Ending Racism Task Force of the Philadelphia Ethical Society Poems by Maya Angelou, Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, Jerico Brown and others.  How can poetry serve to enlighten us and move us to heal racial trauma? Join here online at the scheduled time.

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Joe Biden won the 2020 election fair and square, but the outrageous lie that the election was rigged fueled the January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. Though lying has long been used as a tool to gain political power, normalizing blatant lying threatens our democracy. Hugh Taft-Morales explores this [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Since the Department of War’s creation in 1789, the United States has followed an all-too-familiar strategy: prepare for war to keep the peace. The painstaking, crucial work of peacebuilding has not received equal federal attention and resources. As weapons become more deadly and expensive, isn’t it time the federal [...]

Nora Elmarzouky POWER, Climate Justice and Jobs Nora Elmarzouky, a Climate Justice organizer at POWER, will discuss POWER’s campaign to pressure elected state leaders to appoint Public Utility Commissioners who will represent people and the planet rather than profits for the fossil fuel industry. Join here online at the scheduled time.

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Courage often is exemplified by acts of physical bravery. Other times it is described as the absence of fear. But courage, particularly moral courage, need not involve overcoming bodily risk and suffering. And as Mark Twain put it, “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear--not absence of fear.” [...]

Wendy Roth Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania An estimated 15% of all U.S. adults—approximately 30 million people—have taken genetic ancestry tests. Roth, author of Race Migrations: Latinos and the Cultural Transformation of Race, explains how such tests influence people’s perceptions of their ethnic and racial identities. Research demonstrates that people pick and choose new [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society From ancient Egypt to modern Halloween, humans have told stories about spirits that haunt our houses and fill our imaginations. Some, like Casper, are friendly and fun. Others threaten and terrorize. Why are ghosts so ubiquitous in culture? What purpose do they serve in our society and in our [...]

Lisa Servon University of Pennsylvania Nearly 28% of Americans have no bank account or use services such as payday lenders, pawn shops and check cashers, in addition to banks. Much energy has been expended trying to get these people to use banks exclusively without first understanding why they make the choices they do. Servon, chair [...]

Jim MacMillan Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting Can changing the way journalists and news organizations report on gun violence prevent shootings and save lives? The Center for Gun Violence Reporting at Community College of Philadelphia was created to explore this question. The Center helps journalists find experts, data and other resources; pairs community reporters [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Whether before a meal, in times of communal despair, or at the start of a new session of Congress, the words, “let us pray” often surprise non-theistic humanists. Many find calls for collective religious behavior difficult to navigate. The balance between respectful tolerance of group norms and hypocritical submission [...]