center for Inquiry;

Katherine Bourdonnay, Communications Director;

Ed Buckner, Executive Director;

Tom Flynn, Editor, Free Inquiry;

DJ Grothe, Field Director.

Other speakers, including staff members from the Centers for Inquiry in Los Angeles and New York City and Council board members Eddie Tabash and Jan Loeb Eisler will be available for speaking engagements on various subjects. There are usually modest costs involved, to help cover travel and lodging. However, the Council is committed to working within the budgets of the local secular humanist and freethought societies in our network. Contact Austin Dacey for details.

If your local secular humanist or freethought group is interested in profiting from the above resources of the Council, or if you are interested in exploring the process of developing a secular humanist or freethought society in your area, e-mail or call DJ Grothe, field director (djgrothe@secularhumanism.org).

We at the Council for Secular Humanism are excited to be leading the growth of secular humanism worldwide, and we look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to promote the ideals of secular humanism and free inquiry. If you have any questions or would like further information about how to get involved, please e-mail me (ebuckner@centerforinquiry.net) or call me at (716) 636-7571 ext. 215.