*ASSEMBLY this month is again at Your House
SATURDAY January 9th at 10:30 am online in HWF Friends group.
It will appear at 10:30 but you can watch on your own time.
HWF’s January is about: New beginnings
*MONTHLY ASSEMBLY PRESENTATION:
Mindfulness: by Dr. Richard J. Davidson professor of psychology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison as well as founder and chair of the Center for Healthy Minds. “Why is it that some people are more vulnerable to life’s slings and arrows and others more resilient?” In this eye-opening talk, Richard Davidson discusses how mindfulness can improve well-being and outlines strategies to boost four components of a healthy mind.
The Mission of HWF-
A chapter of the American Humanist Assn.
The Mission of the Humanists of West Florida is to facilitate the advancement of humanist thought and action in Pensacola and surrounding areas by interconnecting groups of humanists, atheists, agnostics and non-religious.
We will strive for equal participation in government and societal life through building strategic partnerships with other humanist and freethought organizations and with our religious neighbors to advance the greater good of humanity.
*** See the AHA mission below–
*** The American Humanist Association
has stood as the voice of humanism in the United States for over 75 years.
We strive to bring about a progressive society where being good without a god is an accepted and respected way to live life. We are accomplishing this through our defense of civil liberties and secular governance, by our outreach to the growing number of people without traditional religious faith, and through a continued refinement and advancement of the humanist worldview.
Humanism is a nontheistic worldview with ethical values informed by scientific knowledge and driven by a desire to meet the needs of people in the here and now. At the foundation of those values is an affirmation of the dignity of every human being.
We count humanists and other nontheists as the core of our movement but are always willing to work with friends and allies on issues of common concern. The positions we hold and the actions we take are not simply for our own benefit, but for the betterment of all of society and the world in which we live.
*Announcements:
WUWF RADIO: We are looking for HWF members that are WUWF radio financial contributors. This past month our Shoe Drive for the Homeless was public service announced a number of times each week for a month at no charge from Buz and Muffie Rylands WUWF account. This is wonderful publicity and we would like to do a few more over the year when we do a community service but each contributor only gets one PSA a year. So, if any of you are also WUWF supporters let us know and we will get in touch with you. Your names are not broadcasted.
LOCAL CHARITY for this QUARTER: is Currie House, a residential facility for homeless and distressed children, ages 8-17 separated from families.
You can donate by mail to HWF, POBox 11930, Pensacola, FL 32524, or by website and select Donate and please comment the charity name. https://www.humanistsofwestflorida.org/home
Our ANNUAL CALENDAR is shown at the bottom of this newsletter, and is also posted in our Facebook: HWF Friends Private Group as well.
The Presidents Letter:
From the Desk of the President: Greetings all!
I hope everyone had an enjoyable and health-filled holiday season.
HERE’S WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING: We concluded the Third Annual Shoe Drive to benefit Alfred-Washburn Center. WEAR provided media exposure as we thanked Tate High School for their outstanding contributions. Alfred-Washburn received over 20 large bags of clothing and winter garb plus 8 to 10 dozen pairs of shoes. With the cash donations received, blankets were purchased. A huge number of grapefruits were also donated. This was the largest drive to date. Thank you everyone who contributed.
We hope to soon return to live assemblies with hope that a vaccine will soon be available against the coronavirus. We are planning to return to Everman’s in spring 2021.
Anyone wishing to make a last minute donation to our second quarter charity, Sean’s Outpost, please do so ASAP at humanistswestflorida.org.
JANUARY EVENTS: Online assembly streams at 1030AM on Saturday, January 9th. Third quarter charity is Currie House, a residential facility for homeless and distressed children, ages 8-17. Please be generous.
UPCOMING: BOD quarterly meeting is January 9, 9AM. If there is an issue you want to have discussed, please contact any BOD member.
Sincerely, Betty Myers, HWF President
*The HUMANIST MAGAZINE: current bi-monthly magazine
https://thehumanist.com/magazine/january-february-2021/
| *AHA Monthly THEME:Celebrating our freedom to think and speak freely *From the AHA Leadership: (Washington, DC, January, 2021) from the AHA Executive DirectorWhen public schools in Oklahoma mandated that young students participate in evangelical religious activities during school hours, you and the AHA’s legal center were there to make sure that students aren’t forced into unconstitutional situations. Together, we advocated in support of legislation in the United States Congress calling for a global end to blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws. Due to your support and AHA’s perseverance, just this past weekend the Senate joined the House of Representatives in adopting that legislation, potentially saving lives across the world. When the pandemic kept people across the nation from gathering, you and the AHA’s Center for Education grew our virtual humanist communities tenfold, hosting regular new talks, seminars, and classes that brought us together. In times like these, you made a difference in the lives of humanists who still feel isolated by the pandemic. These victories are only possible with you by our side. I can’t thank you enough for your commitment to raise your voice and speak up for a more reasonable, equitable, compassionate America. In this season of giving, please consider a year-end donation to position humanism on the path of success for 2021. Together, we can continue working toward a society in which community, reason, and civil liberties outshine religiously based prejudice. People rely on the AHA to staunchly defend humanist values and to continue to connect our humanist community now, and in the year ahead.Please consider making a donation of $25 or $100, or whatever is significant to you, to help the AHA continue reaching out to government officials at all levels to make sure that true religious freedom—freedom of and from religion—is part of the worldwide conversation.With your help, the AHA can continue our important work.Yours in humanism,   Roy SpeckhardtExecutive Director |
*From the AHAs’ upcoming activities:
AHA announces the Humanist Action Headquarters for Grassroots Advocacy. https://americanhumanist.org/actionhq/
AHA Center for Education to learn more about us–
https://americanhumanistcenterforeducation.org/
As an AHA member you have access to the Zoom presentations they are offering plus other activities as well-JANUARY 14, 2021 | 7:00PM – 8:30PM
EASTERN TIME | WATCH THIS VIRTUAL TALK ON ZOOM
HERE for Climate Webinar Series on Energy, Equity, Health, and Solutions in Relation to Climate Change
In early 2021, the American Humanist Association’s Humanist Environmental Response Effort (HERE) for Climate initiative is offering a four-part online series to continue the conversation started in the May 2019 open lecture series Climate Justice: A Better Future for Us All. The new series will highlight the challenges climate change brings to communities in relation to energy, food, and health and how we create equitable and effective solutions moving forward. Join us in learning through these engaging presentations and conversations.
To learn more about HERE for Climate, visit at hereforclimate.org, and please consider supporting our work for climate justice.
Viewing Details
Solutions for Food, Energy, and Water Challenges Faced by Indigenous Communities
January 14, 2021 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm EST.
Each session will be held on Zoom Webinar and recorded — learn more about Zoom and sign up for free here.
Watch this talk on Zoom here: https://zoom.us/j/91843782348
Speaker
Dr. Karletta Chief is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. Dr. Chief is a member of a national network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous scientists focusing on climate change impacts to Indigenous peoples. Dr. Chief is a member of both the Rising Voices and Climate and Traditional Knowledges Workgroup with a focus on climate impacts to tribal waters. Two of her primary tribal projects are The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Climate Adaptation and Traditional Knowledge and The Navajo Nation Gold King Mine Spill Impacts. Dr. Chief supervises and advises the research of 11 students, 10 of which are Native American working on topics related to tribal environmental issues. Dr. Chief is Diné originally from Black Mesa, AZ. In 2011, Dr. Chief was named American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Most Promising Scientist/Scholar, in 2013 Stanford University Distinguished Alumni Scholar, in 2015 Native American 40 under 40, in 2016 AISES Professional of the Year, in 2016 Phoenix Indian Center Woman of the Year, and in 2020 American Geophysical Union Ambassador.
Do you have a LEGAL question you would like answered?
Watch the most recent Legal Tuesdays video with our Legal Director and Senior Counsel Monica Miller. Be sure to tune in or send an email if you have a question!
DONATE TO THE WORLD:Want to help people suffering from national or global catastrophes? Do it here as a Humanist to the Foundation Beyond Belief-FBB. This is the AHAs’ disaster relief partner organization. Here is their facebook and website.
https://www.facebook.com/foundbb
https://foundationbeyondbelief.org
*HUMANIST CORNER
December-January 2021 by member Bill White
“There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?” Robert F. Kennedy
“To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go.”
Man of La Mancha “The Impossible Dream” lyrics by Joe Darion
Mr Darion’s words could well be dedicated to today’s frontline responders, couldn’t they? I write this on the year’s shortest day. Tomorrow the miracle of light returns. Jupiter and Saturn sit as they haven’t sat since March 4, 1226. Enough to blow the mind of what author Desmond Morris once described lovingly as the “Naked Ape.” Consider by the tenth move, possible moves for each side in chess played on sixty-four squares.196,518,829,100,544,000,000,000,000,000. (“Fireside Book of Chess” p 106) Likely only the scientifically inclined dare tackle that number-
Much like Alice in her Wonderland, like it or not, we’ve tumbled into a world often beyond belief. Much like Carroll’s crazy characters, we seem equally capable of sharing or subjugating, even while containing pretty much the same DNA! Also, much like Alice, we’re obliged to imagine the unimaginable almost on a daily basis.
So what religion doesn’t solemnly assure us the meek shall inherit the earth? The first shall be last, and the last shall be first? Nonetheless we applaud a system that’s inserts money where our hearts used to be! Meanwhile learning to absorb realities often far beyond comprehension, but like Alice – agreeing that up is down and down is up!
As a person born into one empire “on which the sun never sets” and bound to expire in another, Englishman Sir Walter Scott’s words still echo in my ears.
“Breathes there the man with soul so dead, who never to himself hath said, ‘This is my own, my native land!’” But in our times a simple, infectious organism has managed to tear down walls and borders, often no longer relevant! If they truly ever were. Like a cosmic starter set, COVID19 has taught the world to rally as one-
In truth, our native land is our shared earth – that beautiful., blue island drifting in space! Our precious planet that greed and pride unleashed have pillaged and ravaged for far too long.
In 1946 a world grown weary of the horrors of war gathered in our own San Francisco to plot a peaceful course forward for the human family. The realization, even then, that we truly are “all in this together.” Clearly, only by imagining the unimaginable, can humanity reach its destiny as stewards and guardians of “God’s green earth,” our home, our native land…
Thank you for your writings Bill.
IMPORTANT DATES:in the secular world.
HWF Annual Calendar July 2020 thru June 2021
Q 1 Summer Charity: Member Memorial Fund(honors with a book to local library)
July 11th Assembly – The Freedom to Assembly & Right Vote Theme.
Welcome Back Party at Assembly and AHA Commitments Review
Committees-Teams policy reviews
BOD meets: New Directors and Officers seated, Committees % Teams filled, New budget approved
Quarterly Book Review Online
August 8th Assembly — Back to School Theme
AHA chapter members report
Open Books Packing on 1st Wed.
September 12th Assembly – Students Ethics and Rights Theme
Membership List Updated
Little Free Library Building Workshop
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Q 2 Fall Charity: Seans’ Outpost(owns Satoshi Forest and does Food not Bombs)
October 10th Assembly – Homeless and Hungry Theme
BOD meets:
Quarterly Book Review Online
Fall picnic party
November 14th Assembly – Native Americans Theme
Food Distribution TBA +
Open Books Packing on 1st Wed +
Shoe Drive TBA
December 12th Assembly – Global Celebrations Theme
Winter Festivities Party with Freethinkers on Dec 26th
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Q 3 Winter Charity: Currie House(providing shelter & housing for youth)
January 9th Assembly – A New Start Theme
BOD meets:
Food Distribution TBA +
Quarterly Book Review Online
February 13th Assembly – Science and Critical Thinking Theme
Charlie’s Chili-Chowder Cookoff @ Assembly
IRS N-990 Due, Fla Incorporation annual report
Open Books Packing on 1st Wed
March 13th Assembly – Myths and AHA Rights Theme
Nominating Committee is activated
Fla Charities Registration due, Fla Tax Exempt redo every 5 years-next 2025
Little Free Library Building Workshop
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Q 4 Spring Charity: Earth Ethics Inc.(provides education and environmental advocacy)
April 10th Assembly – Earth Ethics Theme
BOD meets: Directorship nominees due by 4/30 and presented to chapter
Quarterly Book Review Online
May 8th Assembly – Reason is the Reason Theme
Elections (if candidates surpass 3) from May 1 thru mid Assembly -Email vote or at Assembly
Open Books Packing on 1st Wed
June 12th Assembly – Humanist Proud and Planning Theme
Ideas Workshop @ assembly
Membership renewal month
New Draft Budget 6/30