Secular Student Alliance National Conference

Friday, July 12

5:00 pm

Opening Plenary Session

Location: Fishbowl

Welcome - Ryan Bell

Opening Words from the Executive Director - Kevin Bolling

Backbone Award Presentation

Why We Keep Going - Mandisa Thomas

Building and maintaining communities, as well as engaging others can be extremely challenging. In fact, it becomes so exhausting that wanting to quit is common, and very tempting.
Mandisa Thomas will open the conference by sharing related experiences, and will also explain that even through the rough times, why it's important to push forward and keep going.
Q & A with Mandisa Thomas

7:30 pm

"Hail Satan?" screening and welcome reception

Watch the trailer here

The Fishbowl

Saturday, July 13

9:00 am

Breakfast

Room 108

9:30 am

Student Leadership Bootcamp (Fishbowl)

  • Clarifying values and setting goals
  • Building relationships to grow your chapter
  • The SSA semester: a 15-week template for success
  • CASE: building a well-rounded community
  • Outreach that makes an impact
  • Getting the funding you need 
  • Planning for continuity

Community Leadership Bootcamp (Room 104)

  • Defining your priorities
  • Enacting your values
  • Navigating conflict
  • Understanding interfaith engagement
  • Effective communication and outreach
  • Fundraising skills
  • Planning events that land for millennials

11:30 am

Plenary Session

Making Space for Empathy & Vulnerability: Community-Building in Action

What does community-building look like in practice? In this session, we will break down the barriers to trust and vulnerability to find common ground and forge stronger relationships.  

Presenter: Isaac Gilles

Location: Fishbowl

The Fishbowl

12:30 pm

Lunch

On your own

2:00 pm

Teaching Feminist, Heathen, Humanist and Black

Sikivu Hutchinson

[Room 104]

The Art & Science of Building Vibrant Communities

Isaac Gilles

[Fishbowl]

The Ethics of Star Trek

James Croft

[Room 205]

2:45 pm

Making an Impact On the 2020 Elections

Sarah Levin

[Room 102]

What is the role of secular individuals in the interfaith movement?

Hannah Minks

[Room 205]

Building Community Through Secular Traditions

Asia Jackson

[Room 104]

3:30 pm

Project Blitz, Religious Exemptions, and "Free Speech" Laws -- What They Mean for Students

Nick Fish

[Room 102]

How To Be an LGBTQ Ally

Kacey Ritter

[Room 104]

Street Epistemology

Reid Nicewonder

[Room 205]

4:00 pm

Break

4:30 pm

What is the role of secular individuals in the interfaith movement?

Hannah Minks

[Room 205]

Different backgrounds, same secular values

Adriana Buenaventura

[Room 104]

5:30 pm

Plenary Session

Secular Virtues and Community Building

Presenter: Phil Zuckerman

Location: Fishbowl

7:00 pm

Dinner

On your own

Sunday, July 14

9:00 am

Breakfast

Room 108

9:30 am

Regional Working Groups

Work in a group with students from your region of the United States to review what you've learned, what has inspired you most, and the first steps you will take when you get home to build stronger community this coming year.

West (Room 108)

Midwest/Great Lakes (Room 104)

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic (Room 205)

South (Room 203)

Community Leadership Bootcamp

Location: Fishbowl

11:00 am

Plenary Session

Fighting Christian Nationalism

Presenter: Andrew Seidel

Location: Fishbowl

Plenary Speakers

Mandisa Thomas

MandisaThomas 7x5

Isaac Gilles

Isaac Gilles 7x5

Phil Zuckerman

Zuckerman 7x5

Andrew Seidel

Andrew Seidel 7x5

Workshop Presenters

Vanessa Gomez Brake

Vanessa Gomez Brake 10x8

Adriana Buenaventura

adrianabuenaventura_headshot

James Frey Croft

JamesCroft 10x8

Nick Fish

Nick Fish

Sikivu Hutchinson

Sikivu Hutchinson 10x8

Asia Jackson

asia_jackson_headshotmin

Sarah Levin

Sarah Levin 10x8

Hannah Minks

Hannah Minks Headshot

Reid Nicewonder

Reid Nicewonder 2

Kacey Ritter

Kacey Ritter 10x8

More information about the schedule and featured speakers will be available soon.

Check back!

We are grateful to be hosted by the Office of Religious Life at the University of Southern California