Earth Awareness Program

Monday, May 28 at 7:30 pm

Imperiled Life

Revolution Against Climate Catastrophe

Book Tour with author Javier Sethness-Castro

~~ appearing in person

Javier Sethness-Castro presents grim news from contemporary climatologists in his new book, Imperiled Life, while providing a reconstructive vision inspired by anarchist intellectual traditions and promoting critical thought as a means of changing our historical trajectory. This book is being co-published with the Institute for Anarchist Studies. Javier theorizes an exit from the potentially terminal consequences of capital-induced climate change. His book is a collection of reflections on the phenomenon of catastrophe — climatological, political, social — as well as on the possibilities of overcoming disaster. We can draw on this book for inspiration in these darkest of times.

Our Programs at Humanist Hall are accompanied by pot luck refreshments. Feel free to bring scrumptious food, organic and local, to enjoy with others. Our doors open at 6:30 pm for our social hour and pot luck refreshments and Javier’s talk will begin at 7:30 pm.

Donations Accepted

http://www.akpress.org/imperiledlife.html

To learn more about Sunday Programs

or Tuesday Programs held

at Humanist Hall

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Wednesday, May 30 at 7:30 pm

END:CIV  Resist or Die

by Franklin Lopez

This amazing film examines our culture’s addiction to systematic violence and environmental exploitation, and probes the resulting epidemic of poisoned landscapes and shell-shocked nations.  But it’s more than a film.  It’s a movement.  You can feel the anger and the urgency in every scene.  The film takes you on a whirlwind ride of emotion as you view the destruction that civilization has caused to the Earth and humanity.  Even though most of this film may be old information for those of us who keep on top of social, economic, political, environmental, and ecological collapse — the way it’s presented is so visceral that it will feed your inner revolutionary.  After watching this film, you may immediately want to get out and fight the capitalist system that’s causing so much suffering and death in the world.  The film calls on us to act as if we truly love this land.  It’s so invigorating to see the opinions of direct action activists finally put on the screen.  There is no walking on eggs in this movie.  It doesn’t hide the fact that violence must be used to stop these out-of-control political systems from killing us all.  This film does an amazing job at putting forth some of the key arguments of Derrick Jensen’s End Game.  Derrick Jensen famously says:  “If your homeland was invaded by aliens who cut down the forests, poisoned the water and air, and contaminated the food supply, would you resist?”  Everyone should see this film and join the movement to end the tyranny that is civiLIEzation.

$5 donations are accepted

http://submedia.tv/endciv/

To learn more about Film Series held

at Humanist Hall

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Sunday, April 22 at 2:30 pm

Earth Day World Music Celebration

with West Coast World Music and Dance

Presented by Kevin Cloud

Let’s Celebrate the Living Earth in music and dance!  Join West Coast World Music for a long Sunday afternoon and evening of music, dance, and convivencia honoring Spring, the Earth, and the gift of Life with art and love.  Caravan Dancing will be among the styles of performance as well as Balkan, Middle-Eastern, Swing, and many more styles of music and dance in a relaxed “hafla”-style setting.   Caravans and musicians on-deck include:

Silk Road Caravan

David Correa and Cascada Eterna Primavera

Sweet Moments of Confusion

Tim Weed

https://www.facebook.com/events/306528092742207/

Sunday, April 29 at 1:30 pm

Middle Eastern Treasures Concert

Presented by Mary Ellen Donald

This will be an afternoon of exhilarating, delightful, and incredible Arabic and Middle Eastern music, drumming, and belly dancing! Mary Ellen Donald is a nationally acclaimed Middle Eastern percussionist, instructor, and recording artist for 35 years. She is the prime mover of the gorgeous and exotic Middle Eastern Treasures Concerts. She shines not only as an expert and thrilling player of Persian drums and cymbals, but she is also an amazing jazz singer.

This afternoon Mary Ellen Donald will feature beautiful Egyptian, Syrian, and Iraqian music as performed by her Arabic Music Ensemble.  Husain Resan will sing;  Younes Makboul will play violin;  and Mary Ellen, Angelena Kyzar-Crowhurst, and Brian Nutson will play percussion.  Mary Ellen and her son John Donald are the duo performing in the Donald Drum Duo.  The exquisite belly dancers performing precisely in sync with the music this afternoon will be Ma*Shuqa Mira Murjan and Hannah Romanowsky.  In addition, Mozaik will perform women’s a cappella folk harmonies from around the world.  And to top it off, there will be two large percussion ensembles with more belly dancers.  And of course, there will be audience dancing afterward!

Come, see, and experience these Middle Eastern instruments, sounds, and belly dancing.  It’s impossible to have a more enjoyable afternoon at Humanist Hall!  Come and join Mary Ellen in raising the rafters of Humanist Hall as high as the sky today!  Complementing Mary Ellen’s spectacular concert will be an irresistible feast!  Be sure to keep the abundance flowing and bring a scrumptious potluck dish to share!

 
http://www.maryellendonald.com

Sunday Meeting

Sunday, April 1 at 10:30 am

Is Christianity Neo-Platonism

for the Masses?

Presented by Sterling Bunnell

Sterling’s talk this morning will be about how Christianity borrowed from Neo-Platonism to create its theology and how this was watered down for the masses.

All of Sterling’s talks manifest his brilliant command of both abstract explanations and historical examples — both theory and fact — and they exhibit the amazing broad scope of his mind, encompassing so many fields: the hard and soft sciences and earth and biological sciences, spirituality, psychology, philosophy, history, at alia. Sterling is a rare generalist, a philosopher, freely sharing his thoughts in our world of guarded specialists. Hear Sterling talk, participate in the group discussion, and get the education you might have missed in the course of your life!

Our Sunday talks are accompanied by optional pot luck refreshments. Please feel free to bring scrumptious food, organic and local, suitable for brunch. Our doors open at 10:00 am and talks begin at 10:30 am.

by

Joel Nakamura

To learn more about Sunday Programs held

at Humanist Hall

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Sunday Meeting

Sunday, March  4  at 10:30 am

Social Darwinism, Eugenics,

and Modern Society

Presented by Sterling Bunnell

Sterling’s talk this morning will be about Social Darwinism and how it relates to eugenics and our modern society.

All of Sterling’s talks manifest his brilliant command of both abstract explanations and historical examples — both theory and fact — and they exhibit the amazing broad scope of his mind, encompassing so many fields: the hard and soft sciences and earth and biological sciences, spirituality, psychology, philosophy, history, at alia. Sterling is a rare generalist, a philosopher, freely sharing his thoughts in our world of guarded specialists. Hear Sterling talk, participate in the group discussion, and get the education you might have missed in the course of your life!

Our Sunday talks are accompanied by optional pot luck refreshments. Please feel free to bring scrumptious food, organic and local, suitable for brunch. Our doors open at 10:00 am and talks begin at 10:30 am.

by

Joel Nakamura

To learn more about Sunday Programs held

at Humanist Hall

click here

Sunday Meeting

Sunday, February 12 at 10:30 am

On the Shoulders of Darwin

Stands Lynn Margulis

Talk in Honor of Darwin Day

By Florence Windfall

Florence’s talk this Sunday will continue her appreciation of Lynn Margulis who recently died.  Her talk will be based on Lynn Margulis‘ and Dorion Sagan‘s book, What is Life?  The life sciences have exploded since Darwin’s lifetime in a way he could not have anticipated.  Evolutionary biology today has been expanded in every direction:  in its reach into the past history of the Earth, in its projections about the future of life, and most of all in its breadth of research and inclusion of many related sciences to capture so much more of the complexities and nuances of life.  After her talk, Florence will facilitate a round-robin discussion on the issues she brought up.

Traditionally, Humanism did not officially include ecological or environmental awareness. Humanism was about humans, with humans central to its ethics and philosophy, rather than an alleged “God.”  But today Humanism does embrace the environment, or what used to be called conservation.  And what exactly do Humanists think they should do for the environment today? Do Humanists expect to save the Earth, or some part of it, from environmental destruction today?  What do YOU think Humanists should be doing for the environment?  And what are you doing, or what would you like to be doing, for conservation today?

Our Sunday talks are accompanied by pot luck refreshments. Please feel free to bring scrumptious food, organic and local, suitable for brunch.  Our doors open at 10:30 am and this talk will begin at 11:00 am.

by

Joel Nakamura

www.joelnakamura.com

To learn more about Sunday Programs held

at Humanist Hall

click here

Sunday Meeting

Sunday, February 5 at 10:30 am

Darwinism and Spirituality

Presented by Sterling Bunnell

Darwin Day, the anniversary of Darwin’s birthday in 1809, is coming up February 12.  In honor of Darwin Day, Sterling’s talk this morning will be about Darwinism and spirituality.  Sterling will break out of the myopic bonds that usually hamper discussions on this subject.

All of Sterling’s talks manifest his brilliant command of both abstract explanations and historical examples — both theory and fact — and they exhibit the amazing broad scope of his mind, encompassing so many fields: the hard and soft sciences and earth and biological sciences, spirituality, psychology, philosophy, history, at alia. Sterling is a rare generalist, a philosopher, freely sharing his thoughts in our world of guarded specialists. Hear Sterling talk, participate in the group discussion, and get the education you might have missed in the course of your life!

Our Sunday talks are accompanied by optional pot luck refreshments. Please feel free to bring scrumptious food, organic and local, suitable for brunch. Our doors open at 10:00 am and talks begin at 10:30 am.

by

Joel Nakamura

To learn more about Sunday Programs held

at Humanist Hall

click here

Thursday, January 19 at 6:30 pm

Community Democracy Forum

with Occupy Oakland

Presented by Shawn McDougal

It’s time for us progressives to take our work to the next level — from agitation and defense to shifting the terrain of struggle altogether.  We’re looking for people interested in participatory democracy and building an effective, broad, high-impact movement for progressive change.  Let’s create a social life beyond the rat-race competition for scarce resources;  a broadly-shared sense of our interdependence, based on concrete experience and not just good intentions;  synergy between the hard-won wisdom of elders and the bold ideas of youth;  community that emerges from dialog across differences rather than static assumptions about “us vs. them;”   a politics of participation, interaction, and conversation, instead of the elite-driven politics of personality, performance, and spectacle;  an informed and vigilant public that will hold leaders accountable;  and a working model of collective power  emphasizing the regular actions of many over the extraordinary actions of a few.

Community forums, i.e., neighborhood assemblies, would not merely make recommendations to officials but they would actually make fundamental decisions.  They would decide the city budget:  what percentage of it should go to police, to youth programs, parks, transit, and so on.  How much of it do we provide for new programs;  which progams do we phase out?  Should we change our revenue stream?  And so on.  We would have strong participatory democracy  at the local level.  The neighborhood assemblies could be a scalable model for deepening democracy at the county, state, and national level.  Bringing people together to discuss, debate, and decide on concrete issues that affect our lives — this is exactly the kind of culture shift our society needs.

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday

January 14, 15, and 16 at 9:30 am

The Transformational Power of Compassion Workshop

Presented by Robert Gonzales

The focus of this fantastic workshop is to establish and cultivate an embodied consciousness of self-compassion and compassionate communication as a means to engage in a living practice, moment to moment.  You will be introduced to — and practice — processes that Robert Gonzales has developed to deepen the experience of self-compassion and living compassion in relationships.  The workshop will include:

* Developing an embodied awareness of compassion and authenticity
* Deepening awareness of the beauty of needs
* Inner work of cultivating deep self-compassion
* Bringing our authenticity and compassion into the relational space with others

This workshop is brought to us by Bay Area Nonviolent Communication (BayNVC) which meets regularly and holds events, workshops, and trainings in Oakland and the greater Bay Area.