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A lot has happened when it comes to the past and present of AEU. In this month’s Message from the President, Carolyn Parker discusses the key moments that have led up to our 2023 Assembly on July 29th and what that means for the future of our movement.

AEU Assembly 2023 Restorative Justice Events and Trainings & Multi-Society Party Grants

Brought to you by Assembly Co-Chairs Anya Overmann and Rachel Pfeffer

Dates to note: 

• June 1, 2023: Deadline for Grants (apply here)
• June 9th or June 10th: RJ Training: Register for either day (event is a one-day training) (register here)
• June 27th: Community of Practice for anyone who attended the training, and/or is already trained in RJ (register here)

Also, please mark your calendar to attend our AEU 2023 Assembly Business Meeting on July 29th. Stay tuned for more information about this wonderful event for all Societies to participate in.

AEU Board Listening Sessions

The AEU Board of Directors has faced a number of challenging years and we are at a crossroads. Our movement needs to come together to decide its future. What’s next? 

Our Interim Executive Director has created a presentation including five scenarios to consider and ignite your imagination. Perhaps you have already heard the presentation and have questions about each scenario. Perhaps you've heard conflicting statements about the scenario and want to hear them for yourself. Now we are asking you to participate in learning more and engaging in a movement-wide conversation. The goal of the conversation is to use Appreciative Inquiry to dream our highest dreams for the movement's future. 

The board of directors invites you to an All-Societies Gathering featuring Rachel Pfeffer on "Imagining the future of the AEU". Click on the “July 1st” option to RSVP for our next session. 

1. July 1st 11am - 1pm ET: All-Societies Conversation: Future of AEU

Send Us Photos of Your Society to Have Them Featured on Our New Website!

The AEU Website Redesign Team is currently hard at work at improving aeu.org and we need your help. Could you send us photos of your Societies that took place during events/platforms? It doesn’t matter if they were in-person, on Zoom, or hybrid, any pictures you have would be appreciated. If you have any that you would like for us to include on the new website, click on the link below and create a folder with your Society’s name, and put them in there. If you would prefer to upload the photos directly, please label each photo with your Society’s name on them so we know where they came from. Email communications@aeu.org if you have any questions.

Check Out the Full List of Candidates Running to Join the AEU as Board Directors and Officers!

The Board Development Committee (BDC) has received plenty of interest in the open Directors and Officers slots on the AEU Board that will be voted upon at the 2023 Assembly. Now that the application period has concluded, we are thrilled to unveil the final list of candidates in the link below. Having more folks running than there are openings enables us to have an open discussion about the future of the AEU and how these individuals plan on shaping that future. If you have any questions, you can contact Chris Kaman, the BDC Chair, at ckaman@aeu.org.

Participate in Our Visiting Leaders Program!

Interested in hosting a Leader from a different Society as a guest speaker for a Platform or event? Then you might be interested in our Visiting Leaders Program! Fill out the form by clicking on the link below and check out our list of amazing Leaders available to visit your Society. If you have any questions, email Rachel Pfeffer at rpfeffer@aeu.org.

Event Name: Friday AM Ethics Discussion: US Health Care: A Right or a Privilege? 

Host: Ethical Culture Society of Silicon Valley 

Date: Friday, June 2nd 

Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM ET

Unfortunately, the topic of healthcare has become a polarizing one; Is it a right or a privilege? The Ethical Culture of Silicon Valley will discuss the changing healthcare industry and how it impacts our lives. Interested? Then click on the link below to RSVP today!

Event Name: Songs of Spectives

Host: Philadelphia Ethical Society 

Date: Sunday, June 4th 

Time: 11 AM ET

Want to gain a new perspective (or spective) through the power of music? Then this is the event for you! Thanks to our friends from the Philadelphia Ethical Society, resident Society pianist and professional musician Bob Steinfort will play a variety of different songs designed to help us gain insight in a way we haven’t before. Bob will also be joined by fellow musicians Robert Edwin and Rollin Wilber. Mark your calendars for what will be a fascinating experience. See you there!

Event Name: Pride! Celebration, Love, Sorrow, and Change

Host: Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture 

Date: Sunday, June 4th  

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

Please join the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture for a special Platform celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride. Enjoy music from the Brooklyn Women’s Chorus and hear from special guest, Lujira Cooper (Brooklyn Member and AEU Board Candidate). This is an event you don’t want to miss. Click on the link below to learn more and RSVP!

Event Name: EHSR June Meeting with Special Guest, Professor Jonathan Rieder 

Host: Ethical Humanist Society of Rochester  

Date: Wednesday, June 7th

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM ET

Joining the Ethical Humanist Society of Rochester for their June meeting is special guest, Jonathan Rieder. Jonathan is a professor of sociology at Barnard College and Columbia University. He is also no stranger to controversy, finding himself in the middle of ethical debates surrounding academic freedom, racial sensitivity, and campus politics. Interested in hearing John’s opinions and sharing your own? Then click on the links below to learn more and RSVP. We hope to see you there.

Event Name: My Peace Corps Experience: What it Taught Me

Host: Philadelphia Ethical Society 

Date: Sunday, June 11th 

Time: 11:00 AM ET

For over 60 years, the Peace Corps has connected American volunteers with communities from all over the world to address the issues that are affecting them the most. Philadelphia Ethical Society member Kimiko Doherty will share her experiences from her two and a half years in Honduras and what she learned from it. Join the platform and help her celebrate her 20th anniversary. Mark your calendars today for what will be an enlightening event.

Event Name: Juneteenth Jazz Jubilee: Benefit Concert for Music on The Inside

Host: New York Society for Ethical Culture 

Date: Saturday, June 17th 

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

Celebrate Juneteenth for a good cause as the New York Society for Ethical Culture is putting on a benefit concert for Music on the Inside, an organization that connects formerly incarcerated musicians with industry professionals. Join us for a night of wonderful music while supporting a nonprofit that’s fighting for criminal and social justice reform in the US. Learn more about this event and RSVP below!

Event Name: “Dog Days of Summer” Reading

Host: Philadelphia Ethical Society 

Date: Sunday, June 25th 

Time: 11:00 AM ET

Looking to enjoy the nice weather (or the cool breeze of the A/C inside) with a good book but not sure what to read? Our friends from the Philadelphia Ethical Society can help! Their Summer reviewers have a list of recommendations for you to choose from. Hear what their suggestions are by marking your calendars for an event that is made for bookworms like yourself. We can’t wait to see you there.

The First Two Sessions of the AEU Board Listening Series

On May 18th and 20th, we held our first two AEU Board Listening Series Sessions. The purpose of these events was to create opportunities for members to ask questions, listen to each other, and clarify our understanding of the proposed scenarios in advance of the Assembly vote on July 29, 2023. Our Interim Executive Director, Rachel Pfeffer, outlined each scenario and we heard from folks from across the Ethical Culture Movement on what they thought of these options as well as the direction of the AEU in general. If you’re interested to hear what was discussed, click on the link below.

Susquehanna Valley Ethical Society Ethical Decision Making: Shifting for Change & Happy Hour

On May 21st, the Susquehanna Valley Ethical Society (SVES) held a community gathering in the backyard of their Board President, Pattie Arduini. This was a great opportunity to connect Society members with those new to the area. With AEU Visiting Leader Jé Hooper as the guest speaker and event facilitator, everyone had a great time playing the board game Trials by Trolly while enjoying some delicious food and drinks. To avoid missing out on fun events like this one, check out the SVES events calendar by clicking on the link below.