Workshops & Panels
Want a more hands-on event to learn some practical skills? Where the conversation can get more real? These were the 2022 Workshops & Panels!
Breakout Sessions 1 (12:00 - 12:50 pm)
Francie Hunt, Planned Parenthood
Surviving and Thriving Under a Southern 'Theocracy' in a Post-Roe World - Room A1
Under an anti-choice supermajority in Tennessee General Assembly and with the overturning of Roe v Wade, thousands of pregnant people must flee the South for reproductive health care or be forced to give birth. In this workshop, we will explore the notion of theocracy, the ethics of abortion, how to have conversations about abortion, ways to protect people seeking care, and how to build a powerful voice for sexual and reproductive health.
Francie Hunt is the Executive Director of Tennessee Advocates for Planned Parenthood, the advocacy and political arm for Planned Parenthood in Tennessee. She was one of the organizers of the Power Together March in solidarity with the Women’s March on Washington in January 2017. She has been active with the Women of Color Caucus of National Women's Liberation. Her most important, favorite job is being the mother of Eliza, age 21 and Isaac, age 16.
Chuck Miller, law enforcement expert
Police Reform: A Humanist Concern - Room A2
In this workshop we will explore the disfunctions of policing, explore your feelings about police as part of the community of nones, and offer a call to action to promote reform in our local communities.
Charles “Chuck” Miller was a Member of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) in a variety of roles including a rotation in the Division of Criminal Justice Standards and Training (DCJST) as project manager and solution architect for the Standards and Training Records System (STARS). Currently, he is a strategic advisor to The Citizen’s Coalition for Justice Reform, a grassroots organization formed in response to police misconduct and overreach.
Celebrant Workshop: Living and Dying Well with humanist memorials - Room B
A panel talking about end-of-life decisions, issues, and ideas how to interact with them as a non-religious person.
Dave Warnock, humanist celebrant, former pastor, Dying Out Loud, author
Mandisa Thomas, Humanist Society-certified humanist celebrant, speaker
Gayle Jordan, humanist celebrant, Recovering from Religion director
Andy Dufek, moderator, Dying Well workshops, trained end-of-life doula, with Atlanta Death Café
Dr. Kalai Mugilan, sociologist
Building Humanist Community in your Community - Room C
This Workshop will show how to form connections, communications, and the many tools and support available to form your own group where you live.
Kalai is an Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Humanist, Mediator, Public Speaker and Community Builder.
Breakout Sessions 2 (1:00 - 1:50 pm)
Steven Phelps, songwriter
Songs for Everynone - Room A1 (1:00 - 1:50 pm)
An accomplished secular songwriter, Steven will present a fun sampling of original musical "offerings" that span the continuum from strident resistance to religion to softer humanist efforts to find common ground.
Steven has experience of 30 plus years as a professional musician plus 40 years of songwriting. His YouTube channel "The Upbeat Atheist" features 29 original videos of his work.
Panel: The Ethics of Abortion - Room A2 (1:00 - 1:50 pm)
Diversity Panel: Building a Better Community - Room B (1:00 - 1:50 pm)
With the rise of Christian Nationalism and White Supremacy in the courts and our communities, how are we as a secular community improving our diversity and inclusion, but also leading with our values? Please join us for this very important discussion.
Mandisa Thomas, moderator
Dr Marisa Richmond, LGBT rights activist, history professor
Arden Hart, trans activist
Monica Burns, Black Nonbelievers of Louisville
Bob Swanson, science educator
Teaching CRT (Critical, Rational Thinking) to kids - Room C (1:00 - 1:50 pm)
Our kids are growing up in the information age. What is the best way to make sure they can distinguish reliable information from misinformation? Parent, teacher and children's entertainer Bob Swanson will share strategies for teaching critical skills in the classroom and around the dinner table in this fun, informative session.
Bob teaches physical science and astronomy at Mississippi State University full-time and sings about space and weather at elementary schools and libraries.
Breakout Sessions 3 (2:15 - 3:05 pm)
Three Ex-Pastors Go See A Shrink - Room A (2:15 - 3:05 pm)
Sit in on a free-wheeling group therapy session as the confessions pour out and a humanity-affirming cure is sought for what ails us all.
Dave Warnock
(Ex-Pastor)
Cass Midgley
(Ex-Pastor)
James Croft
(Ex-Pastor?)
Jeanine Allaire Bernache
(Shrink)
Recovering from Sexual Shame and Purity Culture - Room B (2:15 - 3:05 pm)
Gayle, director of Recovering from Religion, former Southern Baptist Sunday School teacher, and mother of four, and Alice, author of "Wayward: A Memoir of Spiritual Warfare and Sexual Purity" in conversation with Seth Andrews, author and host of The Thinking Atheist podcast.
Jen Scott, of American Atheists
Why Atheists Need To Get Organized (And How We’re Doing It) Room C (2:15 - 3:05 pm)
Why do non-religious people need to organize? Isn’t that just like organized religion without the god stuff? Put simply, no. Atheists and nonbelievers organize at the local, regional and national level for some very important reasons. Learn why, and how!
Jen is a community organizer and grassroots activist and currently serves as Chair of the American Atheists Board of Directors. As Statewide Field Manager for Equality Ohio, she supported passage of LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination ordinances and worked with state and federal legislators.