I’m new to Seattle Atheists and to atheist activism, and I have enough on my plate, but I will gladly be your back-up candidate for Member at Large, in case there aren’t enough other candidates. Say, if one of the others gets raptured by mistake or something.
Dawkins says children are born atheists. In my case, it stuck. I wouldn’t say “under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance starting in 3rd grade. But I learned early on that atheism should be kept quiet, to avoid those horrified over-reactions and unwarranted assumptions about my morality & my soul. Uncalled for, but unfortunately still widespread. I now work in health care. People tend to assume that I must be Christian, and I don’t feel I can “come out” at work. I’m interested in helping put a more visible and positive face on atheism, as long as I don’t have to be out front, alone, when it happens.
I have Board experience for 3 years in a coop preschool. Unusual for an atheist, I actually joined a church 2 years ago. (Don’t worry - it’s not catching.) It’s a UU church, where I’d guess about half the members are atheists & where social action projects are always underway.
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We are seeing an unprecedented surge of interest and enthusiasm in atheism, and Seattle Atheists has an opportunity to be a leader in the Freethought movement in the Puget Sound region. The importance of this cannot be understated as we continually witness attacks from Religious Right extremists on our civil liberties, privacy, and personal freedoms, especially the freedom not to believe.
Of course, the success of any organization is dependent on the dedication of its members, and especially of its board members. And this includes the day-to-day functions that are critical to maintaining the vitality and strength of that organization.
As such, I am proud to have served as treasurer since the founding of Seattle Atheists, and I would be honored to continue serving in this role.
My name is Sam Mulvey, and I have been nominated to be a Member at Large for Seattle Atheists, a nomination I heartily accept.
I am a newcomer to the organization, and also to public atheism. Mystical concepts such as god or creation never really spoke to me as much as the sense of community and the social interface religion provides its membership. As someone committed to the concept of community, I have tried to divine the positive psychological aspects of spirituality from superstition.
Fortunately, I found another place that I feel serves many of the same benefits: bars. As I learned about the historic tradition of pubs and coffee houses, I grew to understand that they can serve as centers of philosophy and learning as well as centers of food and drink. My goal is to create a space outside of religion for such communal activities and fellowship, and I have developed a skill set that would be appropriate: I cook, I brew, I can tend bar, plus I have an amateur’s interest in human psychology.
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Hello. My name is Amanda Banerji, and I am pleased to have been nominated for Vice President of Seattle Atheists.
Ten years ago, I declared myself a non-believer to family and friends. Since then, I have learned much about how Atheists are viewed by the general public. Because we are essentially outsiders, in the sense that we don’t naturally have a locus around which to gather, or a common doctrine. Our ideas are not always in agreement; we are easily and often misrepresented, and make a convenient target. And because we have representatives of all stripes, we are viewed with distrust, anger, and not a little confusion.
I moved here three years ago from central Florida, from an environment that was openly hostile to non-believers. It was at this time that my ideas about the future role of Atheism began to take shape.
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Hello SA Members,
My name is Case and I’ve had the pleasure of serving Seattle Atheists as a board member for one year now. I’m honored to have been nominated for the position of President. Under the guidance of Kyle Hepworth and rest of the SA board, it has been a good year for our organization with many successful events, steady growth in membership, and a budget surplus.
After accepting the nomination, I’ve had to think carefully about what it is I can bring to the organization.
Communication: I firmly believe that good leadership can set the tone for how an organization interacts within its community, and how its membership feels about being in the group. It is my intention to publish a monthly statement on our website to post upcoming events, address issues affecting our community and organization, and share with its members the state of the organization. It will be a monthly masthead format much like a ‘letter from the editor’.
Energy: I think we need to update our website and handouts with a fresh new look. I am going to push for a compete overhaul of our website, an effort that I will lead. I want our website to be cleaner, easier to navigate, and more up-to-date.
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Seattle Atheists.org has had an exciting year with several highly successful events from authors and book groups to Flying Spaghetti Monsters and fairs. These events reached thousands of people and put the organization on on the verge of making a breakthrough to becoming much larger and better known. There are several ways I’d like to help make that happen as an officer on the board of directors.
Having spent the last year on the SA board, I’ve gotten to know active members of SA and talked face to face with Atheists and Theists alike from the Seattle area about what it means to be an Atheist organization. I have developed a strong sense of what people want from a local Atheist organization. They want an organization that is bold and aggressive enough to lead and stand for something, yet tactful and compassionate enough to put a good face on Atheism and make allies in the community across religious and social boundaries. They want an organization that fosters a sense of community and belonging but also has a purpose and a message. A group with room for everyone whether they just want to show up and chat, listen to a lecture, or become active in the club and promote equal rights for Atheist through outreach and education.
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Hello, I am the current Vice President of this organization. This year I have decided to run as a Member at Large and let in some fresh faces at the top.
I have been active in this organization for several years now, and see much potential for increasing activities and membership. I have worked to get Seattle Atheists involved with Darwin Day, the Day of Reason, and continuing the street fair growth. I would like to see us continue growth in these areas, as well as added community visibility through charitable work such as our current phone banking with KUOW, blood drives, and gift wrapping.
I see the slate of candidates for the offices this year have much energy and many good ideas for future growth of Seattle Atheists. I would like to continue as a Member at Large to help them guide us and avoid any pitfalls to that growth.
Thank you for your consideration
Randy Rumley
Greetings, members of Seattle Atheists!
Over the past few years, I’ve become an increasingly active member with this fantastic organization. During the past term, I was both a Member at Large and your friendly librarian, and I enjoyed being a more integral part of the group. I’ve put a lot of time and love into this organization, and I would like to continue that role in the following year as Member at Large. I’ve set up and participated in all of the outreach and educational events that we’ve hosted, and I can’t wait to get involved with future events.
Atheists are finally becoming more visible in our society, and I want to encourage more positive and productive dialogue. I think it’s important to reach out to the community through volunteer and educational activities. I want to reclaim the word “atheist” and dispel the common myths that exist about those who do not subscribe to religious belief. I’ve always been enthusiastic about this organization’s goals, and I want to do everything in my power to stimulate Seattle Atheists’ growth and visibility. I’m reliable and dedicated to our cause, and I would greatly appreciate your vote in the coming election!
Hello my fellow Atheist Friends! As some of you may know, I am running for the board position of Secretary. My decision to run was based on several different things, but my primary motivation is to contribute in whatever way I can to a wonderful organization and one that I am passionate about. While I may not have the charisma and drive to lead in the offices of President or Vice President, I do believe that I can contribute a great deal through my organization and logistical skills, and a strong desire to help Seattle Atheists grow into a visible and welcoming organization within the community. As Secretary, I also intend to place emphasis on accountability and volunteerism as well as helping to make our oganization more accessible to the public. Vote Rhiannon for SA Secretary.
