White Christian Nationalist elitists have recently proclaimed on a national platform that Christianity is being persecuted.  I beg to differ!  Atheists, agnostics, and non-religious affiliated are actually the ones being persecuted via personal, government, and work. This workshop will empower you to take a stand against situations such as unconstitutional violations, hostile work environments, difficult conversations with loved ones, coping during difficult times, and being a voice of reason in your local community. 

• Bernard Acosta was raised in a pentecostal Assemblies of God church and became “saved” at the age of six.  As a preacher’s kid, he participated in the worship team, gave sermons, and played in a christian rock band that showcased for two christian record labels.  After 36 years, Bernard deconstructed his faith which eventually led to his freedom from religion while gaining a renewed sense of purpose.  Aside from having keen knowledge of the “holy” book and its contradictions, Bernard has equipped himself in the fight against apologists, separation of state and church, and religious fanatics.  Bernard is a proud member of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and strives to be a voice of reason in any platform. 

This is a workshop on effective communication tools and debate tactics that secular people can use when speaking with theists. These tools encourage effective outcomes, and allow for conversations to occur that promote the exchange of ideas and debate, while also presenting alternative perspectives that theists are more likely to engage with, having been made to feel heard themselves. Also - comedy. 

• Comedy trainer. Producer. Writer. Nationally ranked debater. Podcaster.  (she, her) Originally from Bentonville, Arkansas, Sydney relocated to Chicago at the age of 16 to pursue a career in comedy, studying at The Second City Training Center.  Her comedy special "TRASH" is available online. In addition to performing, Sydney has hosted and produced live comedy shows for The Second City,  The Comedy Bar, Third Coast Comedy Club, and Apollo Theater Chicago. She also developed the curriculums currently in use at SCTC for Storytelling, Standup, and Public Speaking. Sydney is also the host of the podcast Growing Up Fundie, where she interviews guests who were raised in strictly religious households (of any religion, sect, or cult). She serves as a host on the ACA's shows "Talk Heathen" and "Truth Wanted" and was a co-founder of "The Conversation Coalition".  www.sydneydavisjrjr.com  www.growingupfundiepodcast.com

What is going on with humans? Around the world massive changes are happening. From decreasing fertility rates, plummeting marriage rates, political divides; a wide range of social changes are impacting relationships, marriage, dating, reproduction and much more. Our children, grand children, nieces and nephews are already facing these issues. The “one size fits all” monogamous model of marriage is failing dramatically around the world. How can we view this as humanists? What are healthy responses that can increase human thriving and healthy relationships? What models might be available for the future?  Society is not talking about these issues but as humanists we are in a position to lead in creating new ways to be in relation to others. 

• Dr Darrel Ray (he/him) is the founder of Recovering from Religion, and author of the books "The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture" and "Sex and God: How Religion Distorts Sexuality."  www.recoveringfromreligion.org  

The only thing that Americans seem to agree on right now is that we are more divided than ever, that “those people” are idiots, and it's all doom and gloom on the horizon. Is there something we’re missing?  In this insightful and interactive workshop, discover: 

• What culture camps and historical contexts make up many of your ideals, biases, and worldview. 

• Identify why the divide is much deeper than merely “Christian v. Atheist” or “Left v. Right”.

• Identify, compare and contrast your current perspective from that of others in positive ways that affirms all of humanity, not just your “side”. 

• Discover the major contributions that have caused the polarization we see today, and how to have more productive and collaborative conversations with people you disagree with. 

• And finally, assess suggestions for radical paradigm shifts for creating a better future.
  
  

• Nathaniel Wildstone is a professional trainer and instructional designer who has worked at Blue Origin and Amazon. He consulted and helped to design coursework for Street Epistemology for Anthony Magnabosco (as seen on YouTube), where his research for this workshop began. He currently trains operations personnel for the New Shepard vehicle/rocket, particularly the Capsule Commanders (CapComs) who speak to the astronauts in flight. In addition to his two degrees in training and a decade of experience with Fortune 500 companies and spaceflight, he has studied extensively in psychology, sociology, religion, philosophy, and history. 

An introduction to sociological perspectives of religion and exploration of its potential utility beyond superstition. We'll talk about the sociological evolution of religion, and how that understanding informs our religious experiences.

• Darante’ LaMar is what happens when a pastor deconstructs, keeps the mic, and builds a people-centric stage instead.  Part theologian, part sociologist, part tech-savvy futurist — and all heart — Darante’ blends street-level wisdom with intellectual firepower to lead one of the most compelling secular humanist movements online.  All social media @DaranteLaMar 

A knock-down-drag-out, rollicking conversation among four secular content creators:  Secular Rarity (host), TheSkepTick, Dr Ben, and Godless Engineer (GE).

Polyamory is a hot button issue these days - it was one of the discussion topics that over 100 intelligence officers were fired for by Tulsi Gabbard in the Project 2025 purge. What is it exactly? Cheating with extra steps? The next stage in human evolution? A scam to get streaming service logins? In this workshop, Glenda will challenge your perceptions of what it means to have relationships and a deep dive into your inner self. She’ll also guide you through steps to create robust community and safety networks from tips and tricks learned while in a polycule for over a decade. There are heartfelt takeaways that apply to all relationship dynamics - monogamous, single, or poly free for all.

• Artist, Model & Entertainer.  Glenda Jordan lives in Las Vegas and works full time as an artist, model, and entertainer. She grew up on a farm south of Nashville, Tennessee where she was indoctrinated into the Southern Baptist faith from birth. After deconstructing religion in college, she became involved in activism for various causes. Joining the third wave intersectional feminist movement, Glenda believes that liberation from the patriarchy and the destructive influence of misogynistic faiths are inexorably linked. Focusing on atheistic feminism and sex positivity, Glenda is an active volunteer with Recovering from Religion and other non-profit organizations and her local queer kink communities. Other passions include fantasy and sci-fi, Star Trek, art history, traveling, and national parks. When she’s not in her studio or doing marathon Zelda gaming sessions, Glenda enjoys spending time with her partners and friends.

A short history of humanism and its tenets, and how to be a human, more importantly a Humanist in a fast changing world that challenges race, gender, sexuality, politics and who is human.  We will talk about what it means to be human, to err, to forgive, to mourn the old human, to regain our intentional consciousness! 

• Sociologist, professor, mediator, Emotional Intelligence trainer, humanist community builder and activities organizer with Humanists of Tennessee (the Humanist Association of Middle Tennessee, HAMTN). 

Comedy trainer. Producer. Writer. Nationally ranked debater. Podcaster.  (she, her) Originally from Bentonville, Arkansas, Sydney relocated to Chicago at the age of 16 to pursue a career in comedy, studying at The Second City Training Center.  Her comedy special "TRASH" is available online. In addition to performing, Sydney has hosted and produced live comedy shows for The Second City,  The Comedy Bar, Third Coast Comedy Club, and Apollo Theater Chicago. She also developed the curriculums currently in use at SCTC for Storytelling, Standup, and Public Speaking. Sydney is also the host of the podcast Growing Up Fundie, where she interviews guests who were raised in strictly religious households (of any religion, sect, or cult). She serves as a host on the ACA's shows "Talk Heathen" and "Truth Wanted" and was a co-founder of "The Conversation Coalition".  www.sydneydavisjrjr.com  www.growingupfundiepodcast.com