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Following the 108th Assembly, newly elected AEU Board President Khandra Sears is excited to serve as the President and will begin by reorienting our focus on right relations, restoring trust, transparency, collaboration, and accountability.

 Remembering William “Billy” Kirschner

It is with a heavy heart that we share that William “Billy'' Kirschner died on July 21st. He joined the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC) with his family in 1964 and fully embodied the ethos of our Movement. He taught in the same Sunday School program that he was a part of as a child.

As a practicing attorney, he incorporated ethical action into his daily life. One example is when he defended the only abortion clinic in North Dakota. A lifelong member of Ethical Culture herself, his sister Diane Kirschner wrote a beautiful tribute to Billy that you can read here.

Susan Teshu Memorial Service Update

A memorial service for beloved Ethical Culture Leader Susan Teshu will take place on Saturday, August 12th at 2 PM ET. If you are able to be there in person, email Westchester Community for Ethical Culture Leader Bart Worden at bartworden@gmail.com for the location. You can also pay your respects over Zoom by clicking on the link below.

President’s Report from Outgoing Baltimore Ethical Society President, Dr. Omowale Elson

From the words of Dr. Elson: “This report is intended to give a walk-through of what it looked and felt like in the role of the President. From a psychoanalytic perspective, the role of leadership is complex because it functions as a projective screen where the good and the bad, more of the bad, get off-loaded into the role holder. To that extent, leading BES was no piece of cake, and I was cognizant that two previous presidents walked away from the organization within the last six years.”

Update on the 53rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council

Friend of the AEU and a fellow United Nations-affiliated organization Humanists International has published their notes on the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council that concluded earlier this month.

They share some reasons for us to be optimistic as well as some disturbing news that deserve our attention and commitment towards preventing it from being swept under the rug. Hear what they have to say by clicking on the “Link to updates” button below.

Multi-Society Gatherings

As part of the 108th Assembly events, we invited Societies to come together for a gathering, bbq, or picnic to have fun and deepen our relationships with each other. The AEU distributed $3,500 total in mini-grants to support these gatherings.

Ethical Society Mid Rivers put some of those funds to good use as they hosted a multi-Society party with the Chicago Community Circle and the Ethical Society of St. Louis. Dubbed “Summer Party 2023”, over 100 people attended this wonderful get-together at Creve Coeur Lake Park.

The festivities included a high-stakes game of giant Jenga along with plenty of good food and conversation to go around. Check out the highlights of this fun-filled event by clicking on the slideshow below.

Event Name: Ethical Foundations - Felix Adler & The Birth of a Movement

Host: Ethical Society Mid Rivers

Date: Sunday, August 6th

Time: 10:30 AM ET

Take a trip back in time with Ethical Society Mid Rivers as Leader-in-Training Louise Jett brings us all the way to the beginning of the Ethical Culture Movement and tells us about the person who started it, Felix Adler. Louise will talk about his vision and how that inspired our Movement. Interested? Then join Mid Rivers for this fascinating in-person event and the delicious post Platform potluck lunch that follows.

Event Name: Sunday Gathering: The Challenges of The Last Three Years

Host: Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County

Date: Sunday, August 20th 

Time: 10:30 PM - 11:30 AM ET

A lot has happened over the past three years including a global pandemic and an insurrection which led to an indictment of the former President responsible for causing it. For this Sunday Gathering, social worker and longtime member of the Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County Lisa Schwartz will lead a community circle on the ways we have been impacted both as a community and as individuals. Email admin@ethicalfocus.org for the Zoom link.

Event Name: Ethical Culture’s Unique Role in the World by Don Montagna

Host: Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville

Date: Sunday, August 20th 

Time: 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM ET

The Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville will be joined by a special guest who is no stranger to Ethical Culture, Don Montagna. A retired Senior Leader of the Washington Ethical Society, Don will lead a conversation on our Movement’s role in the world. For more information on this presentation and how to attend this event virtually via Zoom, click on the links below.

Event Name: Special Virtual Documentary Night: It’s Criminal

Host: Ethical Humanists of Atlanta 

Date: Sunday, August 20th 

Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET

Fancy yourself as a documentarian buff? Then join the Ethical Humanists of Atlanta for their upcoming documentary night! They will be discussing the film It’s Criminal which follows students from Dartmouth College and incarcerated women who worked together to write and perform a play that tells the stories of the latter in their own words.

The director, documentary advisor, and a participant will also be joining this event for a special Q&A! If you’re interested in participating in this cinematic roundtable, click on the link below to learn more and RSVP. See you there!

Event Name: Platform Featuring The Good Trouble Church

Host: Baltimore Ethical Society

Date: Sunday, August 27th 

Time: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM ET

Creating positive social change comes with partnering with like-minded organizations that share your motivations in righting the wrongs plaguing our society. This is why the Baltimore Ethical Society is excited to welcome the Good Trouble Church as their guest for this Platform.

They are a grassroots community aid project dedicated to serving marginalized communities and providing them with the resources they need to thrive. Learn all about the initiatives they are doing in Baltimore by contacting PRESIDENT@BMORETHICAL.ORG for the Zoom information. 

Event Name: Readings from Banned Books

Host: Philadelphia Ethical Society

Date: Sunday, August 27th  

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM ET

Marketed as a way to “protect the children”, book banning is an act of censorship that silences the voices of history and people from marginalized communities. As an act of defiance in the name of inclusivity and free speech, members of the Philadelphia Ethical Society’s Ending Racism Task Force will read excerpts of some well-known banned books. Mark your calendars and save this Zoom link to attend. See you there!

All-Societies Platform: The Encampment for Citizenship

On July 30th, The Encampment for Citizenship (EFC) joined us for our latest All-Societies Platform. We heard from alumni who attended their youth leadership program over the past 50 years. We were inspired by the profound impact the EFC had on their thinking and political development.

It was also a pleasure to have Washington Ethical Society Senior Leader KC Slack and recording artists DuPree and Barry Kornhauser participate in this Platform as well.

KC led us through a “Mourner’s Moment” where attendees had an opportunity to honor the memory of a loved one while Dupree and Barry performed a powerful rendition of Rising Appalachia’s “Resilient.”

AEU 108th Assembly Business Meeting

On July 29th, we held our Assembly Business Meeting which marked the end of the 108th Annual Assembly. If you are interested in seeing what was discussed/voted upon, click on the link below.