Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Hugh Taft-Morales loves reading about American history, from first settlements to today. He is particularly interested in the civil rights movement. This past summer, Hugh took his first civil rights tour. Here, he offers some reflections on that profound experience, explaining why it affected him so deeply and how he [...]

Greg Bonin Ethical Culture Leader What is the work of human relationships? What role does joy play in resistance, survival, and thriving? Greg Bonin will explore “durable joy,” a concept defined by poet Toi Derricotte. Greg specializes in institutional and organizational facilitation, bringing a practice grounded in embodiment, humanistic interdependence, and reflective inquiry as a [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society From mundane mansplaining to systemic silencing, men regularly ignore the voices of women. That is made tragically clear in Miriam Toews’ book Women Talking and director Sarah Polley’s 2022 film, which the book inspired. The #MeToo movement has produced some progress. But when it comes to who commands an audience, we are [...]

Margaret Downey President, The Freethought Society By creating a Day of the Dead celebration, Margaret Downey and her team—Victoria de la Torre, David Tamayo, and Memo Benumea—seek to honor the cultural traditions of Mexicans and Mexican Americans. This meaningful celebration conveys the message that death is not to be feared. A non-theist leader for over 30 [...]

Sam Pizzigati Associate Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies Felix Adler promoted a more egalitarian America. An advocate for capping the income of the very wealthy, he hoped to tax away “pomp and pride and power.” Yet today we are more unequal than ever. Labor journalist Pizzigati will explore new approaches to reforming our economic and [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Many of our harvest-season traditions have been crafted through selective appropriation of Native American culture. That culture informs how we frame our Thanksgiving holiday and the gratitude we profess—for nature’s gifts, in particular. Drawing on Robin Wall Kimmerer’s book Braiding Sweetgrass, Hugh will explore the potential for transcending superficial [...]

Donald Tibbs Professor of Law, Drexel University Tibbs, an activist for racial and social justice, will discuss the fraught ethics of contemporary policing, the subject of his forthcoming book, Unapologetically Black: How Policing Has Reshaped the American Constitution…And Why It Matters to Black America. Tibbs also is the author of From Black Power to Prison [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society Come and share poetry, music, and gratitude during our season of Thanksgiving. We will pass our plate to collect donations for Pay It Forward Philly, a new project that encourages local restaurants to provide food in a dignified manner to those in need. For the in-person gathering, unlike the [...]

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society In this video of a platform from 2011, Hugh offers still timely and inspiring reflections on the meaning of home and homelessness.

Hugh Taft-Morales Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society For thousands of years, humans have created statues in their own image. Artists have carved marble, forged metal, and sculpted clay to depict people as beautiful, heroic, or infamous. What purposes do these sculptures serve as cultural symbols and historical markers? How do they make life meaningful? Hugh draws [...]