President's Column: Outreach

By August Berkshire

There are some things we do that mainly involve us talking and socializing with each other, such as picnics, our winter solstice party, and most of our dozens of Meetups each month.

Then there are other things that bridge the gap between internal and external, such as when we post our newsletter (or many parts of it) on our website, our postings on our Facebook page, our charitable contributions, and our third Sunday meetings with speakers (which we then post as podcasts).

Read more: President's Column: Outreach

May Meeting: Representative Mindy Greiling

The speaker at our May 20th meeting will be State Representative Mindy Greiling, who is retiring at the completion of her current term. In twenty years representing Roseville (District 54A), Greiling has been a consistent supporter of the separation of church and state, on issues such as abortion, science and history education standards, vouchers for religious schools, and recitation in public school of the Pledge of Allegiance. She has opposed imposition by the government of the views of any religion over others, or over non-religion.  In legislative debates she has marshaled arguments based upon scientific fact to rebut conservative Christian ideology.   

Read more: May Meeting: Representative Mindy Greiling

April Meeting Review: Famous Black Freethinkers

By Aly Jiselle

Ayanna Watson, founder and president of Black Atheists of America, presented on the topic “Famous Black Freethinkers.” An attorney and New York native, Ayanna focused primarily on individuals who were prominent during the Harlem Renaissance, a period between the 1920s and 30s when Harlem experienced a burgeoning of African-American culture following the migration of thousands of African-Americans from southern states.

Read more: April Meeting Review: Famous Black Freethinkers

News and Notes

By George Kane

In past columns I have criticized President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partner-ships. It was Obama’s attempt to correct the flaws of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives created by George W. Bush, which was nothing more than an apparatus for dispensing government funds to evangelical Christian ministries for charitable social programs. Obama promised to create a partnership between religion and government, to strengthen religion and to give it a role in setting the national agenda.   

Read more: News and Notes

Food and Cash Donated to Local Food Bank

By Eric Jayne

The month of March was Food Drive Month so on Sunday, March 25 the Minnesota Atheists organized a food drive party at Green Mill—one of St. Paul’s oldest and most well-known pizza restaurants.
 
Twenty-five atheists attended the food drive party with their donations then proceeded to settle down for lunch, conversations, and games. At the end of the party three Minnesota Atheists volunteers packed the donations in their cars and delivered the items to the Second Harvest Heartland food bank later that week.

Read more: Food and Cash Donated to Local Food Bank