Hello Alamo!
I’m sorry I couldn’t make time for blogging this weekend. I know you were so looking forward to it.
I haven’t really had the chance to focus on anything in the community recently because of organizing with my group, the Otero Humanists, but I didn’t want to skip another week, so I think that’s what I’ll talk about today.
I left Catholicism at age 19 very gladly. After a brief stint in Wicca, I realized I was having a lot of fun, but I didn’t actually believe in it. I was atheist for a good 12, 13 years before looping back to North Paganism. With that context, the atheist communities that I could actually participate in online were wildly toxic. So when I found a humanist group (an ideology that tends to attract atheists because of its focus on humans over a higher being), I was definitely skeptical.
Turns out, this group is built on many of the values I already hold.
Ultimately humanism is all about bettering the human condition. We care about the environment. We care about helping people without a need for reward. We care about thinking critically and using facts and reasoning skills to come to a conclusion. We care about human rights and examining how our own actions impact the people around us. We care about building supportive connections in our communities. Importantly, we realize there’s always room for improvement, including within humanism itself.
Every Saturday (except this Saturday*), we meet to have a discussion about an important topic facing the world, open discussion/general socializing, or whatever goofy little topic I come up with.
I ran for president because I think it’s really important to have a space for this kind of group. It’s part of why I even have this blog, but it’s easier to get good things done in this community when you have organizational power behind you too. I want this community to be better for the people that live here, so it’s my responsibility to try to make things better.
With all of that in mind, I want to let you know about some events going on this week.
Today, Pizza 9 at the mall is having a fundraiser. 50% of your purchase total will benedfit the National Federation of the Blind chapter.
As many of you know, Friday commemorates the day federal troops reached Galveston in 1865 to ensure the abolishment of chattel slavery was being enforced. It’s a day for the Black community to reflect on their incredible resilience, and for us all to reflect on the work we still have to do to uphold their full freedom.
The Juneteenth celebration will take place on Saturday* from 10am-2pm at Washington Park.
Note that the Alamogordo Farmer’s Market will still be at the park near 1st St. from 10am-noon as well.
I hope you’ll join us in supporting our community this weekend!
Salud.
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